Intermediate English Course B1:

Causative Verbs and

Passive Voice
César Cordero
 Role play:
Global warming
Get, have and
make
 Causative verbs

● I got my sister to help me with my homework.

● My manager had me prepare a presentation for

the meeting.

● He made me tell him the truth.

 Causative verbs

● Get: convince someone to do something.

● Have: give the responsibility to someone to do

something.

● Make: force someone to do something.

Get + noun +
to + verb
 Get

Even though I don’t like

opera much, she got
me to go see the play,
and I ended up enjoying
it.
Have + noun
+ verb
 Have

I always have the

courier deliver the
packages. I don’t have
time to take them
myself.
Make + noun
+ verb
 Make

Sam didn’t want to go

to the birthday party,
but his dad made him
go.
 Let’s
practice

Thomas ______ me take

off my shoes before I
went into his house. He
said he wanted to keep
the carpet clean.
 Let’s
practice

Thomas made me take

off my shoes before I
went into his house. He
said he wanted to keep
the carpet clean.
 Let’s
practice

My girlfriend didn’t
want to wash her car,
so with a little smooth
talk, she ____ me to do
it.
 Let’s
practice

My girlfriend didn’t
want to wash her car,
so with a little smooth
talk, she got me to do
it.
 Let’s
practice

Our teacher _____ us

write an essay
describing our future
goals in life.
 Let’s
practice

Our teacher had us

write an essay
describing our future
goals in life.
Due to /
owing to
 Due to / owing to

● Synonyms of: because of.

● Used to express cause and consequence.

● “Due to” is more commonly used than “owing

to”.
 Consequence +
due to/owing to +
noun (cause)
 Due to /
owing to

The concert was

cancelled due to
problems with the
sound system.
Due to/owing to +
noun (cause) +
consequence
 Due to /
owing to

Owing to the extreme

cold weather, the
school is closed today.
 Traffic jam

I arrived late due to the

traffic jam on main
avenue.
 Global
warming

Ice sheets are melting

due to global warming.
 Headache

Due to the workload

we’re having, I got a
headache.
 Let’s
practice!

What other
consequences are we
facing due to global
warming?
One of, some of
and among
One of, some of, among

Burj Khalifa Shanghai One World

- tallest Tower - 2nd Trade Center -
tallest 6th tallest
 One of, some of, among

One World Trade

Center is one of the
tallest buildings in the
world.

One World Trade

Center is among the
tallest buildings in the
world.
 One of, some of, among

These are some of the

tallest buildings in the
world.

These are among the

tallest buildings in the
world.
 Tall

The giraffe is
___________ animals in
the world.
 Let’s
practice!

The giraffe is one of

the tallest animals in
the world.
 Large

Brazil is ___________
countries in the world.
 Let’s
practice!

Brazil is one of the

largest countries in the
world.
 Fast

These are ___________

animals in the world!
 Fast

These are some of the

fastest animals in the
world!
 Expensive

These are ___________

cities in the world.
 Expensive

These are some of the

most expensive cities
in the world.
Even and
not even
 Even and not even

● Used to emphasize a point.

● Used to refer to something surprising,

unexpected, unusual or extreme.

● Used before the word you want to emphasize.

 Examples

● They even wanted me to pay their hotel bill.

● Not even a dog would eat that.

● The course was so easy that even I got a 10 in

the final test.
 Examples

● They even wanted me to pay their hotel bill.

● I haven’t even started making dinner.

● There’s even free food if you arrive on time.

 Let’s
practice!

I’m in charge of dinner,

but I haven’t gone
shopping yet!
 Let’s
practice!

I’m in charge of dinner,

but I haven’t even gone
shopping yet!
 Let’s
practice!

She likes dancing to

anything, she dances to
TV commercial songs.
 Let’s
practice!

She likes dancing to

anything, she even
dances to TV
commercial songs.
 Let’s
practice!

He’s so good that he

can score blindfolded.
 Let’s
practice!

He’s so good that he

can even score
blindfolded.
 Let’s
practice!

Sales were not good at

all. _________ one single
book was sold!
 Let’s
practice!

Sales were not good at

all. Not even one single
book was sold!
 Let’s
practice!

You can do it! ____ I got

a great score, and I’m
not good at math.
 Let’s
practice!

You can do it! Even I

got a great score, and
I’m not good at math.
Be about
to
 Be about to

● Used to refer to things we expect to happen

soon.

● We can include the word “just” to emphasize.

● We don’t use it with time expressions.

Be about to
+ verb
 Be about to

● Hurry up! The train is about to leave!

● We’re just about to set off for a walk.

● The ferry is about to take off in five minutes.

 Have

She’s nine months

already, she’s
____________ the baby!
 Have

She’s nine months

already, she’s about to
have the baby!
 Go out

He was ____________
when I called.
 Go out

He was about to go out

when I called.
 Arrive

Let’s go downstairs
now! The taxi driver
___________.
 Arrive

Let’s go downstairs
now! The taxi driver is
about to arrive.
I thought he would
be chosen
 Examples

● She had the best project in my opinion. I

thought she would be chosen.

● I told you he wasn’t going to be elected.

● We thought we would be robbed when we took

that dark alley.
Past clause of belief
+ would / was /
were going to +
passive infinitive
 Deliver

I told you the pizza

_____________ late.
Traffic is insane today!
 Deliver

I told you the pizza

would be delivered
late. Traffic is insane
today!
 Repair

The mechanic thought

the car _______________
by now, but the
problem turned out to
be worse.
 Repair

The mechanic thought

the car was going to be
repaired by now, but
the problem turned out
to be worse.
 Host

We thought the party

____________ by Karen,
but she’s feeling under
the weather.
 Host

We thought the party

was going to be hosted
by Karen, but she’s
feeling under the
weather.
She was given
a book
 Ditransitive verbs

● Sarah showed me the car.

● Ana told me a story.

● Ravee gave me a pen.

 Ditransitive verbs

● I was shown the car.

● I was told a story.

● I was given a pen.

 Ditransitive verbs

● Sarah gave Cesar the books. (active)

● Cesar was given the books by Sarah. (passive)

● I told the children a story last night. (active)

● The children were told a story last night.
(passive)
● Children love to be told stories. (passive)
Common ditransitive verbs

● Buy ● Make
● Give ● Grant
● Pass ● Lend
● Send ● Serve
● Show ● Teach
● Tell
 Let’s
practice!

I bought my mother a
birthday gift.

My mother was bought

a birthday gift.
 Let’s
practice!

Karen made Cesar an

offer.

Cesar was made an

offer.
 Let’s
practice!

They granted her an

entry visa.

She was granted an

entry visa.
It’s being
discussed
 Present continuous passive

● Used to talk about something happening at the

moment.

● Something is being done by someone at the

moment of speaking.
 Example

The postman is
delivering the mail.

The mail is being

delivered by the
postman.
 Subject +
am/is/are + being +
verb past participle
 Example

The architect is
measuring the land.

The land is being

measured by the
architect.
 Let’s
practice!

The teacher is
congratulating the
students.

The students are being

congratulated by the
teacher.
 Let’s
practice!

We are not collecting

the donations at the
moment.

The donations are not

being collected at the
moment.
 Let’s
practice!

Are the police chasing

the criminal?

Is the criminal being

chased by the police?
Role play:
You’d better!
 Had better / had better not

● Used to give strong advice.

● Negative results if someone does not do what

is suggested.

● Followed by the infinitive without “to”.

 Examples

● It’s five o’clock. I’d better go before traffic gets

too bad.

● You’d better arrive on time if you don’t want to

miss the opening ceremony.
 Examples

● She’d better not leave her bag there. It might

get stolen.

● You’d better not tell anyone this secret! It’s very

private.
 Examples

● Had I better speak to him before sending the

form?

● Hadn’t we better book a table? We might not

be able to find one when we arrive there.
 Careful!

● You had better brush your teeth.

● You should brush your teeth.

● You must brush your teeth.

 Careful!

● You had better not touch the lion.

● You should not touch the lion.

● You must not touch the lion.

 Let’s practice!

● Sunblock / sunburn

● Study / test

● Late / interview
Smooth orders
and requests
 Smooth orders and requests

● Would you like to come for a walk?

● I wonder if you’d like to come for a walk.

● Will you be able to lend me some money?

● Do you think you’ll be able to lend me some
money?
 Smooth orders and requests

● Could you help me solve this math problem?

● I wonder if you could help me solve this math
problem.

● Can you send me the report later today?

● Do you think you can send me the report later
today?
 Let’s
practice!

Would you like to go to

the movies on Friday?

I wonder if you’d like to

go to the movies on
Friday.
 Let’s
practice!

Could you give me a

discount, please?

Do you think you could

give me a discount?
 Let’s
practice!

What kind of requests

could you make at a
clothing store?
Are we supposed
to do this?
 Be supposed to

● Used to express expectation.

The magician is supposed to pull a rabbit out of
the hat.

● Used to express obligations.

You’re not supposed to touch that.
Be supposed
to + verb
 Examples

● You are supposed to deliver this on time.

● We are not supposed to ask questions yet.

● Are we supposed to eat this?

 Let’s
practice!

You _____________ be
on time for work.
 Let’s
practice!

You’re supposed to be
on time for work.
 Let’s
practice!

We ______________ to
take photos at the
museum.
 Let’s
practice!

We are not supposed

to take photos at the
museum.
 Let’s
practice!

Are _____________ to
exercise every day?
 Let’s
practice!

Are we supposed to
exercise every day?
In case of vs.
in case
 In case

Preparation for
something that might
happen.

In case you feel cold,

take this coat.
 In case of

To say what one should

do if or when
something happens.
Followed by a noun.

In case of fire, ring the

alarm bell.
 Let’s
practice!

I have bought cake

_______ the guests stay
for dessert.
 Let’s
practice!

I have bought cake in

case the guests stay
for dessert.
 Let’s
practice!

Give me a call
__________ you have
questions.
 Let’s
practice!

Give me a call in case

you have questions.
 Let’s
practice!

Break glass ________

fire.
 Let’s
practice!

Break glass in case of

fire.
 Let’s
practice!

Drink water regularly

__________ heat wave.
 Let’s
practice!

Drink water regularly in

case of heat wave.
 Let’s
practice!

Take some cash _____

they don’t accept credit
cards.
 Let’s
practice!

Take some cash in

case they don’t accept
credit cards.
 Let’s
practice!

Call 911 _________ an

emergency.
 Let’s
practice!

Call 911 in case of an

emergency.
Hypothetical
situations with unless
 Unless + first / second
conditional

● Used to describe present or future outcomes

of a hypothetical situation. (except if)

I will eat the last piece of cake, unless you want it.

I would go to the concert, unless it rains.

 Unless vs. if

● You won’t get well unless you stop smoking.

● You will get well, if you stop smoking.

● You can’t go on vacation, unless you save

money.
● You can’t go on vacation, if you don’t save
money.
 Examples

Some companies won’t

let you work with them,
unless you have certain
experience.
 Examples

He won’t go, unless she

goes.
 Examples

We would consider
living in another
country, unless we get
a good job here.
 Unless vs. if

______ you help me, I’ll

be unable to complete
this task.
 Unless vs. if

Unless you help me, I’ll

be unable to complete
this task.
 Unless vs. if

_____ you exercise

regularly, you’ll lose
some weight.
 Unless vs. if

If you exercise
regularly, you’ll lose
some weight.
 Unless vs. if

_____ you exercise

regularly, you won’t be
able to lose some
weight.
 Unless vs. if

Unless you exercise

regularly, you won’t be
able to lose some
weight.
 Unless vs. if

You will feel cold, _____

you wear a warm
jacket.
 Unless vs. if

You will feel cold,

unless you wear a
warm jacket.
Past
perfect
 Past perfect

I arrived at university at
10:00 a.m.

The class started at

9:30 a.m.
 Past perfect

When I arrived at
university, the class
had already started.

By the time I arrived at

university, the class
had already started.
 Past perfect

● Used to talk about time up to a certain point in

the past.

She had painted 3 famous paintings by the time

she was eight.
 Past perfect

● Used to show the order of two past events.

When the police arrived, the thief had escaped.

 Past perfect with before

● Used to show that an action was not done

when the past simple action happened.

The author died before he’d finished the series.

 Past perfect

He spoke to the
teacher at 2:00 pm.

He signed up for the

class at 4:00 pm.
 Past perfect

By the time he signed

up for the class, he had
already spoken to the
teacher.
 Past perfect

I arrived home at 8:00

pm.

My family ate dinner at

7:00 pm.
 Past perfect

My family had eaten

dinner when I arrived
home.
 Past perfect

Sarah found a new job

in the morning.

She quit her job in the

afternoon.
 Past perfect

By the time she quit her

job, she had already
found a new one.
Third
conditional
If + past perfect
+ would have +
past participle
 Examples

If he had studied
harder, he would have
passed the test.
 Examples

If you had told me

about the meeting, I
would have come.

If you had told me

about the meeting, I
wouldn’t have missed
it.
Inverting the
structure
 Would have +
past participle +
if + past perfect
 Examples

I would have come to

the meeting if you had
told me about it.

I wouldn’t have missed

the meeting if you’d
told me!
 Questions

What would you have

done if you had been
me?
 Questions

What would you have

told her if she hadn’t
left?
 Let’s
practice!

It rained all day

yesterday. We didn’t go
to the park.
 Let’s
practice!

If it hadn’t rained all day

yesterday, we would
have gone to the park.
 Let’s
practice!

I woke up late. I missed

the bus.
 Let’s
practice!

If I hadn’t woken up
late, I wouldn’t have
missed the bus.
 Let’s
practice!

I didn’t stretch before I

went running. I injured
my knee.
 Let’s
practice!

If I had stretched
before I went running, I
wouldn’t have injured
my knee.
 Let’s
practice!

I went to bed late. I was

very tired the next day.
 Let’s
practice!

If I hadn’t gone to bed

late, I wouldn’t have
been tired the next day.
Congratulations!
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