Hi, everyone!
Today’s lesson is on the PASSIVE VOICE of VERBS.
When we want to focus on the object of a sentence instead of the subject, we use the passive voice.
Let’s compare these two sentences.
Arnold bought this chair. à The focus here is on Arnold. He is the subject of the sentence.
This chair was bought by Arnold. à The focus here is on the chair. It is the object of the sentence.
Forming the passive voice is usually done by using the appropriate form of the verb “to be” with the past participle of the verb.
Take these sentences for example:
"Her purse was stolen last week."
"My car is being fixed."
There are a number of situations when the passive voice is used.
Number 1: Use it when you do not know who did an action.
For example: The window has been broken.
Number 2: It is obvious or not important who did the action.
For example: "This house was built 100 years ago."à It's not important who built it (or unknown).
"I have been told to give my students more homework." à Obvious. In the active voice we would say, "The headmaster told me to give my students more homework."
Here are some exercises that you can follow through to practice using the passive voice:
1) This coin is ___ of copper.
made
making
make
2) Guernica was ___ by Picasso.
paint
painted
paints
3) The bottle has been ___.
shake
shook
shaken
4) The pool has never been ___ in.
swim
swam
swum
5) The food was ___ cooked.
been
have
being
6) University students are ___ by professors.
teach
teached
taught
7) The boxes will ___ been opened.
are
have
had
8) The bell has been __.
rung
rang
ring
9) The children are ___ up early.
wake
waked
woken
10) A picture is ___ to be taken.
going
have
will