ngữ pháp tiếng anh nâng cao, hỗ trợ các bạn học tốt chương trình ngữ pháp c1 tại trường, nâng cao khả năng học tập, phát triển kỹ năng ngữ pháp tại trường, tự tin sử dụng hợp lý cấu trúc. thành thạo trở thành người dùng tiếng anh giỏi.
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Passive 1
Basic uses of the passive
• Agent and instrument
The person who performs an action in a passive sentence is called the agent’,
introduced by by The agent may or may not be mentioned.
My purse was found by one ofthe cleaners.
A new wad has been built.
An object which causes something to happen is called an instrument, introduced by
with.
He was hit on the head with a Hammer.
• Verbs with two objects
Verbs which have two objects can be made passive in two ways
I was handed a note A note was handed to me.
Other common verbs of this type are bring, give, lend, pass, pay, promise, sell,
send, show, tell
• Verbs with object and complement
Some verbs have a noun or adjective which describes their object
We elected Jim class representatire.
Everyone considered him afailure.
When these are made passive, the complement goes directly after the verb
Jim was elected class representative.
He was considered afailure.
• Verbs which cannot be passive
Most verbs with an object (transitive verbs) can be made passive, e.g drive is transitive
because one can drive something (a car)
However, a few transitive verbs may not be used in the passive These include become, fit (be the right size), get, have, lack, let, like, resemble, suit.
Verbs with no object (intransitive) cannot be passive, e.g sleep is intransitive; you
cannot sleep something’
Therefore it is not possible to say ‘The baby was slept’ Instead the sentence must be
active: The baby slept.
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Trang 2Using and not nnentioning the agent
• Change of focus
The passive can change the emphasis of a sentence
Jack won the prize. (focus on Jack)
The prize was won by Jack. (focus on the prize)
• Unknown agent
The agent is not mentioned if unknown
Two windows have been broken.
In this case, there is no point in adding an agent: ‘by somebody’
• Generalized agent
If the subject is ‘people in generał’ or ‘you’, the agent is not mentioned
Bicycles are widely used in the city instead ofpublic transport.
• Obvious agent
If the agent is obvious or has already been referred to, it is not mentioned
Linda has been arrested! (we assume by the pohce) The company agreed to our reąuest and a new car park was opened.
• Unimportant agent
If the agent is not important to the meaning of the sentence, it is not mentioned
I was advised to ohtain a visa in advance.
• Impersonality
Using the passive is a way of avoiding the naming of a specific person who is responsible for an action
It has been decided to reduce all salaries by 10%.
In descriptions of processes, there is emphasis on the actions performed rather than
on the people who perform them
Then the boxes are packed into crates.
ADVANCED LANGUAGE PRACTiCE
Trang 3GRAMMAR 5 PASSIVE 1
1 Correct any verb forms w hich are im possib le or inappropria te
1 A lot of homes in the area have been being broken into by burglars
2 As I drove south, I could see that the old road was rebuilding
3 I suppose the letter will have been delivered by now
4 There is nothing more annoying than been interrupted when you are speaking
V
5 Jim was been given the sack from his new job
6 Somehow without my noticing my wallet had been disappeared
7 The new shopping centre was opened by the local M P
8 A lot of meetings have been held, but nothing has being decided yet
2 Com ple te the second sen tence so that it has a sim ilar m e aning to the first sentence
1 The crowd was slowly filling the huge stadium
The huge stadium by the crowd
2 The inventor of the Computer simplified the work of accountants.
Since the Computer the work of accountants
simplified
3 Someone has suggested that the shop should close
I t that the shop should close
4 ‘I’d take out some travel insurance if I were you, Mr Smith.’
Mr Sm ith take out some travel insurance
5 The waitress will bring your drinks in a moment
Your drinks in a moment
6 Someone used a knife to open the window
This window a knife
7 You will hear from us when we have finished dealing with your complaint
After your complaint you will hear from us
8 An announcement of their engagement appeared in the local paper
Their engagement in the local paper
9 Nobody ever heard anything of David again
Nothing David again
10 They paid Sheila £1,000 as a special bonus
£1,000 Sheila as a special bonus
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Trang 43 Rewrite each sen tence in the passive, om it ting the w ords un d e rlin e d
1 Someone left the phone off the hook all night
The phoiA.6 wcis Uft o f f the hoofe aii lA/Lght.
2 The goyernment has announced that petrol prices will rise tomorrow
3 A burglar broke into our house last week
4 People asked me the way three times
5 The fruit-pickers pick the apples early in the morning
6 It s time the authorities did something about this problem
7 Lots of people had parked their cars on the pavement
8 The goyernment agreed with the report and so they changed the law
9 You have to fili in an application form
10 They dont know what happened to the ship
11 Nobody has seen the groups leader sińce his arrest last month
4 Com ple te each sen tence w ith a passive form of the v erb in brackets
1 The boxes (not/pack) yet
2 Your food (still/prepare)
3 The new ship (launch) next week
4 Luckily by the time we got there the painting (not/sell)
5 We had to go on holiday because our house (decorate)
6 I’m afraid that next weeks meeting (cancel)
7 If we dont hurry, all the tickets (sell) by the time we get there
8 All main courses (serve) with vegetables or salad At least that is what is written on the menu
9 The second goal (score) by Hughes in the 41st minutę
10 The cathedral (build) in the fourteenth century
11 Theres a lot of noise outside because the road (repair)
12 I was promised that the parcel (deliver) by 10.00, but it still hasn t arrived
ADVANCED LANGUAGE PRACTICE
Trang 5GRAMMAR 5 PASSIVE 1
5 Rewrite each sen tence in a more form al style so that it con tains a passive form
of the w ord give n in CAPITALS
M.i^ fortu.iA-citeLy you.r Letter hcis beeiA- m.is.laid.
2 The police are grilling Harry down at the station QUESTION
6 Com ple te each sen tence w ith a passive form o f the verb in brackets,
1 Nothing (see) of Paulina sińce her car (find)
abandoned near Newbury last week
2 As our new furniture (dehver) on Monday morning ril have to stay at home to check that it (not/damage) during transit
3 The new Alhambra hatchback, which in this country (sell) under the name ‘Challenger’, (fit) with electric windows
as standard
4 For the past few days I (work) in Jacks office, as my own office (redecorate)
5 It (announce) that the proposed new office błock (now/ not/build) because of the current economic situation
6 A major new deposit of oil (discover) in the Arctic It (think) to be nearly twice the size of the largest existing field
7 Pictures o f the sur face o f the planet Mars (receiv e)
yesterday from the space probe ‘Rover 3’ which (launch) last year
8 A large sum (raise) for the Fund by a recent charity concert but the target of £250,000 (still/not/reach)
9 No decision (m ake) about any futurę appointment until
Trang 67 U nderlin e any uses of the age n t w hich are unnecessary.
1 My jewellery has been stolen by a thiefl
2 It has been decided by the authorities that Wednesday will be a school holiday
3 Harry was pushed over by someone standing next to him in the ąueue
4 The goods are transported by raił to our warehouse in the Midlands
5 I was told by someone that you have a vacancy for a Computer operator.
6 Sue has been picked by the selectors for the national event
7 The letter was sent by post on the 21st of last month
8 The larger portrait was painted by a little-known Flemish artist
9 It has been agreed by everyone that no smoking should be allowed
10 As I arrived at the conference a note was handed to me by one of the delegates
8 Com ple te the text w ith a suitable active or passive form of the verbs in brackets
ADVANCED LANGUAGE PRACTICE
Dear M rs Patei,
We are delighted to inform you th a t you (1) (select) for a free holiday, According to our Information, you ( 2 ) (answer) a telephone survey la st month, as a result of which your name ( 3 ) (enter) in the holiday draw Now our Computer ( 4 ) (choose) your name, so you and your family ( 5 ) (invite) to spend a week in a European destination of your choice This offer ( 6 ) (make) on the condition th a t you attend a special
promotions day with other lucky famiiies in your region who ( 7 ) (offer)
a simiiar deai You (3) (ask) to attend on any Sa turd ay next month
a t t h e Royal Hotel, Manchester Ifyou ( 9 ) (interest) in attending and taking up th is offer, please (1 0 ) (detach) the slip below and return it
to us a s soon as possible
9 Com ple te the texts by w riting a passive form of a verb in the box in each space
Text A
creatures ( 2 ) on an island in the North Sea The 150 million year old fossil, a type of pliosaur, ( 3 ) 'Big Boy' by scientists, as it is
over 15 metres long The remains ( 4 ) to the Natural History
Museum in Oslo, where, after conservation work, they ( 5 ) in a special section of the museum.
Trang 7GRAMMAR 5 PASSIVE 1
T e x tB
A bookseller has found a previously unknown poem by the English poet Shelley nearly 200 years after it ( 6 ) The anti-war poem ( 7 )
in a pamphiet first published in 1811 in Oxford when the poet was 20 It
1 0 Rewrite each line w ith a passive verb form
1 We have decided to adopt a flexitime system for a trial period of three months.
It hcis beeiA, deoLded to ad ojt a fLe.Mtini,e system - fo r a tń a l j^eńod o f three m-oiA-ths.
2 The details are here below, and we'll send out a formal document in due course.
3 We'll consult all members of staff through their line manager,
4 and we'll seek feedback.
5 We'll collect and analyse comments
6 before we make a decision
7 as to whether we'll adopt the system permanently or not.
8 lt's aiso possible that we may extend the trial period for a further month.
9 The new system will require all employees to arrive between the hours of 8.00 and 10.00, and to leave after they have fulfilled their contractual obligations of eight hours.
10 We hope that this arrangement meets with your approval.
-> SEEALSO
Grammar 6: Passive 2
Consolidation 2: Units 5-8
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Passive 2
Have and get something done, need doing
• Have/get something done
This typically describes a service performed for us by someone else
I ’vejust had/got my car sewiced I have/get it done every winter.
It can also describe something unfortunate that happens to someone
~We had/got our car broken into last month.
Get is more likely to be used than have when;
i) there is a feeling that something must be done
I really must get/have my hair cut.
ii) there is a feeling of eventually managing to do something
1 eventually got/had the ca rfix ed at the Fast Service garage.
iii) in orders and imperatives
Get your hair cut!
Note that getshould not be used in the present perfect passive, where it would be
confused with have got.
I ’vejust had my hair cut (possible)
I ’vejust got my hair cut (not possible)
• The need to have a service done can be described with need doing.
Your hair needs cutting.
Passive get
Get can be used instead of beto form the passive in spoken language
Martin got arrested at a football match.
Reporting verbs
• Present reference
With verbs such as believe, know, say, think,which report peoples opinions, a passive construction is often used to avoid a weak subject, and to give a generalized opinion With present reference, the passive is followed by the present infinitive
The criminal is thought to be in hiding in the London area.
Yitamin C is known to be g ood for treating colds.
• Past reference
With past reference, the passive is followed by the past infinitive
Smith is beliered to have left England last week.
Trang 9• Past reporting verb
If the reporting verb is in the past, the past infinitive tends to follow, though not
always if the verb beis used
People thought Sue had paid too much.
Sue was thought to have paid too much.
T hepolice thought that the thiefw as still in the house.
The thiefw as thought to still be in the house.
• Past reference with two objects
In this case there are two ways of making a passive sentence
Ereryone knows the portrait was painted hy an Italian.
The portrait is known to have heen painted by an Italian.
• Continuous infinitive
Past and present continuous infinitives are also used
Mary is thought to be living in Scotland.
The driver is thought to have heen doing a U-turn.
Verbs with prepositions
• Ending a sentence with a preposition
It is possible to end a sentence with a preposition in a sentence where a prepositional verb is made passive
Somebody broke into our house.
Our house was broken into.
• By and with
With is used after participles such zsfilled, packed, crowded, crammed.
The train was packed with commuters.
The difference between by and withmay involve the presence of a person:
Dave was hit by a branch. (an accident)
Dave was hit with a branch. (a person hit him with one)
• M ake is followed by towhen used in the passive
My boss m ade me work hard.
I was made to work hard by my boss.
• Cover and verbs which involve similar ideas, such as surround, decorate, can use with
or by Cover can also be followed by in.
Thefurniture was corered in dust.
The living room had been decorated w ithflow ery wallpaper.
• Common contexts for the passive
The passive is common in technical and scientific writing, and generally in spoken and written contexts where there is less use of personal reference, sińce the audience may be unknown, or the speaker wants to remain impersonal
GRAMMAR 6 PASSIVE 2
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Trang 101 D ecide w he th er the sen tences in each pair have the sam e m e aning Rewrite those w hich are different
1 IVe just been to the hairdresser s What do you think?
lVe just cut my hair at the hairdresser s What do you think?
lVeJi/<.st had kaLr out.
2 Someone is painting our house at the moment.
We are painting our house at the moment
3 The dentist is going to take out two of my teeth tomorrow
I’m having two teeth taken out tomorrow
4 The teacher made us all tidy up
We were made to tidy up by the teacher
ADVANCED LANGUAGE PRACTICE
5 The car is thought to have been stolen by joy-riders
Joy-riders are thought to have stolen the car
6 Just a minutę Fil ask someone to wrap this for you
Just a minutę Fil have to wrap this up for you
7 The car hasn t been serviced for a long time
We haven t had the car serviced for a long time
8 Theyre coming to put in a new water-heater next week
Were putting in a new water-heater next week
9 Would you consider having plastic surgery to alter your nose?
Would you consider having your nose altered by plastic surgery?
2 U nderlin e the correct w ord in each sentence
1 The busy shopping Street was thronged by/withpeople,
2 The emergency exit was concealed by/from a red curtain
3 The price of excursions is included in/withthe cost of the holiday
4 All through January, the fields were covered by/from snow
5 The room was crammed by/withfurniture of all descriptions
6 Two of the climbers were injured by/withfalling rocks
7 The island is inhabited by/frompeople of mainly Chinese origin
8 The bank was ąuickly surroundedfrom /with armed police
9 The window had been srm shed from /w ith a hammer taken from the shed
10 The stadium was packed from /w ithcheering fans