1. The Passive voice
The passive voice is used when the identity of the subject is not known or not relevant to the statement. The passive voice can often be heard in political speeches or seen in apologies by businesses who do not want to take responsibility for their actions. (For more on this, see the email writing course.)
For example: My car was stolen. (it is not known who stole it)
A mistake was made. (it is better not to say who made ii)
When rewriting active sentences in passive voice, note the following:
the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence
the finite form of the verb is changed (to be + past participle)
the subject of the active sentence becomes the object of the passive sentence (or is dropped)
Have a look at the chart in appendix II showing the verb tense changes when turning an active sentence into a passive one.
Activity 1
Change these sentences from the active to the passive.
1. I brought some lemons.
2. She was wearing a white dress.
3. If I brought gumboots, my feet would be dry.
4. Simon has written a note to me.
5. She will take an umbrella.
6. I’m taking a photo.
7. If you would have got a lottery ticket, we might have won.
8. Sally moves a chair.
Activity 2
Choose the best form of the verb to complete the sentences.
1. Your jacket ____________on that hook.
a. can be hung b. can be hanged c. can have been hung
2. The computer____________ by the company.
a. would be brought b. was bought c. is buy
3. The criminal___________ by the police.
a. would be lock up b. was locked up c. locks up
4. The road__________ if the banks had broken.
a. would have been flooded b. has been flooded c. is being flooded
5. Mistakes_________ by the government last week.
a. were made b. will be made c. are being made
6. My bank loan_________ in five years time.
a. has been paid off b. will be paid off c. is being paid off
7. The number __________ by my secretary
a. was being dialled b. would have been dial c. is dialled
8. The fire alarm_________ by the firemen right now.
a. has been rung b. would be ring c. is being rung
9. The coffee_________ by me
a. would have be b. was being made c. will be make
2. Making Comparisons
When making comparisons in English we use adjectives with additions made to them. The structure for these is simple. If the adjective is only one syllable, we add –er to it.
small – smaller.
If the adjective is two syllables and ends in -y, then take off the y and add –ier.
happy – happier.
If the adjective has more syllables, then you don’t change the word at all. Instead use more + adjective.
intelligent – more intelligent.
When comparing two things with a difference between them, we use ‘than’.
She is more beautiful than her sister.
Your dog is bigger than mine.
When comparing two things that are the same, we use ‘as’ and we make no change to the adjective
This car is as expensive as that one.
He is as tall as his brother.
If you want to say that something is not as good as something else, then we use’ less….. than’ or ‘not as good as’
This pen is not as new as that one.
This pen is less new than that one.
You can vary the strength of the comparison by using qualifying expressions. You can use 'a lot', 'much', 'a little', 'slightly' and 'far' before 'more than' or 'less than'
Sara’s a lot more intelligent than Tim.
This motorbike is much slower than the other one.
He is much less sporty than he used to be.
He's a little shorter than his sister.
He's slightly less interested in going to art galleries than her.
They are far more involved in politics than we are.
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