A2/B1 — Responsibilities & Duties

Conditionals 0 & 1 and The Passive Voice

Responsibilities · Conditionals 0 & 1 · Passive Voice across Tenses
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Vocabulary: Responsibilities & Duties

Focus: Words related to tasks, obligations, rules, and managing projects or people at work or school.

Core Concepts

Responsibility/rɪˌspɒn.sɪˈbɪl.ə.ti/Отговорност
Duty/ˈdʒuː.ti/Задължение (служебно/морално)
Obligation/ˌɒb.lɪˈɡeɪ.ʃən/Задължение (официално/законово)
Task/tɑːsk/Задача
Accountable/əˈkaʊn.tə.bəl/Носещ отговорност / Отчетен пред
Guideline/ˈɡaɪd.laɪn/Насока / Правило за работа
Authority/ɔːˈθɒr.ɪ.ti/Власт / Правомощие
Consequence/ˈkɒn.sɪ.kwəns/Последица / Резултат
Procedure/prəˈsiː.dʒər/Процедура / Начин на работа

Verbs & Actions

Supervise/ˈsuː.pə.vaɪz/Надзиравам / Контролирам
Oversee/ˌəʊ.vəˈsiː/Наблюдавам / Ръководя процес
Ensure/ɪnˈʃɔːr/Уверявам се / Осигурявам
Comply (with)/kəmˈplaɪ/Спазвам / Съобразявам се с (правила)
Implement/ˈɪm.plɪ.ment/Внедрявам / Прилагам на практика
Evaluate/ɪˈvæl.ju.eɪt/Оценявам (резултат/работа)
Assign/əˈsaɪn/Възлагам / Назначавам
Delegate/ˈdel.ɪ.ɡeɪt/Делегирам (задача на друг)

Key Phrases

Be in charge of/ɪn tʃɑːdʒ əv/Отговарям за / Ръководя
Take on/teɪk ɒn/Поемам (отговорност/задача)
Carry out/ˈkær.i aʊt/Изпълнявам (задача/план)
Deal with/diːl wɪð/Справям се с / Занимавам се с
Be responsible for/rɪˈspɒn.sɪ.bəl fɔː/Отговарям за нещо
Be in charge of/ɪn tʃɑːdʒ əv/Ръководя / Отговарям за

Useful Preposition Phrases

By + agent/baɪ/От (показва кой е извършил действието в пасив)
With + instrument/wɪð/С (показва инструмент или средство)

Grammar Lab: Conditionals & Passive Voice

1. The Zero Conditional — Facts & General Truths

Use the Zero Conditional to talk about things that are generally or always true — scientific facts, rules, and predictable outcomes. If condition A happens, result B always happens.
Structure: If + Present Simple, Present Simple

✅ Scientific Facts

  • If you heat ice, it melts.
  • If you mix red and blue, you get purple.

✅ Rules & Routines

  • If employees are late, they receive a warning.
  • If the alarm rings, we evacuate the building.
💡 Note: In the Zero Conditional, you can usually replace "If" with "When" without changing the meaning. (When you heat ice, it melts.)
📝 Easy Exercise. Complete with the correct Present Simple form.
1. If you ___ (press) this button, the machine ___ (turn) off. /
2. If a customer ___ (complain), the manager ___ (deal) with it. /
3. Plants ___ (die) if they ___ (not / get) enough water. /
4. If the supervisor ___ (not / approve) the form, staff ___ (not / receive) their day off. /
5. When water ___ (reach) 100°C, it ___ (boil). /
🎯 Hard Exercise. Complete these Zero Conditional sentences using the verbs in brackets. Some are negative.
1. If you ___ (not / follow) the guidelines, mistakes ___ (happen). /
2. Unless staff ___ (comply) with safety rules, accidents ___ (occur). /
3. When the manager ___ (delegate) tasks well, the team ___ (work) more efficiently. /
4. If procedures ___ (not / be) followed, quality ___ (suffer). /
5. If you ___ (mix) blue and yellow, you ___ (get) green. /

2. The First Conditional — Real Future Possibilities

Use the First Conditional to talk about a specific situation in the future and its likely result. It is a real possibility.
Structure: If + Present Simple, will/won't + base verb

✅ Future Possibility

  • If I finish my task early, I will help you.
  • If she doesn't arrive soon, we will start the meeting without her.

✅ Using 'Unless'

  • Unless means "if not".
  • Unless you study, you will fail.
    (= If you don't study, you will fail.)
⚠️ Watch out: Never use "will" in the "if" part of the sentence!
"If it will rain..." ❌ → "If it rains, we will stay home." ✓
📝 Easy Exercise. Complete the First Conditional sentences.
1. If she ___ (study) hard, she ___ (pass) the exam. /
2. If it ___ (rain) tomorrow, we ___ (not / go) to the park. /
3. Unless you ___ (hurry), you ___ (miss) the bus. /
4. I ___ (help) you if you ___ (ask) me nicely. /
5. We ___ (not / launch) the product unless testing ___ (be) complete. /
🎯 Hard Exercise. Fill in the gaps to make First Conditional sentences.
1. If the client ___ (agree) to the price, we ___ (sign) the contract tomorrow. /
2. I ___ (not / take) on the project unless they ___ (pay) me more. /
3. What ___ (you / do) if you ___ (lose) your passport? /
4. Unless he ___ (comply) with the new procedures, the manager ___ (take) action. /
5. If she ___ (not / oversee) the team, the project ___ (fail). /

3. Conditionals with When and Unless

Two very common words that work inside conditional sentences are when and unless. They each have a specific meaning and follow the same tense rules as if.

🕐 WHEN — it will definitely happen

  • When is used when you are certain something will happen (not just possible).
  • When I finish work, I will call you.
    (I am definitely finishing work.)
  • When he arrives, tell him to wait.
  • In Zero Conditional: When you heat ice, it melts.
    (always true — same as "if")

🚫 UNLESS — "if not"

  • Unless = if … not. It introduces a condition that would prevent the result.
  • Unless you study, you will fail.
    (= If you don't study, you will fail.)
  • I won't go unless you come with me.
    (= I will only go if you come.)
  • ⚠️ Never say "unless … not": ❌ Unless you don't hurry → ✅ Unless you hurry
📌 Comma rules — where does the comma go?
— When the if / when / unless clause comes first, use a comma: If it rains, we will stay inside.
— When the main clause comes first, no comma is needed: We will stay inside if it rains.
This rule applies to when and unless in the same way.
📝 Easy Exercise. Choose when or unless to complete the sentences.
1. ___ you finish your homework, you can watch TV.
2. ___ you wear a coat, you will be cold.
3. She will call us ___ she lands at the airport.
4. ___ you apologise, I won't speak to you again.
5. ___ it is cold, water freezes. (general fact)
🎯 Hard Exercise. Complete using when or unless, and the correct verb form. Add a comma where necessary.
1. ___ the manager ___ (arrive) tomorrow, we will start the meeting. /
2. I won't delegate this task ___ I ___ (trust) the person completely. /
3. ___ staff ___ (not / comply) with the guidelines, there will be consequences. /
4. We will evaluate the results ___ the project ___ (end). /
5. ___ you ___ (carry) out your duties, you will be held accountable. /

4. The Passive Voice — Why and How We Use It

In an Active sentence, the subject does the action. In a Passive sentence, the subject receives the action.

When do we use the passive?

1️⃣ The action matters more than the doer

  • The report is written every Friday.
    (We don't care who writes it.)

2️⃣ We don't know who did it

  • My wallet was stolen.
    (Unknown thief.)

3️⃣ Formal / professional writing

  • All forms must be submitted by Friday.
    (Formal rule.)
🏗️ The Golden Rule of Structure: Passive = BE (correct tense) + Past Participle (V3)
To change the tense of a passive sentence, you only change the verb BE. The past participle always stays the same.
The report is written / was written / will be written / has been written / is being written.
Active Voice

The manager (subject/doer)

writes (verb)

the report. (object/receiver)

➔
Passive Voice

The report (new subject)

is written (be + past participle)

(by the manager). (optional doer)

5. The Passive Voice Across Different Tenses

Here is how the Passive Voice looks in the most common English tenses. Notice how only the verb BE changes — the past participle (V3) always stays the same!

Tense Passive Structure Active Example Passive Example
Present Simple
Routines, facts		 am/is/are + V3 They clean the office every day. The office is cleaned every day.
Past Simple
Completed actions		 was/were + V3 Shakespeare wrote Hamlet. Hamlet was written by Shakespeare.
Present Continuous
Happening right now		 am/is/are being + V3 They are repairing my car now. My car is being repaired now.
Present Perfect
Recent past / experience		 has/have been + V3 Someone has stolen my laptop! My laptop has been stolen!
Past Continuous
Was in progress in the past		 was/were being + V3 Workers were building the road. The road was being built.
Future Simple
Future actions		 will be + V3 The boss will evaluate the staff. The staff will be evaluated.
Modals
can, must, should		 modal + be + V3 Employees must follow the rules. The rules must be followed.
📝 Easy Exercise — Identifying the BE form. Complete the passive sentences with the correct form of BE.
1. (Present Simple) English ___ spoken all over the world.
2. (Past Simple) The Pyramids ___ built thousands of years ago.
3. (Future Simple) The new bridge will ___ finished next year.
4. (Present Continuous) Please wait. Your application is ___ processed right now.
5. (Present Perfect) Great news! The missing child has ___ found.
🎯 Hard Exercise — Full Passive. Write the complete passive form for each tense shown in brackets.
1. The report ___ (write) by the manager every Friday. (Present Simple)
→
2. A new hospital ___ (build) in the city centre right now. (Present Continuous)
→
3. All the guidelines ___ (review) by HR last month. (Past Simple)
→
4. The new policy ___ (announce) at the next meeting. (Future Simple)
→
5. Three employees ___ (assign) to the project so far. (Present Perfect)
→

6. Prepositions: By and With

These two prepositions are very common in English, especially in the Passive Voice. Students often confuse them — but they have different jobs!

🔵 BY — the person who did it (agent)

  • Used in passive sentences to show who performed the action.
  • The report was written by the manager.
  • The new rules were implemented by HR.
  • Hamlet was written by Shakespeare.

🟢 WITH — the tool or instrument used

  • Used to show what was used to do the action (not who).
  • The door was opened with a key.
  • The letter was signed with a pen.
  • The wood was cut with a saw.
💡 Quick trick: Ask yourself: Who? → use by. What tool? → use with.
The window was broken by a student. (Who? The student.)
The window was broken with a ball. (What? A ball.)
📝 Easy Exercise. Fill in by or with.
1. The cake was made ___ my grandmother.
2. The letter was written ___ a pencil.
3. The book was translated ___ a professional translator.
4. The nail was hammered in ___ a large hammer.
5. The decision was made ___ the board of directors.
🎯 Hard Exercise. Fill in by or with, and complete the passive verb form.
1. The car ___ (repair) ___ the mechanic yesterday. /
2. The door ___ (open) ___ a spare key found in the drawer. /
3. The guidelines ___ (implement) ___ the new director last month. /
4. The report ___ (write) ___ a red pen, which made it hard to read. /
5. These tasks ___ (assign) ___ the supervisor every Monday morning. /

Reading: Rules and Processes

📋

Text 1: Office Guidelines & Responsibilities

Welcome to the team! As the department manager, I oversee daily operations. It is my responsibility to ensure that all tasks are carried out efficiently. Let me explain a few basic rules. First, if you arrive after 9:00 AM, you must sign the late register. This is a strict rule: if an employee is late three times in a month, they receive a formal warning. Second, we are all accountable for our workspace. If you finish your shift, you must tidy your desk. Unless the office is kept clean, we will have to hire extra cleaning staff, which costs the company money. Finally, if you need time off, you will need to submit a form. If the form is approved by HR, you will receive an email confirmation within 24 hours. We expect everyone to comply with these guidelines.

Questions:

1. What happens if an employee is late three times?

2. What is the consequence if the office is NOT kept clean?

3. According to the text, what is the manager's main responsibility?

🏭

Text 2: How It's Made

Have you ever wondered how your smartphone is manufactured? The process is highly complex and involves several stages, all of which must be supervised closely. First, the internal components are designed by engineers in the USA. However, the physical parts are usually produced in large factories in Asia. Once the parts are manufactured, they are shipped to an assembly line. At the assembly line, the phones are put together by both robots and human workers. Right now, a new model is being developed, and extra staff have been hired to deal with the workload. After assembly, every phone is evaluated for quality. The software is installed, and the battery is tested. Finally, the smartphones are packaged into boxes and sent to stores worldwide. If a defect is found during testing, the phone is sent back for repairs.

Questions:

1. Where are the internal components designed?

2. What is currently happening regarding a new model?

3. What happens to a phone after the assembly stage?

Text 1 / 2

Cloze Text: The New Branch

Read the text about opening a new office. Type exactly ONE word per gap. Use grammar (conditionals, passives) and vocabulary from this lesson!

Opening a new office branch is a huge (1) [vocab]. At the moment, the new building (2) [passive—pres. cont.] being renovated by a team of contractors. All safety procedures must (3) [passive—modal] followed at all times during construction.

As the regional director, I am in (4) [vocab] of the project. If any problems (5) [zero cond.] during construction, they are dealt with immediately. Every Friday, a progress report (6) [passive—pres. simple] written by the site manager and sent to headquarters.

We are hoping to open in two months. (7) [first cond.] we face severe weather problems, the opening ceremony (8) [first cond.] be held on May 1st. Many important guests have already (9) [passive—pres. perfect] invited to the event.

When the office (10) [when + pres. simple] , new policies will be (11) [vocab] to ensure maximum efficiency. All staff will be held (12) [vocab] for their daily performance. Tasks will be (13) [passive—future] by the supervisor each morning. If staff do not (14) [zero cond.] with these rules, a warning is issued.

Key Word Transformation (KWT)

Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first, using the word given in capitals. Do not change the key word. Use between two and five words. Think about conditionals and active-to-passive conversions.

Exercises

Ten exercises covering Zero & First Conditionals (including when / unless), prepositions by / with, and the Passive Voice across all tenses. Pay close attention to context!

Grammar Practice: Tense Writing

Instructions: Read the context carefully. You will need to write verbs in the correct tense — active or passive. One exercise focuses on conditionals. Pay attention to the context to choose the right form!
🎯 Exercise 1 — Active Tenses. Write the correct active form of the verb in brackets.
1. She ___ (supervise) the team every day. She is very strict.
2. I ___ (not / carry out) that task yet — I'll do it this afternoon.
3. When I arrived at the office, the manager ___ (speak) on the phone.
4. The company ___ (implement) a new policy next month.
5. He ___ (evaluate) reports for the past three years.
6. The team ___ (work) on the project right now.
7. She ___ (leave) the office late yesterday evening.
8. We ___ (not / decide) who will lead the meeting yet.
9. I ___ (call) you as soon as I get the information.
10. They ___ (have) a team meeting every Monday morning.
🎯 Exercise 2 — Passive Voice: Present Simple & Past Simple.
1. The office ___ (clean) every evening after 6 PM.
2. My car ___ (steal) from the car park last night!
3. Millions of emails ___ (send) every single day around the world.
4. The lightbulb ___ (invent) by Thomas Edison in the 19th century.
5. Employees ___ (supervise) by the department head.
6. The documents ___ (sign) by the director yesterday.
7. The trash ___ (take out) every morning.
8. Romeo and Juliet ___ (write) by William Shakespeare.
9. English ___ (speak) in many countries around the world.
10. My wallet ___ (find) by an honest person yesterday.
🎯 Exercise 3 — Passive Voice: Future, Present Continuous, Present Perfect & Modals.
1. The new software ___ (install) tomorrow afternoon.
2. Don't go in there! The floor ___ (clean) right now.
3. My article ___ (publish) in the magazine! I'm so happy!
4. Safety guidelines must ___ (follow) at all times in the factory.
5. The bridge is closed. It ___ (repair) at the moment.
6. The new guidelines ___ (implement) next month.
7. The office is a mess because it ___ (paint) right now.
8. These rules ___ (must / obey) by everyone.
9. Two new managers ___ (hire) this week.
10. The results ___ (can / see) on the noticeboard tomorrow.
🎯 Exercise 4 — Passive Voice: Mixed tenses including Past Continuous.
1. The final decision ___ (make) by the CEO when I arrived.
2. All tasks should ___ (complete) before Friday.
3. Five new employees ___ (hire) since January.
4. The road ___ (repair) when the storm hit last night.
5. These documents cannot ___ (take) out of the building.
6. The customer's problem ___ (deal with) when the manager stepped in.
7. These tasks ___ (can / complete) by the end of the day.
8. The building ___ (evacuate) when the power went out.
9. The new products ___ (already / launch) across all stores.
10. The project ___ (oversee) by Sarah next month.
🎯 Exercise 5 — Conditionals 0 & 1. Focus on facts vs. future possibilities.
1. If you ___ (mix) water and electricity, you get a dangerous shock!
2. We ___ (not / launch) the product next week unless testing is complete.
3. If an employee ___ (be) sick, they must inform HR before 9 AM.
4. I ___ (evaluate) the reports if you send them to my desk today.
5. Unless he ___ (comply) with the rules, he will be dismissed.
6. If the alarm rings, we ___ (evacuate) the building.
7. We won't finish on time unless everyone ___ (help).
8. If you ___ (mix) red and white, you get pink.
9. I ___ (take on) the task if nobody else wants it.
10. If staff are late three times, they ___ (receive) a warning.
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