PASSIVE VOICE XPLORE 12 Unit 1 2 Killer

PASSIVE VOICE XPLORE 12 Unit 1. 2. Killer English Unit 3. 2. Real Hunger Games Teresa Pinto de Almeida ▪ Paula M. Araújo ▪ Telma Coelho

The Passive Voice is used whenever an action is more important than the agent – for example, in reporting the news, in public notices or scientific experiments. Example: The original text was written in Sanskrit but this one has been largely manipulated. Here the focus is on the writing of the text and what has happened to it rather than who was responsible for manipulating it. Teresa Pinto de Almeida ▪ Paula M. Araújo ▪ Telma Coelho

In passive constructions the agent is only mentioned when necessary. When there is an understanding of who carried out the action it is always incorrect to add the agent or when this information is not known or would be too complicated to add. Example: She was taught foreign languages [by teachers] at school. Teresa Pinto de Almeida ▪ Paula M. Araújo ▪ Telma Coelho

After modal verbs the auxiliary verbs be or have been are used; the have been construction shows a past event which didn’t happen. Example: A multilingualism approach should be followed. Example: Information could have been sent in one language [but it wasn’t]. Teresa Pinto de Almeida ▪ Paula M. Araújo ▪ Telma Coelho

Active Some linguists have defined English as a killerlanguage. Subject Object Passive English has been defined as a killer- by some language linguists. Subject Teresa Pinto de Almeida ▪ Paula M. Araújo ▪ Telma Coelho Agent

ACTIVE PASSIVE have defined has been defined Present Perfect Passive Present Perfect To be + Past Participle Auxiliary Teresa Pinto de Almeida ▪ Paula M. Araújo ▪ Telma Coelho Main verb

PASSIVE VOICE – TWO OBJECTS Many verbs like give, give lend, lend award, award offer, offer warn, warn teach… teach can have two objects. When putting these verbs into the passive, it is more usual to use the indirect object as the subject. Example: I was given a language lesson. Teresa Pinto de Almeida ▪ Paula M. Araújo ▪ Telma Coelho

Active School has given us useful skills. Subject Indirect Object Direct Object Passive We have been given useful skills by school. Subject Teresa Pinto de Almeida ▪ Paula M. Araújo ▪ Telma Coelho Agent

Passive constructions are often used with verbs like say, say believe, believe estimate and know. 1. it + passive verb + that-clause 2. subject + passive verb + to-infinitive Teresa Pinto de Almeida ▪ Paula M. Araújo ▪ Telma Coelho

1. it + passive verb It is estimated + that-clause that 51 million children suffer from malnutrition. Teresa Pinto de Almeida ▪ Paula M. Araújo ▪ Telma Coelho

2. subject + passive + to-infinitive 51 million children are estimated to suffer from malnutrition. Teresa Pinto de Almeida ▪ Paula M. Araújo ▪ Telma Coelho

Sometimes there are two passive constructions in the same sentence. Example: It is known that global English has been shaped by cultural interactions. Global English is known to have been shaped by cultural interactions. Other verbs which are used in this way include: consider, consider think, think understand, understand report, report expect, expect fear, fear claim and deny Teresa Pinto de Almeida ▪ Paula M. Araújo ▪ Telma Coelho

Now Practise! Teresa Pinto de Almeida ▪ Paula M. Araújo ▪ Telma Coelho

1. Rewrite these sentences in the active or passive voice. a. The students designed a leaflet to draw attention to languages in danger of extinction. AA…leaflet was designed to draw attention to languages in danger of extinction. b. Some language researchers have advised UN officials that actions need to be taken to protect endangered languages. UN UNofficials…have been advised that actions need to be taken to protect endangered languages. c. Unesco is setting up a programme to make recordings of dialects. A programme … to make recordings of dialects is being set up by Unesco. Teresa Pinto de Almeida ▪ Paula M. Araújo ▪ Telma Coelho

d. A research had already shown to linguists that the English language is threatening others. Linguists…had already been shown that the English language is threatening others. e. A list of actions was devised to protect minority languages. Unesco … devised a list of actions to protect minority languages. f. The linguistic programme developed by the UN hasn’t been acknowledged by several governments. Several governments haven’t … Several governments acknowledged the linguistic programme developed by the UN. Teresa Pinto de Almeida ▪ Paula M. Araújo ▪ Telma Coelho

2. Rewrite the following sentences beginning with the words given. a. They assumed that the obstacles to the inclusion programme were overcome. It … was assumed that the obstacles to the inclusion programme were overcome. The obstacles… obstacles to the inclusion programme were assumed to be overcome. b. Analysts have foreseen that the Human Rights Committee won’t implement any measures to solve the problem. It … has been foreseen that the Human Rights Committee won’t implement any measures to solve the problem. Teresa Pinto de Almeida ▪ Paula M. Araújo ▪ Telma Coelho

c. That expert is estimating that conflicts due to racial discrimination will increase in our cities. It … is being estimated that conflicts due to racial discrimination will increase in our cities. d. Journalists have reported that a consensus between the major political parties was reached. It … has been reported that a consensus between the major political parties was reached. e. The police expects that the demonstration during the G 9 summit will turn violent. It … is expected that the demonstration during the G 9 summit will turn violent. Teresa Pinto de Almeida ▪ Paula M. Araújo ▪ Telma Coelho

Further Practice! Passive Voice Quiz 1 Passive Voice Quiz 2 Teresa Pinto de Almeida ▪ Paula M. Araújo ▪ Telma Coelho