LESSON A

PASSIVE VOICE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkAyggAM1q4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6pHfjH0Efg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxbQ2U3Uuv0

The passive voice is used to put the emphasis of the action on the object instead of the subject. It is used when we
don’t know what the subject is or it is not important, when we want to omit the subject to make the sentence more
neutral.

You have to be able to identify 3 parts of a sentence correctly to be able to convert a sentence from active to passive:
1. subject
2. verb
3. direct object

direct object + verb to be in same tense as original verb + past participle of original verb + by + subject (if necessary)

Hundreds of pizzas are cooked every day at Papa John’s.
The package was delivered yesterday at noon.
I was given the wrong information.
A vaccine for COVID-19 will be found soon.
Andrew’s car was stolen last night.
The Pyramids were built millennia ago.
The telephone was invented in 1876.
(by whom? obvious or not important)
(by whom? obvious or not important)
(by whom? maybe a secretary but you omit it)
(by doctors or researchers of course)
(by an unknown thief)
(by unknown workers)
(emphasis on invention, not inventor)

SIMPLE PRESENT (BE = am / is / are)

Bananas, oil, flowers, cocoa and shrimp are exported by Ecuador to countries around the world.
A lot of drug money is laundered by unscrupulous banks.
Lots of resources are stolen by politicians
Technological merchandise is sold in great quantities on Black Friday.

SIMPLE PAST (BE = was / were)

The thief was arrested by the policemen.
The photographs on the wall were taken by Dave last year.
The computer was repaired by the technician.
The baby’s diaper was changed by the nanny.

PRESENT PROGRESSIVE (BE = am being / is being / are being)

The food is being prepared by my mom.
The pastries are being made by the baker at this moment.
Several brands of televisions are now being manufactured in Ecuador.
The water pipes are being replaced by the plumber.

PAST PROGRESSIVE (BE = was being / were being)

The boxes were being loaded onto the truck during the night.
The streets were being fumigated on the weekend.
The streets was being repaved by EMOP when I passed there.
The movie was being filmed in my neighborhood last week.

PRESENT PERFECT (BE = have been / has been)

The Eiffel Tower has been photographed countless times.
San Francisco has been hit by several major earthquakes over time.
We have been invited to Christmas dinner at our neighbor’s house.
Many hectares of land have been burned by the forest fire. over the past three months.

FUTURE (GOING TO) (BE = am going to be / is going to be / are going to be)

The famous painting is going to be sold at the auction.
Many trees are going to be sold for Christmas.
I am going to be assigned to my job’s new branch near my house.
Tomorrow the package is going to be sent by my cousin via DHL.

MODALS (AUXILIARY VERBS) (BE = could be / should be / would be / can be / must be / will be / might be)
The exams should be corrected by the teacher within 2 days.
The new James Bond movie will be shown at the cinemas starting in November.
Antibiotics must be taken for an infection.
The coast of Texas might be affected by the hurricane tomorrow.
The craters of the moon can be clearly seen with a telescope.
One sample of the new product may be taken by each customer.

PAST MODALS / MODALS + PERFECTIVE (should have been / could have been / must have been / might have been)
The accident could have been avoided if the driver hadn’t been talking on his cellphone.
The street should have been repaired by now.
He would have been hired if he had had the right qualifications.
The car thief may have been seen if the cameras in the parking lot had been working.
GRAMMAR PLUS (p.124)
Passive voice with a modal in short answers:

Joe wasn’t named director, but I think he should’ve been (named director) because he is better suited for the position.
The meteor shower wasn’t seen here, but I’m sure it could’ve been (seen here) if it hadn’t been cloudy last night.
My favorite player wasn’t elected to the Hall of Fame, but he might’ve been (elected) if he weren’t so arrogant.
I don’t know why Harry wasn’t told about the meeting, but he should’ve been (told about the meeting).
My car wasn’t repaired, but it would have been (repaired) if the replacement parts were available.
My claim wasn’t accepted. It would have been (accepted) if I had had the necessary documentation.
That product isn’t sold here, but it would be (sold here) if there were enough demand for it.

GET + passive (p.124)

The teacher gets acquainted with his students the first week of a new level.
We got acquainted with the other people in our tour group.
The boss will get acquainted with the new employees at the meeting.

The criminal got arrested by the police at his home.

The fugitive politician will get arrested once he steps foot in the country.
I have never gotten arrested in my life.

My wife takes forever to get dressed.

I have to get dressed for the party.
Children eventually learn how to get dressed by themselves.

My daughter got excited when I mentioned our future trip to the U.S.
My son got excited when he discovered that he had been accepted to the university of his choice.
I get excited when the mailman delivers a package to me.

Many people in the theater got scared watching the zombie movie and screamed.
I never get scared when there is lightning and thunder.
Did you get scared when your dad yelled at you?

Many people like to get married in Las Vegas because there is little paperwork to prepare.
My wife and I got married after 3 years of dating.
Many people nowadays are waiting longer to get married.
The internet has changed the way the world communicates.
The way the world communicates has been changed by the internet.

People should deliver presentations confidently and cheerfully.

Presentations should be delivered confidently and cheerfully.

Someone should have told the students to speak louder during their speeches.
The students should have been told to speak louder during their speeches.

Counselors are advising married couples to communicate more openly.

Married couples are being advised by counselors to communicate more openly.
Married couples are being advised to communicate more openly by counselors.

Long ago, people used smoke signals to send simple messages in China.
Long ago, smoke signals were used to send simple messages in China.

After the ceremony, the president is announcing the scholarship recipients.

After the ceremony, the scholarship recipients are being announced by the president.
The scholarship recipients are being announced by the president after the ceremony.

Translators are going to translate the president’s speech into 35 languages.

The president’s speech is going to be translated into 35 languages.

The principal was making an announcement when the microphone went dead.
An announcement was being made by the principal when the microphone went dead.

People have told me that I have good presentation skills.

I have been told that I have good presentation skills.

Schools should teach foreign languages beginning in elementary school.

Foreign languages should be taught beginning in elementary school.