10.

1 Active and passive forms

1 We use active verbs to say what someone or something does.

2 We use passive verbs to describe what happens to someone or something.

active 1 Many young people around the world like Bollywood movies.
passive 2 Bollywood movies are liked by many young people around the world.

active 3 Companies are employing young graduates for their technical skills.
passive 4 Young graduates are being employed for their technical skills.

active 5 Technology companies haven’t been selling as many tablets as we imagine.

passive 6 Tablets haven’t been sold as much as we imagine.

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 10.1 Active and passive forms

1 We form the passive with the verb be (in any tense) + past participle.
be past
participle
New companies are registered every day.
Five new laws will have been passed before the elections.
Clearer guidelines were being discussed at the last conference.
Many small shops have been taken over by international chain stores.
The officers have not been seen since last week.
Their wages will not be paid until the strike is over.
The employees were not consulted before the change in contract.
If an investor is not found soon, the company will close.
2 Notice how not goes between two auxiliary verbs, but after be in simple tenses.
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 10.1 Active and passive forms

1 We use the passive when the person or thing who does the action is not known, not
important in the context or so obvious that we do not need to mention it.

1 Are Mini cars still manufactured in the UK?

2 Bananas are eaten in every country. They are the most popular fruit.
3 Three young men were arrested last night on suspicion of fraud.

2 We use by if we want to say specifically who or what does the action.

1 Mini cars are now owned by BMW.

2 The laws weren’t passed by the previous government.
3 Was the director taken to court by a customer or by an employee?

3 We often use the passive to talk about something we have already mentioned.

1 Wikipedia didn’t start as a big organization. It was started by a few individuals.

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 10.1 Active and passive forms

1 Choose the correct options to complete the sentences.

1 The risk was shared / is sharing between many investors.

2 The operation has carried out / has been carried out by the top surgeon in the field.

3 He became / was become a partner in the company at a young age.

4 Will the money be raised / being raised in time for the launch?

5 The project hasn’t been backed / has been not backed by all the committee.

6 No guarantee has been given / gave at all.

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