Passives – B2 – FCE – key word transformation 2

A very nice guide led us into town.

LED

We ..................... a very nice guide. Remember that PASSIVES (when an object of the verb precedes the verb in a sentence) are always formed by conjugating BE and following it with 3º (past participle).

Joey's grandparents raised him.

BROUGHT

Joey ..................... his grandparents. Apart from needing a passive verb, here you need to substitute the original verb (raise), with a phrasal verb using BRING that means to raise a child.

The say the salesperson was taken up by the company during a trade fair.

SAID

The salesperson ..................... hired by the company during a trade fair. When many people SAY, BELIEVE, THINK, CONSIDER, EXPECT, or REPORT something to be true, remember that this idea can be expressed as an IMPERSONAL PASSIVE. For more information about IMPERSONAL PASSIVES (or REPORTED PASSIVES), check our 'notes' section.

My uncle paid someone to take a family portrait for Christmas last year.

TAKEN

My uncle ..................... for Christmas last year. When a Subject pays for somebody else to do an action for them, a CAUSATIVE structure is used, which may look a bit like a PASSIVE, but is different. Remember that in a CAUSATIVE, the main verb which must be conjugated is either 'have' or 'get', which is followed by the object of the verb and then the verb itself in the past participle (3ºv).

They are cancelling the meeting unless the worker's demands are met.

CALLED

The meeting is to ..................... the worker's demands are met. Two things here: Remember that the 'going to' future can often be used with a more formal tone by removing the word 'going'. Besides, remember the phrasal verb for 'cancel', which uses the verb 'call'.

The newbies at the party drank very little alcohol.

WAS

Hardly ....................... by the newbies at the party. Apart from needing a passive verb form here, remember the only two word types that collocate after 'hardly', keeping in mind that hardly is a negative form of 'almost'.

Cathy was upset because nobody had told her to bring some food to the get-together.

BEEN

Cathy was upset because ..................... to bring some food to the get-together. Pay attention that the original sentence has a negative subject (nobody) and a verb in the PAST PERFECT, so when you make it PASSIVE, remember to use the same verb tense as always, but to reflect the negative meaning of the removed subject.

A well-known architect is designing the new civic centre downtown.

IS

The new civic center downtown ..................... a well-known architect. When changing a verb from ACTIVE to PASSIVE, always remember to preserve the tense, and that the verb BE in the passive tense must carry all the information of tense that was originally done by the verb.

They believe the prisoners were treated badly while in captivity.

BELIEVED

The guards ..................... the prisoners badly while in captivity. Here we have another IMPERSONAL PASSIVE, because many people 'believe' something. Remember that IMPERSONAL PASSIVES always use a passive structure of SAY, BELIEVE, THINK, CONSIDER, EXPECT, REPORT, or similar verbs, followed by the word 'to' and and infinitive (1º) or perfect infinitive ('have' + 3º), depending on if the tense is future, present, or past.

You shouldn't let yourself moved around like sheep when you travel to famous sites.

MOVED

It's not worth ..................... like sheep when you travel to famous sites. Three things must be remembered here: One is how to use 'let' and the word pattern that follows it. Another is how to use 'worth' and the word pattern that follows it. Finally is the way we create the PASSIVE voice in English, always using a conjugated form of BE followed by a past participle (3ºv).

Police suspect some gangs are planning a disturbance before the big match.

SUSPECTED

Some gangs ..................... a disturbance before the big match. Here we have another IMPERSONAL PASSIVE, because many people, in this case the 'police', 'suspect' something. Remember that IMPERSONAL PASSIVES always use a passive structure of SAY, BELIEVE, THINK, CONSIDER, EXPECT, REPORT, or similar verbs like SUSPECT, followed by the word 'to' and and infinitive (1º) or perfect infinitive ('have' + 3º), depending on if the tense is future, present, or past.