GRAMMAR SECTION (Active vs Passive)

• Use the active voice to talk about the things people do:

I am cleaning my room.
Someone told us to be here at 8.00.

• Use the passive voice (subject + be + V3/-ed):

► to talk about what happens to things or people:

My room is being cleaned.

We were told to be here at 8.00.

► when we don’t know the person, who does the action:

The film star was murdered.

► when the identity of the person, who does the action, is not important:

This cheese is made in Italy. (It’s not important who actually makes it)

► if the person, who does the action, is obvious:

The thief was arrested. (The police are the only people who could arrest the thief)

• If we want to say who does/did the action, we use ‘by’:

The microwave was invented by LeBaron Spencer.

• The passive is sometimes used to emphasise a particular part of the sentence:

James Cameron made “Avatar”. – active

“Avatar” was made by James Cameron. – passive (the emphasis is on James Cameron)

• The passive is often used in newspaper reports and other formal writing.