b) How to use the passive voice The passive voice How to use it The house was broken into. • Passive forms are often used to focus on the action rather than the people involved in it. My purse was stolen (and I don’t know who did it). The window was broken (but I don’t want to say who did it). Water was added to start the process. • Passive forms are used in order not to mention the agent (= the person who performs the action). The reason can be that: the speaker does not know the agent the speaker does not want to mention the agent the agent is simply not important (especially when describing scientific processes as it is not important who performs the action) The French army was defeated in the Battle of Waterloo. • Passive forms are generally found in more formal kinds of texts such as newspaper articles, reports and historical or scientific texts. On Sundays, cooking is done by my sister (which is remarkable). • Passive forms are used to place important information about the agent at the end of a clause in order to emphasise it. In this case you use by. Adverbial clauses Page 109 a) Characteristics of adverbial clauses Adverbial clauses, like adverbial phrases, refer to time, place, reasons or conditions. They help you to improve your style and to make a text easier to read. Adverbial clauses are introduced by conjunctions like when, because, if, as, etc. Instead of adverbs you can often use an adverbial phrase or an adverbial clause. Adverb Adverbial phrase Adverbial clause It’s easier to wash your car now. It’s easier to wash your car in the rain. It’s easier to wash your car when it rains. b) Common adverbial clauses Adverbial clauses of time When he read the leaflet, Pete had lots of new ideas. While she was looking for a seat on the bus, Naomi suddenly saw Marco outside. • Adverbial clauses of time are often introduced by when, while, after and before. Adverbial clauses of place I can’t remember where I last saw him. He did not tell me where he came from. • Adverbial clauses of place are often introduced by where, from where/where … from, etc. Adverbial clauses of reason Their son didn’t go to university right after A-levels because he wanted to see the world first. • Adverbial clauses of reason are often introduced by because, as/since and although. G 9 163 Nur zu Prüfzwecken – Eigentum des Verlags öbv
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