PASSIVE 1 ( IS DONE / WAS DONE )

Th i s h o us e w a s bu i l t i n 1 9 3 5 . - w a s b ui lt i s p ass i v e
subj

S o me b o dy b u il t t h i s ho us e i n 1 9 3 5 . ( a c t iv e )

subj

obj

obj

Th is h o us e w a s b u il t i n 1 9 3 5 . ( p as si ve )

Active verbs = we say what the subject does.

My grandfather was a builder. He built this house in 1935.

Its a big company. It employs 200 people.

Passive verbs = we say what happens to the subject

This house is quite old. It was built in 1935.

200 hundred people are employed by the company.

When we use the passive, who or what causes the action is often unknown or unimportant:

A lot of money was stolen in the robbery. (somebody stole it, but we don't know who)

Is this room cleaned every day? (does somebody clean it? - it's not important who)

If we want to say who does or what causes the action, we use by

This house was built by my grandfather.

Two hundred people are employed by the company.

The passive is be + past participle

EXERCISES:
1. Write sentences from the words in brackets. Sentences 1-7 are present and Sentences 8-15 are past.
(the office / clean / every day)

2. (these rooms / clean / every day?)

3. (glass / make / from sand)

4. (stamps / sell / in a post office)

5. (this room / not / use / very often)

6. (we / allow / to park here?)

7. (how / this word / pronounce?)

8. (the office / clean / yesterday).

9. (the house / paint / last month)

1.

10. (three people / injure / in the accident)

11. (my bicycle / steal / a few days ago)

12. (when / this bridge / build?)

13. (you / invite / to the party last week?)

14. (how / these windows / break?)

15. (I/ not / wake up / by the noise)

2. Correct these sentences.

1.

This house built 100 years ago.

2. Football plays in most countries of the world.

3. Why did the letter send to the wrong address?

4. A garage is a place where cars repair.

5. Where are you born?

6. How many languages are speaking in Switzerland?

7. Somebody broke into our house but nothing stolen.

8. When was invented the bicycle?

3. Complete the sentences. Use the passive (present or past) of these verbs.
clean
1.

damage

find

give

invite

make

x2

show

steal

take

The room every day.

2. I saw an accident yesterday. Two people to hospital.

3. Paper from wood.
4. There was a fire at the hotel last week. Two of the rooms
5. 'Where did you get this picture?' 'It to me by a friend of mine.'
6. Many American programmes on British television.
7. 'Did Jim and Sue go to the wedding?' 'No. They but they didn't go.'
8. 'How old is this film?' 'It in 1965.'
9. My car last week but the next day it by the police.

4. Where were they born?

(Ian / Edinburgh)

2. (Sally / Birmingham)

1.

3. (her parents / Ireland)

4. (you / ???)

5. (your mother / ???)

5. Complete the sentences using one of these verbs in the correct form, present or past:
cause
1.

damage

hold

invite

make

overtake

show

surround

translate

write

Many accidents by dangerous driving.

2. Cheese from milk.

3. The roof of the building in a storm a few days ago.
4. You to the wedding. Why didn't you go?
5. A cinema is a place where films
6. In the United States, elections for president every four years.
7. Originally the book in Spanish, and a few years ago it into English.
8. Although we were driving quite fast, we by a lot of other cars.
9. You can't see the house from the road. It by trees.

6 Write questions using the passive. Some are present and some are past.
1.

Ask about glass. (how / make?)

2. Ask about television. (when / invent?)

3. Ask about mountains. (how / form?)

4. Ask about Pluto (the planet). (when / discover?)

5. Ask about silver. (what / use for?)

7. Put the verb into the correct form, present simple or past simple, active or passive.
1.

It's a big factory. Five hundred people (employ) there.

2. (somebody / clean) this room yesterday?

3. Water (cover) most of the earth's surface.
4. How much of the earth's surface (cover) by water?
5. The park gates (lock) at 6.30 p.m. every evening.
6. The letter (post) a week ago and it (arrive) yesterday.
7. The boat hit a rock and (sink) quickly. Fortunately everybody (rescue)
8. Richard's parents (die) when he was very young. He and his sister (bring up)

by their grandparents.
9. I was born in London, but I (grow up) in Canada.
10. While I was on holiday, my camera (steal) from my hotel room.
11. While I was on holiday, my camera (disappear) from my hotel room.
12. Why (Sue / resign) from her job? Didn't she enjoy it?
13. Why (Bill / sack) from his job? What did he do wrong?
14. The company is not independent. It (own) by a much larger company.
15. I saw an accident last night. Somebody (call) an ambulance but nobody (injure)

, so the ambulance (not / need)

16. Where (these photographs / take) ? In London? Did you take them, or somebody else?
17. Sometimes it's quite noisy living here, but it's not a problem for me - I (not / bother) by it.

PASSIVE 2 ( IS BEING DONE / HAS BEEN DONE )

Present Continuous Active and Passive

subj

obj

S o me b o dy i s p a i n ti n g t he d o o r . ( a c t i ve )

subj

Th e d o o r i s b e i n g p ai n te d . ( p as s i ve )

is / are being

My car is at the garage. Somebody is repairing it. active

My car is at the garage. It is being repaired. - passive

Somebody is building some new houses opposite the park. active

Some new houses are being built opposite the park. - passive

Compare the present continuous and present simple:

The office is being cleaned at the moment. (continuous)

The office is cleaned every day. - (simple)

In Britain football matches are usually played on Saturday, but no matches are being played next Saturday.

Present Perfect Active and Passive

subj

BEFORE

obj

S o me b o dy h a s p ai n te d t he d o o r . ( a c t i ve )

subj

Th e d o o r h as be e n p a i n t e d . (p a ss i v e )

NOW

has / have been

Somebody has stolen my keys. active

My keys have been stolen. - passive

I'm not going to the party. Nobody has invited me. active

I'm not going to the party. I haven't been invited. - passive

Compare the present perfect and past simple:

The room is clean now. It has been cleaned. (present perfect)

The room was cleaned yesterday. - (past simple)

I can't find my keys. I think they've been stolen. (present perfect)

My keys were stolen last week. (past simple)

EXERCISES:
1. What's happening?

1.

The car

2. A bridge

3. The windows
4. The grass

2. Look at the pictures. What is happening or what has happened? Use the present continuous ( is/are being ) or the
present perfect ( has/have been ).

1.

(the office / clean)

2. (the shirts / iron)

3. (the window / break)

4. (the roof / repair)

5. (the car / damage).

6. (the houses / knock / down)

7. (the trees / cut / down)

8. (they / invite / to a party)

3. Use the words in brackets to complete the sentences.

1.

I can't use my office at the moment. It (paint) .

2. We didnt go to the party. We (not / invited)

3. The washing machine was broken but it's OK now. It (repair)
4. The washing machine (repair) yesterday afternoon.
5. A factory is a place where things (make) .
6. How old are these houses? When (they/build) ?
7. A: (the computer / use) at the moment? B: Yes, Jim is using it.
8. I've never seen these flowers before. What (they/call) ?
9. Some trees (blow) down in the storm last night.
10. The bridge is closed at the moment. It (damage) last week and it (not/repair) yet.