Class 11 English Unit : 19 Grammar 'Passive Construction'

 

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xS2BgkjsFg

Grammar

A.   Study the following table.

Active sentences	Passive sentences
a.      They destroyed the building.	i.       The building was destroyed.
b.     Are they meeting him at the station?	ii.    Is he being met at the station?
c.      She handed me the plate.	iii.  I was handed the plate.  OR The plate was handed to me.
d.     I enjoyed taking the children to the park.	iv.  The children enjoyed being taken to the park.
e.      They agreed to postpone the meeting.	v.     It was agreed to postpone the meeting.
f.       I don't like people laughing at me.	vi.  I don't like being laughed at.
g.     She likes people taking her photograph.	vii.            She likes having her photograph taken.
h.     Who built the Taj Mahal?	viii.         Who was the Taj Mahal built by?

We use the passive voice to change the focus of the sentence.

My bike was stolen. (passive – focus on my bike)

·        Someone stole my bike. (active – focus on someone)

Quiz: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OJzttdwA_U&t=13s

B.    Complete these sentences using the verbs given in the brackets.

Answers only

a.      Letters are delivered by the postman every day. (deliver)

b.     This bag was found in the bus yesterday. (find)

c.      The gate is locked at 7:00 pm every evening. (lock)

d.     I was invited to the party last week. (invite)

e.      The telephone was invented by Graham Bell. (invent)

f.       Muna Madan was written by Devkota. (write)

g.     How much money was stolen in the robbery? (steal)

h.     Do you know cheese is made from milk? (make)

i.       I was born in Kathmandu, but was grown in Dhangadhi. (grow)

Quiz: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LMhtcBc9v8&t=7s

C.    Change the following sentences into passive.

a.      I didn’t fix the problem.

The problem was not fixed by me.

b.     Police protect the town.

The town is protected by police.

c.      John’s mother raised him in a small town.

John was raised in a small town by his mother.

d.     Someone painted the building last year.

The building was painted last year.

e.      Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin in 1928.

Penicillin was discovered in 1928 by Alexander Fleming.

f.       Some students study grammar on the Internet.

Grammar is studied on the Internet (by some student).

g.     Someone had broken the window by 3:00 p.m.

The window had been broken by 3:00 p.m.

h.     A strange man was watching us.

We were being watched by a strange man.

i.       Tokyo will hold the Olympics in 2020.

The Olympics will be held in 2020 by Tokyo.

j.       We are working on the report right now.

The report is being worked on right now by us.

k.     My manager has told him to arrive earlier.

He has been told to arrive earlier by his Manager.

l.       They could not have made the mistake.

The mistake could not have been made by them.

m.   I hope they are going to hire me soon.

I hope I am going to be hired soon by them.

n.     I don't like people staring at me.

I do not like being stared at.

o.     She likes people waving at her.

She likes being waved at.

p.     Who told you the story?

By whom were you told the story?

q.     Is he repairing the bicycle?

Is the bicycle being repaired by him?

Quiz: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a89saMBZ66s&t=127s

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