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12

Unit 12: The continuous passive
How to sound less direct and more polite!

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  1. 1 Go beyond intermediate with our new video course
  2. 2 Reported speech in 90 seconds!
  3. 3 If or whether?
  4. 4 5 ways to use 'would'
  5. 5 Let and allow
  6. 6 Passive voice
  7. 7 Unless
  8. 8 Mixed conditionals
  9. 9 The zero article - in 90 seconds
  10. 10 The indefinite article - in 90 seconds
  11. 11 The. That's right - the! Learn all about it in 90 seconds
  12. 12 The continuous passive
  13. 13 Future perfect
  14. 14 Need + verb-ing
  15. 15 Have something done
  16. 16 Wish
  17. 17 Word stress
  18. 18 Different ways of saying 'if'
  19. 19 Passive reporting structures
  20. 20 The subjunctive
  21. 21 When and if
  22. 22 Inversion
  23. 23 Phrasal verbs
  24. 24 The future
  25. 25 Modals in the past
  26. 26 Narrative tenses
  27. 27 Phrasal verb myths
  28. 28 Conditionals review
  29. 29 Used to - review
  30. 30 Linking words of contrast

Session 4

Direct language can sound rude. Find out with Tim how to say the same thing in a different way to come across more poilitely.

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    Activity 1
  1. Activity 1

Activity 1

Stop saying!

Not being direct

Sometimes active verbs are not the best forms, even if they are grammatically correct.

You might seem to be too demanding or even rude. One way to avoid this potential problem is to use the passive. In our video Tim explains this point in more detail, with a little help from... Tim!

Watch the video and complete the activity

Summary

Using the passive can sound more polite because it is less direct. It means that you don't have to use a personal pronoun such as you. This is less personal and sounds less like an order, accusation or criticism.

  • Have you done it? => Has it been done?
  • You moved it! => It's been moved

We also use it to avoid mentioning another person's name.

  • Peter told me to rearrange the meeting => I was told to rearrange the meeting

It's also useful when you don't want to emphasise your own responsibility for something.

  • I dropped your phone => Your phone was dropped


To do

In the quiz you need to rearrange the words to make these sentences into passive versions:

  1. You haven't done the washing-up.
  2. I smashed a plate.
  3. You didn't call me.
  4. Elena told me you were leaving.
  5. Why didn't you tell me?

Polite passive

5 Questions

Rearrange the words in each question to make sentences that are the passive versions of those in the text above. In each question there are two words you don't need.

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Thanks to the staff and students of International House London for their help with this feature.

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Session Grammar

  • Passive = less direct

    Using the passive can sound more polite because it is less direct. It means you don't have to say you. This is less personal and sounds less like an order, accusation or criticism.

    Have you done it? => Has it been done?
    You moved it! => It's been moved

    It is also used when you want to avoid mentioning another person's name.

    Peter told me to rearrange the meeting => I was told to rearrange the meeting

    It's also useful when you don't want to emphasise your own responsibility for something.

    I dropped your phone => Your phone was dropped

View full grammar reference

Session Vocabulary

View full vocabulary reference

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