Unit 5

Question 1

Speaking

Answer 1

• What is a passive expression?
• Why would we use a passive form of a tense?
• Do you know why we use passive forms of verbs when speaking?

Question 2

VERBS:

Answer 2

to give (active): The woman gave everyone a present.
to give (passive): A present was given to everyone. (by the woman)
to give (passive): Everyone was given a present. (by the woman)
to watch (active): 100 million people watch the super bowl every year.
to watch (passive): The super bowl is watched by 100 million people every year.

Question 3

Language references

Answer 3

Mental processes.
Perception.
Memory.
Imagination.
Reasoning.
Ideation.
Belief.
Emotion.
Volition.
(decision making)

Question 4

Use of English

Answer 4

We use the terms active voice and passive voice to talk about ways of organising the content of a clause.

We use the passive when we want to change the focus of a clause, or if the doer of the verb is not important or not known or if we do not want to say who the doer is.

We use passive forms of tenses in the same way as we use their active equivalents.

For example, we use the present simple in the passive to talk about general or permanent states, or general facts we think are true at the present time:

• Mr Lloyd and Mrs James teach Geography.
  (present simple active)
• Geography is taught by Mr Lloyd and Mrs James.
  (present simple passive)

We don’t often use perfect continuous forms (have/has been being + -ed form) in a passive structure. We usually find a way to reword sentences like this.

The house has been being renovated for almost a year.
(not common)

They have been renovating the house for a year. (preferred)

We can form passive structures with verbs that are followed by an object (transitive verbs) and some clauses where the verb is followed by a preposition:

My favorite mug was broken.
(Someone broke my favourite mug.)

Question 5

Use of English

Answer 5

When verbs have two objects, either object can be the theme or subject of the passive structure, depending on what we want to focus on:

Her mother gave each child a present.
(active)

A present was given to each child (by her mother).
(passive)

We don’t form passive structures with verbs like be, become, seem where the complement of the verb refers back to the subject
(linking verbs):
After six years of training, she has finally become a doctor.

Question 6

Use of English

Answer 6

When verbs have two objects, either object can be the theme or subject of the passive structure, depending on what we want to focus on:

Her mother gave each child a present.
(active)

A present was given to each child (by her mother).
(passive)

We don’t form passive structures with verbs like be, become, seem where the complement of the verb refers back to the subject
(linking verbs):
After six years of training, she has finally become a doctor.