Generally, we prefer the active voice to the passive voice in
English writing, However, there are situations in which passive
voice is preferable. The passive voice is used when the actor is
unknown or unimportant or when we want to draw attention to the
person, place, or thing being acted upon. Besides, we choose to
use the passive voice when it requires an impersonal tone voice,
such as scientific writing, which often describes procedures--and
not the individuals who carry them out.
1. Change the following sentences into the
passive voice.
1). Many people believe that the basketball team will win the game
this time.
2). They didn't know whether there was water in the lake in winter.
3). The workers are pulling down the old hotel at the corner of
the street.
4). They young girl thought that someone was following her so she
kept turning round to have a look from time to time.
5). The tourist asked the policeman and he told him that the hotel
was on the Fifth Street.
Answer:
1. It is believed that the basketball team
will win the games this time.
2. It was not known whether there was water in the lake in winter.
3. The old hotel at the corner of the street is being pulled down
(by the workers).
4. The young girl thought that she was being followed (by someone)
so she kept turning round to have a look from time to time.
5. The tourist asked the policeman and was told that the hotel was
on the Fifth Street.
2. Correct the mistakes in the following
sentences
1). He wants to tell him that the tape-recorder is belonged to him.
2). Mr. Li was failed because he did not work hard.
3). Everyone of them was seemed tired and wanted a good rest.
4). I really ought to buy a new pen. This one is not written well.
5). The picture was looked so beautiful that he stayed in front
of it for quite a long time.
Answer:
1. is belonged to --- belongs to
2. was failed ----failed
3. was seemed ----- seemed
4. is not written well ----- doesn't write well
5. was looked ----- looked
3. Change the poorly used passive voice
into active voice.
1. I listened carefully so that the speaker could be heard clearly
by me.
2. He tried to act cool when he slipped on the ground, but he was
still laughed at by the other students.
3. Standing at the top of the mountain, the whole city can be seen.
4. The biology students went to the forest, where many old trees
were examined.
5. To save time, my paper was written on a computer.
Answer:
1. I listened carefully so that I could hear
the speaker clearly
2. He tried to act cool when he slipped on the ground, but the other
students still laughed at him.
3. Standing at the top of the mountain, you can see the whole city.
4. The biology students went to the forest, where they examined
many old trees.
5. To save time, I wrote my paper on a computer.
4. Read the following passage and underline the parts in passive voice.
On 30th September I was having an exciting time at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. I had volunteered to work at the Olympic games in Transport Operations. I had no idea what this would involve when I applied, but just being there would be good. It was not until a week before the Games that I knew what I was in for. Directing buses! This was a new task for me. Specifically I would be directing buses full of athletes down a narrow access ramp into the venue.
A great number of buses were required to transport athletes, officials and spectators. They came from all over Australia . Many of the drivers had never driven anything this big before and several of them had trouble with various obstacles around the Olympic site.
The next day was the day of the opening ceremony. I had not originally been scheduled to work this day but I was extremely pleased when I was asked to help out at the last minute, for it would be one of the most memorable days of the games. I arrived at 7 a .m. for the start of my shift and soon after gymnasts began arriving for another training session. It would not be until the afternoon that the excitement of the opening ceremony would really start to be felt. I had been informed that I would work in the area for the athletes to begin the march into the Olympic Stadium. In preparation for the march I blocked off the road to allow it to be marked with the positions where each of the teams would stand at the beginning of the march. The distance between the markings was paced out to show the size of each of the Olympic teams. It seemed almost unbelievable that in just a few hours the best athletes of the world would be standing on the road in front of me.
Answer:
1.were required
2.had not originally been scheduled
3.was asked
4.to be felt
5.had been informed
6.to be marked with
7.was paced out
Listen
