Bahasa Inggris Bisnis 2 - Active Passive Voice

PASSIVE VERB FORMS

Change the verb to the active voice and rewrite the sentence. Be sure to keep the same tense. In some cases, it will be necessary to supply a subject (see the second example).

1.      The books were taken by John.

John took the books.

2.      The boxes were mailed today.

He mailed the boxes today.

3.      The two packages were opened by my secretary.

My secretary opened the two packages.

4.      Our homework is corrected by our teacher.

Our teacher corrects our homework.

5.      Two buildings have been constructed by that company.

That company had constructed two buildings.

6.      That room wasn’t cleaned carefully yesterday.

He didn’t clean that room carefully yesterday.

7.      The truck is being loaded by the men now.

The men are loading the truck now.

8.      Was that machine checked by the inspector?

Did the inspector check that machine?

9.      Will that report be written by the same committee?

Will the same committee write that report?

10.  Has the news been announced by the president yet?

Has the president announced the news yet?

11.  The mail is delivered to this office twice a day.

This office receives the mail twice a day.

12. All of us were surprised by his frank attitude.

His frank attitude surprised all of us.

13.  Was the repair work done by the mechanic?

Did the mechanic do the repair work?

14. He wasn’t very much respected by the employees.

The employees didn’t respect him very much.

15. Are many courses in English given during the summer?

Are they giving many courses in English during the summer?

USING PASSIVE VERBS

Change the verb to the passive voice and rewrite the sentence. Be sure to keep the same tense.

1.      He signed the letter.

The letter was signed by him.

2.      The secretary opens the mail every morning.

The mails is opened by the secretary every morning.

3.      The committee is considering that proposal right now.

That proposal is being considered by the committee right now.

4.      The army will complete that project next year.

That project will be completed by the army next year.

5.      His boss has transferred him to another department.

He has been transferred to another department by his boss.

6.      Will the company distribute the announcements?

Will the announcements be distributed by the company?

7.      An artist wrote that interesting article about Paris.

That interesting article about Paris was written by an artist.

8.      Today a large number of people speak English.

English is spoken by a large number of people today.

9.      Didn’t they return those books to the library?

Were those books not return by them to the library?

10.  The government has not changed that regulation yet.

That regulation has not been changed by the government yet.

11. Someone stole all her valuable jewelry last night.

All her valuable jewelry were stolen by someone last night.

12. Miss Peters wrote all of the reports for Mr. Johnson.

All of the reports were written my Miss Peters for Mr. Johnson.

13. Bad weather has delayed Flight 202 from Miami.

Flight 202 from Miami has been delayed due to bad weather.

14. Did the court divide the money among the children?

Were the money divided by the court among the children?

15. Many scholars have translated that famous Greek epic.

That famous Greek epic has been translated by many scholars.

ACTIVE vs PASSIVE

Use the correct voice (active or passive) and the correct tense of verb in each sentence.

1.       Everyone (shock) by the terrible news yesterday.

      Active          : The terrible news was shocked everyone yesterday.

2.      Almost everyone (enjoy) the lecture last night.

Passive         : The lecture was enjoyed by almost everyone last night.

3.      English (teach) in the schools of almost every nation.

Active           : English taught in the schools of almost every nation.

4.      That proposal (consider) by the members right now.

Passive         : That proposal is considering by the members right now.

5.   The accident (happen) right here at 6:30 last night.

Active           : The accident happened right here at 6:30 last night.

6.   Smith (teach) at the University of Washington since 1948.

Active           : Smith has taught at the University of Washington since 1948.

7.    Mr. Harris (divide) the class into two sections tomorrow.

Passive         : The class will be divided into two sections by Mr. Harris tomorrow.

8.   Wilson (borrow) the money from Brown two weeks ago.

Active           : Wilson borrowed the money from Brown two weeks ago.

9.   Not much (say) about the matter since that time.

Active           : Not much said about the matter since that time.

10. My friend (write) to me about it several times now.

Active           : My friend is writing to me about it several times now.

11. Davis (promote) to the rank of sergeant last week.

Active           : Davis was promoted to the rank of sergeant last week.

12. That event (occur) shortly after the meeting last week.

Active           : That event occurred shortly after the meeting last week.

13. All the students (bring) guests to the party tomorrow night.

Passive         : Guests will be brought by all the students to the party tomorrow night.

14. Less than half of the cans of paint (use) up to now.

Passive         : The cans of paint is being used less than half up to now.

15. More classes in English (list) in the catalog next fall.

Passive         : The catalog will be listed more classes in English next fall.

16. Everything (go) well so far. There (be) no trouble yet.

Active           : Everything is going well so far. There is no trouble yet.

17. That movie about Napoleon’s life (disappoint) me greatly.

Active           : That movie about Napoleon’s life disappointed me greatly.

18. The mail (deliver, always) to this office before 10 a.m.

Active           : The mail is always deliver to this office before 10 a.m.

19. Who (furnish) the food for the picnic next weekend?

Active           : Who will furnish the food for the picnic next weekend?

20. At this time, much attention (devote) to that problem.

Active           : At this time, much attention is devoting to that problem.

21. Think carefully. I’m sure you (remember) his name.

Active           : Think carefully. I’m sure you remember his name.

22. We (treat) very kindly by our hosts last Saturday.

Active           : Our hosts were treated us very kindly last Saturday.

23. Mr. Wilson (make) something interesting statements yesterday.

Passive         : Something interesting statements were made by Mr. Wilson yesterday.

24. A new textbook (publish) by that company next year.

Active           : That company will publish a new textbook next year.

25. The noise from the trains (annoy) me terribly last night.

Active           : The noise from the trains annoyed me terribly last night.

26. That old red house (build) in the year 1822.

Active           : That old red house was built in the year 1822.

27. The report (examine, not) by a committee of experts yet.

Active           : A committee of expert has not examine the report yet.

28. Cocktails (serve) to the guests about 10 minutes from now.

Passive         : Cocktails will be served to the guests about 10 minutes from now.

29. His sharp remarks (embarrass) everyone last night.

Active           : His sharp remarks embarrassed everyone last night.

30. Fred (introduce) to the fellow by Mr. Brown yesterday.

Active           : Mr. Brown introduced Fred to the fellow yesterday.

31. Listen to this! I think this news (surprise) you!

Active           : Listen to this! I think this news will surprise you!

32. The Ajax Shoe Company (employ) 25 new men next month.

Active           : The Ajax Shoe Company will employ 25 new men next month.

33. Only 25 new students (admit) into the department in 1955.

Active           : Only 25 new students were admitted into the department in 1955.

34. A second coat of paint (spread) over that surface tomorrow.

Active           : A second coat of paint will spread over that surface tomorrow.

MOVIE REVIEW

SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF  SHADOWS

I suppose any hope of an authentic Sherlock Holmes movie is foolish at this epoch in movie history. No matter that a story is set in 1895 in Victorian London, it must be chockablock with explosions, gunfire, special effects and fights that bear no comparison to the "fisticuffs" of the period. As an Anglophile, I've luxuriated in the genial atmosphere of the Conan Doyle stories, where a step is heard on the stair, a client tells his tale, and Holmes withdraws to his rooms to consider his new case during a period of meditation (involving such study aids as opium).

We see a great deal of Victorian London (and Paris and Switzerland) in "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows," but we must look quickly. The movie all but hurtles through episodes that would be leisurely set pieces in a traditional Holmes story. This is a modern action picture played in costume. I knew it would be. After Guy Ritchie's "Sherlock Holmes" (2009) with Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law grossed something like half a billion dollars, this was no time to rethink the approach. What they have done, however, is add a degree of refinement and invention, and I enjoyed this one more than the earlier film.

"Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" opens with an emergency that threatens to rock Holmes' world: Dr. Watson (Law) is getting married. In the first film, we learned of his engagement to Mary Watson (Kelly Reilly), and now a date has been set for the poor girl. Holmes (Downey), who considers himself every bit as much good company as the doctor could possibly require, deplores this development, and indeed even joins the blissful couple on their honeymoon train journey. At one point, he throws Mary off the train, but to be fair, it's to save her life.

Most of the film centers on a climax in the long-standing feud between Holmes and Professor James Moriarty (Jared Harris), who beneath his cover as an Oxford don, is the mastermind of an anarchist plot to use bombings and assassinations to push Europe into war. Moriarty would profit handsomely from that because he operates an enormous secret munitions factory, turning out everything from machine pistols to gigantic cannons. The lives of many European heads of state are threatened, and Holmes is the only hope to keep the peace.

Once this game is afoot, it seems too large to be contained by the eccentric investigator of 221B Baker Street and Watson, his intimate. (I am using "intimate" as both a noun and an insinuation.) It's more of a case for James Bond, and Moriarty's grandiosity seems on a scale with a Bond villain. Guy Ritchie and his writers Michele and Kieran Mulroney, however, wisely devote some of their best scenes to one-on-ones between Holmes and Moriarty.

Their struggle comes to a head in an elegant, high-stakes chess game, held for some reason in Switzerland in the dead of a winter night on a snowy outdoor balcony. As played by Jared Harris, Moriarty doesn't gnash or fulminate, but fences with Holmes in barbed language. This returns the story somewhat to the Conan Doyle tradition that Holmes did most of his best work in his mind.

Dr. Watson has a more proactive role this time. "A Game of Shadows" opens with him recalling these events on a typewriter that is too modern for 1895 but maybe suggests he's writing years later. He's not just a confidante and chronicler but a hero, too, involved in fights and shootouts. His wife must be thankful that Holmes abruptly eliminated her from most of the action.

Mycroft, Holmes' brother, turns out to be well-placed at the center of European diplomacy; Stephen Fry has plummy good fun in the role, especially in nude moments where he shields his netherlands from view by employing artfully arranged foregrounds in the "Austin Powers" tradition. Two women characters are prominent. Back again is Irene Adler (Rachel McAdams), the enigmatic figure in much romantic speculation about Holmes. And we meet for the first time a gypsy fortune teller named Madame Simza Heron, played by Noomi Rapace, the original "Girl With the Dragon Tattoo." She capably discharges the duties required of her as Madam Heron, but demonstrates how really brilliantly conceived the Dragon Lady was. Heron is pale by comparison.

It's Downey's movie. With his cool, flippant manner, his Holmes stands apart from the danger, thinking it through visually before performing it, remaining insouciant in the face of calamity. He appears in many disguises, one with a markedly bad wig, another as a remarkably convincing chair. The thing to do, I suppose, is to set aside your memories of the Conan Doyle stories, save them to savor on a night this winter and enjoy this movie as a high-caliber entertainment.

DEFINITION OF ACTIVE AND PASSIVE VOICE VERB FORMS

Active Form

In active sentences, the thing doing the action is the subject of the sentence and the thing receiving the action is the object. Most sentences are active.

[Thing doing action] + [verb] + [thing receiving action]

Examples:

Passive Form

In passive sentences, the thing receiving the action is the subject of the sentence and the thing doing the action is optionally included near the end of the sentence. You can use the passive form if you think that the thing receiving the action is more important or should be emphasized. You can also use the passive form if you do not know who is doing the action or if you do not want to mention who is doing the action.

[Thing receiving action] + [be] + [past participle of verb] + [by] + [thing doing action]

Examples:

Active / Passive Overview

	Active	Passive
Simple Present	Once a week, Tom cleans the house.	Once a week, the house is cleaned by Tom.
Present Continuous	Right now, Sarah is writingthe letter.	Right now, the letter is being written by Sarah.
Simple Past	Sam repaired the car.	The car was repaired by Sam.
Past Continuous	The salesman was helpingthe customer when the thief came into the store.	The customer was being helpedby the salesman when the thief came into the store.
Present Perfect	Many tourists have visitedthat castle.	That castle has been visited by many tourists.
Present Perfect Continuous	Recently, John has been doing the work.	Recently, the work has been being done by John.
Past Perfect	George had repaired many cars before he received his mechanic's license.	Many cars had been repaired by George before he received his mechanic's license.
Past Perfect Continuous	Chef Jones had been preparing the restaurant's fantastic dinners for two years before he moved to Paris.	The restaurant's fantastic dinnershad been being prepared by Chef Jones for two years before he moved to Paris.
Simple Future will	Someone will finish the work by 5:00 PM.	The work will be finished by 5:00 PM.
Simple Future be going to	Sally is going to make a beautiful dinner tonight.	A beautiful dinner is going to be made by Sally tonight.
Future Continuous will	At 8:00 PM tonight, John will be washing the dishes.	At 8:00 PM tonight, the dishes will be being washed by John.
Future Continuous be going to	At 8:00 PM tonight, John is going to be washing the dishes.	At 8:00 PM tonight, the dishes are going to be being washed by John.
Future Perfect will	They will have completed the project before the deadline.	The project will have been completed before the deadline.
Future Perfect be going to	They are going to have completed the project before the deadline.	The project is going to have been completed before the deadline.
Future Perfect Continuous will	The famous artist will have been painting the mural for over six months by the time it is finished.	The mural will have been being painted by the famous artist for over six months by the time it is finished.
Future Perfect Continuous be going to	The famous artist is going to have been painting the mural for over six months by the time it is finished.	The mural is going to have been being painted by the famous artist for over six months by the time it is finished.
Used to	Jerry used to pay the bills.	The bills used to be paid by Jerry.
Would Always	My mother would always make the pies.	The pies would always be made by my mother.
Future in the Past Would	I knew John would finish the work by 5:00 PM.	I knew the work would be finished by 5:00 PM.
Future in the Past Was Going to	I thought Sally was going to make a beautiful dinner tonight.	I thought a beautiful dinner was going to be made by Sally tonight.