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UNIT 7: SPECIFIC SPORT-GYMNASTICS

THEORY

1. THE PASSIVE
1.1. The passive: Present Simple and Past Simple

FORM

Noun/pronoun + To be + past participle
It was stolen
The televisions are made in Japan

USE

The passive is used to describe actions:

a) When we don´t know who does, or did, the action:

My book was stolen last night (I don´t know who stole it)

b) When it is not important to know who does or did the action:

The cars are taken into Europe every week (it doesn´t matter who takes them)

1.2. The passive: Present Simple, Past Simple, Present Perfect Simple

Passive sentences describe what happens to people or things, often as a result of action by
other people or things:

The house has been painted

Mary was arrested yesterday by the police

Passive sentences indicate that what happens is more important than who is responsible

FORM

Present Noun / pronoun + is/are + past participle
The cars are taken abroad

Past Noun / pronoun + was/were + past participle
The cars were taken abroad

Present Perfect Noun / pronoun + has/have been + past participle
The cars have been taken abroad

The rules for choice of tense are the same in the passive as they are for active sentences. i.e if
a verb should be present perfect in the active form, it will be the same tense in the passive.