1. THE PASSIVE VOICE
1.1 The Use of the Passive Voice
* when the person who carries out the action (the agent) is unknown,
unimportant or obvious from the context.
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* when the person who carries out the action (the agent) is unknown,
unimportant or obvious from the context.
My car was stolen last night, (unknown agent)
The plants are watered every evening, (unimportant agent)
The house was burgled, (by a burglar-obvious agent)
* when the action itself is more important than the agent, especially in
news headlines, newspaper articles, formal notices, instructions,
advertisements, etc.
The new wing of the hospital was opened by the President yesterday
morning.
* when we want to emphasize the agent.
The town library was built by my great-great-grandfather in 1874.
* when we want to make statements more polite or formal.
My new CD player is broken, (more polite than You've broken my new
CD player.
1. Put the verbs in brackets into the Continuous Passive.
1. This question still ... (discuss). 2. The theatre ... (build) when we
came to this town. 3. My friend ... (ask) when the dean entered the
classroom. 4. A new grammar rule . (explain) by the teacher now. 5. While
the experiment . (make) we were not allowed to enter. 6. Who . (examine)
now? 7. Don't switch off the TV-set. An interesting quiz program ...
(broadcast) now. 8. The lecture . (listen) to attentively. 9. The flowers .
(water) from 2 till 3 tomorrow. 10. The glasses . (look) for everywhere
now.
2. Put the verbs in brackets into the Simple or Continuous Passive.
1. He . (ask) now. 2. We received the telegram when the letter .
(type). 3. The article ... (translate) into Russian in a few days. 4. A new
grammar rule . usually . (illustrate) by some examples. 5. She . (laugh)
at if she says it. 6. The new project ... still ... (work) at. 7. The document ...
still ... (look) for. 8. Books by this writer ... always much ... (speak) about.
9. The meeting won't be over soon as the report ... (follow) by a discussion.
10. The doctor ... (send) for a minute ago.
3. Translate the sentences paying attention to the Perfect Passive
forms.
1. An opening speech has been made by Mr. Brown. 2. Tom said that
the conditions of work had been greatly improved. 3. The project has already
been submitted to the commission. 4. He asked me if I had been invited to the
party. 5. The project will have been finished by Tuesday. 6. Much attention
has been paid to the further improvement of the living conditions of the
people. 7. She said that her poems had been devoted to the youth. 8. Good art
training has been received by these young artists. 9. She has been listened to
with great attention. 10. The house will have been built by the end of the
year.
4. Change from active into passive
1. I took him for a walk.
2. She won't forget your telephone number.
3. We'll book tickets tomorrow.
4. We met her at the corner of the street.
5. We discussed such problems at our meetings.
6. They are building a new cinema in his street.
7. A young architect designed that beautiful building.
8. I rang my friend up.
9. I have just done the translation.
10. They will have passed the examinations by February.
5. Write sentences in the passive. Mind the tense form.
Example: (The floor/not clean/yet) The floor hasn't been cleaned yet.
1.(The politician/interview/now)
2. (The Mona Lisa/paint/Leonardo da Vinci)
3. (My flat/burgle/last night) .
4. (All tickets/sell/before we got there) .
5. (The dog/not feed/yet)
6. (The presents/wrap/now)
7. (The prizes/award/President/tomorrow)
8. (Tea/grow/India)
9. (The prisoners/take/to prison/now) .
10. (The book/read/by next week)
6. Change from active into passive.
1. You should take these tablets before meals
2. You must wash coloured clothes separately
3. Who delivered the parcel?
4. Thousands of British tourists will visit Spain this summer
5. The dentist pulled out my rotten tooth
6. The police are questioning him now
7. Someone has made a complaint
8. The horrible old man was slowly poisoning the cat
9. The snow will have covered the mountain by Christmas
10. Someone had warned her that she might lose her job
7. Fill in by or with.
1. Most children are strongly influenced . by ... they parents.
2. The jam sandwiches were made ... with ... white bread.
3. Jake was dismissed ... his boss.
4. The meal was eaten . chopsticks.
5. The lock was broken . a hammer.
6. The football fans were observed . the police.
7. My hair was cut ... a top stylist.
8. My camera was loaded . a black and white film.
9. The beds were made up . clean sheets.
10. This awful mess was made ... Carol's dog.
8. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct passive form.
Last week a new leisure centre 1) ... was opened. (open) in the town of
Halden. The centre 2) ... (believe) to be the largest in Europe and it 3) ...
(hope) that it 4) ... (visit) by over 40,000 people a month. The centre 5) ...
(plan) for over ten years, but it 6) ... (only/make) possible by a large
government grant. Unfortunately, it 7) ... (not/finish) yet, but it 8) ... (think)
that it 9) ... (complete) by next month. The centre includes an Olympic-size
swimming pool and fifty tennis courts which 10) ... (can/book) by phone.
The gym 11) ... (claim) to be the most modern in the country. The equipment
12) ... (buy) in Germany and training 13) ... (provide) by five top instructors.
Entrance fees are cheap because half the cost 14) . (pay) by the local
council, so many local people will be able to afford them.
9. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct passive tense.
1. A: Who looks after your garden for you?
B: It ... is looked after ... (look after) by my brother.
2. A: That's a beautiful dress. Where did you buy it?
B: Actually, it ... (make) for me by my aunt.
3. A: Have you typed that letter yet, Miss Brown?
B: It ... (type) right now.
4. A: Did you make the coffee when you got to work this morning?
B: No, it ... (already/make) by the time I got there.
5. A: Are you going to pick up the children today?
B: No, they ... (pick up) by Roger. I've already arranged it.
6. A: Where is your watch?
B: I broke it. It ... (repair) at the moment.
7. A: Has the new furniture for my bedroom arrived?
B: No, it ... (not/deliver) yet.
8. A: They are building a new sports centre in town.
B: I know. It ... (open) by the mayor next month.
9. A: Have you written your report yet?
B: Yes. It ... (complete) an hour ago.
10. A: Did you paint the outside walls?
B: Not yet. They all ... (paint) by next month.
10. Put the verbs in brackets into a suitable passive tense, as in the
example.
1. Two men ... were seen... (see) running out of the bank yesterday morning. 2. The flowers ... (already/water). 3. The Smiths' house ... (paint) at the moment. 4. The rubbish ... (already/collect) when I left for work. 5.The note . (could/not/read) because the handwriting was very messy. 6. Our exams ... (not/mark) yet. 7. His car ... (wash) every Saturday. 8. The window ... (break) before the children arrived. 9. The house ... (would/sell) if it wasn't so expensive. 10. Mary ... (invite) to the party but unfortunately
she couldn't make it.
11. Rewrite the sentences in the passive where possible, as in the
example.
1. Andrew cooked dinner.
... Dinner was cooked by Andrew ...
2. She didn't go to school yesterday. - It cannot be changed.
3. Sue painted a lovely picture.
4. They arrived at the airport early this morning.
5. Melanie posted the letter.
6. Bob was making a fantastic puppet.
7. Jane left work at 8pm last night.
8. Joseph has just cleaned the fish bowl.
9. The children will post the letters.
10. The teacher is asking him a difficult question.
12. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct passive form, as in the
example.
1. A: Did you have a nice time in Bali?
B: Oh, yes. We ... were taken ... (take) to some of the most amazing beaches I've ever seen, we ate some delicious seafood.
2. A: Did they paint their house themselves?
B: No, it ... (paint) before they moved in.
3. A: Where's your bicycle?
B: It ... (repair) at the moment.
4. A: What did you get for your birthday?
B: I ... (give) the most beautiful pair of earrings I've ever seen.
5. A: This bread tastes wonderful.
B: Thanks. It ... (make) by my mother.
6. A: When can I pick up my photos?
B: They ... (develop) in the morning, so any time after lunch.
7. A: That's a lovely watch.
B: It ... (give) to me on my retirement.
8. A: When will your car be ready?
B: I don't know. It ... (still/fix) when I went to the garage this morning.
9. A: Did you reserve a plane ticket?
B: No, unfortunately the flight ... (fully/book) by the time I got to the travel agent's.
10. A: How often should I feed the fish?
B: They ... (must/feed) once a day.
11. A: A new hospital ... (build) in our town at the moment.
B: Yes, I know. It ... (open) by the mayor.
12. A: How was the wedding reception?
B: It was lovely! The hall ... (decorate) with beautiful flowers.
13. A: What's going on?
B: A boy ... (trap) in the lift and the firefighters are trying to get him out.
14. A: That was a terrible storm last night!
B: I know. Many houses ... (flood).
15. A: When ... (report/finish)?
B: Hopefully by next week.
20. Using the prompts below, write sentences in the passive, as in the example.
1. A: Look at that house! What happened to it?
B: It/destroy/in an earthquake.
It was destroyed in an earthquake.
2. A: That's a beautiful sweater you're wearing!
B: Thank you. It/knit/my aunt.
3. A: This house is so dirty!
B: It/not/clean/for months.
4. A: Why is John so happy?
B: He/give/pay rise yesterday.
5. A: How's Mr Stevens?
B: He's upset. His shop/tear down/next week/by a demolition company.
6. A: Where were you born?
B: In Paris but/I/raise/in London.
7. A: Have you vacuumed the carpets yet?
В: Yes, the carpets/vacuum/this morning.
8. A: What a nice building!
B: Yes. This is a new library. It/open/by next September.
9. A: Have you been to Paris?
B: Yes, and I visited the Eiffel Tower there. It/visit/many tourists/every year.
10. A: You look very tired. What happened?
B: I went to bed late last night. My students' tests/have to/correct.
