The passive voice

The passive (1)

The passive (present simple, past simple and will)

Use We use the passive when we don’t know who or what does the action, or when it isn’t important. After the car accident, Peter was arrested. The space shuttle will be launched on 4th July. We use the active when we know who or what does the action, and it’s important. After the car accident, the police arrested Peter. NASA will launch the space shuttle on 4th July. Form We use the correct tense of the verb be + past participle. These computers are made in Japan. The telephone was invented by Alexander Bell. The crime will be investigated by the police.

1 Underline the passive verbs. Then rewrite the sentences in the active.

A valuable painting was stolen from the Louvre last night.

Someone stole a valuable painting from the Louvre last night.

1 The World Cup is watched by millions of football fans.

Millions of football fans ……………………

………………………………………………

2 The film premiere will be attended by lots

of stars.

Lots of stars …………………………………

………………………………………………

3 The first movie camera was invented by William Dickson in 1891.

William Dickson ……………………………

………………………………………………

4 The new Virgin Megastore will be opened by Robbie Williams.

Robbie Williams ……………………………

………………………………………………

2 Complete the sentences with the correct form of the passive.

1 The leather jacket ……………… (design) by a famous designer. It cost £3,500.

2 The new Boyzone album ……………… (not release) until September.

3 A lot of computer games ……………… (make) in Taiwan these days. Most of the

games ……………… (export) to America

and Europe.

4 Madonna is a very popular singer. Every

week millions of her CDs ……………… (sell) around the world.

5. Romeo and Juliet ……………… (perform) at the Globe Theatre next Saturday.

3 Complete the article with the correct form of the passive.

Stunts

Nowadays, action films are getting more and

more spectacular. Many special effects are

added (add) to make the action more realistic.

  It’s impossible to control the weather during

filming. As a result, weather effects

¹……………… often ……………… (create) for

the film. For example, the winter scenes in

Young Sherlock Holmes ²……………… (not

film) in winter, but in the middle of summer.

The snow ³……………… (make) from

polystyrene!

  Car chases, high-speed crashes, or falls from

high buildings ⁴……………… (not play) by the

stars themselves – they ⁵……………… (do) by

stuntmen. In Volcano, stuntmen ⁶………………

(set on fire). However, the actors ⁷……………… (protect) by several layers of special clothing, so nobody ⁸……………… (injure).

  In the future, many stunts ⁹………………

(not need). Most effects ¹⁰………………

(generate) by computer, so action films should be safer and easier to make.