Passive Voice
Which one is passive and which one is active?
Click the green words to link to audio!
I speak English.
English is spoken in Australia.
I understand Japanese.
Japanese is not widely understood outside Japan.
Many languages are spoken in India.
He speaks many languages.
The Czech Republic and Slovakia are not unified now.
They were unified during the Soviet era.
Passive Voice
This is a high level grammar topic.
There are two voices: passive and active.
Passive Voice
Kangaroos are found only in Australia.
The Kangaroo is found only in Australia.
Active Voice
You can find kangaroos only in Australia.
You find kangaroos only in Australia.
Compare these:
1. Active Voice
Australian people speak English.
2. Passive Voice
English is spoken in Australia (by Australian people).
Note that the object (English) became the subject.
Passive is formed by adding the past participle to the “be” verb.
speak and speaks become is spoken and are spoken
understand and understands become is understood and are understood
Practice Passive Voice in a Discussion
We often use passive voice to describe how things are made and to explain how things are done. It emphasizes the process over the people.
Listen to the conversation (London Accent) and then use the internet to answer these questions:
Compare answers with your classmates:
Where is heroin produced?
What is it made from?
Where is opium produced?
What is it made from?
Where is marijuana produced?
What is it made from?
Where is ecstasy produced?
What is it made from?
What is ketamine?
What is ice?
Are drugs and crime linked in your community?
Drug Related Crime in Mexico
An Almanac episode with an article on a drug related crime.
Passive Voice in Reading
: You can see a text with many examples of passive voice by clicking the link: (The Banjo Player’s brother – full text)
You can talk about this topic in any language. Leave your email or skype contact details below or go to the Live Language Linkup page and leave them there.





necesito una buena conversación de 2 persona
necesito una comversa
iam not coming tow make anterviw wthe you may techer may engi lish so bat then may techer
con you seen me vidio mey techer
I’m name karim
hello Karim, My name is Ruben, I am from México, Where are you from?
Thank u i gained knowledge through this:-)
Ispeek many language as my brother and he told me or he gave me some advice when i fley there i didn’t forget it such as don’t abuse drugs as heroin , if only i said thank brother i also take off smock , i had been smock for along time befor i lived my a country , it too unhealthy .
Thank you it is great i can speak english nicely thank you again!!
Hi
Tanks for free download
Thanks so much