AIRMEN’S JOURNAL
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PILOT’S TALK · GRAMMAR PRACTICE

Mount Etna · Level C · Unit 14

Name: __________________________ Date: ______________

Unit 14. Restrictions Were Driven By: Agentless Passive and Causatives

Words from the text: drive, send, issue, allow, carrier, sector, itinerary, pose a hazard to, ground transportation, prevailing wind conditions, Volcano Observatory Notice for Aviation (VONA)

A We often use the passive without 'by' when the performer of the action is unknown, unimportant, or clear from the situation itself. This is very common in operational and news reports, where the focus is on the event and its result, not on who caused it. Compare this with the fuller forms from Unit 8, which still work the same way across tenses.

Five flights were sent to Palermo, three to Trapani and two to Comiso.

A red Volcano Observatory Notice for Aviation (VONA) was issued in response to the ongoing ash emission.

Airspace sectors C1 and B3 were also closed as part of the restrictions.

Three services were diverted before the full suspension began.

Деятель не называется, когда он неважен, неизвестен или и так понятен из контекста — типично для новостного и диспетчерского стиля.

B Some passive-style structures with 'by' do not name the agent (who performed the action) but the cause (what produced the result). The verb drive is common here: 'X was driven by Y' means 'Y caused X'. This lets a writer keep the agentless passive for the main event while still explaining why it happened.

by + agent (who/what performs the action)by + cause (what produces the result)
The flight was canceled by the carrier.The disruption was driven by the volcanic ash.
The notice was issued by INGV.The notice was driven by the rising ash plume.

The restrictions at Catania were therefore driven by the presence and movement of the ash cloud, as well as the resulting airspace limitations.

Reduced capacity was driven by prevailing wind conditions rather than by any single decision.

'Driven by' называет причину, а не исполнителя — это не обычный пассивный агенс.

C To show that a cause makes someone act, use force or prompt + object + to-infinitive. These verbs compress a whole cause-effect sentence into one clause, often placed next to the agentless passive events they explain. Allow + object + to-infinitive works the same way, but shows that something becomes possible, not necessary.

Renewed volcanic activity has disrupted air travel, forcing Catania Airport to suspend all arrivals and departures and prompting airlines to divert or cancel flights.

Volcanic ash poses a hazard to aircraft systems, prompting controllers to close the affected sectors.

The diversions allowed some services to continue operating, although affected passengers faced changes to their itineraries and needed extra ground transportation.

force/prompt + object + to = 'причина заставляет/побуждает кого-то что-то сделать'; allow + object + to = 'причина делает что-то возможным'.

Exercises

14.1 Read the sentences below, adapted from an airport disruption report. Find the agentless passive verb phrase in each (or write 'none' if there isn't one).

Example: All flight operations at Catania Fontanarossa would be suspended until 12:00 local time. → would be suspended

  1. Airspace sectors C1 and B3 were also closed as part of the restrictions.
  2. A red Volcano Observatory Notice for Aviation (VONA) was issued in response to the ongoing ash emission.
  3. Five flights were sent to Palermo on September 26.
  4. KM642 was canceled because of the volcanic activity and resulting restrictions.
  5. The reopening of flight operations will depend on the volcanic ash situation.
  6. A TUI fly Belgium service was similarly diverted via Palermo.
  7. Additional time may be needed to reposition aircraft and crews.

14.2 Rewrite each pair of sentences as one sentence, using forcing or prompting + object + to-infinitive, as in the example.

Example: The ash cloud approached, so the airport reduced capacity. → The ash cloud approached, forcing the airport to reduce capacity.

  1. The eruption continued, so SAC suspended all arrivals and departures.
  2. Volcanic ash posed a hazard to aircraft, so pilots avoided sector C1.
  3. Prevailing wind conditions changed, so controllers closed sector B3.
  4. A red VONA was issued, so airlines diverted flights away from Catania.
  5. Reduced visibility increased the risk, so the carrier canceled KM642.
  6. The ash plume reached 4 kilometers, so SAC tightened the restrictions.

14.3 Complete each sentence with the correct agentless passive form of a verb from the box: drive / send / issue / allow / divert / cancel / tighten.

Example: The decision ______ (drive) by concerns about engine damage. → was driven

  1. The restrictions at Catania ________________ by the presence of volcanic ash.
  2. Several services ________________ to Comiso while Catania remained closed.
  3. A red VONA ________________ in response to the ongoing ash emission.
  4. Passengers ________________ to continue their journey to Catania by bus, thanks to the diversion.
  5. Five flights ________________ to Palermo on September 26.
  6. Restrictions ________________ later, leading to a complete suspension.
  7. KM642 ________________ because of the volcanic activity and resulting airspace limitations.

14.4 Use the prompts to write full sentences about a new volcanic disruption at Comiso Airport. Choose agentless passive or forcing/prompting/allowing + object + to-infinitive, whichever fits best.

Example: sector D1 / close / (agentless passive) → Sector D1 was closed.

  1. Mount Etna / erupt again / force / Comiso Airport / suspend departures
  2. ash cloud / reach / 5 km / prompt / carriers / divert flights
  3. sector D2 / close / (agentless passive)
  4. restrictions / drive by / strong winds
  5. additional buses / allow / passengers / continue their itineraries

Answer key

Mount Etna · Level C · Unit 14. Open-ended responses are model answers, not the only correct responses.

Unit 14. Restrictions Were Driven By: Agentless Passive and Causatives

14.1

  1. were closed
  2. was issued
  3. were sent
  4. was canceled
  5. none
  6. was diverted
  7. may be needed

14.2

  1. The eruption continued, forcing SAC to suspend all arrivals and departures.
  2. Volcanic ash posed a hazard to aircraft, prompting pilots to avoid sector C1.
  3. Prevailing wind conditions changed, forcing controllers to close sector B3.
  4. A red VONA was issued, prompting airlines to divert flights away from Catania.
  5. Reduced visibility increased the risk, forcing the carrier to cancel KM642.
  6. The ash plume reached 4 kilometers, prompting SAC to tighten the restrictions.

14.3

  1. were driven
  2. were diverted
  3. was issued
  4. were allowed
  5. were sent
  6. were tightened
  7. was canceled

14.4

  1. Mount Etna erupted again, forcing Comiso Airport to suspend departures.
  2. The ash cloud reached 5 kilometers, prompting carriers to divert flights.
  3. Sector D2 was closed.
  4. The restrictions were driven by strong winds.
  5. Additional buses allowed passengers to continue their itineraries.