PASSIVES

NOTES ABOUT THE PASSIVE in spoken English we sometimes use GET instead of BE in the passive: o they got told off for maiking so much noise passive is usually used when reporting information to avoid references to ourselves and making a statement impersonal avoiding you in orders and rules

1.

AGENTS PASSIVE

AND

OBJECTS

WITH

THE

1.1 y

verbs with two objects

We can have two objects: a person and a thing. Either of them can become the new subject. They gave the award to an unknown actress= The award was given to an unknown actress An unknown actress was given the award

y y

Before the personal object we add TO/FOR ALLOW, ASK, CAUSE, FORGIVE, DENY,... dont normally take a preposition before the personal object: o Permission was refused him

1.2 verbs with limited use in the passive y INTRANSITIVE VERBS cant be used in the passive because they dont have an objecto that can be changed into the subject o The tasmanian tiger died out early this century: not was died out y SUGGEST, EXPLAIN,... cant change the indirect object to subject: o The procedure was explained to him= He was explained the procedure o A new time was suggested to us= We were suggested a new time o

2. INFITINIVES AND ING FORM PASSIVES

2.1 INFINITIVES PASSIVE/ACTIVE WHEN TO USE PASSIVE OR ACTIVE INFINITIVES?
ACTIVE FORM: TO+VERB INFINITIVE o If the subject is the agent: o Ive got so many books to return PASSIVE FORM: TO+BE+ 3COLUM o If the subject is not the agent: o All systems are to be checked as soon as possible CHANGES OF MEANING o SOMETHING/ANYTHING/NOTHING: o Active: There is nothing to do in the evenings= were bored o Passive: Im sorry, there is nothing to be done= theres no action anyone can take)

a)

VERB+INFINITIVE

THAT

CHANGE

WITH

THE

PASSIVE/ACTIVE FORM
MAKE, HEAR, SEE AND HELP y Active form: VERB+OBJECT+ INFINITIVE WITHOUT TO o I heard him shout at his brother o Theyve made him promise not to come before six Passive form: VERB+OBJECT+ TO+ INFINITIVE o He was heard to shout at his brother o Hes been made to promise not to come before six

b) LET ALLOW IN THE PASSIVE

y y We cant use LET in the passive when it is followed by a verb phrase. o I was let to do what I wanted = I was allowed to do what I wanted We can use LET in the passive phrases o The dog was let loose. I was badly let down

c) TO+ INFINITIVE IN THE PASSIVE= VERB+TO+BE+3

o TO DO= TO BE DONE o There is so much to do= There is so much to be done o TO WRITE= TO BE WRITTEN

o Ive got to write this essay before friday= This essay has got to be writteh before friday

d) PERFECT PASSIVE INFINITIVES

o We use them to emphasise that something is or isnt completed o My new car was TO HAVE BEEN DELIVERED today but there was a problem 2.2 PASSIVE ING FORMS

WHEN TO USE PASSIVE ING FORMS

Passive ing forms: o BEING+ -ED o PERFECT PASSIVE: HAVING+ BEEN+ED Uses: o After verbs that are normally followed by ing forms: o I Love being given flowers. o She recalled having been taken there when she was Young o As participles, usually with the meaning of BECAUSE: o Being paid monthly, I find anual bills hard to pay o Having been stung by bees, she has no Love of insects o As the subject of a sentence: o Being proved wrong is never a confortable experience

GET AND HAVE

Active form y GET+PERSON+TO INFINITIVE= spoken british english o I ll get the waiter to bring you the menu HAVE+PERSON+INFINITIVE WITHOUT TO = american english o Ill have the waiter bring the menu

Cause

or

order

someone to do something

Passive form y GET/HAVE+ OBJECT+ PAST PARTICIPLE o Ill get those copies made for you o She is having her teeth fixed

Arrange for

someone else to do something

GET EXPRESSIONS
y Meaning become: o Get dressed  I have to get the children dressed early every morning o Get married o Get used to o Get stuck o Get lost o Get caught o Get burned o Get involved

HAVE = THINGS THAT HAPPEN TO YOU

y HAVE+OBJECT+PAST PARTICIPLE o Ive had my car stolen

o Hes had his application for citizenship turned down

To describe things that happen to us. The subject is the person who experiences what happened

PERFECT TENSES
TENSE 1.PRESENT PERFECT USES During a includes present period past that and EXAMPLE

In the past, but youre not exactly saying when In the past with an effect or result in the present With the adverb JUST She has just gone out (short time ago) PAST PERFECT Before something else in the past During a period before I had been feeling an event in the past nervous but the feeling vanished as soon as I saw her FUTURE PERFECT Something that will be I will have signed nearly finished before a a hundred letters by specified time in the tonight future

FOR, SINCE, YET, We use them with STILL: We still havent ALREADY, STILL, perfect tenses, but there heard from Olga. OFTEN are variations in their We had still not heard positions from Olga by the time evening arrived (more formal) YET: I havent heard a convincing explanation of her absence yet. ALREADY: She phoned already. Has she has

phoned

already?

NOTES ON THE PERFECT TENSES: y y we dont use present perfect when an exact past time is mentioned and there is no connection with the present but we can use present perfect if the period mentioned includes the past and the present: o I havent done much work today We use PAST PERFECT with PAST SIMPLE

1. PRESENT PERFECT
1.1 uses with other present tenses we use present perfect with ohter present tenses in: y y with REPORT VERBS/PHRASES: GUESS, SUPPOSE, IMAGINE,..) o I reckon Gloria has been help up in traffic With the phrase THIS IS / ITS / THATS THE FIRST/SECOND/ONLY TIME,... o This is the first time he has been late When an event is unusual or unique in your life (ever, nerver) o Ive never met anybody who is so absent-minded

1.2 uses with past tenses y to describe states or events that have continued since a time in the past with SINCE, EVER SINCE,... o Ever since I first heard it Ive been trying to find a recording of that song To describe long-term or repeated feelings and thoughts about past events o I have often wondered why he decided to become a teacher

1.3 uses with another present perfect y to describe two states that have existed since a time in the past o since Ive known him, he has always worn the same sweater

1.4 uses with future forms y In time clauses AFTER, WHEN, AS SOON AS, UNTIL, BEFORE,..we dont use WILL so the future perfect (will have done) is not possible

o Well continue the composture 1.5 common phrases Theyve made it Ive had enough

Meeting

when

hes recovered

his

Theyve succeded I am fed up, I dont want to do any more You are in trouble You, we have done something that someone else will complain Youve wrong done something seriously

Youve had it Thats torn it

Now youve done it

She has arrived He has lost it You have got me there

She has achieved fame, success He has lost his patience or self-control Good point: Ive no idea what the solution is

2. PAST PERFECT
2.1 not always necessary
Past perfect emphasises that we are talking about a period before a time in the past. If the time sequence is clear (we use after) past simple and past perfecta re possible 2.2 with definite time we can use it with definite time reference 2.3 with before when we use BEFORE the verb in the Past perfect can refer to something that takes place before the verb in the past perfect, the first action may prevent the second from happening The waiter took my plate away before I had finished eating 2.4 unfulfilled plans