Unit 12: Technology
Target Grammar: Passives
Form: be + past participle. The passive voice exists in every tense (e.g., is made, was invented, will be used).
Use: We use passive verbs to say what happens to the subject. Often, the person or thing that causes the action is unknown or unimportant. If we want to say who does the action, we use by.
- Active: People generally download musicat home.
- Passive: Generally, music is downloaded at home.
- Active: A Portuguese company made this jacket.
- Passive: This jacket was made by a Portuguese company.
Target Grammar: Modals of Prediction and Possibility
We use modals to talk about the future with different degrees of certainty.
- Will / Won’t: Used for predictions we are certain about.
Example: Translation apps will be so good that we won’t need to learn languages. - Might / Could: Used for possibilities that are not 100% certain.
Example: Some classes might be 100% online. It could happen.
Advanced Insight: Passives in Technical Writing
The passive voice is frequently used in scientific and technical writing to describe processes where the agent (the person doing the work) is obvious or irrelevant. For example, when describing how technology is manufactured: “The microchips are inserted into the device, and then the screen is attached.” This focuses the reader’s attention on the product and the process rather than the worker.
Exercise 1: Vocabulary Matching
Matchthe technology words with their definitions.
- App: ______ (A) A machine that stores information and performs tasks.
- Download: ______ (B) To put a new program onto a device.
- Memory: ______ (C) Needs a silicon chip to work.
- Software: ______ (D) Space on a computer to store files.
- Computer: ______ (E) To move files from the internet to your device.
- Install: ______ (F) A program used on computers and devices.
- Electronic: ______ (G) Programs youuse to make a computer do different things.
- Drive: ______ (H) A part of a computer used for storage.
Exercise 2: Passive Transformations
Rewrite the sentences from active to passive voice.
- Millions of people have watched the video.
The video ______________________. - Computers will drive buses in the future.
Buses ______________________. - Cellphones can take great photos.
Great photos ______________________. - Most people aren’t using cassettes anymore.
Cassettes ______________________. - A Portuguese company made this jacket.
This jacket ______________________. - People generally download music at home.
Generally, music ______________________. - Students invented the first webcam.
The first webcam ______________________. - Technology solves some problems.
Some problems ______________________.
Exercise 3: Modals of Prediction
Circle the best option to complete the dialogue or sentence.
- Do you think all classes will / won’t be 100% online in the future?
- I’m not sure. I think some classes might / won’t be online.
- People won’t / might need to learn languages because apps will / could be so good.
- We probably / will never visit Antarctica. It’s too expensive.
- In twenty years, we might / won’t live underground. It’s possible.
- Look at those clouds. It will / might rain.
- I don’t think I will / might be able to do that.
- Translation apps could / won’t replace teachers one day.
Exercise 4: Vocabulary in Context
Complete the text with the words: apps, download, electronic, program, software.
Technology helps us daily. 1. _______ devices are used to make our lives easier. They rely on computer 2. _______ to function. You can find many helpful 3. _______ online. It only takesa minute to 4. _______ them to your phone. You don’t need to know how to 5. _______ a computer to use them; just install and go.
Exercise 5: Unscramble the Sentences
Put the words in the correct order.
- be / solved /can’t / problems / Some / technology / by /.
- products / advertise / to / used / media / Social / is /.
- future / in / the / work / to / need / won’t / people / Most /.
- popular / think / don’t / trains / those / be / will / I /.
- viewed / Coffee / online / pot / pictures / be / can /.
- video / invented / calling / have / Apps / been / different /.
- car / by / travel / will / They / flying /.
- new / introduced / They/ model / a / autopilot /.
Exercise 6: True or False?
Read the statements about technology history and decide if they are True or False.
- The Sinclair C5 was a popular electric car in the 1980s. (True / False)
- Early video phones allowed people to see each other clearly even if they moved. (True / False)
- Webcams were invented to check if a coffee pot was full. (True / False)
- Solar-powered ships cause a lot of pollution. (True / False)
- The negative form of “will” is “wont”. (True / False)
- Passive voice always focuses on the person doing the action. (True / False)
- “Could” can be usedto express possibility in the future. (True / False)
- An “app” is short for “application”. (True / False)
