What the Orchestra Knows
Grammar: Passive voice (full range: all tenses, get-passive, agent omission)
A Business English English lesson exploring business.
What's in this lesson
A Business English ESL lesson on business, practising passive voice (full range: all tenses, get-passive, agent omission). The worksheet has a reading, target vocabulary, a grammar reference with practice and discussion questions.
From the reading: What the Orchestra Knows
In 2019, the conductor Gustavo Dudamel faced a crisis mid-performance at the Los Angeles Philharmonic. A brass section had entered four bars too early, and 90 musicians — without a single spoken word — were required to recalibrate in real time. The mistake was corrected within seconds. No email was sent. No meeting was called. The information had been communicated, absorbed, and acted upon entirely through a shared system of attention, cue, and register.
Vocabulary
- at arm's length
- move the needle
- pass the buck
- set the bar
- beneath
- beyond
- through
- upon
- within
Grammar
- Passive — present/past
- A decision has been reached. — agent removed; outcome stands alone
- Passive — agent
- The score was corrected by the conductor. — use by when agent matters
Discussion questions
- Can you communicate without words?
- When does silence say more than speech?
- Does your communication style change under pressure?
What the Orchestra Knows
Grammar: Passive voice (full range: all tenses, get-passive, agent omission)
What's in this lesson:
Full lesson plan with reading, grammar, vocabulary, and discussion.
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