Speaking: Grammar in Speaking C1 - Lesson 3: Employing a Full Range of Passive & Subjunctive Forms

Speaking: Grammar in Speaking C1 - Lesson 3: Employing a Full Range of Passive & Subjunctive Forms

Welcome back! At the C1 level, we move beyond basic grammar to employ¹ structures that add formality, precision, and a sophisticated tone to our speech. Today, we will master two key advanced structures: a wider range of the passive voice and the subjunctive mood. These are hallmarks of a truly advanced speaker.

Advanced Passive Forms: Shifting Focus with Precision

You know the basic passive is used to focus on the receiver of an action. At C1, we use it with more complex tenses to describe situations with greater nuance.

Present Perfect Passive (`has/have been + p.p.`):

Use: For a recent past action with a present result.

Example: "The meeting has been postponed until next week." (The result now is that we don't have a meeting today).

Past Continuous Passive (`was/were being + p.p.`):

Use: For a background action in progress when something else happened.

Example: "We couldn't enter the building because the lobby was being renovated."

Modal Perfect Passive (`should/could/must have been + p.p.`):

Use: To speculate or critique a past event.

Example: "This mistake should have been prevented." (A critique of a past failure).

The Subjunctive Mood: For Formal & Hypothetical Ideas

The subjunctive mood² is a special verb form for non-factual situations. It is a key feature of formal and official English.

Key Uses of the Subjunctive:

1. Formal Suggestions, Demands, or Requests:

Structure: `(verb of suggestion) + that + subject + BASE VERB`

Example: "The committee recommends that the proposal be accepted." (Not 'is accepted').

Example: "I insist that he apologize immediately." (Not 'apologizes').

2. Hypothetical Conditionals (`If I were...`):

Use: To sound more formal and grammatically precise in unreal conditionals.

Example: "If I were in charge, things would be different." (Considered more correct in formal contexts than "If I was...").

Scenario: A Formal Committee Meeting

Listen to this discussion during a formal meeting. Notice how the speakers use the passive and subjunctive to sound objective and authoritative.

Chairperson: "Let's move to the next agenda item: the failed 'Project Titan'. The final report on what went wrong has just been submitted."

Ms. Vanna: "Thank you. I've read the report. It is vital that we **be** transparent about this. My primary concern is that the budget issues **should have been identified** much earlier."

Mr. Piseth: "I agree. I recommend that a new financial oversight protocol **be established** immediately. Furthermore, I propose that the project's risk assessment process **be reviewed** by an independent auditor."

Chairperson: "Thank you both. Those are excellent suggestions. A full review **will be conducted**."

Choosing the Right Register

These advanced structures are markers of a formal³ register. You would not typically use the subjunctive ("I suggest that he be on time") when talking to a friend. You would say something more direct ("I think he should be on time").

The C1 skill is knowing when to deploy these structures. Use them in:

• Formal presentations and speeches.
• Professional meetings and negotiations.
• Academic discussions.
• Formal writing.

In casual conversation, relying on them too much can make you sound unnatural or even pretentious.

Practice Quiz: Choose the Correct Form

Read the sentences and choose the grammatically correct and most appropriate form.

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1. The CEO demanded that the report __________ on his desk by 9 AM.

A) is
B) be
C) was

→ Answer: B. After a verb of demand like "demanded that...", we use the subjunctive mood (the base form of the verb).

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2. "The historical documents were safe. When the fire broke out, they __________ to a secure location."

A) were already being moved
B) had already been moved
C) have already been moved

→ Answer: B. The Past Perfect Passive is needed to show that the action of moving the documents happened *before* the fire broke out (the main past event).

Your Mission: The Formal Recommendation

Your mission is to practice using these formal structures to make a professional recommendation.

1. Think of a real problem you would like to see solved (e.g., at your workplace, university, or in your city).
2. Prepare a short, formal speech (60-90 seconds) proposing a solution.
3. Your Goal: You must include at least one subjunctive form (e.g., "I suggest that...") and one advanced passive form (e.g., "This problem should have been...").
4. Record yourself delivering your speech.
5. Example: "Good morning. I am here to discuss the issue of office parking. The current situation is inadequate. A solution **should have been found** years ago. Therefore, I **recommend that a new parking area be constructed** behind the main building. It is essential that this **issue be taken** seriously to improve staff morale."

Vocabulary Glossary

1. To Employ (language): (Verb) - ប្រើ - To use a particular word, phrase, or method. ↩
2. Subjunctive Mood: (Noun Phrase) - ទម្រង់ subjunctive - A verb form used in formal or hypothetical contexts to express wishes, suggestions, or unreal conditions. ↩
3. Formal: (Adjective) - ជាផ្លូវការ - Suitable for or constituting an official or important situation or occasion. ↩
4. Hypothetical: (Adjective) - សម្មតិកម្ម - Based on a possible idea or situation rather than one that is actual or certain. ↩
5. Passive Voice: (Noun Phrase) - សម្លេងអកម្ម - The grammar form where the subject receives the action of the verb. ↩