[B-A] Prepositions with Passives

LET'S READ! 📖

Direction: Read the passage below then answer the questions being asked.

Prepositions with Passives

The International Conference brought together professionals from various industries for insightful discussions on a wide range of topics, including technological advancements, market trends, and business strategies. It fostered a collaborative environment where different perspectives were shared and ideas freely exchanged.

Engaging presentations at the conference shed light on innovative solutions and best practices. Attendees actively participated in panel discussions, delving deeper into specific subjects and sharing their expertise, resulting in valuable insights that contributed to collective knowledge.

In addition to intellectual exchange, the conference provided networking opportunities, connecting attendees with industry leaders, potential partners, and colleagues worldwide. Meaningful conversations initiated professional relationships and forged valuable connections.

Conference fees were covered by registered participants or their organizations, ensuring smooth payment processing and accessibility for a wide audience. The funds collected were utilized to organize the venue, arrange logistics, and provide necessary resources, ensuring a seamless experience for attendees.

QUESTIONS:

1. How did the conference foster a collaborative environment?

2. Besides intellectual exchange, what other opportunities did the conference provide?

LET'S UNDERSTAND! 📚

Prepositions with Passives

🔺In passive structures, verb + preposition groups stay together.

ACTIVE:	The surgeons operated on her yesterday morning.
PASSIVE:	She was operated on yesterday morning.

Example:

I don't like being talked about behind my back.
It's not really our house yet. It hasn't been paid for.
The antique chair's not really meant to be sat on.

🔺To ask who did something in passive questions, we usually prefer Who...by?, especially in spoken English.

Example:

Who was the old bridge built by?
Who were you invited by?

🔺By whom...? is also possible, especially in writing.

Example:

By whom was the electricity discovered?
By whom was television invented?
By whom was the film The Disaster directed?

Reasons for using passives

🔺We choose passive or active so that we can start the sentence with the thing or person that we are talking about.

PASSIVE:	The cathedral was built between 1878 and 1882. It.... ( talking about the Cathedral)
PASSIVE:	The cathedral was built by Danilo Ong. It...(talking about the Cathedral)
ACTIVE:	Danilo Ong built the cathedral. Then the... (talking about Danilo Ong)

Example:

Sam's cousin sewed this coat.------ about Sam's cousin.
This coat was made by Sam's cousin.-----about this coat.
Sally paid the electricity bill last week.------about Sally
The electricity bill was paid by Sally last week.------about the electricity.

🔺We choose passive or active to continue talking about the same thing or person.

Example:

English is a very useful language for traveling. It is spoken all over the world.

better than:

We've got three cats. They catch a lot of mice.

better than:

This ice cream has a very unusual taste. I think it's made with coconut milk.

better than:

LET'S PRACTICE! 📝

Part I

Direction: Rewrite these sentences beginning with the word(s) in bold. You will need to use passive forms.

The management have offered the workers a pay rise.
They made the contestants dress in ridiculous outfits.
The organisers should have warned us in advanced
Having taken advice, the committee decided not to proceed.

Part II

Direction: Choose one from the questions below and share your ideas.

1. By what means and with what initiatives can we reduce water consumption in households?

2. By what measures and with what initiatives can we reduce pollution in our local rivers and lakes?

Let's Practice