The present continuous passive

BE(AM, IS, ARE) + BEING + PAST PARTICIPLE

		The rule	is	being explained	by Tom
		The rule	is not	being explained	by Tom
		The rule	is	being explained	by Tom,	isn’t it?
		What	is	being explained	by Tom?
	Is	the rule		being explained	by Tom?
Whom	is	the rule		being explained	by?

Exercise 1. Read the following sentences. Note the use of the Present Continuous Passive. Translate the sentences into Russian.

1. The film is being much talked about. 2. The road is still being repaired. 3. An office block is being built near our Institute. 4. A new machine is being tested in the lab. 5. This material is still being used, isn’t it? 6. Do you know that our conversation is being recorded? 7. The talks are still being held. 8. Is the floor in the sitting room still being polished? 9. The first floor of the house is being built now. 10. Dinner is being cooked. Wait a little. 11. The football match is being filmed for television. 12. Excuse the mess: the house is being painted.

Exercise 2. Respond to the questions.

Model: - Can I have a look at the letter? (type)

- I’m afraid you can’t. It is still being typed.

1. Can I take the documents?(sign) 2. Can we play in the park? (cut the grass) 3. Can I see the visitors?(show round the plant) 4. Can I use your car? (repair) 5. Can I switch on the light? (fix a lamp) 6. Can we ride along this road? (widen) 7. Can we work in the library? (remove the furniture) 8. Can we speak in the assembly hall? (hold a scientific conference) 9. Can I use the tape-recorder? (repair) 10. Can we have dinner in the kitchen? (install a gas-stove) 11. Can we enter the work-shop? (carry out an experiment) 12. Can we use the meeting room now? (discuss the production plan) 13. Can we listen to the text? (record) 14. Can we see the patient now? (operate on) 15. Can we have a talk in your office? (polish the floor) 16. Can I take the book? (read)

Exercise 3. Respond to the questions. Use the prompts given in brackets.

Model: - Is your car being fixed now?(to clean)

- No, it is not being fixed, it is being cleaned .

1. Is your friend being examined?(to interview). 2. Are the students being lectured on marketing?(management) 3. Are the suitcases being packed?(to unpack) 4. Is the room being cleaned?(to air) 5. Is the last question being discussed?(the first) 6. Is the film being printed?(to develop) 7. Is the President being interviewed?(to photograph) 8. Is the new computer being installed?(to adjust) 9. Is the letter being written?(type) 10. Is the contract being discussed? (to sign) 11. Is a new theatre being built here?(a concert hall) 12. Are the visitors being shown round the plant?(to ask questions) 13. Is the patient being operated on?(to examine) 14. Is the floor in your office being painted?(to polish) 15. Is the document being typed by the manager?(by his secretary) 16. Is the book being translated into French?(German)

Exercise 4. Express your surprise at the following statements.

Model: - Someone is cooking supper.

- Is supper still being cooked?

1. They are restoring our old church. 2. Wait a minute. They are examining the last student there. 3. They are discussing this question now. 4. They are sending Mr Brown to New York on business. 5. Everybody is still laughing at his joke. 6. They are still painting tea cups by hand. 7. Mother is decorating the cake now. 8. They are trying a new medicine at the hospital. 9. The firemen are putting the fire out. 10. The shops are selling hundreds of toys for Christmas. 11. They are still asking questions about it. 12. They are repairing our road. 13. They are changing our house number. 14. They are closing down our local library. 15. They are making our street one-way. 16. They are moving our Head Office to the capital.

Exercise 5. Make the following statements a) negative and b) interrogative.

Model: His report is being discussed now.

a) His report is not being discussed now.

b) Is his report being discussed now?

1. A new manager training programme is being developed at our Institute. 2. Three power-stations are being built in this area. 3. A story about some University graduates is being broadcast. 4. A lot of nice summer flocks are being sold at the local department store. 5. The last floor of the house is being built now. 6. The things are still being packed. 7. A new railway line is being constructed across the desert. 8. The walls are being covered with green paint. 9. I am always being asked for money. 10. The room is being painted at the moment 11. The shirt is being washed now. 12. Robert is being told about his brother’s accident at the moment. 13. The washing machine is being repaired now. 14. The office is being cleaned at the moment. 15. Some new houses are being built opposite the park. 16. John is being trained by a new coach now.

Exercise 6. Put the following sentences into the Passive.

1. They are interviewing the delegates. 2. What are they building over there? 3. Industrial pollution is ruining our city! 4. Are they still discussing the offer? 5. They are repairing my piano at the moment. 6. Wait a little. They are examining the last student there. 7. They are discussing this question now. 8. John is repairing his tape-recorder. 9. The grandmother is scolding Bess for bad behaviour. 10. We are expecting him any minute. 11. Dr Ross is performing an operation. 12. What music are they playing? 13. They are making arrangements for the departure . 14. A dog is chasing the child. 15. They are still asking questions about the incident. 16. The farmer is building a new barn.

Exercise 7. Read the following text and translate it into Russian. Put questions to the sentences in the Present Continuous Passive. Retell the text.

This means of city transport which disappeared in many cities before and after the war may come back.

Its advantages are that it is considerably cheaper than the railway, free from exhaust gases and able to provide a more frequent service with more stops.

Much interest is being shown to this problem in both Europe and America, where existing systems are being extended and new up-to-date vehicles are coming into service.

Studies are being carried out in many countries. Considerable amount of work is being done to this end.

The Boeing firm is building modernised vehicles which are designed for service in Boston and San Francisco.

So running on its own lane separate from car traffic this means of transport has come back as one way of moving large number of passengers and keeping our cities from being choked with gas.

Exercise 8. Put the verbs in brackets into the present Continuous Passive.

1. Close the door please, little Jane (wash). 2. His speech (translate) for the foreign guests. 3. What do you feel when your favourite record (play)? 4. You can’t come in. She (interview) for the TV. 5. Some students (examine) in Room 10 now. 6. What strange sounds! - Oh, our piano (tune). 7. Where is your car? - It (fill) in the garage at the moment. 8. We are finishing the last preparations for the party: the lights (switch on), the floors (clean), the tables (lay). Do you think we’ll be ready on time? 9. The witness (question) by the police-inspector now. 10. You’ll have your copy soon, the contract (type). 11. It is raining and football (not to play). 12. Don’t worry, your problem (work at) now. 13. You (wait for) by someone in the hall. 14. Don’t you see that you (laugh at)? 15. Don’t talk so loudly. We (listen to). 16. What about his new novel? - It (translate) into French now.

Exercise 9. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct form: Present Continuous Active or Passive.

1. The president’s speech (broadcast) now. 2. They (build) motels on all the main motorways to house the tourists. 3. The athlete (cheer) by his fans. 4. The customers (serve) at the moment. 5. Mother (take) the baby for a walk. 6. Mr Kelly can’t use his office at the moment. It (redecorate). 7. I see that you (not to listen) to me. 8. What hospital he (take) to? 9. Why you (look) at me so strangely? 10. I’m not wearing my black shoes today. They (mend). 11. Look. That man (take) a photo of you. 12. The little girl is an only child, and she (spoil) by her parents and grandparents. 13. They (build) a new airport at the moment. 14. The children are very excited this morning. They (take) to the circus in the afternoon. 15. Don’t switch off the TV. I (watch) it. 16. What’s going on in the lab? - The results of the experiment (discuss) there.

Exercise 10. Put the verbs in brackets into the Present Continuous Active or Passive.

Less than a month after the fire at its plant in Ludwigshafen, Germany, the air bag manufacturer HTS is back in business. Sales Director Klaus Schiller explained: “The factory in Ludwigshafen (work) again, because one part was not destroyed by the fire. So, for the moment, some of the other components (import) from the States, and the bags (assemble) at our other plant in Poland.” The company (plan) to build a much larger production plant at Ludwigshafen. This will be a large investment, but the air bag market (grow) rapidly, and more and more air bags (fit) in cars as a standard safety device.

Exercise 11. Translate into English using the Present Continuous Passive.

1. О ком они сейчас говорят? 2. Студентов экзаменуют сейчас в комнате 24. 3. Сейчас исполняется моя любимая песня. Послушайте ее, пожалуйста. 4. Что сейчас передают по радио? 5. В вестибюле никого нет. Гостям показывают институт. 6. Что происходит в гостиной? - Там чинят телевизор. 7. Могу ли я взглянуть на контрольную работу? - Нет, ее еще печатают. 8. В нашем городе строится новый стадион. 9. Ваше предложение все еще обсуждается. 10. Почему здесь так холодно? - Зал проветривают. 11. Не входите в эту комнату. Там красят пол. 12. Что строится на той стороне реки? 13. Вас ждут. 14. Около вокзала строится новый мост. 15. Моего брата посылают в командировку. Сейчас он готовится к отъезду. 16. Этот новый метот вводится теперь в некоторых школах.