Use of English

file

Unit 12: Arts and

entertainment
Unit 12: Arts and
entertainment

1.passive voice: indirect

form

2.vocabulary: words
associated with the topic
of entertainment
Remember we use the passive voice:

• when we don’t know who did the action.

• when we don’t care who did the action
• when we want to emphasize the object.
• when the object of the action is more
important.

Example:

I was given a smartphone on my birthday.

Who gave you the smartphone?

That is not mentioned because it is not
relevant or important.
 Passive voice: Indirect form

Some verbs, such as, GIVE, ASK, TELL, OFFER, PROMISE, SEND, SHOW, TEACH and PAY can have two
objects: ONE DIRECT and ONE INDIRECT. Either the DIRECT OBJECT or the INDIRECT OBJECT can
become the subject in the passive sentence.

Example:

My dad gave me a smartphone on my birthday. (active voice)

verb indirect direct

object
object

I was given a smartphone on my birthday. (Passive voice emphasizing the indirect object)

A smartphone was given to me on my birthday. (Passive voice emphasizing the direct object)

Remember the passive voice form: object + verb to be + verb (past participle)
 Passive voice: Indirect form

When we start with indirect objects. We usually change the object pronouns into subject pronouns.

Subject Object
Examples: pronouns pronouns

 Someone offered me an aisle seat in the circus. I me

you you
he him
she her
 I was offered an aisle seat in the circus.
it it
we us
you you
 He showed her a brochure about the art gallery. they they

 She was shown a brochure about the art gallery.

Someone gave Theresa a surprise on her birthday.

 The singer gave us his autograph in the mall.
Theresa was given a surprise on her birthday.
 We were given the singer’s autograph in the mall.
(if the indirect object is a noun.You can keep the same noun
in the passive voice sentence)
 Passive voice: Indirect form

More examples: Passive voice emphasizing indirect object

 The guide asked me to turn off my cellphone in the museum. (active voice)

 I was asked to turn off my cellphone (by the guide) in the museum. (passive voice) Verbs used in this
form

 The usher showed her my seat at the theater. (active voice) give
ask
 She was shown my seat (by the usher) at the theater. (passive voice) tell
offer
promise
 I taught him universal history last week. (active voice) send
show
 He was taught universal history (by me) last week. (passive voice) teach
pay

 Someone offered them some snacks at the end of the exhibition. (active voice)

 They were offered some snacks at the end of the exhibition. (passive voice)
Exercise I. Change these active voice sentences into passive sentences: indirect form.

Example:
0. Someone gave me a brochure when I entered the art gallery. (active voice)
1. I was given a brochure when I entered the art gallery. (passive voice)

2. They promised us an excellent show at the theater.

3. The curator gave us information about a painting.
4. They offered me a good seat at the concert.
5. Someone sent me a “Thank you letter” last week.
6. He paid her 500 dollars to perform at the musical.
7. The ticket seller offered them two tickets for the price of one.
8. The presenter has taught us about Greek mythology.
9. The usher showed him his correct seat.
10. Some people told the public to be quiet.
11. They have asked the spectators to behave well during the soccer match.
 Check your answers.

1.They promised us an excellent show at the theater.

 We were promised an excellent show at the theater.
2.The curator gave us information about a painting.
 We were given information about the painting (by the curator).
3.They offered me a good seat at the concert.
 I was offered a good seat at the concert.
4. Someone sent me a “Thank you letter” last week.
 I was sent a “Thank you letter” last week.
5. He paid her 500 dollars to perform at the musical.
 She was paid 500 dollars to perform at the musical.
6.The ticket seller offered them two tickets for the price of one.
 They were offered two tickets for the price of one (by the ticket seller)
 Check your answers.

7.The presenter has taught us about Greek mythology.

 We have been taught about Greek mythology (by the presenter).
8.The usher showed him his correct seat.
 He was shown his correct seat by the usher.
9. Some people told the public to be quiet.
 The public was told to be quiet.
10.They have asked the spectators to behave well during the soccer match.
 The spectators have been asked to behave well during the soccer match.
Exercise II. Complete this conversation with the verbs in brackets in past simple passive form.

A: Hi darling! How was your experience at the museum in NewYork?

B: Oh mom! It was amazing. When my friend Susie and I arrived, we 1. (give) two special tickets because it was the museum’s anniversary.
A: How lucky! Did you have a guide?
B: Yes. We 2. (show) our guide five minutes later. His name was Alfred. He was kind and friendly. There are five people in my tourist group
and we 3. (tell) to pay attention all the time. Oh! and I 4. (tell) to turn off my cellphone.
A: Well. I guess it’s necessary to be very quiet in the museum.
B: Yes.We 5. (teach) about different kinds of dinosaurs. I could see huge bones and they were incredible.
A: Wow! I imagine! I’d love to go there too.
B: Sure mom! We have to go there together. After one hour, we 6.(offer) some snacks because it was their anniversary so we ate some
sandwiches and drank some refreshments.
A: Sounds delicious.
B: It was very delicious.Well, just before the visit ended, we 7. (promise) to receive information about new discoveries of dinosaurs.
A: Did they ask for your phone numbers?
B: No, mom. We 8.(ask) for our email addresses. And guess what? I 9. (send) this picture just 20 minutes ago. This picture was
taken by Alfred, the guide.
A: Oh! it’s a great photo!
B: Yes! Susie and I were very happy! In the end, I 10. (tell) to be back the next month to visit another great museum.
 Check your answers.
A: Hi darling! How was your experience at the museum in New York?
B: Oh mom! It was amazing. When my friend Susie and I arrived, we were given 1. (give) two special tickets because it was the museum’s
anniversary.

A: How lucky! Did you have a guide?

B: Yes. We were shown 2. (show) our guide five minutes later. His name was Alfred. He was kind and friendly. There are five people in my
tourist group and we were told 3. (tell) to pay attention all the time. Oh! and I was told 4. (tell) to turn off my cellphone.

A: Well. I guess it’s necessary to be very quiet in the museum.

B: Yes. We were taught 5. (teach) about different kinds of dinosaurs. I could see huge bones and they were incredible.
A: Wow! I imagine! I’d love to go there too.
B: Sure mom! We have to go there together. After one hour, we were offered 6.(offer) some snacks because it was their anniversary so we ate
some sandwiches and drank some refreshments.

A: Sounds delicious.
B: It was very delicious. Well, just before the visit ended, we were promised 7. (promise) to receive information about new discoveries of
dinosaurs.

A: Did they ask for your phone numbers?

B: No, mom. We were asked 8.(ask) for our email addresses. And guess what? I was sent 9. (send) this picture just 20 minutes ago. This
picture was taken by Alfred, the guide.

A: Oh! it’s a great photo!

B: Yes! Susie and I were very happy! At the end, I was told 10. (tell) to be back the next month to visit another great museum.
Exercise III. Passive voice-questions and answers. Complete these short conversations with the correct
form of the verb in brackets.

1. A : you ever a prize? (give)

B:Yes.When I was in high school, I _ (give) a diploma for a literature competition.
2. A: you ever antiques? (show)
B:Yes.When I went to the national museum, I __ (show) some old ceramics.
3. A: you ever a mysterious message? (send)
B: No. But I _ (send) a warning message about a new virus going around.
4. A: your friend ever a new language? (teach)
B:Yes. She _ __ (teach) Spanish and Portuguese at school.
5. A: your mom ever a great job? (offer)
B:Yes. She _ _ (offer) a very good job abroad last year.
 Check your answers.

1. A : Have you ever been given a prize? (give)

B:Yes. When I was in high school, I was given (give) a diploma for a literature competition.
2. A: Have you ever been shown antiques? (show)
B:Yes. When I went to the national museum, I was shown (show) some old ceramics.
3. A: Have you ever been sent a mysterious message? (send)
B: No. But I was sent (send) a warning message about a new virus going around.
4. A: Has your friend ever been taught a new language? (teach)
B:Yes. She was taught (teach) Spanish and Portuguese at school.
5. A: Has your mom ever been offered a great job? (offer)
B:Yes. She was offered (offer) a very good job abroad last year.
• attendance
• band
• collection
• create
• exhibit
• exhibition
• fan club
• hit
• lead singer
• member
• sculpture
• work of art
Exercise IV. Complete the conversation with the correct word from the list.

A: Wow! This is a great 1. of Michael Jackson’s objects! You have posters, albums, photos, souvenirs
and all kinds of different things. • attendance
B:Yes! I know. I once joined his 2. too. • band
A: I can tell you are a big fan! Well, he was a great singer. Every song he sang was an instant 3. .
• collection
B: That’s right! And when he was a child, he was the 4. of the 5. _ called “The Jackson
five” and he was only 5 years old. • create
A:Yeah! I know that! And he was a great dancer too. Did he 6. the choreographies? • exhibit
B: People say he had a choreographer.
• exhibition
A: I see.There’s a museum only for fans where they 7. everything related to Michael Jackson.
B: Oh. I want to go. Do I need to be a 8. of the museum or something? • fan club
A: No. I don’t think so. But the 9. is only on Fridays from 10:00 am to 6 :00 pm. • hit
B: Good. We could go next week.
• lead singer
A:Yes! I know there’s a 10. of him and it really is a 11. .
• member
B: Sounds fantastic. Our 12. is guaranteed then!
• sculpture
• work of art
 Check your answers.

1. collection
2. fan club
3. hit
4. lead singer
5. band
6. create
7. exhibit
8. member
9. exhibition
10. sculpture
11. work of art
12. attendance
 Sources &
Credits
● https://thenounproject.com/
● English Discoveries Student platform
● http://vanillatwilightprimbon.blogspot.com/2012/11/passive-voice.html
● Exercises by Guisella Villavicencio Vargas

17