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22 Forming Passive Sentences 1

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96 views2 pages

22 Forming Passive Sentences 1

Uploaded by

Israel de Almeida
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Unit

22 Forming passive sentences 1


A Verbs such as give take both a direct object (DO) and an Reminder ➜ Section D & Appendix 2
indirect object (IO) in two patterns: V + IO + DO or V + DO +
preposition + IO. These verbs have two corresponding passives:
active V + IO + DO passive Also: award, hand, lend,
V + DO + prep + IO offer, send, throw (=
Alice gave us that vase. ✓ We were given that vase (by Alice). ✓ ‘giving’ verbs); ask, read,
teach (= ‘telling’ verbs)
Alice gave that vase to us. ✓ That vase was given (to) us (by Alice). ✓

The passive form you choose depends on which is more appropriate in a particular context. If we
specify an agent (see Appendix 2), this follows by at the end of the clause. Note that in informal
contexts ‘to’ can be left out in the second passive pattern.
Verbs that can’t be followed by IO + DO in the active have only one of these passive forms:
active V + DO + prep + IO passive Also: announce, demonstrate,
He explained me the problem. ✗ I was explained the problem. ✗ describe, introduce, mention,
He explained the problem to me. ✓ The problem was explained to propose, report, suggest
me. ✓ (= ‘reporting’ verbs)

B Verbs followed by object + complement in the active have one passive form:
active V + object + complement passive Also: appoint, declare, make, nominate,
They elected her president. She was elected vote (to do with giving a particular position);
president. call, name, title (= ‘naming’ verbs)

C Some verbs that are followed by object + bare innitive (= an innitive without ‘to’) in the active are
followed by a to-innitive in the passive:
active V + object + bare innitive passive Also: feel, hear, help (also +
They have made him return the He has been made to object + to-innitive), observe,
money. return the money. see (see also Unit 23A)

D Transitive two- and three-word verbs (see also Unit 94)


Some have passive forms:
active passive Also: carry out (= put into practice),
Ella looked after him. He was looked after (by Ella). disapprove of, hold over (= delay), talk
down to (= patronise)
Some are not used in the passive:
active no passive Also: brush up on (= revise), cast (your mind)
We came up against A problem was come up back (= try to remember), get (something) down
a problem. against. ✗ (= write), take after (= resemble)

Some can be only used in the passive with certain senses:


active passive Also: (passive possible meaning / no passive
They put out the re. The re was put out. meaning): call (someone) up (order to join
I put out a hand to steady A hand was put out to the army / telephone); call (someone)
myself. steady myself. ✗ back (ask to return / telephone); let in
(allow into a place / allow rain, etc. in);
let out (allow to leave / let out a sound)
44
Unit
Exercises 22
22.1 Rewrite the sentences using one or, if possible, two passive forms. Look carefully at the tense. A
1 Someone handed me a note. I was handed a note. / A note was handed to me .
2 Someone offered her a second-hand bicycle.
3 Someone has proposed improvements to the developers.
4 Someone suggested some interesting changes to me.
5 Someone awarded him a prize.
6 Someone will announce the President’s arrival to the waiting journalists.
7 Someone had mentioned the password to the thieves.
8 Someone has lent me some skis.
9 Someone is sending me a lot of spam emails.
10 Someone is going to explain the changes to the students.

22.2 Complete each rst sentence with a suitable form of a verb from the box. Then complete the
second sentence using the same verb and the passive. A, B & C
appoint declare demonstrate help introduce see

1 People helped Rob to his feet after the accident.


Rob was helped to his feet after the accident .
2 Tony me to Mrs Rossi at his birthday party. I
.
3 Has anyone Chris this morning? Has Chris
?
4 They Sven Larsen Regional Sales Director for Scandinavia.
Sven Larsen .
5 I am certain that Sarah her suitability as company director to those who
still have any doubt. I am certain that Sarah’s suitability as company director
.
6 They Alan Watson winner of the election after a recount.
Alan Watson .

22.3 If possible, rewrite each sentence using a passive form of the italicised two- or three-word verb.
If not, write ‘No passive’. D
1 Children often look up to strict teachers.
Strict teachers are often looked up to by children.
2 The company phased out the product over a period of three years.

3 The students got the information down as fast as they could.

4 The decision has deprived many people of the right to vote.

5 People often brush up on a foreign language just before a holiday.

6 Ben called Mrs Patel back as soon as he got home.

7 The chairperson held over the last two items until the next committee meeting.

8 The farmer prevented walkers from crossing the eld after he fenced it off.

➜ Additional exercise 6 (page 243) 45

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