Grammar Section The Passive Voice

1. Rewrite the following passages in the passive.

A) Someone broke into the National Gallery late last night. The thieves had broken the alarm system before they climbed through a window. They stole some priceless works of art. They used a getaway car to escape. The police have questioned some suspects. They have not caught the thieves yet.

B) A few days ago, somebody stole Keith Dunn’s motorbike. Keith had left his motorbike outside his house. Keith reported the theft to the police. The police told him they would try to find his motorbike. This morning the police, the police called Keith and asked him to go to the police station. They have found his motorbike. The thieves had painted the it and then they sold it to someone else. The new owner had parked the motorbike outside the police station. The police arrested the thieves.

2. Rewrite each sentence in a more formal style so that it contains a passive form of the word given in brackets.

1. Sorry, but we’ve lost your letter. (mislay) 2. The police are grilling Harry down at the station. (question) 3. They have found the remains of an old Roman villa nearby. (discover) 3. You’ll get a rise in salary after six months. (raise) 4. They stopped playing the match after half an hour. (abandon) 5. They took Chris to court for dangerous driving. (prosecute) 6. They stopped traffic from using the centre. (ban) 7. We usually eat this kind of fish with a white sauce. (serve) 8. I don’t know your name. (introduce)

3. Using the notes as a guide, complete the e-mail to all company staff. Put the verbs in brackets into a suitable passive verb form.

NOTES FROM MANAGEMENT MEETING

Tell staff:

We’ll try flexi-time for 3 months.

After 3 months we’ll get the opinions of all staff.

We’ll look at feedback comments and make a decision.

We may try it for another month.

All workers will have to arrive at 8 – 9.30.

We hope you like the idea.

FROM: The Managing Director

TO: All staff

It ……………. (1. decide) to adopt a flexi-time system for a trial period of three months. After this period …………… (2. elapse) all members of staff ……………….. (3. consult) through their line manager, and feedback …………… (4. seek). Comments ………………… (5. collect) and analysed before a decision ………………….. (6. make) as to whether the system …………………… (7. adopt) permanently or not. Alternatively, the trial period ………………….. (8. extend) for a further month. All employees ………………….. (9. require) to arrive between the hours of 8.00 and 9.30, and to leave after they have fulfilled their contractual obligation of eight hours. It …………….. (10. hope) that this arrangement meets with your enthusiastic approval!

4. Read the excerpt from the radio mystery show ‘Phantasma’ and underline all passive constructions.

Midnight. Earlier, the city was blanketed by a nearly impenetrable mist, the perfect environment for a crime to be committed. Now the streets are getting pelted by violent raindrops. No one is about.

On the sixty-seventh floor of a massive office building, the door to an executive suite of offices is ajar. Inside, the main room is dimly lit. A man lies crumpled near the windows. An hour ago he had the misfortune to get bludgeoned by a heavy object. The carpet around him is slowly getting stained by blood. A perfect crime has been committed.

Or has it? The perpetrator is now far from the scene, sure that he is going to get paid handsomely for his work. He is certain that the man was killed by the blow to his head and is convinced that his murderous actions haven’t been noticed. He believes that his whereabouts are a mystery. He is wrong! A spark of life remains in the man. His life can be saved if help arrives soon. Phantasma knows who the perpetrator is and where he is. Phantasma knows all!

5. Fill in the blanks with passive constructions. Add the relative pronouns who or that, where necessary.