Unit 18 Passive Constructions
The passive can only be used with a verb that takes an object.
Present simple
am /is/are +
past participle
Present continuous
am /is/are +
being + past participle
Past simple
was/were + past participle
Past continuous
was/were + being + past participle
Present perfect
have/has +
been + past participle
Present perfect continuous (unusual]
have/has +
been +
being + past participle
Past perfect
had +
been + past participle
Past perfect continuous (unusual)
had +
been +
being + past participle
Used to
used to +
be + past participle
Would
would + be + past participle
W ill
w ill + be + past participle
Going to
is/are + going to + be + past participle
Modal constructions - present/future
e.g.
should + be + past participle
Modal constructions - past
e.g.
should have +
been + past participle
Semi-modal constructions
e.g.
had to +
be + past participle
Other Passive Constructions (avoiding using the subject)
A common way to use most reporting verbs in the passive is:
to be + past participle of the reporting verb +
to + past participle
Active:
People say that film s distort real life.
Passive: Films are said to distort real life.
Active:
They advise parents to m onitor the programmes their children watch.
Passive: Parents are advised to m onitor the programmes their children watch.
Some verbs (e.g. say, know, believe, understand, find) can also be used in the following structure:
It is/was/has been + past participle of the reporting verb +
that + clause
Active:
People say that film s distort real life.
Passive: It is said that film s distort real life.
Active:
Researchers have found that too many hours watching television can be detrimental.
Passive: It has been found that too many hours watching television can be detrimental.
Gram m ar reference
1 2 3
The International English Language
Testing System (IELTS) Test
IELTS is jointly managed by the
British Council, Cambridge E S O L Examinations and IDP Education, Australia.
There are two versions of the test:
• Academic
•
General Training
Academ ic is for students w ishing to study at undergraduate or postgraduate levels in an English-m edium
environment.
General Training is for people who wish to migrate to an English-speaking country.
This book is primarily for students taking the Academ ic version.
The Test
There are four modules:
Listening
30 minutes, plus 10 minutes for transferring answ ers to the answ er sheet
NB: the audio is heard
only once.
Approx. 10 questions per section
Section 1: two speakers discuss a social situation
Section 2: one speaker talks about a
non-academ ic topic
Section 3: up to four speakers d isc u ss an educational project
Section 4: one speaker gives a talk of general academic interest
Reading
60 minutes
3
texts, taken from authentic sources, on general, academic topics. They may contain diagrams,
charts, etc.
40 questions: may include multiple choice, sentence completion, completing a diagram, graph or
chart, choosing headings, yes/no, true/false questions, classification and matching exercises.
Writing
Task 1: 20 minutes: description of a table, chart, graph or diagram (150 words minimum)
Task 2: 40 minutes: an essay in response to an argument or problem (250 words minimum)
Speaking
11-14 minutes
A three-part face-to-face oral interview with an examiner.
The interview is recorded.
