Mastering Passive Voice in English: Examples and Key Business Vocabulary

Mastering the Passive Voice in English

Present Simple

Active: This singer writes many songs.

Passive: Many songs are written by this singer.

Past Simple

Active: This singer wrote many songs.

Passive: Many songs were written by this singer.

Future Simple

Active: This singer will write many songs.

Passive: Many songs will be written by this singer.

Present Continuous

Active: This singer is writing many songs.

Passive: Many songs are being written by this singer.

Past Continuous

Active: This singer was writing many songs.

Passive: Many songs were being written by this singer.

Present Perfect Simple

Active: This singer has written many songs.

Passive: Many songs have been written by this singer.

Past Perfect Simple

Active: This singer had written many songs.

Passive: Many songs had been written by this singer.

Modals

Active: This singer should write many songs.

Passive: Many songs should be written by this singer.

Modal Perfects

Active: This singer must have written many songs.

Passive: Many songs must have been written by this singer.

Have to

Active: This singer has to write many songs.

Passive: Many songs have to be written by this singer.

Be going to

Active: This singer is going to write many songs.

Passive: Many songs are going to be written by this singer.

They showed me their album.

Passive: I was shown their album.

Verbs with two objects: Give, show, tell, ask, offer, pay, promise, lend, sell, send.

Essential Business English Vocabulary

• Field: Campo
• Sector: Sector
• Income: Salario; Ingresos
• Position: Puesto
• Profit: Ganancia, Beneficio
• Qualification: Requisito; Aptitud; Título
• Rise: Aumento
• Share: Parte
• Shift: Turno (de trabajo)
• Teamwork: Trabajo en equipo
• Commute: Viajar diariamente al trabajo
• Dare: Atreverse a
• Deliver: Entregar, Llevar; Traer
• Earn: Ganar (dinero); Ganarse (el respeto)
• Fire: Despedir, Echar (del trabajo)
• Guarantee: Asegurar; Garantizar
• Pack: Guardar; Meter en, Hacer la maleta
• Resign: Dimitir, Renunciar
• Slack off: Aflojar el ritmo de trabajo
• Sort: Clasificar
• Split: Dividir, Repartir
• Value: Valorar, Apreciar
• (Be a) fast learner: Aprender muy rápido
• Good at multitasking: Bueno haciendo varias cosas a la vez
• Hold down a job: Mantenerse en un puesto, Conservar un empleo
• In charge of: Responsable de
• Job hunt: Buscar trabajo
• Job offer: Oferta de trabajo
• Land a job: Conseguir un trabajo
• Like clockwork: Puntualmente; Según lo previsto
• Minimum wage: Salario mínimo
• On the job: Trabajando, Sobre la marcha
• Out of a job: Sin trabajo
• People skills: Don de gentes, Habilidades sociales
• Regardless of: Sin tener en cuenta; Independientemente de
• Run a business: Llevar, Dirigir un negocio
• Starting salary: Sueldo inicial
• Take the initiative: Tomar la iniciativa
• Take pride in: Enorgullecerse de
• Work well under pressure: Trabajar bien bajo presión