Let’s learn the Passive Voice

► Пасивний стан (the Passive Voice) в англійській мові вживається:

  • коли дія більш важлива, ніж її виконавець: English is spoken all over the world.
  • коли виконавець невідомий: The shop is closed at 8 p.m.
  • коли ми звертаємо увагу на виконавця дії: Books are written by writers and poets.
  • для підкреслення офіційності ситуації: Dinner is served at 6 p.m. in the hotel restaurant.

► Якщо підмет означає особу або предмет, на які спрямовано дію іншої особи або предмета, то дієслово-присудок вживається в пасивному стані.

► Щоб з речення з дієсловом активного стану утворити речення з дієсловом пасивного стану, необхідно суб’єкт і об’єкт поміняти місцями.

People make furniture of wood. (суб’єкт) →   Furniture is made of wood. (об’єкт)

They built the house last year. (суб’єкт)  →   The house was built last year. (об’єкт)

► Якщо стан дієслова в реченні змінюється з активного на пасивний, граматичний час речення залишається незмінним.

► Показники часу такі ж, як для речень з дієсловами активного стану.

► З дієсловом пасивного стану часто вживаються прийменники by та with. By використовується, коли йдеться про виконавця дії, with – коли йдеться про знаряддя дії.

The article is written by a famous journalist. This food is eaten with a fork.

 The Present Simple Passive = am, is, are + V3

Task 1. Circle the correct item.

  1. She spends / is spent a lot of money for books.
  2. Her clothes buy / are bought in a fashionable shop.
  3. The hair is cut by / with scissors.
  4. French teaches / is taught in our school.
  5. The email is written by / with my friend.
  6. They usually plan / are planned their journeys.
  7. The tickets book / are booked in the booking office.
  8. The car is stopped by / with the policeman.
  9. The meat is cut by / with a knife.

Task 2. Change the sentences into the Passive Voice.

  1. People use computers everywhere nowadays.
  2. We take books from the libraries.
  3. They publish this magazine in Odessa.
  4. They show this TV programme every evening.
  5. Pupils finish the academic year in May.
  6. They sell beautiful flowers in this shop.
  7. We play basketball all year round.
  8. He paints the roof of the house every year.

Task 3. Put the verbs in brackets into the Present Simple Passive

English __________ (to speak) all over the world. It __________ (to use) for writing articles and computer programs. Children __________ (to teach) English at schools. A lot of English-speaking countries _________ (to visit) by tourists every year. English __________ (to recognize) as the language of international communication. The importance of learning foreign languages __________ (to understand) by people of our country.

Task 4. Disagree with the statements and write the correct sentences.

Example: Peaches are grown in winter. – Peaches aren’t grown in winter. They are grown in summer.

  1. English is spoken in Great Britain only.
  2. Ice cream is made of ice.
  3. Cars are built of glass.
  4. Cats are kept at the zoos.
  5. The Sun is seen at night.

The Past Simple Passive = was, were + V3

Task 1. Put the verbs in brackets in the Past Simple Passive Tense

A new book by a famous writer ________________ (to present) last month. It ________________ (to write) for teenagers and their parents. The illustrations ________________ (to make) by a well-known painter. More than 1,000 copies ________________ (to sell) for the first day only and it ________________ (to call) the best-seller of the month. A lot of important problems in the relations between children and grown-ups ________________ (to describe) on the pages of this book and it ________________ (to recognize) the best book of the year.

Task 2. Use the list to make up sentences. The chief went on holiday and made some arrangements for the staff of the office. Write what  was done and wasn’t done during his absence.

  • to set up the computer programs   +
  • to organize the conference    –
  • to prepare the documents   +
  • to type the reports   –
  • to buy a new chair for the chief  +

The computer programs were set up.
_____________________________________________________________________________

Task 3. Make up sentences using the Past Simple Passive.

  1. The Eiffel Tower / build / in 1832  – The Eiffel Tower was built in 1832.
  2. The Mona Lisa / steal / from the Louvre / in 1911 ________________________________________
  3. The Channel Tunnel / build / under the sea ____________________________________________
  4. “Romeo and Juliet” / write / by Shakespeare ___________________________________________
  5. Big Ben / call / after Sir Benjamin Hall _______________________________________________
  6. Queen Elizabeth II / crown / in Westminster Abbey ______________________________________

Task 4. Rewrite the text in the Past Simple Passive.

Some people saw two strange persons in the street near the bank yesterday. They informed the police about it. The police sent a car to inspect the bank. The policemen found the robbers in the bank. Some people heard a shooting inside the bank. The robbers wounded one of the policemen. The policemen captured the robbers. The robbers didn’t steal anything.

Two strange persons were seen in the street near the bank yesterday. ______________________________________________________________________________