Система видовременных форм глаголов (Passive Voice)

Exercises

Practice saying these sentences and answer the questions.

1. a) The secretary will mail these letters tomorrow. b) These letters will be mailed tomorrow, and what about these ones? 2. a) Someone ought to wash those dishes right away. b) Those dishes ought to be washed right away, and what about these ones? 3. a) The factory pro­duced 5.000 cars every day last year. b) 5.000 cars were produced every day last year, and what about this year? 4. a) People drink a great deal of tea in England. b) A great deal of tea is drunk in England, and what about your country? 5. a) Craftsmen make many beautiful objects of paper in Japan. b) Many beautiful objects of paper are made in Japan, and what about India? 6. a) They used to sell medicine here. b) Medicine is used to be sold here, and where is it sold now? 7. a) You must return these books within a fortnight. b) These books must be returned within a fortnight, and what about those ones? 8. a) A gang of workmen built this house in 1840. b) This house was built in 1840, and what about that one?

Put the sentences into the Passive Voice where possible.

1. Someone will drive you to the airport.

2. Goldfish live in fresh water.

3. The Egyptians built pyramids.

4. We walked 4 miles yesterday.

5. They arrived at 7 last night.

6. They informed me about it.

7. I slept till 8.

8. It's raining.

9. You must obey the rules.

10.  He's sneezing again.

11.  You can buy videos like this anywhere.

12.  Someone has to write the history of this place.

13.  They have sold their car to pay the debts.

14.  They hold a meeting in the village hall once a week.

15.  They have proved that there is no life on the Moon.

16.  They owe a lot of money to the bank.

Put the verbs in brackets into Past Indefinite or Past Continuous Passive.

Model: 1. They (shut) the window. – The window was shut.

2. A beautiful melody (play). – A beautiful melody was being played.

1. The student (ask) to tell the story again. 2. Such mistakes (make) by even the best stu­dents. 3. A modern tune (play) when we came into the hall. 4. Every morning the workers (tell) what they had to do. 5. The houses (build) of stone, brick and wood. 6. At last the problem (solve) to everyone's satisfaction. 7. A new museum now (open). 8. A week ago two students of our group (choose) for jury service. 9. A special rule (make) for students to be taken to the University. 10. Last Friday he (meet) at the railway station. 11. When Tom was young, he (teach) two languages.

Express the following sentences in the Passive. Do not mention the subjects of the active verbs.

Model: They asked me my name and address. – I was asked my name and address.

1. Someone told us a very funny story yesterday. 2. The people gave him
a hearty welcome. 3. They have offered my brother a very good job. 4. The house agents showed us some very nice flats. 5. The secretary didn't tell me the exact time of my appointment. 6. They have never taught that rude boy good manners. 7. The teacher hasn't asked Peter any questions at this lesson. 8. People wished the newly married couple a long and happy life. 9. They never tell me the family news. 10. The examiners didn't give us enough time to answer all the questions. 11. A guide will show the tourists most of the sights of London.
12. He didn't tell me the whole truth.

Write the sentences in the Passive.

Model: my sister / operate on / a distiguished surgeon

– My sister will be operated on by a distiguished surgeon.

1. a sound of violin / hear / in the hall

2. he / praise / his father / work hard

3. Bob / take for / his brother

4. I / wake up / at 7 o'clock / my mother

5. the envelope / find / on my desk

6. this book / buy / a week ago

7. the picture / paint / great artist

8. the window / break / the other day

9. the letter / post / tomorrow

10. your report / discuss / next week

11. the time-table / change / in a week

12. we / meet / at the station / Tom

13. the letter / bring / recently

14. milk / spill / just / Jack

15. this cup / break / my little brother

16. the room / dust / carefully

17. she / show / the shortest way / station

18. the lecturer / ask / question / about Dryzer

19. I / lend / this book / last Tuesday

20. a telegram / send / her brother

21. the doctor / send for

22. the teacher / listen to / attentively

23. his speech / speak about / much

24. this article / refer to / often

25. the plan / agree upon

26. his lecture / listen to / with great interest

27. he / find fault with / always

28. this house / live in / never

Read the situation and write a sentence. Use the words in brackets.

1. The child is very ill. (The doctor / send for). 2. The old car is in excellent condition, (it / look after / well). 3. He was speaking for two hours, (he / listened to / in silence). 4. She is going into hospital tomorrow, (she / take good care of). 5. This little boy is always dirty, (he / not look after / properly). 6. She is always breaking things in the kitchen, (she / speak to / her carelessness). 7. He's
a sensible man, (his advice / listen to / carefully). 8. The dentist said her teeth were very bad, (they / taken care of). 9. He never broke a promise in his life, (he / can / rely on). 10. Shake­speare was born more that 400 years ago, (he / look upon / the greatest of English poets).

Put the following into the Passive, mentioning the agent where necessary.

1. You can't wash this dress, (it / dry-clean). 2. They discuss unimportant thing. (a lot of time / waste). 3. They will type your letters in a minute, (the letters / type / in the office). 4. I can't play now, (my piano / repair / at the moment).
5. The guests ate all the sandwiches, and drank all the lemonade, (nothing / leave). 6. I can't find my parcel anywhere, (it / post?). 7. I have no information, (I / inform / of the change of the plan). 8. I'm afraid we have sold out our copies but we have ordered more, (more / order). 9. The letter can't be mailed, (it / not stamp). 10. I would like to meet her mother, (I / not introduce / yet).

Give the corresponding Passive construction.

1. We looked through all the advertisements very attentively. 2. The gardener gathered all the dry leaves and set fire to them. 3. People will talk much about the successful debut of the young actress, no doubt. 4. You can rely upon your guide's experience. 5. Why didn't the speaker dwelt longer upon this question?
6. You should send the sick man to hospital. They will look after him much better there. 7. He was very glad that nobody took notice of his late arrival. 8. He was a brilliant speaker, and, whenever he spoke, the audience listened to him with great attention. 9. Why did they laugh at him? 10. Nobody ever referred to that incident again.

Put in the correct forms, active or passive, of the verbs in brackets.

HOW THE OTHER HALF LIVES

Lord Manners was a rich and famous banker. When he (die), he (give)
a magnificent funeral which (attend) by hundreds of famous people. The funeral was going to (hold) in Westminster Abbey. Many ordinary people (line) the streets to watch the procession. The wonderful black and gold carriage (draw) by 6 black horses. The mourners (follow) in silence. Lord Manners (give) a royal farewell. Two tramps were among the crowd, they (watch) the procession. As solemn music (can / hear) in the distance, one of them (turn) to the other and (whisper) in admiration: "Now, that's what I call really living!"

(from "Longman English Grammar Practice" by L. G. Alexander)