Grammar Unit 7: Active &
Passive Sentences
è The police reported 10% more crimes in 2011.
è 10% more
crimes were reported in 2011.
è The travel
agent advised me to take the train.
è I was advised to take the train.
è This
last-minute task has held us up at
the office.
è We’ve been held up at the office.
è Active: more important role
‘who’ performs the action
è Passive: more important ‘who’
undergoes the action
Note: !! This is not the same as present and past tenses !!
Papers are
being sent to you right away! (emphasis on action)
This film will amaze
you! (emphasis on the film)
You will be
amazed! (emphasis on the customer)
Exercise:
1)Look at these headlines
and decide why they are passive (think commercially).
2)Try to make these
sentences active.
“Fewer HTC
smartphones sold in 2012”
“Facebook used to investigate
terrorism and violence”
“More time spent on Facebook
during school hours”
“Five artworks stolen from the Tate
Modern”
