EnglishHistory, Change, and Passive Structures
Opening conversation
- What historical event do you think changed the world the most? Why?
- Have you ever had something done professionally — repaired, built, or designed? Tell me what happened.
Words for discussing history
- revolution [/ˌrevəˈluːʃn/]
- a major political or social change
The revolution changed the country. - democracy [/dɪˈmɒkrəsi/]
- a system in which people choose their leaders
Democracy gives people a vote. - election [/ɪˈlekʃn/]
- an occasion when people vote for leaders
The election was held in May. - government [/ˈɡʌvənmənt/]
- the group that controls a country
The government introduced a reform. - abolish [/əˈbɒlɪʃ/]
- to officially end a law or system
They abolished the old law. - reform [/rɪˈfɔːm/]
- a change intended to improve a system
The reform improved schools. - establish [/ɪˈstæblɪʃ/]
- to create an organization or institution
They established a new university. - century [/ˈsentʃəri/]
- a period of one hundred years
It happened in the nineteenth century. - era [/ˈɪərə/]
- a long period with particular features
It was a new era in history. - empire [/ˈempaɪə/]
- a group of territories ruled by one power
The empire controlled many lands. - treaty [/ˈtriːti/]
- a formal agreement between countries
The countries signed a treaty. - monument [/ˈmɒnjumənt/]
- a structure built to remember a person or event
A monument was built in the square. - rights [/raɪts/]
- freedoms that people should have
People demanded equal rights. - industrialization [/ɪnˌdʌstriəlaɪˈzeɪʃn/]
- the growth of industry and factories
Industrialization changed city life.
Three ways to use advanced passive forms
Arrange a professional service
Meaning | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
Someone does a service for you | have/get + object + past participle | I had my car fixed. |
Someone does a service for you | have/get + object + past participle | I got my passport renewed. |
I had my car fixed means another person fixed it for me.
Focus | Example |
|---|---|
The service | We had a monument designed. |
The result | The government got the old law abolished. |
Report information without naming the source
Meaning | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
A general report | It is said/believed/thought that + clause | It is believed that the reform changed society. |
A report about a person or thing | subject + is said/believed/thought + to + verb | The leader is believed to be influential. |
Direct idea | Reporting form |
|---|---|
People think the empire was powerful. | It is thought that the empire was powerful. |
People believe Ashoka was a wise ruler. | Ashoka is believed to have been a wise ruler. |
Give, offer, send, or show something
Many verbs can have two objects: a person and a thing.
Active sentence | Passive with the recipient first | Passive with the thing first |
|---|---|---|
They gave her a prize. | She was given a prize. | A prize was given to her. |
The government offered citizens new rights. | Citizens were offered new rights. | New rights were offered to citizens. |
The recipient-first form is often more natural when the person is the main focus.
Common mistakes
Incorrect | Correct | Why? |
|---|---|---|
I had fixed my car. | I had my car fixed. | The causative needs an object and a past participle. |
It believed that the reform worked. | It is believed that the reform worked. | Use it + be + past participle. |
He is believed was a leader. | He is believed to be a leader. | Use to + verb after the reporting passive. |
She was given to a prize. | She was given a prize. | The recipient comes before the thing. |
A prize was given her. | A prize was given to her. | Use to when the thing is the subject. |
Transforming historical events and services
Connect the service with the result
Connect each service with its completed result.
- renew a passport
- I got my passport renewed.
- repair a roof
- We had our roof repaired.
- design a website
- She had her website designed.
Connect active sentences with passive forms
Connect each active sentence with the correct passive form.
- People believe the reform was successful.
- It is believed that the reform was successful.
- They gave the scientist an award.
- The scientist was given an award.
- Workers built the monument.
- The monument was built by workers.
Choose the complete form
After the storm, we [___] .
[___] the election changed the country.
The activist [___] the committee.
Build the passive sentence
A mechanic fixed Anna’s bicycle for her.
→ Anna [___] .
People think that the empire was very powerful.
→ It [___] .
People believe that Marie Curie was a brilliant scientist.
→ Marie Curie [___] .
They gave the historian a medal.
→ [___] .
Ashoka and social change
Ashoka and Social Change
Emperor Ashoka ruled a large empire in India more than two thousand years ago. He is remembered for changes that affected government, religion, and public life. It is believed that a violent war changed his ideas about power. After this conflict, he was given advice by religious teachers and officials. Ashoka is said to have supported a policy of peace across his empire. He had a palace and stone pillars built in many towns and cities. Messages about fair government, respect, and rights were written on them. Travelers were also given places to rest, and roads were improved. It is thought that these reforms helped people from different groups live together more peacefully. In this era, communication was difficult, so the monuments carried important messages over long distances. Today, Ashoka is believed to be one of the most influential leaders in Indian history.
- What event is believed to have changed Ashoka’s ideas about power?
- Who gave Ashoka advice after the conflict?
- What did Ashoka have built in towns and cities?
- Why were monuments important during this era?
Difficult words
- violent war — a war involving great force and harm
- conflict — a serious disagreement or fight
- policy — an official plan or set of ideas
- pillars — tall stone structures that support buildings or carry messages
- fair government — government that treats people equally
- influential — able to affect people or events strongly
- long distances — places far away from each other
Find the target forms
Read aloud:
- one sentence with a service arranged by someone;
- one sentence that reports a belief;
- one sentence where a person receives something.
Key forms to take away
Purpose | Key form | Example |
|---|---|---|
Arrange a service | have/get + object + past participle | I had my phone repaired. |
Report an idea generally | It is said that + clause | It is said that the treaty ended the war. |
Report about a person | subject + is believed + to + verb | She is believed to be a reformer. |
Focus on the recipient | person + was/were given + thing | The scientist was given an award. |
Focus on the thing | thing + was/were given + to + person | An award was given to the scientist. |
Review the history words
revolution · democracy · election · government · abolish · reform · establish · century · era · empire · treaty · monument · rights · industrialization
