All English 4UIntermediate Grammar
Master English grammar one unit at a time. Clear notes, then 40+ interactive exercises with instant feedback — based on the topics in English Grammar in Use (Intermediate).
I was offered… / I don’t like being… — Passive 3“passive with two objects (I was given / she was offered) · being done · I was born · get + past participle” — 44 interactive questions
📖 Grammar Reference — I was offered… / I don’t like being… — Passive 3
Study the notes, then work through the six exercises.
A Two objects → start with the person
Some verbs have two objects — a person and a thing: give, send, offer, pay, show, teach, tell, ask, lend. In the passive we usually begin with the person:
💡 Also: I’ve been offered…, you will be given…, he is paid a lot, I was shown a copy.
B being done — the passive -ing
The -ing form of a passive is being + past participle. Use it after words that need -ing: like, hate, enjoy, remember, avoid, without:
💡 being + V3 — never be told or been told after like / hate / without.
C I was born
To say when or where your life began, we use was / were born — a fixed passive. For the past use was/were, not am / is / are:
| I was born in 2001. past | I am born in 2001 ✗ |
| Where were you born? question | Where are you born? ✗ |
💡 A general truth can be present: How many babies are born every day? But your own birth is finished → I was born.
D get instead of be (informal)
In informal spoken English we can use get + past participle instead of be — but only when something happens:
Some fixed get expressions are not really passive: get married, get divorced, get dressed, get changed, get lost.
💡 get = informal · be works in any situation · don’t use get with state verbs like like, know.
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Original practice material inspired by the English Grammar in Use syllabus (Cambridge University Press). Example sentences and exercises are written by All English 4U.