Passive
Subject + verb 'be' + past participle verb
What is the 'passive'?
You use the passive:
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in formal situations
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often when writing (not speaking)
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to describe a process
It is used to show that the receiver of an action is more important than the person doing the action.
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In the 'passive' the receiver of the action is the subject.
Active sentence or Passive sentence
Person doing the action: barista
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Receiver of the action: coffee
The active sentence has the person doing the action as the subject:
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The barista made coffee.
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The passive sentence has the receiver of the action as the subject:
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The coffee was made.
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We can then add 'who' did the action:
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The coffee was made by the barista.
Example
Person doing the action: musician
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Receiver of the action: guitar
Active sentence (person doing is the subject):
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The musician played the guitar.
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Passive sentence (thing receiving the action is the subject):
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The guitar was played.
Practice
Person doing the action: chef
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Receiver of the action: the bread
Person doing the action:
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Receiver of the action:
artist
Answer
painting
Answer
People doing the action:
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Receiver of the action:
riders
Answer
motorbikes
Answer
Types of passive sentence
There are three types of passive sentence:
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what happened to the subject
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who or what did the something to the subject
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how the subject was done
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Here is an example of all three sentences:
Happened: The cake was decorated.
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Who / What: The cake was decorated by him.
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How: The cake was beautifully decorated.
Receiver of the action: The cake
Classical Music
Vocabulary
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Symphony - a long piece of classic music
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Solo - when one person plays an instrument or sings on their own
Verbs
Type of passive sentence - happened
These examples will be about what happened to the receiver of the action.
The piano was played.
Receiver of the action: the piano
The symphony was written.
Answer
The symphony was composed.
Answer
Receiver of the action: the symphony
The solo was played.
Answer
The solo was performed.
Answer
Receiver of the action: the solo
Type of passive sentence - what / who
These examples will be about what or who did the action.
The solo was sung by the singer.
Receiver of the action: the solo
Receiver of the action: the symphony
Person doing the action: Beethoven
The symphony was written by Beethoven.
Answer
The symphony was composed by Beethoven.
Answer
Receiver of the action: the violin
Person doing the action: Vivaldi
The violin was played by Vivaldi.
Answer
Type of Passive sentence - how
These examples will be about how the subject was done.
Receiver of the action: the symphony
Person doing the action: the orchestra
The symphony was performed beautifully by the orchestra.
Receiver of the action: the piano
Person doing the action: Mozart
The piano was played amazingly by Mozart.
Answer
Receiver of the action: the orchetra
Person doing the action: the conductor
The orchestra was conducted carefully by the conductor.
Answer
Using the Passive
You use the passive:
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in formal situations
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often when writing (not speaking)
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to describe a process
Formal writing - biography
Facts
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Born: 1756, Salzburg
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When young - performed for European Royalty
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Composed lots of work in Vienna, Austria
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Wrote the famous piece 'Requiem' in 1791 but didn't finish it
Mozart
Mozart was born in 1751 in Salzburg, Austria. When he was young Mozart performed for European Royalty. Lots of Mozart's famous pieces were composed in Vienna, Austria. The famous piece, 'Requiem', was written in 1791 but unfinished.
Breakdown of sentences
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Mozart was born in 1751 in Salzburg, Austria. - passive
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When he was young Mozart performed for European Royalty. - active (Mozart did the action)
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Lots of Mozart's famous pieces were composed in Vienna, Austria. - passive
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The famous piece, 'Requiem', was written in 1791 but unfinished. - passive
Practice
Facts
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Born: 1770, Bonn, Germany
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When 21 - moved to Vienna, Austria
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First symphony performed in 1800
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Ninth and most famous symphony composed between 1822 - 1824
Beethoven
Beethoven was born in 1770 in Bonn, Germany.
Sentence 1 - passive
When he was 21, Beethoven moved to Vienna, Austria.
Sentence 2 - active
His first symphony was performed in 1800.
Sentence 3 - passive
Beethoven's ninth and most famous symphony was composed between 1822 and 1824.
Sentence 4 - passive
Describing a process
The passive is also used when you want to describe a process.
How a piano makes sound
A key is pressed by the player and a hammer strikes a string. A vibration is made by the string and that creates a sound.