LANGUAGES INSTITUTE

ENGLISH LEVEL V
PASSIVE VOICE WORKSHOP

Professor’s name: ____________________________________________ Date: _____________ Student’s

Names: _____________________________________________ Group: ___________

1. GROUP DISCUSSION

In groups of 3, answer the following questions:

1. Have you ever been interviewed for a job or school admission process? How was it?
2. What questions are normally asked?
3. What types of tests are usually required during the recruitment process?

2. READING ACTIVITY

Scan the text and answer the questions below

The Job Interview

Susan was looking for a job for a very long time. Finally, after many months of sending
lots of CVs a letter was sent to her. The letter Susan received said: “We want to
interview you. You need to take a psychometric test, too”. Last year, more than 70% of
the companies used these tests for potential employees. Susan had applied for the job
of assistant in the Public Relations department of one of those companies.

On the day of the interview, she arrived early and she was taken upstairs to the office
where she had to take the test. Susan respected the short time limit set for the test. She
ended up choosing, as quickly as she could, the adjectives that better described her at
work. However, she had a difficult time with the test and she didn’t fill out all the answers.

One week later, a letter with a copy of her profile analysis was sent by the company and she found out that she was
turned down for the job. Susan disagreed with the results as she was described as an ambitious and impatient person.
She refused to give up and she called a psychologist friend and asked for an explanation. After talking to her, Susan
sent a polite disagreement letter to the company. The company answered back, apologizing.

Susan was asked to take a longer and more detailed psychometric test and to keep on with the recruitment process.
This time she didn’t run out of time and the results she got were more realistic and accurate. The
position as Public Relations assistant was given to her and they understood that a 10-minute test is not enough to give
all the necessary information about a job candidate. Reading comprehension questions

Scan the text and answer the following questions

1. In the reading, which of the following IS NOT mentioned for psychometric tests?
 a) Are used by more than 70% of companies to test potential employees. b)
Gives important information about a potential employee.
c) Have time limits for the potential employees to answer.
d) Are always done by the psychologist of companies.

2. What was the time limit for the first test? _________________________________________

3. What did Susan do first after receiving the rejection letter?

a) She chose adjectives that best described her at work.
b) She included a copy of her profile analysis.
c) She phoned a friend that is a psychologist for a clarification. d)
She sent a polite disagreement letter to the company.

4. What did the results say about Susan?

_____________________________________________________________________________

5. What was the difference between the first and the second psychometric test?
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________

6. Susan got the job. True____ or False_____

3. VOCABULARY PHRASAL VERBS

A phrasal verb is a combination of a verb and preposition, a verb and an adverb, or a verb with both an adverb
and a preposition. A phrasal verb has a meaning which is different from the original verb. That's what makes them
fun, but confusing. You may need to try to guess the meaning from the context, or, look it up in a dictionary. Phrasal
verbs are mainly used in spoken English and informal texts. (The more formal a conversation or text, the fewer
phrasal verbs are found.)

Examples

▪ look up – consult a reference book (look a word up in a dictionary)

▪ look for – seek (look for her ring)

▪ look forward – anticipate with pleasure (look forward to meeting someone.

Activity 4.1: Look for phrasal verbs in the job interview reading and write them in the boxes below.

Activity 4. 2: Match the phrasal verbs with the definitions.

Activity 4. 3: Complete the sentences with the appropriate form of the verbs from the boxes. There is an extra
word you don’t need.

give up build up fill out hand in end up

1. When looking for the first job, it is crucial that people are persistent and don’t __________________.
2. Some people _______________ or send out around 200 CVs before getting a job.
3. Additionally to your CV, there are some companies that require for you to_______________ an application.
4. ____________________ your confidence before facing a job interview.

4. LANGUAGE IN USE PASSIVE VOICE TV series examples

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzeI93MszMk

Passive voice is used when the focus is on the action. This one is not important or not known; however, who or
what is performing the action.

Example:

English is spoken in class. (Passive voice present)

An email was sent this morning. (Passive voice past)

Activity 5.1: Look for sentences in passive voice used in the reading “the job interview”.

Always use the verb to be according to the tense and the past participle form of the
main verb!!!

Example 1:

Active: Marc writes a letter (present simple)

Passive: A letter is written by Marc (passive- present simple)

Example 2:
Active: Marc wrote a letter (past simple)
Passive: A letter was written by Marc (passive- past simple)

Activity 5.2: Complete the table with missing verbs in past and past participle

Present form Past form Past Participle Present form Past form Past Participle
form form

Respect Give

Keep Get

Send Choose

Throw Find

Call Reject

Break Run

Use Write

Pay Wake

Activity 5.3: Change the following sentences into passive voice in present tense:
1.-Susan respects the time limit.
____________________________________________________________________________________
2.-Susan sends a polite disagreement letter.
____________________________________________________________________________________
3.-She calls some psychologist friends.
____________________________________________________________________________________
4. 70% of companies in the United States use psychometric tests for potential employees.
____________________________________________________________________________________
5. Psychometric tests give important information on potential employees.
___________________________________________________________________________________

Activity 5.4: Complete the following sentences using the verbs from the box into passive voice in past tense.

choose reject write use

a. A resignation letter ____________________ by John to his boss, when he decided to quit the job.
b. The best candidate ____________________ by Human Resources for the sales position.
c. The dress code ______________________ by employees who don’t like the idea of someone telling them
what to wear.
d. Psychometric tests ___________________ by psychologists to analyze potential employees.