B2 Passive structures

Introduction Hello, everyone. This is an interactive worksheet for you to practice some passive structures.We use the passive, rather than the active, to show that we are more interested in a certain part of the sentence. The passive is usually formed by the verb to be + past participle.Prepare your writing utensils, your notebook if you decide to write down any notes and your book (Solutions Advanced 2nd edition).Feel free to check the topic in your books on pages 98 and 128.Good luck in practicing the passives. Watch the video. As you watch the video, look at the examples of passive forms. They are in red in the subtitles. Then read the conversation below to learn more. Finally, do the grammar exercises to check you understand, and can use, passive forms correctly. If it does not show in the recording, click here. Do you know how to use the passive voice to change the focus of a sentence? Choose the correct option to complete the sentence. The Egyptian pyramids _ thousands of years ago. are built been built were built Your letter _ within 28 days. will be answer will be answered will answer Chocolate _ for over 4,000 years. has been produce is been produced has been produced I don't know who _ my bike. stole is stolen was stolen My car _ this week, so I'm going to work by bus. is being repaired will be repaired is repairing Not enough of our rubbish _. recycles is recycled is being recycled The fire service still _ the fire. hasn't put out haven't been put out haven't put out The underground connection _ when I moved into the house. is still being built was still being built were still being built All our lamps _ from original 1950s designs. produce is produced are produced Mistakes _, but we're working on a solution now. have been make are been made have been made Someone _ my wallet and left it at reception. had found had been found was found My phone _ last week, so I didn't get your message until today. was being fixed was been fixed was be fixed A lot of time _ on pointless meeting in this company. wastes is wasted is being wasted Your application _ by the end of the month. will be review will be reviewed will review Someone _ my talk at the conference and recommended me as a speaker. saw was seen had been seen The suspect _ near the French border. was caught were caught caught Are the sentences true or false. Write a capital T or F next to each statement. We use the passive when we don't want or need to specify who did the action. TWe use the verb 'have' and the past participle to form the passive. FYou can't say who did the action when you're using the passive. FThe passive is not always formal. TIn some contexts we can say 'they' or 'you' instead of using the passive. TWe also use 'get' instead of 'be' to form the passive sometimes. T We often use the passive: when we prefer not to mention who or what does the action (for example, it's not known, it's obvious or we don't want to say)so that we can start a sentence with the most important or most logical informationin more formal or scientific writing. How do we make the passive? Complete the sentences using the passive. Do not use contracted forms (didn't but did not). 1) The theatre has cancelled the play. = The play by the theatre.2) Did someone tell the students about the trip? = Were the students told about the trip?3) They haven't announced the opening date yet. = The opening date has not been announced yet.4) A car hit my dog. = My dog was hitby a car.5) Someone had burgled his house. = His house had been burgled.6) Students will organise the party themselves. = The party will be organized by students themselves.7) Clare didn't write that note. = That note was not writtenby Clare.8) Someone is painting our classroom. = Our classroom is beingpainted.9) People saw a meteorite over the North Pole. = A meteorite was seenover the North Pole.10)The organisers will divide the prize money between the two winners. = The prize money will be dividedbetween the two winners. Sentence transformation Rewrite the sentences using the passive structures. The meaning should stay the same. The word in brackets is given to help you. Try making the sentences starting with the words in brackets. 1) A spokesperson for the couple confirmed that they are getting divorced. (it) 2) An unknown source leaked the story to the press on Tuesday and by Wednesday it had become common knowledge. (leaked) 3) They are going to reveal the identity of the mystery musician on the next week's programme. (the identity) 4) Most people generally think of him as a politician but he was also a secret agent. 5) The police had questioned him three times before he finally confessed to the crime. (questioned) 6) Police cameras caught the celebrity speeding through the town at midnight and charged him with dangerous driving. (caught) 7) Nobody has seen the panther for several days and most people believe it was a hoax. (the panther) 8) Experts believe that a soldier started this rumour during the First World War. (it) Let's revise. Watch the video and play the game. You play by solving the task when prompted by the video pause. Self-check links for extra practice e-sfera Passive voice e-sfera Causative haveSolutions Upper-Int 1Solutions Upper-Int 2Solutions Upper-Int 3Solutions Advanced