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Module 7 · Grammar Precision · Lesson 27

Passive & Causative

Shift focus from who does something to what happens — master the passive across all tenses, plus the causative ('have/get something done') that native speakers use constantly for services and arrangements.

CEFR B260 minPassive voiceCore

Get talking · Section 1

5 min

reflection
Who cares who did it?

Compare: 'Someone stole my bike' vs 'My bike was stolen'. Which sentence focuses on the bike, not the thief?

discussion
Getting things done

Think of 3 things you pay someone else to do for you (haircut, car repair, cleaning). How would you say this in one verb structure?

activity
Spot the passive

Find a passive sentence in a news headline you remember. Why do you think the writer chose passive over active?

Grammar focus · Section 2

8–10 min

Passive voice and the causative 'have something done'

Grammar focus

The passive moves the focus from the doer of an action to the action itself or its result — useful when the doer is unknown, obvious, or unimportant. The causative 'have/get something done' describes arranging for someone else to do something for you.

Quick Rule

be + past participle (passive) / have|get + object + past participle (causative)

Passive shifts focus onto the action; causative describes arranging for someone else to do something for you.

When to Use

  • The doer is unknown, obvious, or unimportant (passive)
  • Formal/scientific/news writing where the process matters more than the agent
  • Describing services you pay for or arrange (causative)

Pattern Builder

subject

I

+

have/get

had

+

object

my car

+

past participle

serviced

Passive vs Causative

FormStructureMeaning
ActiveThe mechanic serviced my car.he did the action
PassiveMy car was serviced.focus on the car, agent unimportant
CausativeI had my car serviced.I arranged for someone else to do it
Modal passiveThe car must be serviced.obligation + passive focus

Common Mistake

Confusing causative with passive: 'My hair was cut' (someone cut it, agent unimportant) vs 'I had my hair cut' (I specifically arranged this service).

Memory Tip

If YOU didn't personally do it but arranged for it to happen TO your benefit, it's causative: have/get + thing + past participle.

Natural English

I need to get my phone screen fixed. She's having her nails done tomorrow. We had the roof repaired after the storm.

Examples

  • → Present simple passive: The reports are checked every week.

  • → Past simple passive: The window was broken last night.

  • → Present perfect passive: The building has been renovated recently.

  • → Modal passive: The form must be submitted by Friday.

  • → Causative: I had my car serviced last week. (a mechanic did it, not me)

  • → Causative (get): We're getting the kitchen repainted next month.

Open Grammar Reference

Question 1.The letters ___ yesterday.

Question 2.This form ___ by Friday.

Question 3.I ___ my hair cut last week (a hairdresser did it).

Question 4.The bridge ___ in 1990.

Question 5.We're ___ our house painted next week.

Answer all items, then check.
Conversation Builder
Say it naturally

Build the sentence → spot the natural chunks → say it aloud → reply like a real conversation.

1.Rebuild the sentence — then say it aloud.

Step 1 · Build
Tap words below to build the sentence…

2.Rebuild the sentence — then say it aloud.

Step 1 · Build
Tap words below to build the sentence…

3.Rebuild the sentence — then say it aloud.

Step 1 · Build
Tap words below to build the sentence…

Quick check 1.The passive is formed with…

Quick check 2.'I had my car washed' means…

Quick check 3.We mention 'by + agent' when…

Answer all items, then check.

Vocabulary · Section 3

5–7 min

Words & phrases to own

Open Vocabulary Bank
1

to renovate

to repair and improve a building.

"The old theatre was renovated last year."

Use it now

Describe something you'd like renovated.

2

to submit

to formally hand in or present something.

"The essay must be submitted by Monday."

Use it now

Say something you need to submit soon.

3

to install

to put equipment/software in place ready for use.

"New software was installed on all computers."

Use it now

Say what you'd like installed at home.

4

to inspect

to examine something officially and carefully.

"The factory is inspected every year."

Use it now

Name something that should be inspected regularly.

5

to deliver

to bring goods to a place.

"The parcel was delivered this morning."

Use it now

Say something you're waiting to have delivered.

6

to launch

to introduce a new product/service publicly.

"The app was launched last month."

Use it now

Name a product you'd like to see launched.

7

to fix / repair

to mend something broken.

"I need to get my phone fixed."

Use it now

What do you need fixed right now?

8

to update

to make something more current.

"The website is updated daily."

Use it now

Something in your life that needs updating.

9

to postpone

to arrange for something to happen later.

"The match was postponed due to rain."

Use it now

Something you've had to postpone.

10

maintenance

the process of keeping something in good condition.

"The lift is out of service for maintenance."

Use it now

Something in your home that needs maintenance.

Activate · use it within minutes

Activate · Complete the sentence
Get it done

Complete each sentence using the causative with the verb given.

  • I need to (fix) my phone screen — I'm going to…

  • Our kitchen looks old, so we're planning to (renovate)…

  • She's too busy to cut her own hair, so she…

  • The company decided to (install) new software, so they…

Tick each word as you use it

Activate · Speak for 30 seconds
Services survey

Ask your partner 3 questions about services they have done for them.

  • Have you ever had anything delivered urgently?

  • What's the last thing you had repaired?

  • Is there anything you'd love to have done for you this year?

Tick each word as you use it

Matching
Match each verb with the object it's most naturally used with in a passive/causative sentence.

Tap an item on the left, then tap its match on the right.

Answer all items, then check.

Pronunciation · Section 4

3–4 min

Weak 'was/were/been' and linking past participles

Say it aloud

  • • Weak form: 'was' → /wəz/, not /wɒz/: 'It was FINished' not 'It WAS finished'.
  • • Link auxiliaries smoothly: 'has_been INstalled', 'must_be SUBmitted'.
  • • Causative rhythm: 'I had my CAR serviced' — stress the object and participle, not 'had'.
  • • Practise: 'The reports were checked. The car's been fixed. I had it done yesterday.'

Reading · Section 5

8–10 min

Why the passive isn't 'weak' English

Read the passageTap to open

Many learners are taught that the passive voice is somehow 'weak' or 'to be avoided'. In reality, professional, academic, and journalistic English relies on the passive constantly — not out of weakness, but because it does a specific job the active voice cannot do as well: it shifts the spotlight from WHO did something to WHAT happened or WHAT was affected.

Consider a news headline: 'Three people were injured in a car crash on Route 9.' The active equivalent, 'A car crash on Route 9 injured three people', is grammatically fine but reads oddly, because the injured people — not the crash itself — are the real subject of interest. The passive lets the important information (the people) come first.

The passive also solves a practical problem: sometimes we genuinely don't know who did something, or it doesn't matter. 'My wallet was stolen' works because the thief is unknown. 'The bridge was built in 1889' works because the builders, while historically interesting, aren't the point of the sentence — the bridge's age is. Only add 'by + agent' when that information is genuinely useful: 'The novel was written by a 19-year-old' is far more interesting than simply 'The novel was written.'

Cambridge B2 First tests the passive precisely because it requires control across tenses that many learners avoid in speech: present perfect passive ('has been finished'), modal passive ('must be completed'), and passive infinitives ('is expected to be announced'). Struggling with these in Use of English Part 3 (word formation) or Part 4 (transformations) is common, because learners default to memorised active-voice chunks instead of adapting the structure.

The causative, meanwhile, is often mistaken for a type of passive, but it describes something different: an ARRANGEMENT. 'I had my teeth checked' does not mean 'my teeth were checked' in a general sense — it specifically means I organised this to happen, usually by paying for a service. Mastering the difference between passive and causative, and using both naturally rather than avoiding them, is one of the clearest markers of a genuinely upper-intermediate speaker.

Question 1.According to the passage, why is the passive NOT 'weak' English?

Question 2.When should you add 'by + agent'?

Question 3.What does the causative specifically describe?

Question 4.Which passive forms does the passage say learners often avoid?

Question 5.'I had my teeth checked' means…

Answer all items, then check.
True / False / Not Given
Decide if each statement is True or False

Q1.The passage argues the passive voice should always be avoided.

Q2.'By + agent' should be added to every passive sentence.

Q3.The causative describes arranging for someone else to do something.

Q4.Cambridge B2 First tests passive forms across multiple tenses.

Answer all items, then check.

Listening · Section 6

8–10 min

Moving into a new flat

Listening audio

Tap play to listen. Drag the timeline to jump anywhere.

Show transcript

Ryan:So, how's the new flat coming along?

Priya:Slowly! The walls have been painted, but the kitchen still isn't finished.

Ryan:Are you doing the kitchen yourself?

Priya:No way, I'm having it fitted by a professional. I'm not risking that myself.

Ryan:Smart. What about the bathroom?

Priya:That's already been done, actually. New tiles were installed last week.

Ryan:Nice. And the furniture — has it all been delivered?

Priya:Most of it. The sofa's arriving Thursday, but the wardrobe was damaged in transit, so it's being replaced.

Ryan:Ugh, that's annoying. Did they offer compensation?

Priya:Yes, the delivery was refunded, at least. And the new wardrobe should be sent by the end of the month.

Ryan:Are you getting the internet set up too?

Priya:It's being installed on Friday, finally. I've been getting it sorted for two weeks now.

Ryan:Honestly, moving is always more stressful than people expect.

Priya:Tell me about it. At least the electrics were checked and approved by an inspector last week, so that's one less thing.

Ryan:Well, once it's all done, we're definitely coming over for dinner.

Priya:Deal — as long as the kitchen's finished by then!

Question 1.Who is fitting Priya's kitchen?

Question 2.What happened to the wardrobe?

Question 3.What was refunded?

Question 4.When is the internet being installed?

Question 5.What did the inspector do?

Answer all items, then check.
Tick what you hear
Tick every passive/causative structure actually mentioned in the dialogue.
Answer all items, then check.

Exam skills · Section 7

5 min

Use of English Part 4 — Key Word Transformations with passive/causative

🎯 Passive & Causative in Part 4

Transform active sentences into passive or causative forms while keeping the exact meaning.

  • Identify the tense of the active verb — the passive 'be' must carry that same tense
  • Decide: is this a true passive (agent unimportant) or a causative (someone arranged a service)?
  • Only include 'by + agent' if the original sentence needs it
  • Answers must be 2–5 words and include the key word unchanged

Complete the FCE Exam Practice transformations below.

Quick Tip

Convert the active verb's tense first onto 'be', then add the past participle — don't guess the whole phrase at once.

Exam Hack

If the sentence is about paying for a service (hairdresser, mechanic, decorator), it's almost certainly causative, not passive.

Common Mistake

Don't drop 'had/have/get' in causative transformations — 'I my car fixed' is not a sentence.

Your task

Complete the 6-item Part 4 transformation set in FCE Exam Practice below.

Example

Original: 'A mechanic is servicing my car today.' Key word: HAVING. Target: I ___ ___ ___ today. Answer: am having my car serviced

Open Exam Strategy Centre

Practice · Section 8

8–10 min

Fill in the blank

Question 1.The email ___ an hour ago.

Question 2.This machine ___ every month.

Question 3.I ___ my kitchen redesigned last year.

Question 4.The results ___ announced by Friday.

Question 5.We're ___ the roof repaired next week.

Answer all items, then check.
Sentence transformation
Type a short answer (1–3 words)

Q1.Passive structure: be + ___

Q2.Causative structure (2 words + object + p.p.): have / ___

Q3.'I had my hair cut' means someone else did it — true or false?

Answer all items, then check.

Writing · Section 9

5 min

Put it in writing

Your task

Write a short paragraph (80–100 words) describing recent changes to a place (your home, school, or town) using at least 4 passive or causative structures.

Show model answer

Our town centre has been completely transformed this year. The old cinema was renovated and reopened as a community hub, and new benches have been installed along the river. My street was also resurfaced last month, which was long overdue. At home, we finally had the boiler replaced after months of it breaking down, and the garden is being redesigned by a local landscaper. It's strange how much can be achieved when things are actually organised properly.

Speaking · Section 10

10–15 min

Make it a real conversation

Open Useful Expressions

Roleplay

1:1 online roleplay. Student describes recent home/life changes to the teacher using passive and causative structures — teacher asks natural follow-up questions ('Who did that for you?', 'When was it finished?').

Useful phrases

  • • It's being fixed/installed at the moment.
  • • I had it done last week.
  • • It hasn't been finished yet.
  • • We're getting it repainted.
  • • It must be submitted/checked by…
Dialogue completion
Complete each line using a natural passive or causative structure.
  • AIs the report ready?
  • B_______________
  • ADid you paint the fence yourself?
  • B_______________
Answer all items, then check.

Teacher notes

Optional · Teacher-led

Teacher Activities

Two fast drills that build automaticity switching between active, passive, and causative. ~14 min total

FCE Exam Practice · Section 11

20–30 min

Real FCE tasks

Cambridge B2 First · Use of English · Part 4. Complete the second sentence using the key word, keeping the meaning the same.

Cambridge B2 First · Reading & Use of English · Part 4 · Key Word Transformations
Key Word Transformations — Passive & Causative

  1. 1.A technician is repairing my laptop at the moment.

    HAVING

    I

  2. 2.They cancelled the concert yesterday.

    WAS

    The concert

  3. 3.You must complete this form before Friday.

    COMPLETED

    This form

  4. 4.A decorator painted our living room last month.

    HAD

    We

  5. 5.Someone has already delivered the parcel.

    BEEN

    The parcel

  6. 6.A mechanic is going to service my car next week.

    GETTING

    I

Answer all items, then check.

Homework · Section 12

Take-home

Take it home

grammar
Task 1

Passive/causative transformation set

Rewrite each active sentence into the passive or causative form indicated.

Keep the same tense/meaning; add 'by + agent' only if useful.

  1. (passive) Someone cleans the office every evening.
  2. (passive) They have cancelled the flight.
  3. (causative) A dentist checked my teeth last week.
  4. (passive, modal) You must complete the form.
  5. (causative) A tailor is altering my suit.
  6. (passive) Workers built this house in 1920.
Finish the homework, then check.
speaking
Task 2

Record 3 causative sentences

Record yourself describing 3 real services you've had done recently (haircut, repair, delivery, etc.) using causative structures.

Use 'had' or 'got' + object + past participle for each.

  1. Something you had fixed/repaired
  2. Something you had delivered/installed
  3. Something you're planning to have done soon

Recap · Section 13

2–3 min

What you've learned

  • Passive = be + past participle; tense is carried by 'be'.
  • Use passive when the doer is unknown, obvious, or unimportant.
  • Only add 'by + agent' when it's genuinely useful information.
  • Causative (have/get + object + past participle) = you arranged for someone else to do it.
  • Don't confuse passive (focus shift) with causative (arranged service).
Lesson 26 · Conditionals & What IfLesson 28 · Modals of Speculation