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Passive Exercises ANSWER KEY - Unit 6

The document discusses the passive voice in English. It explains how to form the passive voice using "be" plus the past participle of the verb. Only transitive verbs that have an object can be made passive. Examples are provided of changing sentences from active to passive voice in different tenses. For verbs with two objects, like "give", the preferred passive form in English is usually to make the indirect object the new subject. Some practice examples of changing sentences to passive voice are provided at the end.

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422 views

Passive Exercises ANSWER KEY - Unit 6

The document discusses the passive voice in English. It explains how to form the passive voice using "be" plus the past participle of the verb. Only transitive verbs that have an object can be made passive. Examples are provided of changing sentences from active to passive voice in different tenses. For verbs with two objects, like "give", the preferred passive form in English is usually to make the indirect object the new subject. Some practice examples of changing sentences to passive voice are provided at the end.

Uploaded by

riccardo solerti
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© © All Rights Reserved
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PASSIVE VOICE

Use be + past participIe to form the passive. Only verbs with an object (transitive) can
be made passive

present simple active We find oil and gas beneath the ground or sea
present simple passive Oils and gas are found beneath the ground or sea

present continuous active The police are questioning two men


present continuous passive Two men are being questioned by the police.

past simple active Teachers trained Aztec boys to fight


past simple passive Aztec boys were trained to fight.

present perfect active Tourism has harmed some countries.


present perfect passive Some countries have been harmed by tourism.

will active We will choose a new class representative on Monday


will passive A new class representative will be chosen on Monday
will perfect active They will have brought action against them by tomorrow
will perfect pass. Action will have been brought against them by tomorrow

Verbs with two possible objects (Do & IO –ditransitive) have two possible passive
forms, but to make the Indirect Object the new subject is more commonly used in
English

Common verbs with two objects: buy, give, lend, make something for someone, offer,
prepare something for someone, promise, sell, send, take something to someone)

Jim gave some help to Alan

Some help was given to Alan by Jim.


Alan was given some help by Jim. (more common)

David took a present to Susan

A present was taken to Susan by David.


Susan was taken a present by David. (more common)

Note that this is an important difference with passive in Spanish as we do not usually
make the Indirect Object the new subject (it would be reflexive le entregaron, me
dijeron …etc)
The postman delivered the letters to Maria
Common in Spanish: the letters were delivered to Maria by the postman (DO new
subject)

1
More common in English: Maria was delivered the letters by the postman (IO new
subject)…this structure would be reflexive in Spanish (le dieron las cartas a Maria)

PASSIVE (focus on the object and turn it into de subject/focus on the verbal tense and
make the change keeping the same sense). In case of verbs with two objects think of
the two options and which is the preferred one in English

1) We have reserved a seat for the trial at the Court.

2) The company offered a job in Dubai to Emma

3) They have promised them a good position in the future

4) Parliament passes laws in England

5) The bank lent some money to my partner

6) Spanish _____________ spoken by more people than French


a) has b) is c) it is d) is it

2
ANSWER KEY

1) A seat for the trial has been reserved at the Court


2) a) A job was offered to Emma in Dubai /
b) Emma was offered a job in Dubai
3) a) A good position has been promised to them in the future
b) They have been promised a good position in the future
4) Laws are passed by Parliament in England
5) a) Some money was lent to my partner / b) My partner was lent some money
6) is

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