Grammar Focus

Explicación (en español)

En este nivel C1, la voz pasiva no se limita a "objeto + be + participio". Vamos a explorar estructuras avanzadas donde el foco recae totalmente en la acción o en el resultado, y el sujeto original se vuelve irrelevante o se desplaza al final. Una forma común es el uso de estructuras con "it" o "there" (ej. It is believed that...), que nos permiten presentar opiniones generales de manera formal, algo esencial en textos académicos sobre agricultura o política alimentaria.

Por otro lado, introducimos la causative form (have/get something done). Esta estructura se utiliza cuando no realizamos la acción nosotros mismos, sino que contratamos o persuadimos a alguien para que lo haga. En el contexto de la agricultura, es muy común: un agricultor no arregla su tractor él mismo, sino que has it repaired. Es crucial distinguir entre have something done (más formal) y get something done (más informal o que implica un proceso con dificultad).

Un error típico de los hispanohablantes es intentar traducir directamente estructuras como "me hicieron arreglar el tractor" usando el sujeto de forma incorrecta. En inglés, la estructura causativa requiere que el objeto directo vaya inmediatamente después del verbo have/get. Otro error común es olvidar el participio pasado en la estructura causativa; recuerda siempre: have + object + past participle.

Finalmente, recuerda que la voz pasiva avanzada permite "suavizar" afirmaciones. En lugar de decir "The government failed to provide food" (que suena muy directo), podemos decir "It was felt that food supplies were insufficient". Esto otorga un tono de objetividad y sofisticación necesario para aprobar el examen C1 Advanced.

Form — estructura

Examples

1. The harvest was delayed due to the unprecedented drought. (La cosecha se retrasó debido a la sequía sin precedentes.)
2. It is widely believed that vertical farming will be the future of urban food production. (Se cree ampliamente que la agricultura vertical será el futuro de la producción alimentaria urbana.)
3. The farmer had his irrigation system installed last month. (El agricultor mandó instalar su sistema de riego el mes pasado.)
4. We need to get the soil tested before planting the new crops. (Necesitamos que nos analicen el suelo antes de plantar los nuevos cultivos.)
5. It was reported that the food shortages were caused by supply chain disruptions. (Se informó que la escasez de alimentos fue causada por interrupciones en la cadena de suministro.)
6. The organic vegetables have been exported to over twenty countries. (Las verduras orgánicas han sido exportadas a más de veinte países.)
7. The local community is getting the community garden renovated. (La comunidad local está haciendo que renueven el jardín comunitario.)
8. It is argued that food security is a fundamental human right. (Se argumenta que la seguridad alimentaria es un derecho humano fundamental.)

Contrast

1. ✗ The farmer had repaired the tractor. / ✓ The farmer had his tractor repaired. (Error: La primera frase significa que el agricultor reparó el tractor él mismo. La segunda significa que contrató a alguien para que lo hiciera).

2. ✗ It is thought that crops are dying. / ✓ It is thought that the crops are dying. (Error: En contextos específicos de agricultura, el uso de artículos es vital para la precisión).

3. ✗ I got my seeds planted. / ✓ I had my seeds planted. (Note: While 'got' is possible, 'had' is often more natural for professional services, though 'got' works for tasks completed with effort).

4. ✗ The food security was being improved by the government. / ✓ Food security was being improved by the government. (Error: En general, no usamos 'the' con conceptos abstractos como 'food security' a menos que nos refiramos a una situación específica previamente mencionada).

Mini-quiz — 10 preguntas

1. Rewrite the sentence using the impersonal passive: "People say that organic farming is more sustainable." It ___ that organic farming is more sustainable.

2. Complete the sentence: The vineyard ___ (newly / plant) last spring. The vineyard ________ last spring.

3. Choose the correct option: We need to _ the irrigation pipes fixed before the dry season starts. a) have b) get c) both are correct

4. Transformation: "Someone repaired my greenhouse yesterday." (Use causative 'have') I __________ yesterday.

5. Multiple choice: It ___ that global food prices will rise next year. a) is being thought b) is thought c) thinks

6. Complete the sentence: The farmer ___ (his crops / spray) to prevent pest damage. The farmer ________ to prevent pest damage.

7. Rewrite using the passive: "The government is implementing new food security laws." New food security laws __________.

8. Choose the correct order: "She got her harvest organized." a) She got organized her harvest. b) She got her harvest organized. c) She organized her harvest got.

9. Complete the sentence: It ___ (claim) that the drought was caused by climate change. It ________ that the drought was caused by climate change.

10. Transformation: "A specialist is testing the soil samples." (Use causative 'get') The researchers are __________.

Respuestas: 1. is thought 2. was newly planted 3. c) both are correct 4. had my greenhouse repaired 5. b) is thought 6. had his crops sprayed 7. are being implemented (by the government) 8. b) She got her harvest organized. 9. is claimed 10. getting the soil samples tested