TENSE FORMATION + mix
Change into passive: They are repairing the road.
The road is being repaired.
Passive: They may invite the applicants to the interview.
The applicants may be invited to the interview. Modal Passive (may + be + V3)
Rewrite using passive infinitive: I was happy that they invited me.
I was happy to be invited. Passive infinitive (to be + V3)
Passive OR something else?
This book reads easily.
Active with passive meaning (NOT passive)
RULE: read/sell/wash group: active form with passive meaning
T/F: “has been being done” is grammatically possible but usually avoided.
TRUE
RULE: be being / be been forms exist but are stylistically heavy
Change into passive: They were interviewing him at 5 p.m. yesterday
He was being interviewed at 5 p.m. yesterday. Past Continuous Passive (was/were + being + V3)
Passive: You shouldn’t reveal this information.
This information shouldn’t be revealed.
Rewrite: She was shocked because they asked her about salary.
She was shocked to be asked about her salary. Emotion + passive infinitive (to be + V3)
Rewrite: People believe she left.
She is believed to have left.
RULE: Subject passive + perfect infinitive (to have + V3/left)
True or False: “Students were explained the rule” is correct.
FALSE
RULE: explain takes “to”. The rule was explained to the students
Change into passive: They will have finished the work by Monday.
The work will have been finished by Monday.
Future Perfect Passive (will have been + V3)
Passive: They often refer to Shakespeare’s early works.
Shakespeare’s early works are often referred to.
Make passive -ing form: I remember people praising him.
I remember him being praised. Passive -ing form (being + V3)
Rewrite (it-passive): People reported that all passengers survived.
It was reported that all passengers survived.
RULE: It-passive (It was + V3 + that-clause)
T/F: In prepositional passive the preposition is dropped.
FALSE
RULE: Preposition must be preserved (laughed at, sent for)
T/F: “Mary resembles her mother” can be changed into the passive voice.
“Resemble” refers to a state, not an action.
It does not normally form passive.
Some transitive verbs that refer to states (not actions) are hardly ever used in the passive:
have, fit, lack, suit, resemble, hold (= have enough space).
This site is asking for $300.
$300 is being asked for.
Make passive: People believe she left earlier.
She is believed to have left earlier. Subject passive + perfect infinitive (is believed + to have + V3/left)
Passive possible? He arrived late.
IMPOSSIBLE
RULE: Intransitive verbs (arrive) cannot form passive
Rewrite: They saw him leaving the room.
He was seen leaving the room. / (formal) He was seen to leave the room.
RULE: Perception verbs in passive: seen + V-ing / seen + to-inf
T/F: “The students were dictated the story” is correct.
FALSE
The story was dictated to the students.
RULE:
“Dictate” requires to + object.
The prepositional object cannot become the subject in passive. Verbs like explain, describe, dictate, repeat, mention, point out, announce, send (to) take a direct object + prepositional object and can form only ONE passive construction. The direct object becomes the subject.
Identify which sentence focuses on the process and which focuses on the doer. Explain why the voice changes.
These muffins are baking.
These muffins were baked by Nancy.
Process/result - active with passive meaning. (Verbs like sell, wash, wear, bake, read, peel, burn, cook)
Doer emphasized - real passive.
Make passive (1 or 2 possible?): They described the suspect to the police.
The suspect was described to the police.
RULE: describe + to → only ONE passive with “to”
Passive possible? This bus holds 48 people.
Normally NOT used in passive
RULE: State/capacity “hold” is rarely passive (prefer active statement)
Rewrite (2 variants): People claimed that the bridge had been reopened.
1) It was claimed that the bridge had been reopened.
2) The bridge was claimed to have been reopened.
RULE: Two reporting passives: it-passive OR subject passive