CHAPTER 5

1. IS THERE A SOLUTION TO SOLVE

THIS PROBLEM ?

BASIC
COMPETENCE
3.5 Applying social functions, text structures, and linguistic elements of oral
and written transactional interaction texts that involve the act of giving and
requesting information related to circumstances/ actions /activities/ events
without the need to mention the culprit in scientific texts, according to the
context of their use. (Note passive voice language)
4.5 Composing text of oral and written transactional interactions that involve
the act of giving and requesting information related to circumstances/
actions/ activities/ events without the need to mention the perpetrators in
scientific texts, taking into account social functions, text structures, and
language elements that are correct and in context.
WARM UP!
In daily conversation sometimes we use passive voice rather than the active one. We
mention the object of the sentence first before the subject. It is kind of variation in making
sentence. Let’s learn about the passive voice and the pattern in this unit!

I still wonder many things have

been done to increase our
Is there a solution product selling this month, yet
to solve this the problem of this failure has
problem, Sir ? not not been identified specially.

Picture 5.1 Men and women are discussing about company problems

MAIN
MATERIALS

[Pick the date] Page 2

Sometimes explanation text use passive voice. Passive voice is also called
passive sentence. Can you differentiate passive voice? Look at the following
table!

Active Voice Passive Voice

The sudden release of energy causes The seismic waves are caused by the
the seismic waves. sudden release of energy.

We use passive voice in the following situations.

1. When we don’t know the doer or the actor
2. When we think that the doer or the actor is not important
3. When we want to hide the doer or the actor. Its purpose is to make the
sentence more polite.
4. When we talk about the general truth or fact.
5. When we are writing in a scientific genre or academic writing.
Passive voice is useful in academic writing because it is to highlight the most
important participants within sentences by placing them the beginning of the
sentence. Using passive voice is also a way to avoid informal personal pronouns.
Passive voice is usually used when the focus is on the action. Here is the pattern.
Be + Verb 3

Pay attention to the following table!

No. Tense Active Voice Passive Examples of Passive
Voice Voice
1. Simple present v1/v1 + S/es am/is/are + v3 Natural gas is formed by the
tense decay of organic matter.
2. Present am/is/are + v - am/is/are + A rock concern is being held in
continuous ing being + v3 an open field.
3. Present perfect have/has + v3 have/has + been Change in the intensity of
+ v3 agricultural land-use have been
examined in a mountain
environment.
4. Past simple v2 was/were + v3 The artefact was found in a
small village.
5. Past was/were + V - was/were + The villagers were being
Continuous ing being + v3 attacked by a lot of mosquitoes.
6. Past perfect had + v3 had + been + v3 Some dry trunks had been burnt
by the villagers.
7. Modals must/can/may/ + Must/can/may + Coastal flooding can be caused
V (inf.) be + v3 by strong winds.
8. Future simple will + V (inf.) will + be + v3 The road will be used to
transport woods.

Rules of Passive Voice

1. The finite form of the verb is changed (be + past participle)

[Pick the date] Page 3

2. The object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive
sentence.
3. The subject of the active voice becomes the object of the passive voice
sentence or it is omitted. Therefore, there is no preposition “by”

Preposition “by”
In passive sentences, preposition “by” is used to indicate the person that does
something. When we want to mention the doer, we use the preposition “by”.
Normally in explanation text, we are not interested in the doer of an action in a
passive voice. When we use preposition “by”, the whole phrase is called by-
agent.

Examples :
a. The rubbish was thrown by the villagers into the river. (with preposition “by”
to mention the doer)
b. The rubbish was thrown in a river. (Not mention the doer)

ADDITIONAL
LESSON
A. Grammar Practice
Forming Passive Voice
Tense Be + Past Participle Example
Present Tense Am, is, are + made The painting is made by
her
Present progressive Am, is, are +being +sent The book is being sent
right now.
Present perfect Has, have +been +sold The copyright of the
books have been sold.
Past Simple Was, were + invited He was invited by Carl.
Past Progressive Was, were +being Their bikes were being
+washed washed while they were
running in the park.
Past Perfect Had +been +hired All the employees had
been hired before the
school started.
Future (will) Will be + signed A contract will be signed
by her.
Future (going to) Am, is, are + going to A bridge is going to be
be+ built built by them within the
next few years.
Future Perfect Will +have been +started The job will have been
started by the first of
[Pick the date] Page 4
June.
Table 5.1 Formatting of Passive Voice

B. Vocabulary Building

resemble look like become equal agree with mean

contain hold comprise lack suit fit

A sentence cast in the passive voice will not always include an agent of the
action. For instance if a gorilla crushes a tin can, we could say “The tin can
was crushed by the gorilla.” But a perfectly good sentence would leave out
the gorilla. “The tin can was crushed.” Also, when an active sentence with an
indirect object is recast in the passive, the indirect object can take on the role
of subject in the passive sentence.
Active Professor Villa gave Jorge an A.
Passive An a was given to Jorge by Professor Villa.
Passive Jorge was given an A.

C. Pronuncation Practice
Changes of Pronouns from Active Voice to Passive Voice.
Pronoun in Active Voice Pronoun in Passive Voice
I Me
We Us
You You
He Him
She Her
It It
They Them
Table 5.2 pronouns in active & passive voice.

Rules for Changing Active Voice to Passive Voice

 Identify the subject, the verb and object : SVO.

 Change the object into subject.
 Put the suitable helping verb or auxiliary verb. In case the helping verb is
given, use the same verb but note that the helping verb given agrees with the
object.
 Change the verb into the past participle from.
 Add the preposition “by”
 Change the subject into subject.

[Pick the date] Page 5

Example
Active Voice Passive Voice
The teacher is going to explanation the The lesson is going to be explained by
lesson. the teacher
She closed the door. The door was closed by her.

EXERCISE
S
Listening Section
Task 1
In this part, you are going to be tested how well you understand spoken
English, especially text. Pay attention to the function, structure, and
language features used in explanation text!
Listening to a
Monologue
Listen and complete the following monologue!

The water cycle begins when 1)____________ heats water on the earth’s surface,
from 2)____________. The heat causes the molecules that make up water to move
more quickly and rise into [Pick the the
airdate]
as Page
3)____________.
6 This process is called
4)____________. As water vapor rises, it cools off and condenses to form
5)____________. When the clouds have become too heavy to hold any more water,
precipitation falls 6)____________. As the precipitation falls back to earth, some of it
Task 2
Listening
Comprehension

After you heard the monologue in Tasks 1, draw the water cycle in
order!

Task 3
Discussion

1. Work in groups of 4 – 5 with your friends!

2. Find native speakers conversation on youtube!
3. You can download the video to watch in many times.
4. Write down their conversation carefully on a paper.
5. Underline the passive voice on the script you have written!
6. Discuss with your friend about the passive voices you
found!
7. Submit it in a week!
Task 4
Listen and Complete the sentences with the suitable verbs in the box.
Give the right forms of passive verbs.
1. Here is the place where the corpse____________  Caused
2. The plane____________ by Captain Andreas.
 Damaged
3. This cake____________ white flour and eggs.
 Will fly
4. That accident ____________ by a careless driving.
 Invited
[Pick the date] Page 7
 Employ
 Has presented
5. The buildings ____________ by the powerful earthquakes.
6. I ____________ to the wedding. So I didn’t go there.
7. Hundreds of people ____________ in the factory.
8. The article ____________ in the newspaper twice.

Task 5
Listen and complete the following passage!
The distance to the moon (1)was calculated long ago when measurements
(2)___________ by ancient astronomers. Observations (3) ___________ from two
different places on the ground. The moon and these two locations on the earth (4)
___________ a triangle. This imaginary triangle (5) ___________ by ancient
astronomers to calculate the real distance to the moon.
Although this method was fairly accurate, it (6) ___________ anymore today;
laser beams (7) ___________ instead. In the 1970’s mirrors (8) ___________ on the
surface of the moon. Now laser beams from the earth (9) ___________ by the mirrors
and the moon’s position can (10) ___________ to the nearest few centimeters. Its
average distance from the earth is 384.000 kms (equals to traveling around the
earth ten times).

[Pick the date] Page 8

Speaking Section
Task 6
In this part, you are going to be tested how well you speak in English,
especially in explaining something. Try to explain things clearly and
effectively! When you explain a phenomenon, it is better for you to
make an illustration of the phenomenon. It makes your explanation
clearer and easy to understand.

[Pick the date] Page 9

Task 7
Describe an ethnic group that interests you so much. Include these;
 The region where they live
 The number of population
 The main resource of earning a living
 General physical features
 The distinguishing skill/hobby/behaviour

Task 8
Create a video, PowerPoint presentation, poster or a pamphlets to
educate people in your neighbor hood about the formation of tsunamis or
earthquakes and then spoke in front of the class.

Task 9
Choose one of the topics given below.
Formation of rainbows!
Life cycle of any animal
[Pick the date] Page 10
How tsunamis are formed!

Do research on any many one of the above given topics and explain to a friend or
present it in class. Use explanation text format.

Task 10
Let’s Practice!
The opening statement of a phenomenon is given below. Use the format
of an explanation text to complete it.
Have you ever wondered how rain is formed ? rain is nothing but droplets of water
from the air.

[Pick the date] Page 11

Task 17

Reading Section

Reading Section
Task 11
1. Form a group with your classmate consists of 3 students! Make the membered
includes equal members or males and females as possible!
Leader :.……………..
Member 1 :……………… Member 2 : .……………..
2. Read and discuss some article about when the passive voice often used!
Discussion result :
…………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………….....................................
......
………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
.

[Pick the date] Page 12

………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
.

Task 12
Why do you need to learn about passive voice in English? Those
expressions are very useful in the daily life conversation and in any
situations. It is important for you to master English expressions if you
want to speak English well.

1. You can go to the library or book store to find books that can help you to
improve your knowledge about the materials that you have learned on this
unit about passive voice in English.
2. In addition, you also can browse internet to find more exercises about the
materials. You can also find more examples or you can visit this website
http://advice.writing.utoronto.ca.

Task 13
Let’s improve your knowledge by doing the following Homework.
1. Read some books and newspaper in the library!
2. Find some stories in the internet!
3. Identify the passive voice in your collected story and make a paper about it!
4. Submit your work in a week to your teacher!
5. Your teacher will observe and give mark for you.
6. Ask your teacher’s and parent’s signatures to complete the homework.

Task 14
Answer the question based on the instruction given.
1. Attend a social gathering held in your surrounding area. Listen and play
attention to the agenda. Then share the details of the activities (during that
time) with your classmates.
2. One day, while riding your motorbike, you saw a gloomy-looking woman of
about 38 with her there children. She was carrying an emaciated (by long
illness) baby., her youngest child. She was sitting on the Veranda of one of the
closed stores and accompanying her three children eating their lunch. It was a
heart-breaking sight. Can you imagine if you were one of those children? Share
your thoughts with friends in class.
3. Read two articles about family life. One of them has a mother with a high
flying bright career while the other is a house wife. After reading those stories,
which one would you choose? Why? Explain your reasons.
4. What life would you want to have if you had a second chance to be born in this
world?

[Pick the date] Page 13

5. What kind of suggestions would you give to the government in order to help
homeless people in Indonesia?

Task 15
Tick (√) a, b, c, d, or e to give the correct answer.
1. The essay will have… by then.
a. Written
b. Be written
c. Been written
d. Wrote
e. Write
2. Every room of the hotel…already
a. Had cleaned
b. Will be cleaned
c. Is cleaned
d. Had been cleaned
e. Are cleaned
3. Nancy cannot read Martin’s handwriting.
Change the sentence above into passive.
a. Her handwriting cannot be read.
b. His handwriting cannot be read.
c. Her handwriting cannot be readed.
d. His handwriting cannot be readed.
e. His handwriting can be read.
4. Hamlet… by Shakespeare.
a. Were written
b. Was writing
c. Were writing
d. Was written
e. Were wrote.
5. The building … by May.
a. Won’t finish
b. Won’t finished
c. Won’t finishing
d. Won’t be finish
e. Won’t be finished

[Pick the date] Page 14

Writing Section
Task 16
Write an explanation text from any topic given in the active conversation
or any topic of your choice. Make sure you follow the structure of
explanation text you have learnt in the building blocks. You should also
follow the writing process (draft, edit, revise and publish)

[Pick the date] Page 15

Task 17
Write two short paragraphs based on the picture given. The following
questions will be helpful to write such paragraphs in sequence.

1. What is the condition of the children’s family ?

2. Why do they have to help their parents earn money?
3. Are they supposed to do that?
4. What about their study
5. What should the local government do to overcome the problem?
6. What do they badly need to study?
7. Do they have to pay for the school fee themselves?
8. After being funded by the government what should they do?
9. Do you think they should work afterwards?
10. If yes, what kind of job is suitable for their condition?

Task 18
Rewrite the following sentences into passive voice! Do as the example!
e.g. The building at St. Antoine (formerly use) as a prison. [past]
The building at St. Antoine was formerly used as a prison.
1. Two of my crystal glasses (break). [Present Perfect]
2. Aboriginal Australians (think) to have first arrived on the Australians mainland
by boat. [Past]
3. That photograph of Anna Kournikova (always admire). [Present]
4. You (invite) to lunch next week. [Present Tense]
5. English (speak) all over the world. [Present]

[Pick the date] Page 16

Task 19
Create a short passive sentences and dialogue about school and family!
If you happen to don’t know the topic, you can read online articles!
a. Search for references in the internet
Reference taken from internet:
Source : ……………………………………….(year) ……………………………………….
Content : ……………………………………….………………………………………………..
b. Write your sentences here
SCHOOL FAMILY
1 : ………………………………………. 1 : ……………………………………….
2 : ………………………………………. 2 : ……………………………………….
3 : ………………………………………. 3 : ……………………………………….
4 : ………………………………………. 4 : ……………………………………….
5 : ………………………………………. 5 : ……………………………………….

c. Write your dialogue here.

SCHOOL FAMILY
A : ………………………………………. A : ……………………………………….
B : ………………………………………. B : ……………………………………….
A : ………………………………………. A : ……………………………………….
B : ………………………………………. B : ……………………………………….
A : ………………………………………. A : ……………………………………….
B : ………………………………………. B : ……………………………………….
A : ………………………………………. A : ……………………………………….
B : ………………………………………. B : ……………………………………….

Task 20

Project

1. Write short paragraph about your findings about when the passive voice
[Pick the date] Page 17
often used and the reason it is used. Make your writings as interesting as
possible!
………………………………………………………………………………………….
Grammar in Use

Task 21

Change the sentences into the passive ones.

1. Someone keeps the garden everyday.

2. A thief stolen my cellular phone.
3. The chairman will issue the information tomorrow.
4. She packed her changing clothes in a suitcase.
5. The employees are finishing the orders.
6. They do not know where he lives.
7. The government will send food to the evacuees soon.
8. A big factory has laid its hundreds of workers off.
9. The accident injured their arms and legs.
10. Mother sweeps the floor twice a day.

Task 22

I can do this.
Complete these statements.
1. The most interesting thing I learnt in this chapter was ______________
2. The part I enjoyed most was ______________
3. I would like to find more about ______________
4. The hardest part in this chapter was ______________
5. I need to work harder at ______________

Task 23

Study these sentences and underline the past participle verb, and circle
the word before it!

1. The guest actress was introduced to the audience before the concern began.
[Pick the date] Page 18
2. Negotiation between the conflicting parties needs to be done before the worst
thing happens.
3. My headmaster is not known by my parents. They didn’t greet him when they
met.
4. All circus viewers will be requested to show their ticket when they enter the
hall.
5. A soldier’s hair must be cut short.
6. The missing child has been announced on TV and radio. He photograph has also
been put on daily papers.
7. Anyone who can find the lost driving license will be given a reward.

Task 24

Use following options to answer the question number 1 and 2!

a. The sentence of the first and second are correct and both of them show cause
and effect correlation.
b. The sentence of the first and second are correct but both of them don’t show
cause and effect correlation.
c. The first sentence is correct while the second sentence is incorrect.
d. The first sentence is incorrect while the second sentence is correct.
e. The first and second sentences are incorrect.
1. Passive voice is the opposite form of Present Tense
(because)
The subject in passive voice is doing something rather than begin done to
something.
2. Passive voice sentence always had its subject in the end of the sentence.
(because)
Passive voice is very recommended in academic writings.

Task 25

Choose the correct answer by crossing A, B, C, D, or E the give your

reason or analysiss least 8 word!

Fill the blanks with suitable active and passive verb forms.
[Pick the date] Page 19
1. This house … in 1980 by my grandfather.
a. Built
b. Was built
c. Was build
d. Has built
e. Is built
2. The robbers … by the police.
a. Have arrested
b. Have been arrested
c. Was arrested
d. Had arrested
e. Has arrested
3. Japanese chess which … Shogi has two players.
a. Call
b. Calls
c. Is calling
d. Called
e. Is called
4. The visitors … by Van Gogh’s painting in the last month exhibition.
a. Impressed
b. Are impressed
c. Was impressed
d. Were impressed
e. Were impressing
5. Meals for dinner … since an hour ago.
a. Is prepared
b. Was prepared
c. Were prepared
d. Have been prepared
e. Have prepared
6. The students … to submit their reports by the end of this week.
a. Have asked
b. Are asked
c. Has asked
d. Are asking
e. Is asking
7. He … to the bar in 1780 and joined the western assize circuit.
a. Is called
b. Called
c. Was called
d. Has been called
e. Was calling
[Pick the date] Page 20
8. The students … by the teacher for lying.
a. Is punished
b. Punished
c. Was punished
d. Were punished
e. punishing

Pronunciation Practice

Task 26

Complete the texts with a passive or active form of the verb in brackets
in an appropriate tense

The secretary for the Environment, Edward Yau, says the government will
come up with a basket of proposals on ways to put together a new air pollution
index later this year. Mr. Yau said a public consultation ______________(begin) later
this year. He said the exercise ______________ (decide) when a new index
______________ (put) place; and what measures ______________ (need) to achieve
that. Mr. Yau (admit) that the current index, which ______________ (measure) using
standards ______________ (establish) 21 years ago, is obsolete.

Somali pirates ______________ (release) a Hong – Kong registered cargo ship,

______________ (charter) by Iran, which ______________ (hijack) in the Gulf on Aden in
November. Iran’s state broadcaster ______________ (report) that the vessel,
______________ (name) Delight, (release) on Friday evening and was sailing towards
the Iranian coast. It said that all 25 members of the crew were safe, but did not say
whether any ransom ______________ (pay). Pirates ______________ (seize) the Delight
as it headed for the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas, carrying 36,000 tonnes of wheat.
The Confederation of Trade Unions said the workers ______________ (receive) their
severance notice by post, but ______________ (not/tell) of the reason.

Task 27

Colonel Karno is giving a talk about operation Moonbean. Change the

verbs in parentheses into active or passive form in the Present Perfect
Tense.
Good morning ladies and gentlemen!

I am here today to announce our never space program. Operation Moonbean.

We (complete) plants for a space colony on the moon. At this point, all
necessary technology (develop) well. A space ship (build) to carry the
astronomers and their equipment.

In addition, a dome (construct) [Pick

to cover a small
the date] part of the moon’s surface.
Page 21
Machines (design) to produce weather. With the help of these machines, we (be
able to produce) wind and rain.
Task 28

Look at the pictures below carefully. What opportunities do our children

deserve? And what are the facts in the real life? Make a list as many as
possible.

[Pick the date] Page 22

Task 29

Choose the correct answer by crossing A, B, C, D, or E the give your

reason or analysis least 5 word!

1. The editor edits the article.

[Pick the date] Page 23
The passive form of the above sentence is "The article ..... by the editor
A. edits
B. edited
C. be editing
D. is being edited
E. is edited

2. They are building a new ring road round the city.

The passive form of the above sentence is "A new ring road ......"
A. is built
B. builds
C. be building
D. was building
E. is being built

3. We have delivered the packages.

The passive form of the above sentence is: "The packages ..... by us.
A. delivered
B. have been delivering
C. have been delivered
D. to be delivered
E. have to be delivered

4. 'Last night a thief broke into my brother's house'

'Really? What ......from the house?
A. the took
B. was to take
C. was being taken
D. was taking
E. was taken

5. 'What time will delayed plane depart?'

'They say that it ....by airport officer soon'
A. will announce
B. is to announce
C. to be announced
D. announces
E. will be announced

Task 30
Group task
1. Form a group with your seatmate!
Name of the members:
Member 1 : …………………………………………
Member 2 : …………………………………………
2. Read the article below and discuss with your friend about it!

[Pick the date] Page 24

When Should I Avoid Passive Voice ?

Passive voice sentences can get you intro trouble in academic writing
because they can be vague about who is responsible for the action.
Both Rika and Danti desire to marry Desmon. She is married. It is unknown
whom is being married.
Academic writing often focuses on differences between the ideas of different
researches, or between your own ideas and those of the researchers you are
discussing. Too many passive sentences can create confusion:
Research has been done to discredit this theory. [who did the research?
You? Your professor? Another author?]
Finally, passive sentences often sound wordy and indirect. They can make
the reader work unnecessarily hard. And since they are usually longer than
active sentences, passive sentences take up precious room in your paper :
“ Since the car was being driven by Michael at the time of the accident, the
damages should be paid for by him.”
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

a. Discuss with your partner about when we should avoid using passive voice!
Opinion 1 :
……………………………………………………………………………………….
Opinion 2 :
………………………………………………………………………………………..
b. In your opinion, what should we do when we want to write an active voice if
the subject is unknown?
Opinion 1 :
……………………………………………………………………………………….
Opinion 2 :
………………………………………………………………………………………..

Vocabulary Building
Task 31

Translate the following sentences into Indonesian!

[Pick the date] Page 25

1. Storms are caused by violent atmospheric disturbances occurring over land and
water.
2. Hail is created when small water droplets are caught in the updraft of a
thunderstorm.
3. Urbanization is closely linked to modernization, industrialization, and the
sociological process of rationalization.
4. Forest fires are usually started by unusually long-lasting hot lightning bolts.
5. Most of the shelter construction materials are sourced from the forest which has
led to repeated illegal cutting down of trees to obtain timber.

Task 32

Change the following sentences into passive voice!

1. Plants need water in order to survive.

2. Forest produce vital oxygen.
3. Tornadoes break tree branches and bend trees.
4. Smog can irritate the eyes and throat.
5. Flood can wipe away farms, trees, and many more heavy items.
6. Gases can build up, and create outward pressure.
7. Volcanic eruptions often cause temporary food shortages.
8. Asphalt and concrete store heat longer and gradually release heat at night.
9. Malnutrition can cause serious physical and mental health problems.
10. Humans destroy animal habitats in a number of different ways such as
clearing forest, draining rivers to bring water to those crops, and paving over
meadows.

Task 33

Change the sentences into passive

1. The naughty boy had pelted the neighbor’s windows.

2. The teacher will give you an explanation if you still can’t understand.
3. The chef will have cooked dinner before the guest arrive.
4. The headmaster is going to suspend any student addicted to drugs.
5. You must take care your belongings.

Task 34

Write the meaning of the words below. Use passive sentences.

1. Invisible : _________________
2. Available : _________________
3. Readable : _________________
4. Unpredictable : _________________
[Pick the date] Page 26
5. Unbreakable : _________________
6. Understandable : _________________
7. Portable : _________________
8. Answerable : _________________

Task 35

Choose the correct answer by crossing A, B, C, D, or E the give your reason or

analysis at least 8 word!

1. The meeting ________ until the end month. (Latihan UN SMA 2014)
a. Has postponed
b. Were postponed
c. Has been postponed
d. Have been postponed
e. Is been postponed
2. Your letter ________ yesterday morning. (Latihan UN SMA 2014)
a. Was arrived
b. Has arrived
c. Arriving
d. Arrived
e. Will be arrived
3. A number of people ________ because of following a demonstration in the
Serbian capital, Belgrade. (Latihan UN SMA 2015)
a. Was arrested
b. Have arrested
c. Arrested
d. Were arrested
e. arrest

[Pick the date] Page 27