Nestor passive voice
1
Passive Present simple Murderers are usually sentenced to life imprisonment. Present continuous The trial is being held at the moment. Present perfect My car has been stolen. Past simple Jim was arrested last month. Past continuous The cinema was being rebuilt when it was set on fire. Past perfect We saw that one of the windows had been broken. Future The prisoner will be released next month. The verdict is going to be given tomorrow. Infinitive with to People used to be imprisoned for stealing bread. Use the passive voice when you want to talk about an action but you are not so interested in saying who or what does/did the action. If you also want to mention the person or thing that did the action (the agent), use by, e.g. Prison sentences are decided by judges Exercise I Change the sentences from the active to the passive voice. 1 They have grown coffee in Veracruz since 200 years ago. ________________________________________ 2 Everyone saw them in the party dancing. ________________________________________ 3 The crocodile ate the antelope. ________________________________________ 4 They didn’t punish him for what he did. ________________________________________ 5 Did the president take English classes? ________________________________________ 6 Jorge and his father built that house in the corner. ________________________________________ 7 You stole the wallet of that man. ________________________________________ Exercise II
Transcript of Nestor passive voice
Passive
Present simple Murderers are usually sentenced to life imprisonment.
Present continuous The trial is being held at the moment.
Present perfect My car has been stolen.
Past simple Jim was arrested last month.
Past continuous The cinema was being rebuilt when it was set on fire.
Past perfect We saw that one of the windows had been broken.
Future The prisoner will be released next month.
The verdict is going to be given tomorrow.
Infinitive with to People used to be imprisoned for stealing bread.
Infinitive without to You can be fined for parking on a yellow line.
Gerund He paid a fine to avoid being sent to jail.
Use the passive voice when you want to talk about an action but you are not so interested in saying who or what does/did the action.
If you also want to mention the person or thing that did the action (the agent), use by, e.g.
Prison sentences are decided by judges
However, in the majority of passive sentences the agent is not mentioned.
Exercise I
Change the sentences from the active to the passive voice.
1 They have grown coffee in Veracruz since 200 years ago. ________________________________________2 Everyone saw them in the party dancing. ________________________________________3 The crocodile ate the antelope. ________________________________________4 They didn’t punish him for what he did. ________________________________________5 Did the president take English classes? ________________________________________6 Jorge and his father built that house in the corner. ________________________________________7 You stole the wallet of that man. ________________________________________
Exercise II
Put the verbs in brackets in the correct form active or passive.
1 He _________ (write) the letter.2 The homework___________ (make) by me yesterday.3 The airline _________ (send) our luggage to Canada by mistake.4 People ___________ (export) tortilla to the US. 5 The Kiss ______________ (paint) by Gustav Klimt. 6 My cousin _____________ (sell) his car last week.7 All the windows of the house _________ (break) by the child.
