A B2 PPP grammar lesson on the passive.
by Glyn James
passive, crime, causative, speaking, reading
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B2 GRAMMAR · THE PASSIVE
Living In Fear
PICTURE
(you add this)
"We don't want to be told to buy locks. We want the people who did this to be caught."
The passive in all forms · have something done · it is said that... / he is thought to...
Reading
Speaking
A · LEAD-IN
Quick quiz — guess first
Guess in pairs, then your teacher will tell you.
1. In a typical year in the UK, roughly what proportion of reported burglaries result in someone being charged?
a) about 5%
b) about 25%
c) about 50%
2. What do burglars most often steal?
a) jewellery and cash
b) laptops and phones
c) cars and bikes
PICTURE
(you add this)
B · READING FOR GIST
Five break-ins since May
A local news report on the fifth burglary in one street.
READ ONCE AND ANSWER
PICTURE
1. What has been happening on Ashby Road?
2. Who do police believe is responsible?
(you add this)
B · READING
Ashby Road residents "living in fear"
After fifth break-in
A fifth house on Ashby Road was broken into on Tuesday night, and residents say they are being ignored by police.
The latest victim, Mrs Joan Hendry, 71, had been visiting her sister when the burglary took place. She returned home to find that her back door had been forced and her late husband's watch had been taken. "I've had my house burgled once before, twenty years ago," she said. "But this is different. Everyone on this road has had something stolen since May. We are all having new locks fitted, we've had cameras installed, and it is still happening."
It is understood that the same group is thought to be responsible for all five burglaries. The thieves are believed to have entered each house through a rear door or window, and are said to be targeting homes where the owners are known to be away. It has been reported that at least two of the houses had been watched for several days beforehand. Police have
confirmed that a man in his thirties was arrested on Wednesday and is being questioned, but no one has yet been charged.
The road is expected to be patrolled more regularly from next week, and residents have been advised to have their doors and windows checked by a locksmith. Many are not satisfied. "We don't want to be told to buy locks," said one neighbour, who asked not to be named. "We want the people who did this to be caught. Mrs Hendry deserves to have her husband's watch returned."
A police spokesperson said: "We understand residents' frustration. A number of lines of enquiry are being pursued, and we are confident that those responsible will be brought to justice."
C · COMPREHENSION
Answer briefly.
1. Where was Mrs Hendry when her house was broken into?
2. What precautions have residents taken?
3. How are the thieves believed to have got into the houses?
4. What is the current status of the police investigation?
5. What two things does the unnamed neighbour want?
D · GRAMMAR FOCUS
Part 1 — the passive, all forms
a) A fifth house was broken into on Tuesday night.
b) Residents say they are being ignored by police.
c) Her back door had been forced.
d) No one has yet been charged.
e) Those responsible will be brought to justice.
f) The road is expected to be patrolled more regularly. / We don't want to be told to buy locks.
g) He paid a fine to avoid being sent to jail.
1. What two elements form every passive? Which element changes to show the tense?
2. Match each sentence (a-g) to its form: past simple · present continuous · past perfect · present perfect · will future · infinitive · gerund.
3. In (a), do we know who broke in? Why does the writer use the passive? In (b), why is by police included? In most passive sentences, is the agent mentioned?
D · GRAMMAR FOCUS
Part 2 — have something done
a) I've had my house burgled once before.
b) Everyone on this road has had something stolen.
c) We are all having new locks fitted. We've had cameras installed.
d) Residents have been advised to have their doors checked by a locksmith.
1. In (a) and (b), did Mrs Hendry do the burgling? Did she arrange it? What does have something done mean here — something good, or something bad that happened to her?
2. In (c) and (d), did the residents fit the locks and install the cameras themselves? Who did? Why use this structure?
3. Which verb changes to show the tense in (a) to (d)? What form is the main verb (burgled, fitted, installed)?
4. How would you make a question: ________ you ever ________ your car vandalised?
D · GRAMMAR FOCUS
Part 3 — it is said that..., he is thought to...
a) It is understood that the same group is responsible.
b) It has been reported that two houses had been watched.
c) The same group is thought to be responsible.
d) The thieves are believed to have entered through a rear door.
1. Rewrite (a) in the active: People understand that... Which version sounds more formal and impersonal? Where do you expect to see this structure?
2. Compare the two patterns. Which uses It + passive verb + that + clause? Which uses the subject of the clause + passive verb + to + infinitive?
3. In (d), why is it to be responsible (present) but to have entered (perfect infinitive)? Which one refers to the past?
D · THE RULES
Complete the rules
• The passive = the verb ________ (in any tense or form) + the ________ ________ . Use it when we are more interested in the action than in who did it. Use by + agent only when it adds information.
• Have + object + past participle (have something done): (1) something — usually bad — is done to us; (2) we arrange (and usually pay) for someone to do something for us. ________ is the main verb and changes tense; use do / did for questions and negatives.
• It is said / thought / believed / reported / expected / known that + clause — or — subject + is said / thought... + to + infinitive (present) / to have + past participle (past). A formal, impersonal structure common in news reports.
CAREFUL
Compare: She had her hair cut (a service she arranged) and She had her bag stolen (something bad that happened to her). Same structure, opposite feeling.
E · CONTROLLED PRACTICE
Rewrite in the passive. Use by only if necessary.
1. Somebody has forced Mrs Hendry's back door. -> Mrs Hendry's back door...
2. They are questioning a man in his thirties. -> A man in his thirties...
3. The thieves had watched the houses for days. -> The houses...
4. Police will patrol the road from next week. -> The road...
5. If nobody had reported the break-ins, they would have continued. -> If the break-ins...
6. I hate people telling me to buy more locks. -> I hate...
7. They're going to install CCTV on every corner. -> CCTV...
8. Someone needs to check the cameras. -> The cameras need...
E · CONTROLLED PRACTICE
Complete the second sentence using have something done.
9. Mrs Hendry's husband's watch was stolen.
Mrs Hendry...
10. Has anyone ever broken into your car?
Have you ever...
11. A locksmith is going to fit new locks for us on Friday.
We...
12. Someone vandalised their car last week.
They...
13. The council should get someone to repair the street lights.
The council should...
E · CONTROLLED PRACTICE
Make it more formal — use both patterns where possible.
14. People say the gang is from outside the area.
It...
The gang...
15. Police believe the man acted alone.
It...
The man...
16. People think the thieves have left the country.
It...
The thieves...
17. Experts expect the trial to last two weeks.
It...
The trial...
F · FREER PRACTICE
The local news report
In pairs, write a short news report (6-8 sentences) about a crime, scandal or mystery in your town — real or invented.
• The culprit is unknown, so use the passive throughout.
• Include at least one have something done (a victim's experience)...
• ...and two impersonal reports (It is believed that... / The suspect is thought to...).
• Read your report to another pair. They respond as angry residents: Has anyone been arrested? Have you had your locks changed?
PICTURE
(you add this)
TEACHER'S REFERENCE · HIDE OR DELETE BEFORE CLASS
Answer key (1)
A QUIZ 1 a — in recent years only around 4-6% of recorded residential burglaries in England and Wales have led to a charge. 2 a — purses, wallets, cash and jewellery are consistently the most commonly stolen items in domestic burglaries (laptops and phones close behind).
B GIST A series of five burglaries since May; police believe the same group is responsible and have arrested a man in his thirties, but nobody has been charged.
C 1 Visiting her sister. 2 New locks fitted, cameras installed. 3 Through a rear door or window. 4 A man in his thirties has been arrested and is being questioned; no one has been charged. 5 The culprits to be caught; Mrs Hendry's watch to be returned.
D PART 1 1 Be + past participle; be changes. 2 a past simple · b present continuous · c past perfect · d present perfect · e will future · f infinitive (to be patrolled / to be told) · g gerund (being sent). 3 No; the doer is unknown, so the focus is the event; by police is the point of the complaint; no — in most passives the agent is omitted.
D PART 2 1 No; no; something bad that happened to her. 2 No — locksmiths / professionals; because they arranged and paid for a service. 3 Have; past participle. 4 Have you ever had your car vandalised?
TEACHER'S REFERENCE · HIDE OR DELETE BEFORE CLASS
Answer key (2)
D PART 3 1 People understand that... — the passive is more formal and impersonal; news reports. 2 (a, b) It + passive + that-clause; (c, d) subject + passive + to-infinitive. 3 To be responsible = a present situation; to have entered = a past action.
RULES be; past participle; have.
E 1-8 1 ...has been forced. 2 ...is being questioned. 3 The houses had been watched for days (by the thieves optional). 4 The road will be patrolled from next week. 5 If the break-ins hadn't been reported, they would have continued. 6 I hate being told to buy more locks. 7 CCTV is going to be installed on every corner. 8 The cameras need to be checked / need checking.
E 9-13 9 Mrs Hendry had her husband's watch stolen. 10 Have you ever had your car broken into? 11 We're having new locks fitted on Friday. 12 They had their car vandalised last week. 13 The council should have the street lights repaired.
E 14-17 14 It is said that the gang is from outside the area. / The gang is said to be from outside the area. 15 It is believed that the man acted alone. / The man is believed to have acted alone. 16 It is thought that the thieves have left the country. / The thieves are thought to have left the country. 17 It is expected that the trial will last two weeks. / The trial is expected to last two weeks.