10.5 The present perfect passive

Presentation

B elcombe used to be an unspoilt village on the south coast of England, but you wouldn’t recognise it now. They’ve developed it as a tourist resort - and they’ve completely destroyed its old atmosphere. They’ve pulled down the picturesque old cottages by the harbour, and they’ve built a hideous luxury hotel there instead. They’ve widened and resurfaced all the old cobbled streets, and they’ve cut down the trees in the village square, and put a car park there. Even the old village shop isn’t there any more - they’ve turned it into one of those awful cafes where everything seems to be made of plastic, and they’ve put a big sign outside saying ‘Ye Olde Tea Shoppe’.

The passage tells you what they have done to the village. Instead, we could talk about what has happened to the village.

Example They’ve developed the village as a tourist resort.

The village has been developed as a tourist resort.

Use the Passive to talk about the other changes in the village.

1. The atmosphere of the village ...

2. The old cottages ...

3. A luxury hotel...

4. The streets ...

5. The trees in the square ...

6. A car park ...

7. The village shop ...

8. A sign saying ‘Ye Olde Tea Shoppe’...

Practice

The two pictures below show how a street has changed.

Work in pairs. Ask each other what has happened to everything. Answer using the Passive.

Example A: What’s happened to the shop ?

B: It’s been pulled down and a garage has been built there instead.

10.6 Changes of habit Practice

Work in pairs. Interview each other about how much/how often you do the things below compared to a few years ago. Make a note of your partner’s answers.

Example A: Do you go to parties as often as you used to ?

В: Yes – I go to parties more often now than I used to.

or No – I don’t go to parties as often as I used to.

or Well, I don’t go to parties any more.

		more/less
1	go to parties (often)
2	cinema (often)
3	cry (often)
4	smoke (much)
5	eat (much)
6	travel (much)
7	read (much)
8	write letters (often)
9	lose your temper (often)

Now use your notes to tell someone else how your partner has changed.

Example He doesn’t go to parties as often as he used to.

Work in groups. Tell the others some other ways in which you’ve changed over the past few years.