A. Grammar background
1. Form of the passive
Passive voice is a structure with the following form. (V-en is the past participle of the content verb.)
- be + V-en
Here are some examples of passive in sentences. Notice that the tense of the verb be can be past, present or future. Forms with progressive and perfect are also possible.
Sometimes there is a prepositional phrase with by that tells you who or what did the action of the verb.
- The window was broken by the hail.
- The donuts are always eaten by 9:00 at the latest.
- The doors will be closed at 12:00 pm sharp.
- We are being defeated by the other team!
- Coffee has been spilled all over the carpet.
2. Meaning of passive
Passive sentences have the same meaning as the acve form. For example, the two following sentences mean the same thing:
- The window was broken by the hail.
- The hail broke the window.
The difference is that in passive constructions, the agent (person who does the action of the verb) may be absent or in a prepositional phrase with by. The person or object who is affected or changed by the verb is the subject. In active constructions, the agent is usually the subject.
3. Use of passive voice
Passive is used for a variety of reasons. Here are four common uses:
- The agent is unknown, or the writer doesn’t want to include that information:
Coffee has been spilled all over the hall carpet. - The agent is not a person:
The house was destroyed by the storm. - The agent is obvious in general:
Soccer is played around the whole world. - For dramatic emphasis:
The world is being taken over by computers!
In this song, a person sings about a difficult past and the struggle to be stronger in the future.
First, listen to the song once. In your own words, what is the main idea of the song?
Now listen again. Do you hear some passive structures? Fill in the blanks below with passive structures.
I Won't be Defeated
I have been waiting for a moment when my life would feel complete
I have been hoping for a time when I would not feel mistreated
You know sometimes it gets so hard, you know sometimes it gets so hard
But I’ve got to let it go
When I went to school, I was put to every kind of test
I ______________________________________________ and I was taunted ’cause I wasn’t like the rest
You know sometimes it got so hard, you know sometimes it got so hard
But I’ve got to let it go
I’ve been mistreated, and I ________________________________________________,
but I won’t be defeated
I have been wronged, but I am getting stronger, not silent any longer
Whoa-oh-oh
When I was older, all the pain and all the trouble did not end
I _____________________________________________________ by a man who said he was my friend
Sometimes it isn’t right at all, sometimes it isn’t right at all,
But I’ve got to let it go
___________________________________________, and I have been cheated, but I won’t be defeated
Whoa-oh-oh
Sometimes you ____________________________________________________________ by life
You have to hold to the things you believe in
Whoa-oh-oh
C. After you Listen
1. Practicing forms
Look at some of the structures from the song. Can you identify the verb form (tense) of each verb phrase?
Example: I was put to every kind of test = simple past
- I was teased
- I was betrayed
- I have been cheated
- I have been mistreated
- I won’t be defeated
2. Practicing use
a. Analysis
Look at the following lines from the song. Why do you think passive is used in these cases?
- When I went to school, I was teased and I was taunted because I wasn’t like the rest.
- I have been cheated, and I’ve been mistreated, but I won’t be defeated
b. Where do things come from?
Write at least five sentences that explain the origin of various types of food. There is more than one possible answer. If you’re not sure, guess! Compare with a friend. Can you come up with some of you own?
Examples:
- Corn – Corn is grown in the United States
- Sushi – Sushi is made in Japan.
- Kimchi – Kimchi is made in Korea.
- Coffee
- Tea
- Rice
- The best chocolate
- Bananas
- ???
c. Crazy headlines
Write three surprising newspaper headlines with passive structure and a by-phrase. The agent in the by-phrase should be surprising or exciting in some way.
Examples:
- A dog was kidnapped by aliens!
- A house was built by a two-year-old!
Lyrics to "I Won't Be Defeated"
(Don’t look until you’ve completed the activities!)
Passive structures are underlined
I have been waiting for a moment when my life would feel complete
I have been hoping for a time when I would not feel mistreated
You know sometimes it gets so hard, you know sometimes it gets so hard
But I’ve got to let it go
When I went to school, I was put to every kind of test
I was teased and I was taunted ’cause I wasn’t like the rest
You know sometimes it got so hard, you know sometimes it got so hard
But I’ve got to let it go
I’ve been mistreated, and I have been cheated,
but I won’t be defeated
I have been wronged, but I am getting stronger, not silent any longer
Whoa-oh-oh
When I was older, all the pain and all the trouble did not end
I was betrayed by a man who said he was my friend
Sometimes it isn’t right at all, sometimes it isn’t right at all,
But I’ve got to let it go
I’ve been mistreated and I have been cheated, but I won’t be defeated
Whoa-oh-oh
Sometimes you can be surprised by life
You have to hold to the things you believe in
Whoa-oh-oh
Answers to "I Won't Be Defeated" exercises
1. Practicing forms
Look at some of the structures from the song. Can you identify the verb form (tense) of each verb phrase?
Example: I was put to every kind of test = simple past
- I was teased: simple past
- I was betrayed: simple past
- I have been cheated: present perfect
- I have been mistreated: present perfect
- I won’t be defeated: simple future (with modal verb will)
2. Practicing use
a. Analysis
Look at the following lines from the song. Why do you think passive is used in these cases?
- When I went to school, I was teased and I was taunted because I wasn’t like the rest.
Either passive or active is possible here. Passive can be used here because the agent is obvious. It is clear that since the speaker is talking about being a student in school, then he was teased and taunted by the other students.Another reason to use passive here that has not yet been discussed deals with writing style. Sometimes passive is used to keep the subject the same across several clauses. In this case, “I” is the subject of the first (subordinate) clause. Using passive in the main clause allows the subject to stay the same. This can be easier to read and follow than changing the subject across the clauses.
- I have been cheated, and I’ve been mistreated, but I won’t be defeated
In this case, the speaker is being very general and vague about who has cheated him or mistreated him. The agent is “people” or “the world,” which is very general. Passive is often used in these circumstances.
