PASSIVES

Dear students,

Today we are going to speak about passives. 

Links to the Prezi presentations:

Prezi 1 (class)
Prezi 2 (video)

We use the passive voice when the performer of the action is not relevant. The important thing is the action, not the subject.

To write passive sentences, we need a SUBJECT+ TO BE+ P.PARTICIPLE (+BY+ AGENT).

Let's see some examples:

We look at the TENSE (tiempo verbal) and we "give" it to the verb to be. Then, we take the main verb (in this case "write"), and we use the past participle (-ed for regular verbs; 3rd column for irregular verbs). You can get a copy of this grammar worksheet here.

PRESENT SIMPLE Students study English	English is studied (by the students)
PRESENT CONTINUOUS Students are studying English	English is being studied (by the students)
PAST SIMPLE Students studied English	English was studied (by the students)
PAST CONTINUOUS Students were studying English	English was being studied (by the students)
PRESENT PERFECT Students have studied English	English have been studied (by the students)
PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS Students have been studying English	English have been being studied (by the students)
PAST PERFECT Students had studied English	English had been studied (by the students)
PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS Students had been studying English	English had been being studied (by the students)
FUTURE SIMPLE Students will study English	English will be studied (by the students)
GOING TO Students am going to study English	English is going to be studied (by the students)
FUTURE CONTINUOUS Students will be studying English	English will be being studied (by the students)
FUTURE PERFECT Students will have studied English	English will have been studied (by the students)
CONDITIONAL Students would study English	English would be studied (by the students)
CAN Students can study English	English can be studied (by the students)
MUST Students must study English	English must be studied (by the students)
SHOULD Students should study English	English should be studied (by the students)

PASSIVE WITH TWO OBJECTS:

When we have a DIRECT object AND an INDIRECT object, native speakers prefer to put the INDIRECT object as the subject of the passive sentence. The rest remains the same as in a "normal" passive.

They gave me a present  →  A present was given to me → I was given a present.


IMPERSONAL PASSIVE

For verbs of thinking and saying we can write an impersonal passive. We need to write IT as the subject of the passive.

They say he is very good-looking.→ It is said that he is very good-looking.

We can also write the subject of the second sentence as the subject of the passive and then use one of the four types of infinitive forms:

They say he is very good-looking.
→ It is said that he is very good-looking.
→ He is said to be very good-looking.

IDEA OF PRESENT OR FUTURE: present infinitive (to be/to play/to study)
IDEA OF PRESENT OR FUTURE (CONTINUOUS): (to be playing/to be studying...)
IDEA OF PAST: perfect infinitive (to have been/ to have played/to have studied)
IDEA OF PAST (CONTINUOUS): (to have been playing/ to have been studying...)

HAVE/GET SOMETHING DONE

When we talk about a service performed for us, we use the structure HAVE/GET SOMETHING DONE. Note that get is more informal.

We use the verb HAVE/GET in the appropriate tense, then the thing and then the verb in the PAST PARTICIPLE.

Te has cortado el pelo (pero has ido a la pelu): You had your hair cut.
Me van a pintar la casa: I am going to have my house painted.
Me arreglaron el coche la semana pasada: I had my car fixed last week.


PRACTICE:

active to passive 1
Active to passive 2
Passives with two objects
Impersonal passive
Impersonal passive 2
Passives
Have something done
Have something done2

Here you have the video I have recorded with such love for you, specially for Bader 😂

See you in class!

Natalia