The passive voice We use a passive verb to say what happens to the subject .

When we use the passive, who or what causes the action is often unknown or unimportant,but If we want to say who or what causes the action we use by... The passive is be (is/was etc) and the past participle of a verb Active --- The company employs two hundred people Passive--- Two hundred people are employed by the company Active ---Someone will clean this room every day Passive --- This room will be cleaned every day Active --- Someone cleaned this room yesterday Passive --- This room was cleaned yesterday 1.Write passive sentences: 1. Chinese (speak) in Singapore 2. The Taj Mahal (build) around 1640 3. The new hospital (open) next year 4. She (interview) now 5. I realised I (follow) 6. (you invite) to Andys party? 7. He found that all his money (steal) 8. These computers (make) in Korea 9. Passengers (ask) not to speak to the driver 10. Sorry about the noise- the road (mend) 11. The village church (burn down) last year 12. A Roman pavement (just find) under Oxford Street 2. Make the sentences passive. Use byonly if it is necessary to say who does/did the action. 1. Shakespeare wrote Hamlet. 2. They have arrested her for shoplifting. 3. They are repairing your car now. 4. People in Argentina speak Spanish 5. Has anybody asked Peter? 6. My mother made this ring. 7. Electricity drives this car. 8. Somebody will tell you where to go 9. A drunken motorist knocked her down. 10. Liverpool beat Manchester 3-0 yesterday 11. The Chinese invented paper. 12. You need hops to make beer. 13. They dont sell stamps in bookshops. 14. The directors are still considering your application.

ANSWERS Exercise 1 1. is spoken 2. was built 3. will be opened 4. is being interviewed 5. was being followed 6. have you been invited 7. had been stolen 8. are made 9. are asked 10. is being mended 11. was burnt down 12. has just been found Exercise 2 1. Hamlet was written by Shakespeare 2. She has been arrested for shoplifting 3. Your car is being repaired now 4. Spanish is spoken in Argentina 5. Has Peter been asked? 6. This ring was made by my mother 7. This car is driven by electricity 8. You will be told where to go 9. She was knocked down by a drunken motorist 10. Manchester were beaten 3-0 by Liverpool yesterday 11. Paper was invented by the Chinese 12. Hops are needed to make beer 13. Stamps arent sold in bookshops 14. Your application is still being considered by the directors

Hops is: Lpulo (in word reference)

1. m. Planta trepadora de la familia de las morceas, cuyos frutos, en forma de pia globosa, se emplean para aromatizar y dar sabor amargo a la cerveza.