The Passive - THEORY
Why do we use The Passive?
Change into the passive:
1) someone has taken my phone while I was in the toilet
2) someone will call you tomorrow, don't worry!
1) my phone has been taken (while I was in the toilet)
2) you will be called tomorrow, don't worry
1) Why do we use modal verbs of deduction?
2) How do we use them? (grammatical rule) Can we use it in continuous form?
Give examples
1) We use them to make a guess about something we don't know for sure
2) Subject + modal + verbinfinitive (She might have a sister)
Subject + modal + be + Ving (They must be sleeping right now)
You see a girl who looks exactly like your friend Katie, you say: that _________ be Katie!
that must be Katie!
How do we form the passive? (general rule)
correct tense + to be + V3/Ved
Change into the passive voice:
1) Their colleagues inform them daily (every day)
2) We send an email to every subscriber
1) They are informed daily
2) An email is sent to every subscriber
What do we use when:
we are positive something is true
we are positive something is true - must
She must be rich, she's wearing very expensive clothes
You see a person with some white paint in their back
You say: They __________ be an artist or a house painter
They might/could be an artist or a house painter
What do we use when we need to say who does/did/will do an action with the passive?
We use 'by'
Batman Begins was directed by Christopher Nolan
Change into the passive voice:
1) They cleaned the apartment before our arrival.
2) Emma had done the housework before the guests arrived
1) The apartment was cleaned before our arrival.
2) The housework had been done before the guests arrived
What do we use when:
we don't know for sure, 50/50
we don't know for sure, 50/50 - might/could
She's not answering my calls, she could be driving
You see a painting and hear someone saying it's Picasso, but Picasso is your favourite artist and you know it's not his painting
you say: it _________ be Picasso's work!
it can't be Picasso's work
How to change modal verbs into the passive?
Example: They can automize the factory.
Modals --> … modal verb + be + V3
The factory can be automized
Change into the passive:
1) You should find a lot of information on the Internet
2) She has to do a research
1) A lot of information should be found on the Internet
2) A research has to be done
What do we use when:
we are sure something isn't true
give examples :)
we are sure something isn't true - can't
She can't be at a museum, I know she's at home
Your friend hasn't called for a long time, you're not sure why
you say: he _________ be working a lot
he might/could be working a lot
How to change infinitives into the passive?
example: We need to pay the bill tomorrow
Infinitive forms -> … to + be + V3/Ved
This bill needs to be paid tomorrow
Change into the passive:
1) The reporter is announcing the results on the radio right now.
2) The doctor was treating the patient when the ambulance arrived.
1) The results are being announced on the radio right now
2) The patient was being treated (by the doctor) when the ambulance arrived
Can we use 'mustn't' and 'can' when making deductions?
No! :)
mustn't - only for rules (You mustn't smoke here)
can - only for abilities (I can swim)
You hear your friend saying something you don't agree with
you say: you _______ be serious!
you can't be serious!