1 Grammar and Lexical Exercises

1.1 Learn to use The Present Indefinite (Simple) and the Past Indefinite (Simple) Tenses in the Passive Voice.

Is / Are Done Is / Are ... Done?

Is / Are Asked Is / Are ... Asked?

a) Situation: You are talking about what is done with people or things (by someone).

Prompt: the work / finished

Response: The work is finished.

Prompts:

1) the book / by Peter

2) the article / by a famous journalist

3) sketches / by Jane

4) the letters / by the secretary

5) a gold watch / to my father

6) the car / in the repair shop

7) this event / much ... about

8) the house / by the construction workers

9) the blackboard / before the lessons

10) warm clothes / in winter

b) Progressive substitution. Do this at speed. Mind the use of is, are.

Linen dresses are usually worn in summer.

1) cotton 6) white clothes

2) silk 7) light trousers

3) blouses 8) and in late spring

4) T-shirts and shorts 9) white bags and shoes

5) always 10) this straw hat (соломенная шляпка)

Is this pupil much spoken about?

1) girl 6) the war

2) these boys 7) fashion show

3) incident 8) talented designer

4) these events 9) discovery (открытие)

5) written 10) meetings and demonstrations

1.1.1 Study the situations. Think of the questions for them. Follow the model.

Model: You come home very hungry. There is nothing to eat.

You ask: Why isn’t supper cooked ?

1) You come to the repair shop for your TV set. The TV mechanic asks you to come some other day.

2) Helen’s husband promised to paint the floor. Helen has returned home from her business trip and doesn’t see any changes in the house.

3) Olga hasn’t translated the text. The teacher is angry.

4) You return home tired and see dirty dishes in the kitchen. Your sister is watching TV.

5) The secretary has forgotten to type the documents. The boss asks her to bring them for signing.

6) John Smith is a journalist. Sometimes he is late with his articles. His boss is angry.

7) When Lena comes to her friend’s birthday party she doesn’t see Oleg and Nick there. She is surprised.

8) You see some sandwiches and cakes left on the plate.

9) The man is lying on the floor. He feels bad but ... nobody has sent for the doctor.

10) Your dressmaker promised to make your new dress in time. You can’t wait any more and phone to her.

1.1.2 Can you answer these riddles (загадки)?

1) It is grown in Brasil, Africa and Cuba. It is usually drunk at breakfast. What is it called?

2) It is made of metal and plastics, It is used for cleaning sofas, chairs, carpets and floors. What is it called?

3) It’s made of paper. It’s used for getting information and knowledge. ...?

4) It’s made of bread. It’s eaten at breakfast in England. ...?

5) It’s made of metal. It’s used for freezing food and keeping it fresh (свежий). ... ?

6) It’s made of woollen fabric. It’s worn in late autumn, winter and early spring. ...?

7) It’s made of leaves. It’s loved by most people. It’s drunk all over the world. ...?

8) It’s made of plastics, metal and glass. It’s used for watching films, concerts, shows. ...?

9) It’s made of brick, wood or stone. It’s used by people for living in. ...?

10) They are made of leather and have high or low heels. They are worn by people all day long. What are they called?

1.1.3 Correct the wrong statements. Follow the model.

Model: Cars are repaired by watchmakers.

You: I’m afraid this is not so. Cars are not repaired by watchmakers, they are repaired by car mechanics.

1) Woollen coats, boots and warm caps are usually worn in summer.

2) Tables and chairs are made of glass.

3) Washing-machines are used for cleaning carpets and floors.

4) Foreign languages are taught to boys and girls only in the kindergarten.

5) The dress designers are usually trained at the Medical Academies.

6) Strong tea and coffee is drunk by people late in the evening.

7) The best TV sets and computers are made in India.

8) Many churches and houses are built during the war.

9) Books are taken by the readers in the banks and offices.

10) The English language is spoken only in England nowadays.

1.1.4 Practise in using the Past Indefinite Passive.

Was / Were Done Was / Were ... Done?

Was / Were Asked Was / Were ... Asked?

a) Situation: You are talking about what was done with people or things (by someone) in the past.

Prompt: a new yellow dress / for Anne

Response: The new yellow dress was bought for Anne.

Prompts:

1) the dog / near the river

2) the letter / with a pen

4) they / in grey and black clothes

5) the cars / in Japan

6) the children / at home last Sunday

7) the new clothes / at the shop yesterday

8) the vase / by little Jim

9) the fridge / at the repair shop last week

10) Nelly / to the restaurant last Saturday

b) Progressive substitution. Do this exercise at speed. Mind the use of was, were.

The letter was brought yesterday morning.

1) evening 6) written

2) read 7) taken from the library

3) newspaper 8) journal

4) books 9) a week ago

5) last year 10) given back to the library

Were the children taken to the park last Sunday?

1) theatre 6) invited by

2) Saturday 7) for the summer holidays

3) your sister 8) winter

4) to the country 9) asked to stay with

5) grandparents

1.1.5 You are very curious and want to know as much as possible about everything you hear and read. Ask your groupmates “where”, “when” and “why” questions to get more information on the following statements.

Statement: The new car was bought.

Where was the new car bought?

Your questions: When was the new car bought?

Why was the new car bought?

1) The letter was found there.

2) Her hair was cut short.

3) The dress was made to order.

4) The brothers were disliked by everybody.

5) The little boy was left alone.

6) The monument was made of granite.

7) The shoes were made of white silk.

8) The film was shown to the schoolchildren.

9) Charles’s Army was defeated.

10) Churches and palaces were destroyed.

1.1.7 Disagree with what your partner is saying and give more exact (точный) information. Mind the change of the Passive Voice into the Active Voice of the predicates.

Statement: The vase was broken by Billy.

Model: Prompt: Pete

Response: The vase was not broken by Billy, Pete broke it.

1) The newspaper was read by all members of the family.(father)

2) The old woman was cared about by her daughters. (her son)

3) The East of London was bombed by the Soviet planes during the war. (fascists)

4) The museum of figures made of wax was founded by Churchil. (Madam Tussaud)

5) All these toys were bought by father. (mother)

6) The blouse was made by Helen. (her elder sister)

7) The children were met by their parents. (their elder brother)

8) The museums were only visited by foreign tourists. (Russian tourists)

9)This music was written by the unknown musician. (the famous musician)

10) Some churches in England were destroyed by the enemies during the war. (the Puritans)