1. Review: Active vs. passive.

Choose the sentence that describes each picture.

2. Active or passive?

Are these sentences active or passive?

3. The focus of passive sentences.

Now look at these sentences from the text in READING:
She was given some money as part of an inheritance.
Each time she was discovered and sent back.

Choose the correct answer to the questions.

 

We use the passive voice (was given/was discovered) when:
  • we are more interested in the object of a sentence
  • the person who does the action isn't known or is unimportant (see examples 2 and 3 above).

For more information about the passive see the Grammar Reference.

4. Error correction.

Spot the errors. Which sentences are grammatically incorrect?

5. Error correction.

Now correct the sentences from exercise 4.

6. Sentence topic passive.

Look at these sentences from the text in READING:
David-Néel and Yongden spent two months in Lhasa.
They visited the Potala Palace.

The subject of the first sentence (David-Néel and Yongden) is also the subject of the second sentence (they).

Four times David-Néel tried to make the journey.
Each time she was discovered and sent back.

In the second example, David-Néel is the subject of the first sentence. And she is also the subject of the second sentence. The passive (was discovered) is used in the second sentence to continue talking about David-Néel.


For more information about this use of the passive see the Grammar Reference.

Read the sentences below and choose the best sentence to continue it.

7. Can you remember?

Complete the sentences from exercise 6.

8. Sentence completion.

Retell the story of Alexandra David-Néel's journey to Tibet.
Put the verbs in brackets in the past simple active or passive.
The first one has been done for you.

9. Expressing purpose.

Match the questions and answers below.

For more information about infinitives of purpose see the Grammar Reference.

10. Can you remember?

Complete these answers from exercise 9 from memory.

11. Exploration and geography.

Would you make a good explorer? Test your geography by matching the questions and answers below.

Why do people visit ...