THEME 7 FACTS ABOUT TURKEY GRAMMAR

1. THE PASSIVE
We use “the passive”
• when the person who carries out the action is unknown, unimportant or obvious from the context.
Stonehenge was built in 3000 BC. (we don’t know who built it)
My lunch is delivered every day. (it is not important who delivers it)
• when the action itself is more important than the person who carries it out, as in news headlines, articles, formal
notices, advertisements, etc.
Göbekli Tepe is believed to be the oldest temple in the world.
• to make statements more formal and polite.
Camera flash is not allowed in the museum.
Changing from active to passive
• The object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence.
• The active verb remains in the same tense, but changes into a passive form.
• The subject of the active sentence becomes the agent, and is either introduced with the preposition by or omitted.
subject verb object
ACTIVE Tilda prepared dinner
PASSIVE Dinner was prepared by Tilda

We form “the passive” with the verb to be in the appropriate tense and the past participle of the main verb.
ACTIVE PASSIVE
Present Simple They clean the office every day. The office is cleaned every day.
Present They are cleaning the office now The office is being cleaned now.
Continuous
Past Simple They cleaned the office yesterday. The office was cleaned yesterday.
Past Continuous They were cleaning the office at 9 The office was being cleaned at 9
yesterday evening yesterday evening.
Present Perfect They have already cleaned the office. The office has already been cleaned.

Past Perfect They had cleaned the office. The office had been cleaned.

Future Simple They will clean the office tomorrow. The office will be cleaned.

Modals They can clean the office. The house can be cleaned.

NOTES
*** Only transitive verbs (verbs that take an object) can be changed into passive.
Tom leaves home early every morning. (intransitive verb; no passive form)
*** We use by + agent to say who or what carries out an action. We use with +instrument/material/ingredient to
say what the agent used.
The sauce was made by a young chef. (It was made with garlic and olive oil.)
*** The agent can be omitted when the subject is they, he, someone/somebody, people, one, etc.
Somebody has stolen my bike. (My bike has been stolen.)
*** The agent is not omitted when it is a specific or important person.
The concert hall was opened by Jennifer Lopez.
*** With verbs which take two objects such as give, write, buy, tell, bring, send, etc, we can make two different
passive sentences.
She gave him a beautiful cap. (active)
He was given a beautiful cap. (passive, more usual)
A beautiful cap was given to her. (passive, less usual)
*** In passive questions with who, whom, which we do not omit by.
Who wrote this poem? Who was this poem written by?
EXERCISES A. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct passive form.
1. The beef was roasted (roast) in the oven with garlic and olive oil an hour ago.
2. I’m making the cake and the chicken _____________________________________(prepare) by Fiona now.
3. The new swimming pool ______________________________________(open) by the mayor next Sunday.
4. The guests are about to come but the cake___________________________________ (not/deliver) yet.
5. My grandma’s flat ______________________________________(burgle) last night.
6. Rome is one of the most important tourist destinations in the world. It ____________________________(visit) by
millions of people every year.
EXERCISES B. Rewrite the sentences in the passive form.
1. You must take these tablets after meals. These tablets must be taken after meals.
2. The teacher sent Elisa out of the classroom.
3. They have already served the main course.
4. The readers had voted Adele the best singer of the year.
5. They are going to knock down that building.
6. Who answered the phone?
EXERCISES C. Rewrite the following sentences into the active.
1. All the main courses are served with rice or chips. They serve all the main courses with rice or chips.
2. The lecture will be presented by Dr Jack Cage.
3. The new menu hasn’t been approved by the owner.
4. Chemicals are used to make sugar white.
5. The ice climbing competition had been held here.
EXERCISE D. Fill in the gaps using “by” or “with”.
1. This soup was made with asparagus.
2. The cookies will be baked ____________________ the kids.
3. The recipe was created ________________ my grandfather.
4. All the food in the restaurant is eaten __________________ chopsticks.
5. The beef was cut ______________ a special knife.
6. The sauce is being made __________________ garlic and chilli peppers.