Passive and Causative

USE OF ENGLISH: THE PASSIVE AND THE CAUSATIVE
1.GENERAL PASSIVE VOICE: structure
PASSIVE VERB: BE + PAST PARTICIPLE
Active sentence: THE POLICE CAUGHT THE THIEVES
THE POLICE CAUGHT THE THIEVES

SUBJECT ACTIVE VERB DIRECT COMPLEMENT
THE THIEVES WERE CAUGHT BY THE POLICE

NEW SUBJECT PASSIVE VERB AGENT
(BE in the same tense as the active form)
PASSIVE VOICE: DIRECT AND INDIRECT OBJECTS
1. USE: the PASSIVE is used when the speaker wants to attatch more
importance to the OBJECT than to the SUBJECT.
2. VERBS with two objects: read these sentences
A friend lent me this book / a friend lent a book to me

Me is the INDIRECT OBJECT
A BOOK is the DIRECT OBJECT
In the PASSIVE, the DIRECT OBJECT or the INDIRECT OBJECT can be used as
the subject of the sentence.
1. I was lent a book by a friend

2. A book was lent to me by a friend.
2. IMPERSONAL PASSIVE : RECEIVED INFORMATION
When talking about information that has been received, but we don’t
know who provided the information or the person who provided is not
important, we often use the following verbs:
SAID, REPORTED, BELIEVED, THOUGHT, KNOWN,
UNDERSTOOD
Using the following patterns:
SENTENCE:
Some people say that this is a dangerous area.
PASSIVE:
It is said that this is a dangerous area.
1.IT +Passive
IS/WAS/HAS BEEN+ SAID //THAT CLAUSE
sentence + subject
Subordinate + active verb
sentence
PASSIVE VOICE: RECEIVED INFORMATION
(IMPERSONAL PASSIVE 2)
II.
SENTENCE:
The police know (that) the man is using a false name
PASSIVE:
The man is known to be using a false name
PASSIVE: steps:
1. Find the subject of the SUBORDINATE SENTENCE
The man
2. Transform the MAIN VERB into PASSIVE
Is know
3. Write in INFINITIVE WITH TO the verb of the SUBORDINATE
SENTENCE:
To be using
PASSIVE VOICE: RECEIVED INFORMATION
(IMPERSONAL PASSIVE 2)
III.
SENTENCE:
She was tired that her brother annoyed her.
PASSIVE:
She was tired TO BE ANNOYED by her brother.
PASSIVE:
In this case, when expressing feelings, we transform into passive the
THAT CLAUSE using the INFINITIVE WITH to (PRESENT OR
PAST INFINITIVE)
Practice:
The players were that their rivals won the match playing unfairly.
TO
The players were sad ……………………………………
We use the pattern:
SUPPOSITIONS
1. SUBJECT of the SUBORDINATE CLAUSE+
2. be supposed in the same tense as the SUBORDINATE CLAUSE (see correspondence
below) +
3. TO+INFINITIVE In this same tense.
To talk about what people say or you have heard about sth .
E.g. :I’ve heard that they are moving house soon.

MAIN CLAUSE SUBORDINATE CLAUSE
PASSIVE: They are supposed TO BE MOVING house soon
TENSES CORRESPONDENCE :
PRESENT-/FUTURE-----------------------PRESENT INFINITIVE (TO MOVE)

PRESENT CONTINUOUS--------------------INFINITIVE CONTINUOUS (TO BE MOVING)
PAST(SIMPLE OR PERFECT)-------------------PERFECT INFINITIVE (TO HAVE MOVED)
I’ve heard that SHE GOT DIVORCED last year.

She was supossed to HAVE DIVORCED last year.
SUPPOSITIONS
PRACTICE:
1. I’ve heard that James is an expert on this subject. (present)

James is supposed TO BE an expert on this subject.
2. I’ve been told that Alice is leaving the country next week (present
continuous)
Alice is supposed TO BE LEAVING the country next week.
3. I’ve heard that Tom will be the next principal of the school. (future)
Tom is supposed TO BE the next principal of the school.
4. People have told me that it was a fantastic party (past)

It was supposed to HAVE BEEN a fantastic party.
3. THE CAUSATIVE: HAVE/GET STH DONE
Read these example
The hairdresser cuts my hair every month.
Who’s the subject?

The hairdresser
Who does the action?
The hairdresser.
English differentiates when the action is done by oneself and when is done by
another person:
Observe;
1. My mum cuts her hair every month.
2. The hairdresser cuts my mum’s hair every month
3. My mum has her hair cut every month by the hair dresser
When the actor is another person, Englsih uses the two last structures, being 3 the
CAUSATIVE: TO HAVE STH DONE
CAUSATIVE: HAVE/GET STH DONE
Read these examples:
1. I’M GOING TO HAVE/ GET MY HAIR CUT TOMORROW
I
The hairdresser.
2. SHE HAD HER BAG STOLEN LAST WEEK
3. HE HAD HIS LEG BROKEN IN THE ACCIDENT
She
The thieves
What kind of action happened, pleasant or unpleasant?
Something unpleasant
4. I MUST GET THIS JOB DONE TODAY
It is important to finish the action or I can leave it until later?
It is important to finish the action without delay.
CAUSATIVE: HAVE/GET STH DONE
When we want to stress that
- someone does an action for us,
- something unpleasant has happened or
- we have to finish something,
we use the causative HAVE/GET sth DONE.

PRACTICE: use the verbs at the end of the sentence to form the CAUSATIVE
1. Workers collect rubish once a week. COLLECT
HAVE OUR RUBISH COLLECTED ONCE A WEEK

We………………………………………………………………………………………….
2. An engineer repaired my computer yesterday. REPAIR
HAD/GOT MY COMPUTER REPAIRED YESTERDAY BY AN ENGINEER
I…………………………………………………………………………
3. My new passport will expire soon. RENEW
WILL HAVE TO GET IT RENEWED
I……………………………………………………………………………..
USE OF ENGLISH, PART 4
PASSIVES AND CAUSATIVE
practice
USE OF ENGLISH, PART 4.
1. Our dog loves it whrn you take him for a walk.
TAKEN
LOVES TO BE TAKEN
Our dog ………………………….…………………………………………….for a walk
2. I was thrilled that they chose me to play the part.
TO
TO HAVE BEEN CHOSEN

I was thilled …………………………………………………………………play the part
3. People knew she was an expert.
KNOWN
WAS KNOWN TO HAVE BEEN
She………………………………………………………………………an expert.
USE OF ENGLISH, PART 4.
3. People say that the castle is over eight hundred years old.
SAID
IS SAID TO BE
The castle….………………………….…………….over eight hundred years old.
4. My friend gets a manicurist to paint her nails for her.
HAS
HAS HER NAILS PAINTED
My friend………………………………………………………………………by a manicurist.
5. Our house needed painting urgently last year.
MUST
MUST HAVE HAD/GOT OUR HOUSE
We…………………………………………………………………………painted last year.
PASSIVE AND CAUSATIVE
WRITING PART 4-SENTENCE TRANSFORMATION
HANDOUT, EX.
1
1. They will finish the new block of flats next year.

FINISHED
WILL BE FINISHED
The new block of flats………………………………………………..,..…next year.

2. Thieves broke into the Smith’s house while they were sleeping.
BROKEN
WAS BROKEN INTO
The Smith’s house……………………………………………………..while they were
sleeping.

3. The garage is repairing their car at the moment.
REPAIRED
IS BEING REPAIRED
Their car ……………………………………………………….at the moment.

PASSIVE AND CAUSATIVE
WRITING PART 5-SENTENCE TRANSFORMATION
4. A group of students started a campaign for cleaner air.

STARTED
WAS STARTED
A new campaign for cleaner air……………………………………………….
5. Someone has taken the keys from the table.

BEEN HAVE BEEN TAKEN
The keys ………………………………………………………..from the table.

6. My mother broke my glasses while she was cleaning the house.
BROKEN
WERE BROKEN BY
My glasses ………………………………………………………my mother while she
was cleaning
7. The police have caught the robbers of the shop.

BEEN
HAVE BEEN CAUGHT BY
The robbers…………………………………………………..the police
THE CAUSATIVE
more practice
Rewrite the sentences using the causative form.
Subject+ HAVE+ object+ Past Participle
1. They clean my restaurant everyday.

I HAVE/GET MY RESTAURANT CLEANED everyday
………………………………………………………………………………………………………

2. My father has just repaired his car.

MY FATHER HAS JUST HAD HIS CAR REPAIRED
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
3. Tom is mending his shoes tomorrow

TOM IS HAVING/GETTING HIS SHOES MENDED tomorrow
………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

THE CAUSATIVE
more practice
4. My neighbour is going to paint the fence of his house green

MY NEIGHBOUR IS GOING TO HAVE THE FENCE PAINTED…..
……………………………………………………………………………………………..
5. I made a cake for my brother’s birthday.
I HAD A CAKE MADE for my brother’s birthday

…………………………………………………………………………………………..…

6. My father never checks his eyesight.
MY FATHER NEVER HAS HIS EYESIGHT CHECKED
……………………………………………………………………………………………..

Passive and Causative

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USE OF ENGLISH: THE PASSIVE AND THE CAUSATIVE

1.GENERAL PASSIVE VOICE: structure

PASSIVE VERB: BE + PAST PARTICIPLE

Active sentence: THE POLICE CAUGHT THE THIEVES

THE POLICE CAUGHT THE THIEVES

THE THIEVES WERE CAUGHT BY THE POLICE

2. VERBS with two objects: read these sentences

A friend lent me this book / a friend lent a book to me

1. I was lent a book by a friend

E.g. :I’ve heard that they are moving house soon.

PASSIVE: They are supposed TO BE MOVING house soon

PRESENT-/FUTURE-----------------------PRESENT INFINITIVE (TO MOVE)

I’ve heard that SHE GOT DIVORCED last year.

1. I’ve heard that James is an expert on this subject. (present)

4. People have told me that it was a fantastic party (past)

Who’s the subject?

we use the causative HAVE/GET sth DONE.

1. Workers collect rubish once a week. COLLECT

HAVE OUR RUBISH COLLECTED ONCE A WEEK

2. I was thrilled that they chose me to play the part.

TO HAVE BEEN CHOSEN

3. People knew she was an expert.

4. My friend gets a manicurist to paint her nails for her.

5. Our house needed painting urgently last year.

1. They will finish the new block of flats next year.

4. A group of students started a campaign for cleaner air.

5. Someone has taken the keys from the table.

7. The police have caught the robbers of the shop.

Subject+ HAVE+ object+ Past Participle

1. They clean my restaurant everyday.

3. Tom is mending his shoes tomorrow

4. My neighbour is going to paint the fence of his house green

5. I made a cake for my brother’s birthday.

I HAD A CAKE MADE for my brother’s birthday

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