5. 2 THE PASSIVE

Read the statements. Are any of them true? The Great Wall of China is the only man-made object visible from space.

False. The Great Wall of China cannot be seen from space with the naked eye, but cities can be made out, specially at night.

Caesar Salad is named after Julius Caesar.

False. Caesar Cardini, a restaurateur, invented the recipe in Tijuana, Mexico, in 1924. He had the dish named after him.

Eskimos have over one hundred words for snow.

False. It is claimed by linguists that Eskimos actually have about as many words for snow as we have in English (sleet, blizzard, slush, powder, etc) - nothing like one hundred.

Sleet is a regionally variant term that refers to two distinct forms of precipitation:

Rain and snow mixed, snow that partially melts as it falls (UK, Ireland, and most Commonwealth countries) Ice pellets, one of three forms of precipitation in "wintry mixes", the other two being snow and freezing rain (United States, Canada)

blizzard

a severe snowstorm with high winds. snowstorm, snow blast, snow squall; white-out a large or overwhelming number of things arriving suddenly. "a blizzard of forms"

slush

partially melted snow or ice. "the snow was turning into brown slush in the gutters" informal excessive sentiment. "the slush of Hollywood's romantic fifties films"

powder

loose, dry, newly fallen snow. "in Aspen, blue skies and good powder drew in record numbers"

Chewing gum takes seven years to pass through the digestive system.

False. Chewing gum is processed through the body like any other food.

A sudden shock or great stress can suddenly turn your hair white.

False. Hair isn't expected to change colour suddenly, but some people's hair turns white quickly even in a stress-free situation.

Underline examples of passive forms. Why do we use passive forms? The Great Wall of China cannot be seen from space with the naked eye, but cities can be made out, specially at night.

cannot be seen, can be made out

Caesar Cardini, a restaurateur, invented the recipe in Tijuana, Mexico, in 1924. He had the dish named after him.

had the dish named

It is claimed by linguists that Eskimos actually have about as many words for snow as we have in English (sleet, blizzard, slush, powder, etc) - nothing like one hundred.

is claimed

Chewing gum is processed through the body like any other food.

is processed

Hair isn't expected to change colour suddenly, but some people's hair turns white quickly even in a stress-free situation.

isn't expected to change

Which sentences contain examples of: a passive used when the important information in the sentence is the object of the verb?

Chewing gum is processed through the body like any other food.

a passive used to show that we are not certain about a statement?

It is claimed by linguists that Eskimos actually have about as many words for snow as we have in English (sleet, blizzard, slush, powder, etc) - nothing like one hundred.

a pattern that uses have/get + object + past participle to describe something that is done to the subject?

Caesar Cardini, a restaurateur, invented the recipe in Tijuana, Mexico, in 1924. He had the dish named after him.

a passive used because we do not know who performs the action (or it is not important), and we are interested in the action itself?

The Great Wall of China cannot be seen from space with the naked eye, but cities can be made out, specially at night.

a passive infinitive (to be + past participle + to + verb)?

Hair isn't expected to change colour suddenly, but some people's hair turns white quickly even in a stress-free situation.

Complete the second sentence so it has similar meaning to the first.

Use the passive or causative and the word in brackets.

Police are investigating the case.

The case are being investigate by the police.

The university lets you borrow a car for official business.

You are allowed to borrow a car for official business.

They are delivering Mike's washing machine today.

Mike is having his washing machine delivered today.

Some people say the tradition began in the nineteenth century.

It is claimed that the tradition began in the nineteenth century.

There's a possibility someone recognised Wilhelm.

Wilhelm might have been recognised.

She instructed the players to stretcht before the game.

She had the players stretch before the game.

Someone is checking in our luggage right now.

Our luggage is being checked in right now.

The researchers have only tested the product on volunteers.

The product has only been tested on volunteers

Why might sentences 1-8 be better in the passive? Which might be formal written English?

Because we want to emphasise the action rather than the agent. 1, 2, 4 and 8 might also be formal written English.

Rewrite the underlined phrases in the passive.

Omit the "doer" of the action.

They say...

It is said...

They need to keep these secrets...

These secrets need to be kept...

what can the authorities do...

what can be done...

they considered brainwashing...

brainwashing was considered...

they discovered...

it was discovered...

they could erase certain memories...

certain memories could be erased...

Which phrases would be better in the passive?

Change them as appropriate.

One piece of conventional wisdom that people have passed on throughout the generations is that Friday 13th is unlucky.

One piece of conventional wisdom that has been passed on throughout the generations is that Friday 13th is unlucky.

No one knows where this superstition came from,

No one knows where this superstition came from,

though some people have attributed it to the fact that...

though it has been attributed to the fact that

on Friday 13th October 1306, King Philip of France arrested the Knights Templar and began torturing them.

on Friday 13th October 1306, King Philip of France arrested the Knights Templar and began torturing them.

People know the fear of the number thirteen as triskaidekaphobia,

The fear of the number thirteen is known as triskaidekaphobia,

and people consider thirteen unlucky in many cultures.

and thirteen is considered unlucky in many cultures.

We can see this superstition in different contexts:

We can see this superstition in different contexts:

In Italy, the organisers omit the number thirteen from the national lottery,

In Italy, the number thirteen is omitted from the national lottery,

while on streets in Florence people give the house between number 12 and 14 the number 12½.

while on streets in Florence the house between number 12 and 14 is given the number 12½.

In Japan, people often omit the unlucky number four from hotels,...

In Japan, the unlucky number four is often omitted...

Complete the text with the correct active or passive form of the verbs in brackets.

The story of maybe

It (believe) that this story comes from an ancient civilisation in the Americas.

It is believed that this story comes from an ancient civilisation in the Americas.

A farmer had a champion horse. One day, the horse (disappear).

A farmer had a champion horse. One day, the horse disappeared.

Everyone thought the horse (steal) and all the farmer's neighbours visited him. "What terrible news", they said. "Maybe", said the farmer.

Everyone thought the horse had been stolen and all the farmer's neighbours visited him. "What terrible news", they said. "Maybe", said the farmer.

A few days later, the horse (come) back with two magnificent wild horses. The neighbours visited again to offer their congratulations.

A few days later, the horse came back with two magnificent wild horses. The neighbours visited again to offer their congratulations.

The next day, the wild horses (be) tamed by the farmer's son,

The next day, the wild horses were being tamed by the farmer's son,

when he (throw) off one of them and broke his leg.

when he was thrown off one of them and broke his leg.

Again the farmer's neighbours visited. "We are so sorry. This is awful news".

"Maybe", said the farmer.

The next day, an army captain came to recruit men for a war., but because the farmer's son had broken his leg, he(not recruit).

The next day, an army captain came to recruit men for a war., but because the farmer's son had broken his leg, he wasn't recruited.

He stayed at home and (help) to tame the wild horses, which became champions.

He stayed at home and helped to tame the wild horses, which became champions.

The farmer's neighbours said, "What wonderful news that your horses (recognise) as the best in the country!"

The farmer's neighbours said, "What wonderful news that your horses have been recognised as the best in the country!"

"Maybe", said the farmer.

And the next day the now famous horses were gone.