Dave
30 giu 20212 min
Aggiornato il: 7 lug 2021
passive forms and uses; to have something done
Alan is talking to his friend Maria about a series of science fiction films.
Underline the words you think
you’ll hear.
alien
army
earth
experiment
flower
garage
human
planet
scientist
spaceship
Listen and check if you were right.
Does Maria decide to see the film?
Listen again and complete the sentences below.
The first two Starman films were made about three years ago.
The main part ______ to a different actor.
He ______ to their planet.
But the spaceship ______ when they land although they ______ , luckily.
Norman ______ by the army.
The aliens ______ , I guess, and then they’ll go back their planet again.
Look at your answers. They are all passive verbs.
How do we make the passive in the present?
the past?
the future?
Active
Passive
We use the correct form of to be + past participle to make the passive.
we don’t know who or what does something:
My car was stolen.
The spaceship is damaged.
it is obvious or unimportant who does something:
My train was cancelled.
The aliens are waiting to be rescued.
Was anyone hurt in the accident?
Letters aren’t delivered on bank holidays.
If the person who did something is important we use by + person:
Active
Aliens caught Norman.
Passive
Norman was caught by aliens.
When other people do a job for us, we can say we have something done. We do not usually say who did it.
She has the spaceship repaired. = The garage repairs the spaceship.
We use the correct form of have + noun + past participle:
I had my hair coloured. = The hairdresser coloured my hair.
We’ll have a new house designed. = An architect will design a new house for us.