The Passive Voice

The Passive Voice – пассивный (страдательный) залог. Form: be + V3 Чтобы употребить соответствующую форму пассивного залога, надо прямое дополнение конструкции в активном залоге использовать в качестве подлежащего в предложении с пассивным залогом. Грамматическое время при этом остается тем же. People built Stonehenge in prehistoric times. – Stonehenge was built in prehistoric times. Если необходимо указать, кем было совершено действие, используется предлог by. Чтобы показать, при помощи чего совершено действие, используется предлог with. The letter was written by a boy with a pencil. В вопросе и отрицании используется первый вспомогательный глагол. You have been invited to the party. Have you been invited to the party? – No, you haven’t.You have not been invited to the party.

tense time	present	past	future
Simple	am/is/are + V3	was/were + V3	will be + V3
Continuous	am/is/are being + V3	was/were being + V3	-----------------------
Perfect	have/has been +V3	had been + V3	will have been+ V3

Exercise№1. Give three forms of the following verbs:

write read begin beat

shake do make sweep

buy cut bring sell

find lose give take

meet pay break lay

Exercise№2. Define the forms of the verbs. Make 5 sentences using them, add time expressions.

Is being washed, had been written, is spoken, are kept, was used, will have been cooked, were being stolen, will be taken, will have been made, was spoilt, had been given, will be opened, was being swept, was lost, will be found, is being watched, had been broken, was closed, was being bought, is being sold.

Exercise№3. Add the agent to the sentence using prepositions by or with.

1. Bread is cut (a knife).

2. The table is being laid for dinner (Helen).

3. I was told the news (my friend).

4. She was introduced to the manager (the secretary).

5. The case has been mentioned to me (the lawyer).

6. The situation was explained to us (the parents).

7. In winter rivers and lakes are covered (ice).

8. Some flour, eggs, salt, sugar and milk were beaten (a mixer).

9. This car was bought (my boyfriend).

10. The money was entrusted to her (her aunt).

Exercise№4. Transform the sentences into the passive voice.

1. Sue loves ice-cream.

They grow rice in China.

Vegetarians don’t eat meat.

2. The police caught the criminal a year ago.

I cooked breakfast.

They did not see him yesterday.

3. They will raise prices again.

The police will arrest the criminal.

John will not invite us to the party.

4. Our neighbours are growing new flowers this year.

Ann is making up her face at the moment.

Andrew is not using a computer now.

5. The doctor was examining a patient when I came.

Sam was watching a film at 1 o’clock yesterday.

She was not cooking a cake that time.

6. They have collected all necessary information.

She has just closed the window.

I have not dusted the furniture yet.

7. We had spent all the money by the end of our holidays.

By noon they had cleaned the flat.

Sue had not used the computer very often.

8. Tom will have graduated from University by next month.

John will have received the papers by tomorrow.

Jack will not have fixed the car by 7 o’clock.

Exercise№5. Ask questions using the passive.

1. About the telephone (when / invent?)

2. About glass (how / make?)

3. About Volkswagen cars (where / make?)

4. About silver (what / use for?)

5. About television (when / invent?)

6. About the Pyramids (whom / build?)

7. About Nizhny Novgorod (whom / found?)

8. About jeans (what / make of?)

9. About coffee (how / make?)

Exercise№6. Rewrite the sentences in the active.

1. A new cinema is being built in the city centre.

2. Breakfast will be served at 8 in the morning.

3. Sue’s money had been stolen by the burglars.

4. A lot of food was eaten at the party.

5. The band’s latest video was made in London.

6. Designer clothes are sold in this shop.

7. The exam was being taken by the children at 2 o’clock yesterday.

Exercise№7. Choose the right variant.

Graham Alison, a businessman, aged 70, was reported / has been reported missing on Sunday. His wife came home late and found a note that was left / had been left by her husband on the bed. The message was that he’d had to go to New York on an emergency. Mrs Alison is being surprised / was surprised.

Early in the morning she has been woken up / was woken up by a telephone call: a man told / was told her that Mr Alison was kidnapped / had been kidnapped. The huge sum of money is demanded / was demanded. Moreover, she told / was told that she should pay / be paid in two days. Mrs Alison was consulted / consulted her lawyer and she gave / was given good advice. She was called by / called the police. So, the police was being informed / was informed. Soon they found / were found by one of the kidnappers and the next day the gang was arrested / had been arrested!

missing - пропавший

to kidnap – похитить кого-то с целью выкупа

on an emergency - срочно

to demand - требовать

Exercise№8. Put the verbs in brackets into the Present Simple Passive, the Past Simple Passive, the Present Perfect Passive or the Future Passive.

Do you know how often the Olympic Games (hold)? They (hold) every four years. The first Olympic Games (hold) at Olympia, in ancient Greece, nearly 3,000 years ago. The tradition (continue) from 776BC to AD 393. Even wars (postpone), so that everyone could travel safely to the games. The Games (ban) in 394.

In 1890 the modern Games (found) by a Frenchman called Baron de Coubertin in Athens.

Originally, the Games (set up) for amateurs. Amateurs are people who (not pay) to play the sport whereas professionals (pay). Since 1984 some professional athletes, such as football players, (allow) to take part.

Before the Games begin, The Olympic torch (light) at Olympus by a mirror reflecting the sun. Then it (carry) by runners to the city where the games (hold). Sometimes by the time the last runner enters the stadium, the torch (carry) half-way round the world. Do you know where the next Olympic Games (hold)?

Exercise №9. Read the text, transform underlined sentences into the passive voice.