Easy Word | Luyện ngữ pháp


Luyện ngữ pháp - Destination C1 and C2 ((Unit 7: Grammar - Passives and causatives))


Avoiding the passive

The passive is not normally used with verbs in the present perfect continuous, past perfect continuous, future continuous or future perfect continuous tenses. Various prepositional phrases are used to avoid the passive in these tenses, including the following.

in progress ✘ Preparations for the flight will be being made as the President arrives at the airport.
✓ Preparations for the flight will be in progress as the President arrives at the airport.
in training ✘ At the end of this year, I will have been being trained as a pilot for four years.
✓ At the end of this year, I will have been in training as a pilot for four years.
on display ✘ Vintage cars have been being displayed in the town center all this week.
✓ Vintage cars have been on display in the town centre all this week.
under consideration ✘ By the time they came to decision, the problem had been being considered for some time.
✓ By the time they came to a decision, the problem had been under consideration for some time.
under construction ✘ The new railway station has been being built for two years now.
✓ The new railway station has been under construction for two years now.

Watch out!
• Some verbs are not usually used in the passive. They include intransitive verbs such as appear, arrive, die, etc.
• Many verbs used statively are also not usually used in the passive. They include consist, deserve, fit, have, lack, look, mind, realise, resemble, seem, suit, etc.

• The verb let is not used in the passive when it means 'allow', although phrasal verbs with let can be used in the passive.
✓ Alice was clearly guilty, but she was let off with a warning.

• Some verbs can be followed by the bare infinitive (without to) in active sentences. They are followed by the full infinitive in passive sentences. These verbs include hear, help, make and see.
✓ We heard Jim say he was going to Albania. (active)
✓ Jim was heard to say he was going to Albania. (passive)

Form - Direct and indirect object Form - Causative get/ have sth done


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