Revision of Tenses in the Passive Voice

Exercise 40

Change the Activetothe Passiveby supplying the correct form ofbe.

1. Tom opensthe door.		The door is openedby Tom.
2. Tom is openingthe door.		The door _____ openedby Tom.
3. Tom has openedthe door.		The door_____ openedby Tom.
4. Tom openedthe door.		The door_____ openedby Tom.
5. Tom was openingthe door.		The door_____ openedby Tom.
6. Tom had openedthe door.		The door_____ openedby Tom.
7. Tom will openthe door.		The door_____ openedby Tom.
8. Tom is going to openthe door.		The door_____ openedby Tom.
9. Tom will have openedthe door.		The door_____ openedby Tom.

Exercise 41

Match the following sentences with the correct tenseform of the PassiveVoice.

Example:

Wereyouasked?	b. Past Indefinite Passive
1. I will have been invited.	a.	Present Indefinite Passive
2. The room hadn’t been cleaned.
3. She wasn’t injured.	b.	Past Indefinite Passive
4. She won’t be asked.
5. Has the window been broken?	c.	Future Indefinite Passive
6. Will I be invited?
7. I haven’t been informed.	d.	Present Continuous Passive
8. When was the house built?
9. These toys are made in China.	e.	Past Continuous Passive
10. Had the parcel been opened?
11. The room is being cleaned.	f.	Present Perfect Passive
12. He will be punished.
13. English is spoken here.	g.	Past Perfect Passive
14. Has the money been found?
15. Is Greek spoken?	h.	Future Perfect Passive
16. He was killed in an accident.

Exercise 42

Comment on the forms of the Passive Voice. Translate the sentences into Russian.

1. He was interruptedby the ringing of the telephone.

2. The boy’s leg has undoubtedlybeen cut.

3. Finally his name was calledand the boywas pushed forwardto the bar.

4. One thing was evident, Julia couldn’t know what was being saidabout

her, and someone must tell her.

5. She saw that the bed had been changed,spread with fresh linen.

6. Hold your tongue and speak when you are spoken to.

7. Denis was overwhelmedby an emotion that was strange and new.

8. That small pencil sketch in the corner of the margin has beenmuch

admired.

9. He felt with satisfaction that he was being stared at.

10. She saw at once that nothing had been touched.

11. Two bags, which should have gone to Rome, wereat this momentbeing

loaded aboarda flight for Milwaukee.

Exercise 43

Make the following sentences interrogative. Mind the use of the Passive forms.

Example:

• Many periodicals are published in English.

• Aremany periodicalspublishedin English?

• The Far East State Transportation University (FESTU) was founded in 1939

• Wasthe Far East State Transportation University (FESTU) foundedin 1939?

1. Bread is sold at the bakery.

2. Vegetables are grown all year round.

3. Wisdom is only found in truth (J.W. Goethe)

4. Thanks to modern medicine teeth are pulled out painlessly.

5. The street is allowed to be crossed here only by using a pedestrian

subway. (подземный переход).

6. The other day my wrist was nearly dislocated.

7. The seat has been taken by somebody.

8. The important document had been found at last when I came.

9. He will be informed of everything at once.

10. Programmes for students studying English will be broadcast every day.

11. The kids are being read a fairy tale to at the moment.

12. The items on the agenda were being discussed from 5 to 6 p.m.

yesterday.

Exercise 44

Using the Passive, ask questions to which the bold type words are answers.

1. Columbusdiscovered America.	Whowas America discovered by?
2. We keep money in a safe.	....................................................?
3. A beestung her.	....................................................?
4. They speak Italianin Italy.	...................................................?
5. They have taken his auntto hospital.	....................................................?
6. The boysdamaged the television.	....................................................?
7. Da Vincipainted the Mona Lisa.	....................................................?
8. He invited 30 peopleto his party.	....................................................?
9. They grow bananasin Africa.	....................................................?
10. He gave me apresent.	....................................................?
11. Someone is remakingthat film.	....................................................?
12. People must obey the law.	....................................................?
13.They have planted sometrees.	....................................................?

Exercise 45

Put questions to the italicized parts.

1. The flowers have been kept without water for a week.

2. The walls are being covered with green paint.

3. Their children are not taken good care of at home.

4. This proposal will be thought over next week.

5. She has been told everythingabout this matter.

6. We were told the train would come nearly at two.

7. He was sent for very late.

8. This room has been done up for our return.

9. A new dangerwas being carried towards them by the river.

10. He will never be allowed into their houseagain.

11. Jane was greatly encouraged by his interest.

12. The autumn leaves were being whirled towards the sky.

13. The business has been taken over by a new company.

14. Two days laterthe operation was performed.

Exercise 46

Make the following sentences negative. Mind the use of the Passive forms.

Example:

• The teacher has givenus much homework.

• The teacher has not given us much homework.

• I was asked the same question twice.

• I was not asked the same question twice.

1. He is often invited to parties.

2. All those present at the meeting were informed of the decision taken.

3. Such problems have been discussed here many times.

4. The leaking tap is being repaired by a plumber at the moment.

5. The material had been studied by the end of the last week.

6. A cake will have been baked by her birthday.

7. A roof was blown off during a terrible storm last night.

8. This project can be put into practice in time.

9. You are allowed to park your car here.

10. Delicious dessert will be served during the dinner.

11. Disasters are overcome by people easily.

12. Some people are brought up well.

Exercise 47

I. Identify uses of Passive constructions, then match them with their correct

description:

A	Focusing on the action	...5...
B	Focusing on information	…….
C	Describing a process or procedure	…….
D	Writing in a formal style	…….
E	Reporting unconfirmed information	…….

1.When writing in a formal style (e.g. reports, minutes of meetings) we often choose an impersonal style by using the Passive and beginning sentences with it: It was agreedto increase the share capital.

2.When the statement is speculative we use the Passive ofsay,think, consider,believe followed by an infinitive. This structure is common in newspaper reporting. The minister is said to bein favour of decreasing corporation tax.

3.We use the Passive because we are more concerned with the process itself than who carries it out. For example, here is a description of the wine-making process: Wine is madefrom the fermented juice of grapes. Grapesare pickedat optimum sugar / acidity levels. After picking, the grapesare takento the winery,de-stemmedandcrushedin a variety of presses. The juiceis thenclarifiedby settling or by centrifuge, yeast and sugarare addedand the wineis leftto ferment in tanks. When fermentationis finishedthe wineis pouredinto a clean tank to stabilize. Itcanthenbe filteredandbottledand left to mature.

4.We use a passive construction when we are not interested in who performs an action or it is not necessary to know. He has been promotedto the post of Sales Director. I didn’t realize my telephone conversations were being listened to.

5.In a passive sentence, the grammatical subject receives the focus. Helmets must be wornat construction sites to avoid accidents.

II. Check your understanding. Are these sentences true (T) or false (F) ?

1. Passives are used when we are interested in who has done something rather than what is done.	F
2. Passives are used when the focus is on what is done rather than the people who perform the action.
3. The object of an active verb corresponds to the subject of a passive verb.
4. Passives are common in an informal style.
5.The passive is often used to describe the stages of a process.

Exercise 48