AIRMEN’S JOURNAL
PILOT’S TALK
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PILOT’S TALK · GRAMMAR PRACTICE

Mount Etna · Level A · Unit 3

Name: __________________________ Date: ______________

Unit 3. What Is Called, What Was Closed: Simple Passive

Words from the text: be called, be closed, be planned, be canceled, damage, volcano, airport, flight, ash, airspace, passenger, aircraft

A We use is/are + past participle to talk about facts now. We do not say who does the action.

The airport company is called SAC.

Sectors C1 and B3 are closed now.

A flight is planned for next week.

Volcanic ash is called a danger for pilots.

Простой пассив настоящего времени: is/are + причастие (3-я форма глагола). Исполнитель действия не называется, важен сам факт.

B We use was/were + past participle to talk about facts in the past.

Both flights were canceled on September 26.

The airport was closed after the ash cloud came closer.

Two aircraft engines were damaged by ash.

The flight to Brussels was planned for September 26.

Простой пассив прошедшего времени: was/were + причастие. Was — с единственным числом, were — со множественным.

C We use active when we know who does the action. We use passive when this is not important.

Active: SAC canceled the flight.

Passive: The flight was canceled.

Active: The volcano damages aircraft engines.

Passive: Aircraft engines are damaged by ash.

В активном залоге важен исполнитель (SAC, airline). В пассиве важнее сам факт — кто сделал, не всегда нужно говорить.

Exercises

3.1 Change the active sentence into the passive. Use was/were + past participle.

Example: SAC canceled the flight. → The flight was canceled.

  1. The ash cloud damaged the aircraft engine.
  2. Airlines diverted ten flights.
  3. SAC canceled flight KM642.
  4. INGV closed the airspace.
  5. The airline planned a flight for September 26.
  6. Brussels Airlines canceled the flight to Brussels.

3.2 Choose the correct form: is/are or was/were + past participle.

Example: Catania Airport (is closed / were closed) now. → is closed

  1. The airport company (is called / was called) SAC.
  2. Both flights (is canceled / were canceled) yesterday.
  3. Sector B3 (is closed / was closed) now because of ash.
  4. The flight to Brussels (was planned / were planned) for September 26.
  5. Many passenger plans (was changed / were changed) last week.
  6. Two aircraft engines (is damaged / were damaged) by the ash.
  7. The volcano (is called / was called) Etna.

3.3 Complete the text with the correct passive form of the verb in brackets (is/are or was/were + past participle).

Example: Catania Airport ______ (close) now. → is closed

  1. The airport company ________________ (call) SAC.
  2. Sectors C1 and B3 ________________ (close) because of the ash cloud.
  3. Flight KM642 ________________ (cancel) on September 26.
  4. A flight to Brussels ________________ (plan) for September 26.
  5. That flight ________________ (cancel) because of the volcano.
  6. Two aircraft engines ________________ (damage) by volcanic ash.

Answer key

Mount Etna · Level A · Unit 3. Open-ended responses are model answers, not the only correct responses.

Unit 3. What Is Called, What Was Closed: Simple Passive

3.1

  1. The aircraft engine was damaged.
  2. Ten flights were diverted.
  3. Flight KM642 was canceled.
  4. The airspace was closed.
  5. A flight was planned for September 26.
  6. The flight to Brussels was canceled.

3.2

  1. is called
  2. were canceled
  3. is closed
  4. was planned
  5. were changed
  6. were damaged
  7. is called

3.3

  1. is called
  2. are closed
  3. was canceled
  4. was planned
  5. was canceled
  6. were damaged