Easy Word | Luyện ngữ pháp


Luyện ngữ pháp - English Grammar in Use - Intermediate (Unit 42: Passive 1))


Passive 1

A

Study this example:

This house was built in 1961.

Was built is passive.

Compare active and passive:


When we use an active verb, we say what the subject does:
  • My grandfather was a builder. He built this house in 1961.
  • It's a big company. It employs two hundred people.

When we use a passive verb, we say what happens to the subject:
  • 'How old is this house?'  'It was built in 1961.'
  • Two hundred people are employed by the company.
B When we use the passive, who or what causes the action is oft en unknown or unimportant:
  • A lot of money was stolen in the robbery. (somebody stole it, but we don't know who)
  • Is this room cleaned every day? (does somebody clean it? - it's not important who)

If we want to say who does or what causes the action, we use by:
  • This house was built by my grandfather.
  • Two hundred people are employed by the company.
C

The passive is be (is/was etc.) + past participle (done/cleaned/seen etc.):

(be) done       (be) cleaned       (be) damaged          (be) built           (be) seen etc.

For irregular past participles (done/seen/known etc.), see Appendix 1.

Study the active and passive forms of the present simple and past simple:

Present simple
active clean(s) / see(s) etc. Somebody cleans this room every day.
passive am/is/are + cleaned/seen etc. This room is cleaned every day.

  • Many accidents are caused by careless driving.
  • I'm not invited to parties very often.
  • How is this word pronounced?

 

Past simple
active cleaned/saw etc. Some body cleaned this room yesterday.
passive was/were + cleaned/seen etc. This room was cleaned yesterday.

  • We were woken up by a loud noise during the night.
  • 'Did you go to the party?' 'No, I wasn't invited.'
  • How much money was stolen in the robbery?
Exercises - 42.1


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