Passive (1) (be done/have been done)

UNIT 40  Passive (1) (be done/have been done)

A.   Active and passive study this example:

This house was built in 1920.

This is a passive sentence. Compare:

Somebody built this house in 1920. (active)

This house was built in 1920. (passive)

We ofte prefer the passive when it is not so important who or what did the action. In this example, it is not so important (or not known) who built the house.

In a passive sentence, if you want to say who did or what caused the action, use by:

• This house was built by my grandfather. (= my grandfather built it)

• Have you ever been bitten by a dog? (= Has a dog ever bitten you?)

B.   In passive sentences we use the correct form of be (is/are/was/were/has been, etc.) the past participle:
(be) done            (be) cleaned               (be) damaged                    (be) built                     (be) seen

C.   We use the base form ( . . .be done, be cleaned, be built, etc.) after modal verbs (will, can, must, etc) and some other verbs ( for example: have to, be going to, want to) Compare:

Active: We can solve   (this problem)

Passive: (This problem) can be solved.

• The new hotel will be opened next year.

• George might be sent to Venezuela by his company in August.

• The music at the party was very loud and could be heard from far away. 

• This room is going to be painted next week.

• Go away! I want to be left alone.

D.   There is a past form after modal verbs: have been done/have been cleaned, etc:

Active: Somebody should have cleaned (the windows) yesterday.

Passive: (The windows) should have been cleaned yesterday.

• My bicycle has disappeared. It must have been stolen.

• She wouldn't have been injured if she had been wearing a seat belt.

• The weather was terrible. The tennis match should have been canceled.