Sequence 2 : Passive Sentences
Since the early days of the Industrial Revolution, many sources of power have been exploited by industries and companies. Wind- generated electricity was first introduced by the Danes in the 1890s.Photovoltaic or solar cells were built as early as the 1880s, but were not very developed .Only in 1954, solar cells could be used efficiently .In the USA, from 1950 to 1995, coal disappeared as a heating source for homes and was replacedby gas.
Oil prices rose from $ 5 per barrel in 1960s to over $17 per barrel in 1973.Today oil prices are about $100 per barrel, and its huge consumption has caused much harm to planet Earth. Therefore, measures must be taken to reinforce the production of eco-friendly sources of energy and so reduce the use of petroleum.
- Since when have many sources of energy been exploited?
- When were solar cells built?
- Were solar cells developed?
- Many sources of energy have been exploited since the early days of the Industrial Revolution.
- Solar cells were built as early as the 1880s.
- No, they weren’t
- ANALYSE
- Most of the sentences in the text are in the passive voice:
- Since the early days of the Industrial Revolution, many sources of power have been exploited by industries and companies.
- Wind- generated electricity was first introducedby the Danesin the 1890s.
- Solar cells were built as early as the 1880s.
- Solar cells could be usedefficiently.
- Measures must be taken.
- Have a closer look at the passive sentences with their tenses and verb forms in the table below:
The sentence |
The tense |
The verb form |
Many sources of power have been exploited by industries. |
Present Perfect Simple (since+date) |
have+been+ past participle. |
Wind- generated electricity was first introducedby the Danesin the 1890s.
|
Past simple (past date) |
was + past participle |
Solar cells were built as early as the 1880s.
|
Past simple (past date) |
Were +past participle |
Solar cells could be usedefficiently. |
Past general ability |
Could+ be+ Past participle
|
Measures must be taken.
|
Present obligation |
Must+be +past participle |
- The past participle of regular verbs is: base form+ ed.
- The past participle of irregular verbs is the form of the verb in third column.
- Have a closer look at the active sentences with their tenses and verb forms
The sentence |
The tense |
The verb form |
Industries have exploited many sources of power. |
Present Perfect Simple (since+date) |
have+ past participle. |
The Danes first introduced wind- generated electricity in the 1890s.
|
Past simple (past date) |
Verb+ed (past simple form of regular verb)) |
Theybuilt solar cells as early as the 1880s.
|
Past simple (past date) |
Past simple (form of irregular verb) |
Theycould use solar cells efficiently. |
Past general ability |
Could+ infinitive
|
The must take measures.
|
Present obligation |
Must+infinitive |
We use the passive voice when:
- We want to focus on the person or the thingaffected by the action.
Fauna and flora are polluted by chemical effluent.
- We want to describe a process of how something works.
Gas emissions are captured in the atmosphere.
- Whenthe performer of the action is unknown, uninteresting or obvious. Therefore, most of the time the agent is not mentioned.
The Amazon trees are being felled.
- Keep in mind the verb form of the sentences in the active and passive voice in the main tenses.
Tenses |
Active voice(subject+verb) |
Passive voice (be+ past participle) |
Past simple |
Janes wrote a story. Jane wrote stories. |
A story was written by Jane. Stories were written by Jane |
Present simple |
Jane writes a story Jane writes stories. |
A story is written by Jane. Stories are written by Jane. |
Present perfect simple |
We have sent an email. We have sent emails. |
An email has been sent. Emails have been sent. |
Past perfect simple |
We had sent emails. |
Emails had been sent. |
Past continuous |
Bob was helping Jane. Bob was helping some kids. |
Jane was being helped by Bob. Some kids were being helped by Bob. |
Present continuous |
Bob is helping Jane. Bob is helping some kids. |
Jane is being helped by Bob. Some kids are being helped by Bob.
|
The main structure |
Subject+ verb+ complement. |
|
You have noticed the auxiliary “to be” isused to form the passive voiceand is conjugated in all the tenses, while the main verb is always in the past participle whatever tense.
Tenses in the passive voice: |
Auxiliary “be” in the given tense |
Main verb in the past participle |
Present simple |
am/ is/ are |
helped/ driven. |
Past simple |
Was/ were |
helped/ driven. |
Present continuous |
am/ is/ are being |
helped/ driven. |
Past continuous |
Was/ were being |
helped/ driven. |
Present perfect simple |
have/ has been |
helped/ driven. |
Past perfect simple |
had been |
helped/ driven. |
Future simple |
Will be |
helped/ driven. |
Future perfect simple |
Will have been |
helped/ driven. |
Very important :
In most grammar books, it is advised not to use the passive of the present perfect continuous, the past perfect continuous, the future perfect continuous and the future continuous .
- Infintive Passive: Be Done (Be+ Past Particple)
the infinitive passive comes after modal auxiliaries:
“will, must, should, can, could, may, would, might”
And also after “have to, want to, be going to”
Concept |
Active voice (modal+ infinitive form of verb) |
Passive voice (modal+ be+ past participle of verb) |
To talk about the future
|
Somebody will find a solution. They are going to build a mall. |
A solution will be found. A mall is going to be built. |
To express obligation |
We must stop fellers. We have to do something. |
Fellers must be done. Something has to be done. |
To express possibility |
They may send astronauts to Mars. They might discover a cure for AIDS. |
Astronauts may be sent to Mars. A cure for AIDS might be discovered. |
To express ability
|
They can translate documents rapidly at this office. |
Documents can be translated rapidly at this office. |
Suggesting |
We could put cycling bins at the corner of the street. |
Cycling bins could be put at the corner of the street. |
2. The Interrogative Form in the Passive
Question word | Auxiliary |
subject |
verb | Agent |
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX |
-Are -Were -Have -Is -Will |
gas emissions solutions you the bridge pollution |
controlled? suggested? been informed? being built? be reduced? |
XXX XXX XX XXX XXX XXX |
Who Who |
was Has been |
xxxxxxxxxxx |
invited? poisoned? |
XXXXX |
What | must be | done? | XXXX | |
How | are | products | recycled? | XXXXX |
Why | has | the conference | been cancelled? | XXX |
When | will | the felling of trees | be stopped? | XXXX |
Where | can | e-waste | be recycled? | XXXX |
- إختبارات
- 10
- الأجوبة الصحيحة
- False
- الأجوبة الخاطئة
- False
- مجموع النقاط
- False
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