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← Level B lessonsNORTHEAST STORM · LEVEL B · UNIT 10

Recorded Facts: The Passive Voice

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Practice note: Grammar examples and role-play details may be hypothetical. Questions explicitly about the article use the reported facts. This is a historical report, not current travel advice.

Words from the text: record, report, cover, operate, involve, disrupt, impact, affected, flexibility, figures, eligible, conditions

A We use the passive (be + past participle) to talk about facts and events when we are interested in the action itself, not in who did it. This is very common in news reports about figures, flights and damage.

The cancelation figures are recorded by FlightAware every day.

Boston Logan is affected by strong winds and heavy rain.

New numbers are reported by the airline every morning.

По-русски часто говорят активно: 'Компания сообщила новые цифры'. В новостях по-английски чаще используется пассив: 'New figures were reported', а не 'The company reported'.

B Use is/are + past participle for facts that are true now. Use was/were + past participle for facts about a finished event in the past.

Form / wordExample / meaning
Present (true now)is/are + past participle
Past (finished event)was/were + past participle

Several Northeast airports are affected by the storm right now.

66 cancelations were recorded at Nantucket on September 26.

Flights to Boston are operated by several airlines, including Delta and JetBlue.

Eligible travel is covered by the airline's weather waiver, and several airports are involved.

C We usually leave out the agent when it is not known or not important. Add by + agent when it adds useful information. Only a transitive use can normally become passive.

Hundreds of flights were canceled because of the storm.

Air travel is disrupted by the storm.

The storm's impact is continuing into Sunday. (intransitive: no object)

The service was continued by the airline. (transitive use of continue)

Happen/occur не имеют обычного пассива. Continue и keep могут употребляться переходно и непереходно; в примере про продолжающийся шторм нужен active.

Exercises

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10.1 Rewrite these sentences in the passive. Do not include the person or company unless it is necessary.

Example: FlightAware recorded 253 cancelations on Saturday. → 253 cancelations were recorded on Saturday.

  1. FlightAware recorded 66 cancelations at Nantucket.
  2. The storm affects several regional airports.
  3. JetBlue operates flights between Boston and New York.
  4. The airline's waiver covers eligible travel dates.
  5. Delta reported a large number of cancelations.
  6. The waiver involves several Northeast airports.
  7. The Boston Globe reported new figures on Sunday.
Answers

For open questions, these are model answers. Other answers may also be correct.

  1. 66 cancelations were recorded at Nantucket.
  2. Several regional airports are affected by the storm.
  3. Flights between Boston and New York are operated by JetBlue.
  4. Eligible travel dates are covered by the airline's waiver.
  5. A large number of cancelations were reported by Delta.
  6. Several Northeast airports are involved in the waiver.
  7. New figures were reported by The Boston Globe on Sunday.

10.2 Choose the correct form of the verb.

Example: Nantucket Airport ______ (is affect / is affected) by heavy rain today. → is affected

  1. 115 flights (was canceled / were canceled) by Cape Air on Saturday.
  2. The airline's North Region (is affect / is affected) by the storm this weekend.
  3. New figures (was reported / were reported) by The Boston Globe on Sunday.
  4. Eligible travel (is cover / is covered) under Delta's weather waiver.
  5. Several routes (are operate / are operated) by Cape Air in its regional network.
  6. The storm's impact (is continuing / is continued) into Sunday.
Answers

For open questions, these are model answers. Other answers may also be correct.

  1. were canceled
  2. is affected
  3. were reported
  4. is covered
  5. are operated
  6. is continuing

10.3 Complete the sentences with the passive form (is/are or was/were + past participle) of a verb from the box: record, report, cover, operate, involve, affect.

Example: Boston Logan ______ by strong winds and heavy rain. → is affected

  1. 36 delays at Logan on September 26, according to FlightAware.
  2. Eligible travel to Boston by Delta's weather waiver.
  3. Several Northeast airports in the latest travel waivers.
  4. The new cancelation figures by The Boston Globe on Sunday.
  5. Regional flights to Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard by Cape Air.
  6. Logan Airport the most by Saturday's storm.
Answers

For open questions, these are model answers. Other answers may also be correct.

  1. were recorded
  2. is covered
  3. are involved
  4. were reported
  5. are operated
  6. was affected

10.4 Identify the passive verb phrase and its subject in each example.

Example: Cape Air and Delta were affected the most at Boston Logan. → Passive: were affected; subject: Cape Air and Delta.

  1. Passengers who were scheduled to travel could move their trips.
  2. Several regional airports were affected by the storm.
  3. A large number of cancelations are expected at Boston Logan on Sunday.
Answers

For open questions, these are model answers. Other answers may also be correct.

  1. were scheduled; subject of the relative clause: who, referring to passengers.
  2. were affected; subject: several regional airports.
  3. are expected; subject: a large number of cancelations.