(Advanced Grammar) Passive

(Taken from the Random Ideas blog)

Lessons on the use of passive verbs in English often focus on the formality and objectiveness of this structure. There are however, many cases where the passive is used informally:

Some non-formal examples of the Passive 

Apparently he was born in Hungary. 

They were married in the local church. 

It's supposed to be a genuine Rolex, but I have my doubts. 

She's meant to be arriving any minute. 

Do you know his first book was published when he was only 15. Amazing! 

Peter's flight has been delayed because of some strike or other. 

It's a shame the youth club was so badly damaged in last year's fire. 

We came by bus because the car's being serviced today. 

The report? The final version is being typed up as we speak. 

He was had up for speeding twice last year. 

  

 

Some even less formal examples of the Passive 

 

Three quid for a coffee! You've been done there, mate! 

Would you believe it! I've just been given the heave-ho. Again! 

Late again! You're fired! 

I've had enough of being screwed around like this. 

Some ref he is! We were robbed! 

Don't tell me you fell for that email scam. You're so easily had! 

I've been tweeted three times this week. And 'liked' on Facebook. 

Like I was so not taken in by his smarmy charm! 

I just can't be bothered with his arty-farty friends. 

So I use the Passive sometimes! Am I bothered? 

Decide whether the underlined past participles are part of a Passive construction (Pass), adjectives (Adj), or being used in an Active Perfect or Past tense (Act)

		Pass	Adj	Act
1.	He was surprised by the security man as he was robbing the till.
2.	She was surprised at the reaction to her speech.
3.	The young pianist's performance surprised the critics.
4.	The crisis has depressed wages in many sectors.
5.	When the accelerator pedal is depressed, the car goes faster.
6.	She's been depressed since the accident.
7.	He was tired of constantly being hounded by the press.
8.	He has tired of all the press attention he has been getting.
9.	He had been tired out by all the constant press attention.
10.	She must have confused this man with somebody else.
11.	He is easily confused by the smallest problem.
12.	I'm confused. Is today Wednesday or Thursday?
13.	As a young man he felt alone and misunderstood.
14.	His speech has been misunderstood by a lot of people.
15.	You have completely misunderstood what I was saying.

Passive-like constructions 

There are a couple of forms very similar to the Passive, often referred to as Passive-like. They use a similar construction to the Passive, but with different verbs instead of be. They are not usually considered as being Passive Voice. In informal language, we often use a passive-like expression with get. 

We got done! 

She got caught cheating. 

We got soaked in the rain yesterday. 

He got arrested for fraud. 

Putting it into practice 

Rewrite the sentence in the Passive, using exactly the same tense as the Active original. Where the agent (doer) is not important, leave it out. 

1., They were repairing the road last night. 

 

2., The mayor will inaugurate the tram system. 

 

3., Jane Austen wrote Pride and Prejudice. 

 

4., Something could have delayed her. 

 

5., They had closed the road for repairs. 

 

6., The BBC are to introduce a new radio service. 

 

7., They might cancel the concert. 

 

8., Fifty thousand people will have visited the new centre by the end of the week. 

 

9., Somebody is going to unveil the new monument tomorrow. 

 

10., They are giving her the details right now. 

 

11., People often ask me a lot of stupid questions. 

 

12., The Queen has opened a new footbridge over the Thames.