IUNIT 4a Grammar: Passive Voice

we form the passive voice by putting the verb to be into the same tense as the active verb and adding the past
participle of the active verb. The object of the active verb becomes the su bjectofthe passive verb. The subject
of the active verb becomes the 'agent' of the passive verb and is preceded by 'by'. The agent Is omitted when
it is a) a pronoun, b) a word like one, someone, people etc, cl easily unGerstGOd. (Someone destroyed the
evidence . ... The evidence was destroyed.) Most transitive verbs can be used in the passive.

""'!MW~ ..
Simple Present The assistant types reports. Reports are typed (tJy the assistant)
Simple Past The assistant typed reports Reports were typed (by the assistant).
Present Continuous The assistant Is typIng reports. Reports a,e being typed (by the assistant).
Past Continuous Tile assistant was typing reports. Reports ware being typed (by the aSSistant).

Present Perfect The assistant has typed reports. Reports have been typed (by the assistant).
Past Perfect The assistant had typed reports Reports had been typed (by the assistant).

Simple Future The assistant will type reports. Reports will be typed (by the assistant).
Future Perfect The assistant will have typed reports. Reports will have been typed (by the assistant).

Conditional The assistant would type reports. Reports would be typed (by the assistant).
Conditional Perfect The assistant would have typed reports. Reports would haw been typed (by the assiStant).

Present Infinitive The assistant ought to type reports. Reports ought to be typed (by the assistant).
Perfect Infinitive The aSSistant ought to haw typed reports. Reports ought to haw been typed (by the assiStant).

Gerund The assistant hates people askIng her to
Perfect Gerund type reports.
The assistant remembers her boss
having asked her to type reports.
The assistant hates being asked to type reports.
The assistant remembers having been asked to
type reports (by her boss).

NotM
• Conversational and informal English often replaces the passive form with an active form with get. The get·
passive is normally used in constructions without an agent. Mary got hit. He got cut.

• Have + object + past participle can be used colloquially to replace a passive verb when we want to talk
about an accident or misfortune. She had her leg brOken. (Her leg was brokeR)

UM
The passive voice is used·
• when the person who performs the action ("agent· ) can easily be understood,or is unknown
He has been arrested. ("" The police have arrested him.)
A new government has been elected (= easily understood: by the citizens).

when it is necessary to express sth more formally.

Some people think the Minister was involved in the conspiracy to overthrow the government. - . It Is thought
that the Minister was Involved in the conspiracy to overthrow the government.jThe Minister Is thought to
have been Involved in the conspiracy to overthrow the government.

when we are interested in the action Itself rather than the person who performs it.
The new hospital will be opened tomorrow (by the Minister of Health).

when we mean 10 be tactful by not naming the agent.

All my shampoo has been used. (instead of: You've used all my shampoo!)

52
 4a Grammar: Passive

FURTHER POINTS ON THE PASSIVE VOICE

• Make,hear,see,helparefollowedby to+ Inflnltl... elnthepassivevoice,

He made her leave. 'She was made to le......
• Let becomes waS/were allowed to in the passive. When the subject of let and the object of the infinitive
that follows let are the same, then lel, when used in the passive voice, is followed by a refIe.lve pronoun
+ bare paaslve Inflnltl...e.
She lel me go oul. • I was allowed to go oul.
Don't let him tease you. - Don·t let yourself be teased.
• The passive voice with verbs of reporting such as assume, believe, consider, feel, know, report, say, think,
understand etc is formed in two ways. a) 11 + passive ... erb + tI'\at-<:l.use b) subject + passIve ....rb +
to.lnflnlllYe.
They belieYe she is a spy. • It Is believed tnat she Is a spy.
71ley be/ieYe she is a spy. • She/s believed to be a spy.

Verbs which take two objects such as allow, ask, give, lend, send, etc have two passive forms
He showed me the way 10 the door. --> I WIIS shOWll the way 10 the door. The MlY to the doo, was shown to me.

Passive voice can take by + agent or with + In.trument (a person is InvolVed), material, past partlclplel
soch as fllled, paeked etc. It was Cui with. knife. (by someone)
Ice cream is made with mill!. The stadium was filled with tnous.ends of spectators.

When put into passive voice, verbs that take a dependent preposition are immediately followed by the
prepoSition. She eceUMd me of lying. - I wal accused of lying.

When turned into the passive VOice, prepositional verbs of movement change to other synonymous verbs
which take no preposition.
Columbus reached/arrived In America in 1492. -- America was reached (NOT arrived in) by Columbus In
1492. The royal couple entered/went Into the room arm in arm. --> The room was entered (NOT gone Into) by
fhe royal couple arm in arm.

• Modals do not change in the passive voice. We change the actI .... InflnltlYe Inlopaasl.... Infinitive.
They can't repair the building. • The building can't berepa/ted

1 Turn the following sentences from active Into passive, or vice versa.

1 Susan will have redecorated her nat by the end of 5 lucy is known to have applied for the manager's
the month. position.

2 Which car did the family eventually choose? 6 Don"! let them take advantage of you.

3 The bus timetable is going 10 be changed during 7 Will all the new students be made to leam a
the sunvner period. second language?

4 You must return all bookS to the librarywithinaweek. 8 He wasn't allowed to leave the premises.

53
1 4a Grammar: Passive Voice

9 The government department should have sent all 5 The ATM withheld my card last night, so now 111
thenecessaryfoons. probably get it back on Monday. Ijus l hope the
machine doesn't discharge my card over the
weekend.
10 The loddlerdislikes being forced to eat breakfast.

11 Peter believes he has left his wallet in his jacket

pocket. 6 Most people believe that the government sIlould do
more to protect the local environment. I don't think
they are doing enough to encourage people to reqOe.
12 Don't let the gloomy weather depress you.

13 I just don't like people staring at me.

7 From the manner in which the committee spoke of
Madeline Adams, you would have thought they were
going to promote her, but instead of that they've Just
dismissed her.
2 Turn the following from active Into passive
where necessary.

1 When they hired Hilary, her manager introduced her

to important contacts in the industry. and before
long she was promoted to head of department. 8 It appears they have diagnosed her symptoms as
influenza, but they are testing her for suspected
pneumonia as well.

2 Theshopshavelowered theirpricesforthesales.The
difficuttyisthatthecreditcardcompa~hascancelled
mycreditcard,solcan'tbuyarl)'thing.
9 Mycar'sbattery....entftatandtheyhadtotaovittoa
mechanic. I will haYe to pay for the tow truck charges,
but if they haYe to replac::ethe battery I v.oo't haYeto
pay because the guarantee stinco.<ersit

3 Sally says that Harvard University has offefed her a

place on their Bachelor of Arts OOlIrse, but she's
decided to reject itas Radcliffe has admftted her too.

10 When they appointed Therese as head chef of the

restaurant, they gave her pemlission to add any new
dishes, so she may replace their existing menu.
4 lllC)' gave me a IlCM'!I in which someone stole Monet's
Water /JIies from the National Gallery.

54
 lOa Grammar: Nounsl
THE PLURAL OF NOUNS

., .
• Nou....re mada plural byaddlne:

b) ... to nouns ending in ~, 4 . ·x. oz. -ch. 4 h. -ss.

pencil-pencils
bus -buses
c) _tonollnsendinginconsonanl+ -~. lady-ladles
d) 4 to nouns ending in vowel +.y. rC¥-r~
e) -¥eI to nouns endiRg in ..f/ -fe. /eaf-/ea_

....
BUT chiefs, proofs, roofs, cliffs, handkerchiefs

!t.¥arf-tt.Yarves/oorfs hoof-hooveS/hoofs scarf-scarves/scarfs

• Soma IIOUIIIform thellplurall~y.

child-children goose-geese mouse - mice o~- oxen tooth - teeth
foot -feet louse-lice person-people

• Somanounsremalnunchan&adlnthaplural.
craft-craft Japanese-Japanese sheep-sheep spacecraft- spacecraft
cod-cod means-means squid-squid trolJt-trout
deer-deer plaice-plaice species-species
fish-fish salmon - salmon series-senes

• Soma lIOURI.re only plural, TheN an:

a) _ (weapons), baIongIncs, cattla. clothes, congratuiations,aamlngs.lOOds, croce"", greens
(vegetables), lodgIngs.oab, oOOI (chances),outsklrts. peopie. poIlc', prem.... (building}, regards ,
remaIM , Iiehes, saYlngs. lUlIOUndlnp, th.nka etc.
b) prmants, tools and Instruments con. l. tlne: of two parts: binocul.rs, corn.,...... CI_ , jean• .
panb, pllars. PYJamas. teal... sclnors, .pectacles, trousers etc.
• CoIIactIYanounseantakealthar.llnculllorplural verb, accordlngtothamaanlng.
TIle.ta" were not in agreemeOl with rhe new rules. (We refer to the individual member.;.)
TIle sratr of the school consists ofrrftypeopJe.(Were/ertorhegroupasa un/t)
Some collective nouns are: 1IIIdIence, cllolr, c... , clergy, club. commItt", company. crew, crowd,
femlly, lIma, govemment:. )ury, ordIastra. public, staff. t..n. union. routh etc

• Soma nouns can have different mNnIncs when turned Into plural. TheN are:
" r {atmosphere) experiences (activitiesjevents one has done/lived
airs {behaviour) through)
cloth (a piece of material) fund (a sum of money saved fora purpose)
clothes (garments) funds (money)
content (what is wrrtten or spokenab(lut in a piece g\aIs (adrinkingreceptacle)
ofwriting,speech elc) g\asHI (spectacles)
corrterrtI (the things conlained in a box, place etc) hair (the hairy part of the head)
cUltom {a traditional event) hairs {fine strands growing from the skin)
cUltOnll (thegovernmentdepartmentwhlch look (a style; an expression)
COllects taxes on imported goods) looks (a person's appearance)
lIIrnICe (harmdooe 10 something) mamer (a way in which somethiRg is done)
Urnca (monetary compensation) lIIIWInIIS {social behaviour; customs)
axperlence (knowledge or skill gained over a minute {50 seconds)
period) minutes (notes taken as a record of a meeting)

147
 Grammar: Nouns

re!atlon (a connection between two or more things) spirtt(aperson'ssoulormind;amagicalcreature)

relations (members of the same family) - same
meaning in the singular
scale (the relative size, extent, etcol something)
scalet(aninstrumentforweighing)
spectaele(an impressive sight; an object of
attention)
spectae!es(glasses;also:specs)
splrtts (a person's feelings; a strong alcoholic drink)
waod (the hard material trees are made of)
woods (small forest) - same meaning in the
singular
work (employment)
works (the moving parts ofa machine: a place of
manulacturingprocess)

COuld I have a lIau of water please? I can't read withoutjJasses

Not.
Some 01 the above nouns have their own regular plurals
nitake fivem/nlltes to finish it. (more than one minute)
Jonathan was the one who kepI Ihemllllltesoflhemeeling.(Mtes)
• Compound nouns Ionnthelr plural byaddlng4/-es:
a) to the noun iI the compound has only one noun.
passer-by-passers-by hanger-on-hangers-on fryingpan-fryingpall$
b) to the second noun ilthe compound consists of two nouns.
cupboard-cupboards
c) tothefirstnounifthecompoundconsistsoftwonounsconnectedwithapreposition.
mother-in-law-morhers-in-faW
dl at tfIe end of the compound if it does not contain any nouns.
breakdown-breakdowns

; COUNTABlf/UNCOUNTABlE NOUNS

A Countable nouns are those which can be counted

1 book,2bOQks,3 books, etc
B Uncountable nouns are those which cannot be counted; that is, you cannot sf'1Yther eare2,30r401
them. Uncountable nouns take a singular verb and are not used with a/an. The words some, any, no,
(a) Ilttle,much, plentyof,etc can be used with uncountable nouns.

IS there any chocolate left?

There's little hope of their finding the 00y.

Uncountable nouns are:

• nounsofsubstal1ceorquamlty(massnouns} oil,water,juice,rice,etc
• nounsendlngln--lcs politics*, physics, athletics, statistics' , etc
• some abstract nouns courage,information,etc
• gamesendingln4 billiardS,darts,bowlS,dominoes,etc
• dlseasesendlngln4 mumps,rickets,etc

* polilics ami statistics can also have plural forms.

What are your poli(ics?
The slatislics are annoying

148
 lOa Grammar:

The most common uncountable noulll ara:

accommodation, advice, anger, applause, assistance, baggage, beha viour, beer,bread,blood. business, chaos,
chess, chewing gum, china, coal, conduct, cookery, countryside, courage, crocke ry,cutlery,damage,d ifficulty,
dirt. education, equipment, evidence, excitement. food,fruit, fun, furniture. garoage,gold,gossip,grass.hair,
happiness, harm, health, help, homewon.., hospitality. hou5eWQrk, infoonation, jealousy, jewellery, koo¥r1edge,
laughter, leisure, lightning, linen, luck. luggage, machinery, measles, meat. money. moonlight, mud, music,
news,oonsense. patlence, permission, poetry. progress, publicity. research. rubbish ,safety,scaffoldi ng,
scenery, seaside, shopping, soap, spaghetti,steam, strength, stuff,stupidity. suns hine.thunder.timber,traffic,
transport, travel,trouble. understanding, underwear, violence, wea lth. weat her,wine,work,writing.
Many uncountable noUnI een be made countable by means of partltlYel.
a piece 01 ca ke/inlormation/baggage/ advice/furniture/workjequipment; a ..... of water/beer/wine;
a ).- of jam; a IlIIeet of paper; an Item of news; a drop 01 water/oil; a bo. of chocolates; a metre 01 cloth;
a PKket of biscuits/tea; a slice of bread; a loaf 01 bread; a pot of tea; a cup of tea; a ball 01 string; a lump
01 sugar; an ice cube; a .... offootball/chess; a kllo of meat a bottle oIWlne/beer/..misky; a tube of
toothpa sle; a t.' olsoap/chocolate; a blade olgrass;a flash ollightriing;a c!ap/ peaI/ rumble ofthunder,etc

1 Underline the correct form of the verb.
Sometimes both forml are possible.
o The landscape!!lara spectacular here.
1 The weights shown wefe Inaccurate because the
scales was/ were unbalanced.
2 Detective s agree that the evidence Is/ ara
oveMtlelming.
3 Mounting hostilities in the province Is/ara worrying.
4 Rubbish II /are accumulating outside the entrance
to the shop.
5 The management was/were considering
implementing the new strategy.
6 Athletics was/were well represented in the
magazine's sports section.
7 The audience was/were applauding loudly.
8 Good advice waI/were hard to come by among
competitivecoHeagues.
9 The sewageworlls Is/are ....tlerewaste is treated to
make it safe.
10 WOrk Is/are underway to complete the new
17 The premises was/were declared unsaleafter the
earthquake
18 Argument Is/are widespread on the global warming
ISSue.
19 Your theofy is sound but)'OUfcalculatioos Is/are
20 The information were/ was passed on to another
department
2 Underline the correct item.
1 He has a lot of works/ work to complete befOff!
leaving.
2 The stylist was trimming her customer's hairs/ hair.
3 We \\ICre all Imp!"essed with the cont.ntjcoments
of his speech.
4 Themagazine~stthecou rt caseandwasordered
to pay dam.ge/damages to the television
celebrity.
5 The group doe$/l"t hiIYe sufficient fundi/ fund to

",>t_
U The government waI/were debating the new bill
for three days.
12 A meeting is a waste of time if the minutes It/are
lost.
13 The woods II/ are home to hurtteds of plant
14 II/Are the designer spectac!es really worth
getting? I oouldjust buy Ulese, instead
15 A crowd of hangers-on was/were pursuing the
Princess
18 The sta irsll/are due to be replaced tl'j a lilt.
6
tinancetheexpedition.
The custom/ customs office r stopped us and
asked il he could inspect our luggage.
7 The scale/ scales oflhe disaster has yet to be
assessed.
8 They follow the custom/ customs 01 exchanging
chocolate eggs at Easter.
9 Hopkins proved popular but the man of the
minute/ minutes was De Niro.
10 The timber company received a cons ignment of
wood/woods.

149