1. Lesson 9 Intermediate Mario Santiago Business English IV Passive Voice

2. Contents Objectives Passive tense Vocabulary related to logistics Expressions used to deal with questions By the end of this lesson you: Will be able to use the different forms of passive voice. Will be able to express your point of view on logistics and smart tags. Will be able to use common expressions to deal with questions.

3. Logistics Have you ever wondered about the distribution processes that different companies use to sell their products? For example, let’s suppose that you buy a pair of sneakers at the Nike on-line store. What are the steps that they have to follow and how many people are involved in the whole selling process? In this lesson we are going to study some topics related to logistics, and we are also going to analyze some of the different uses that smart chips can have these days. Lesson 9

5. Last year UPS delivered over 3.5 billion packages around the world Passive Voice If you noticed, in this video we have expressions such as: “Last year UPS delivered over 3.5 billion packages around the world” In this sentence we have a subject performing an action. However, there are times when the subject is not relevant because we care more about the action. Subject Who? verb Direct object What? In the active voice we always have a subject Over 3.5 billion packages around the world were delivered last year ( by UPS ) In the passive voice the subject is not relevant and can be omitted Direct object What? verb Lesson 9

6. Passive Voice The passive voice is very common in English. Most of the time it is used in oral or written situations where we do not know who the subject is, or it is not relevant. If you want to mention the subject in the passive voice you have to do it by using the preposition BY . Another important thing is that you have to use the verb to be+ participle . Look at the examples: Some carriers give specialized online courses to foreign customers . Specialized online courses are given to foreign customers by some carriers. The passive sibject goes at the beginning. be+ participle The subject takes the preposition “by…” Lesson 9

7. Passive Voice If you want to change a sentence from active to passive voice you have to check that the verbs always match in tense and number with the receiver . Look at the following examples: Active voice Passive voice Simple present The scanner reads the smart tag in the package The smart tag in the package is read by the scanner Simple past Gillette reduced its errors in shipment Shipment errors were reduced by Gillete Present perfect Consumer groups have studied the impact of shipment in the final price of foreign goods. The impact of shipment in the price of foreign goods has been studied by consumer groups. Past perfect The unloaders had packed the parcels when Louis came into the office. The parcels had been packed by the unloaders when Louis came into the office. Lesson 9