PASSIVE VOICE

A. Complete these sentences with appropriate passive verb forms (VERBS: write, damage, translate, hold, include, cause, invite, make, overtake, show, build, employ).

1.Two hundred people _______________________ by the company.

2. Cheese ________________________ from milk.

3. Many accidents __________________ by dangerous driving.

4. Don Quixote ___________________ in Spanish, but some time later it ____________________ into English.

5. We were driving so slowly that we _____________________ by most cars.

6. There’s no need to leave a tip. Service ________already ____________ in the bill.

7. The roof of my cottage, which ___________________ by my grandfather, ____________________ in a storm a few weeks ago.

8. You _____________________ to the wedding. Why didn’t you go?

9. A cinema is a place where films ____________________ .

10. In the United States, elections for President ________________ every four years.

Now transform these ten passive sentences into the ACTIVE VOICE.

B. Write questions using the passive voice

1. Ask about the light bulb. (When/invent) ......................................................................?

2. Ask about yoghourt. (How/make) ......................................................................?

3. Ask about America. (When/discover) ......................................................................?

4. Ask about sites and blogs. (What/use for) ...................................................................?

5. Ask about the concert. (Why/cancel) ......................................................................?

C. Put the verbs into the ACTIVE or PASSIVE present simple or past simple.

1. Water (cover) _______________________ most of the Earth’s surface.

2. Most of the Earth’s surface (cover) ______________________ by water.

3. It’s a big factory. Five hundred people (employ) ______________________ there.

4. The park gates (lock) _____________________ at 6.30 p.m. every evening.

5. The letter (post) _________________ a week ago and it (arrive) _______________ yesterday.

6. The boat (sink) _____________________ quickly, but fortunately everybody (rescue) _____________________.

7. Ron’s parents (die) ____________________ when he was very young. He and his sister (bring up) ____________________ by their grandparents.

8. I was born in London, but I (grow) __________________ up in the north of England.

9. While I was on holiday, my camera (steal) _________________ from my hotel room.

10. While I was on holiday, my camera (disappear) ________________ from my hotel room.

11. Why (Sue/resign) ___________________________ from her job? Didn’t she enjoy?

12. Why (Bill/sack) ________________________ from his job? What did he do wrong?

13. The company is not independent. It (own) ___________________ by a much larger company.

14. I saw an accident last night. Somebody (call) __________________ an ambulance, but nobody (injure) ___________________ sp the ambulance (not need) ___________ ___________ .

15. Where (these photographs / take) _____________________________ ? In London? (you/take) __________________________ them?

D. Transform these sentences into the PASSIVE VOICE.

1. Somebody tidies the room every morning before classes start.

2. They cancelled all the flights because of the French air controllers’ strike.

3. People don’t use this road very often.

4. Somebody accused me of stealing money.

5. How do people learn foreign languages?

6. People advised us not to go out alone.

E. Try to define these words using the PASSIVE VOICE.

For instance, ‘ilegible’ is something that cannot be read.

Washable, unbreakable, edible, unusable, invisible, portable

F. Complete these sentences with the passive infinitive/infinitive perfect form of these verbs: carry, cause, do, make, repair, send, spend, wake up

1. The situation is serious. Something must....................................... before it’s too late.

2. I haven’t received the letter. It might................................................. to the wrong address.

3. A decision will not....................................... until the next meeting.

4. I told the hotel receptionist that I wanted to ................................... at 6.30 the next morning.

5. Do you think that less money should ................................................... on armaments?

6. This road is in very bad condition. It should ......................................................... a long time ago.

7. The injured man couldn’t walk and had to .........................................................

8. It’s not certain how the fire started, but it might ............................................................... by an electrical fault.

Now transform these ten passive sentences into the ACTIVE VOICE.

G. Transform these sentences into the PASSIVE VOICE.

1. Somebody has tidied the room.

2. They have cancelled the concert.

3. Nobody is using the car at the moment.

4. I didn’t realise that somebody was recording our conversation.

5. When we got to the stadium we found that they had postponed the game.

6. Albert’s brother is building a new ring road round the city of Dallas.

7. They have built a new hospital near the airport.

H. Finish the following sentences using the PASSIVE VOICE if possible.

1. There’s somebody behind us. (I think / we / follow)

2. This room looks different. (you / paint?)

3. My car has disappeared. (it / steal!)

4. My umbrella has disappeared. (It / must / take / from my bag)

5. Tom gets a higher salary now because (he / promote)

6. Ann can’t use her office at the moment because (it / redecorate)

7. The photocopier broke down yesterday, but now it’s OK. (It / repair)

8. The police have found the people they were looking for. (Two people / arrest / last night)

9. A tree was lying across the road. (it / blow down / in the storm)

10. I was mugged on my way home a few nights ago. (you / ever / mug?)

11. The man next door disappeared six months ago. (he / not see / since then)

I. Transform these sentences into the PASSIVE VOICE (all the possibilities).

1. They don’t pay Jim very much.

2. They didn’t offer Ann the job.

3. They will ask you a lot of questions at the interview.

4. Nobody told me that George was ill.

5. His colleagues gave him a present when he retired.

6. We will send you your examination results as soon as they are ready.

7. They didn’t ask me my name.

8. I think they should have offered Tom the job.

J. Finish the sentences with appropriate PASSIVE verb forms using these verbs: keep, pay, attack, give, invite, use, ask.

1. Mr Miller doesn’t like ........................................... waiting.

2. He came to the party without ...................................................

3. She won’t go out alone after dark. She is afraid of ................................................

4. I don’t like................................................ stupid questions.

5. Few people are prepared to work without ...........................................................

6. Mr Kelly doesn’t like his phone .......................................................... by other people.

7. Most people like ................................................ presents.

K. Translate the following sentences into English.

1. *A Ted le picó una abeja cuando estaba sentado en el jardín.

2. Se le pagó mucho dinero por trabajar en la mina.

3. Puede ser que la ventana se haya roto durante la tormenta.

4. *¿Cómo se rompió esa ventana?

5. ¿Por quién fue escrito Hamlet?

6. Lenin nació en 1870.

7. El libro fue elegido al comienzo de curso.

8. Odia que se le moleste cuando está trabajando.

9. Solía tener una bici cuando era pequeño pero *me la robaron.

10. Se dice que nuestro profesor de inglés nació en Alemania.

11. Se están corrigiendo las redacciones al final de cada semana.

12. La cartera fue encontrada en su caja fuerte.

13. Se piensa que él estudió en Estrasburgo.

14. Se supone que los alumnos deben estudiar todos los días.

15. Se revisan los pasaportes cuando llegas al aeropuerto.

16. Se cree que su blog es visitado por miles de personas en el mundo.

L. Transform these sentences into the PASSIVE VOICE (think of all the possibilities)

1. People think that the wanted man is living in New York. (2)

2. Authorities report that many people are homeless after the floods. (2)

3. Voters believe that the Prime Minister is in favour of the new law. (2)

4. Experts expect that the government will lose the election. (2)

5. People say that the prisoner escaped by climbing over the wall. (2)

6. The police officer alleged that he drove through the town at 90 miles per hour. (2)

7. The journalists report that someone seriously injured two people in the accident. (3)

8. Someone says that the thieves got in through the kitchen window. (2)

9. People say that the police arrested three men after the explosion. (3)

10. People consider that our English teacher is one of the best tennis players in the world. (Sarcasm!!) (2)

M. Let’s talk about our English teacher. Try to guess with the prompts given.

For example: eat worms >>> He is supposed to eat worms for breakfast.

Rich >>>>

Not sleep in class >>>>

Have two sons >>>>

Go on holiday to France every summer. >>>

Not have won any money on lottery. >>>

Have written poems when he was younger. >>>

>> Now tell me things ‘you are supposed to do’ if you want to pass English this year.

>> And about things ‘you were supposed to do’ during the summer time.

N. CAUSATIVE HAVE. When you don’t do something yourself, you can ask someone to do it for you.

1. ‘Did they paint the house themselves?’ ‘No, They……………………………………’

2. ‘Did Jane cut down that tree herself?’ ‘No, She……………………………………’

3. ‘Did you cut your hair yourself?’ ‘No, ………………………………………………’

4. ‘Did Joe make that suit himself?’ ‘No, .....................................................................’

5. ‘Did your father repair the car himself?’ ‘No, ………………………………………’

6. ‘Did you wash your car yourself before the wedding?’ ‘No, …………………………’

O. CAUSATIVE HAVE. Complete the sentences.

1. Your hair is too long. I think you should (it / cut) …………………………………

2. How often (you / your car / service) …………………………………..... ?

3. My mum took the coat to the cleaner’s because she wanted to (it / clean)…………….

4. You can’t see the photos because I (them / not develop) ...................................... yet.

P. CAUSATIVE HAVE. Translate these sentences into English.

1. A mi abuela le repararon el tejado de su cortijo el verano pasado.

2. Yo no tengo que comprar lápices porque me los compran todos los años.

3. Mañana voy a instalar un teléfono en mi casa.

4. Quiero que me saquen una foto para el carnet de identidad.

5. Me revisarán el coche la semana que viene si el mecánico tiene tiempo.