The Passive

How are music videos made? Turn the following

sentences into the present simple passive.

The music producer chooses the song for the music video .
.T.h~ . ~()nq .f.Qctbc. tr.IU~ic. yjdc.Q .i~. C;hQ~~t'} .b.y.trc. ..... .
mUfli,t;. p.r.Qduc;~r. ...................................... .
2 A director directs the music video.

3 A cameraman shoots the video.

4 A singer or band sings the song.

5 The music company produces the music video.

Put the verbs in brackets into the past simple passive.

Two men 1) ••... .w~rc. ~~t7r,1 .. . . .. (see) breaking into a house last night. The police
2) .................. (call) and one man 3) .................. (catch) immediately. The other
escaped but he 4) .................. (find) soon after. Both men 5) .................. (take)
to the police station where they 6) ...•••.•.•.••.••.• (question) separately by a police officer. The
two men 7) .................. (charge) with burglary.

Amy and many other volunteers are helping their town get ready for the
Carnival. Put the verbs in brackets into the present continuous
passive and the past continuous passive.
A It's 10 o'clock on Friday morning and the volunteers are busy.
At this time, coloured lights •...• •~rc. b.e.ing .pl"lt. Up. ...... (put up).
2 Colourful ribbons ....•.••.................. ~ ... (tie) around trees.
3 The music .............................. (choose).
4 The costumes .............................. (check).
5 A stage .....•...•...........•........ (build) in the square.

B Later that day, Amy arrived to help with the preparations.

1 When she got there, the streets •• w~r.~ .b.t7i.n@ . dc~Qr~t.e.d .. (decorate).
2 Food and drinks .............................. (deliver).
3 Tables and chairs .•.•••.......•...............• (place) in the square.
4 Popcorn •.•......•.••.••.•.••....•..•• (make).

~ 115 ~
 The Passive

Fill in the correct passive form.

Mr Pryce was having some home improvements done. Write what he saw when he went to
inspect the work.
The windows •• .h~d b.e:~t1. yJ~~.rwd... . (clean)
2 New curtains ............................... .
.. . . . . . ... . . . . . .. .. . . . . . . . . . . .. . (put up)
3 The walls ..........•••...••.•....•.....••...
.
· .............................. . (paint)
4 Light fittings ................................ .
• • • •• • •••••••• I (install)
••••••••••••••• •

5 Some furniture .......••••...•.•...•..•..•.••.

· .............................. . (deliver)
6 New carpets ..•••....•.•....•......•......•.. ~~. .~:X
--r--r--+--L~
••••••••••••••••••••••••• I ••••• • (buy)

Turn from active into passive. Omit the agent where it can be omitted.

Someone has broken the crystal vase. 4 A famous designer will redecorate the hotel.
The. 1{r:Jtf7ttll. v~.s.~ .Q0.P. .b.~~n. b.r.Q~~n
'Qtt1lt.t~d).. ........................ .
2 His parents have brought him up to be polite. 5 They will advertise the product on TV.

3 Alexander Bain invented the fax machine. 6 The gardener has planted some trees.

Put the verbs in brackets into the correct passive tense.

A: Those shoes look so comfortable. 4 A: Who ............................ .

B: They •• w.e:r.tI .tn~d.e. .. (make) in Italy. (the first computer game/invent/by)?
B: Steve Russell.
2 A: Why didn't you fly to Moscow?
B: Because all the flights .......••...••• 5 A: Can I bring my dog?
. . . . . . .. (cancel) due to a snowstorm. B: I'm afraid pets .........••..•..••...
(not/allow) in the camp.
3 A: When ..•......••.....•...........
(lunch/serve)? 6 A: Why didn't you come to Helen's party?
B: From 11 :30 am to 2:30 pm . B: I ...................... (not/invite).

~ 116 ~
 The Passive

When we want to find out who or what did something the passive question form
is as follows: Who / What ... by?
Who was the TV invented by? What was the fire caused by?

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

Captain Cook discovered Australia. Wha .w~.s. AlJ.fif<r~Jij3J .di~c;(J.vt;,r.e.cj. by....... .. ?

2 We keep money in a safe.
3 A bee stung him.
4 They speak English in New Zealand.
5 They have taken his aunt to hospital.
6 The boys damaged the TV.
7 Oa Vinci painted the Mona Lisa.
8 He invited 30 people to his party.
9 They grow bananas in Africa.
10 Versace designed these glasses.
. ............................................ ?
. ............•.....•.....•..................• ?
. .•..........................••.............. ?
.•..........................••............... ?
. ••................•.......•.......•......... ?
. ............................................ ?
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .?
..
. ............................... ............. ?
.............................................. ?

Fill in by or with.

The photos were taken ... with . .. a 4 The room was decorated .............. .
digital camera. flowers.
2 The Green Mile was written ..••••...•.•.. 5 Amelia was directed ............... Mira
Stephen King. Nair.
3 The sauce was made 6 The treasure chest was opened ......... .
onions and peppers. a special key.

Turn from active into passive.

1 You must leave the bathroom tidy . ........ ThC( .b.~thr.Q(Jro. mLJ.s.t .b.~. It;,f.t. .t.id.y........ .
2 You should water this plant daily . ......................................•........•.•..
3 Our neighbour ought to paint the garage. • ................•..•.••••..•..•..••......•..
4 I have to return these books to the library . ........................................... ..
5 They must pay their phone bill. ....................•.•.....•.....•...................
6 You should lock the front door. •.........................••••............•...•...•...
7 You must sign these papers . ..•••..•••.••••.....•........................•.......•..
8 He has to deliver the parcel. ...•....•.•..••...••.•......................•.....•••..
9 You ought to put your toys away . ......•.....•.•..•...............................•..
10 We must protect the environment.

~ 117 ~
 The Passive

With verbs taking two objects it is more usual to begin the passive sentence with
the person.
I sent her some roses. She was sent some roses. (more usual) or
Some roses were sent to her. (less usual)

Turn from active into passive as in the example:

He gave me a present. 5 Jill sent Juan a letter.
.I. w,q~. @jI(t;t;1.0. pr.e.f7~nt.. . . . . . . . . . . . ..
: I

J.\ pr~qt;t;1t. W~;5. eJv(:n .t.o .mc:·....... ' :

2 The waiter will bring us the bill. 6 Her mother bought Olga some sweets.

3 The Queen presented him with a medal. 7 Bob has sold Ted a second-hand car.

4 Amy showed me some photos. 8 Larry is going to send a letter to Tom.

Rewrite the newspaper headlines as complete sentences.

FOOTBALLER
® ®
3-YEAR-OLD TAKEN TO HOSPITAL MONEY BEING RAISED FOR
OFFERED MILLION
AFTER SERIOUS FALL YESTERDAY BABY'S OPERATION IN USA
POUNDS FOR TRANSFER

@ PLANETBEING 5 TREASURE DISCOVERED ® NO CAMERAS

DESTROYED BY POLLUTION IN OLD LADY'S GARDEN IUJ,OWED IN MUSEUM

(j) AHDWS BIING DSID ® RARE PICASSO PAINTING ® TOM CRUISE

TO BE EXHIBITED AT NATIONAL ASKED 10 SPONSOR
TO TIST BEAUTY PlODDerS GALLERY NEXT MONDAY CHARI1't' EVEN1 YES1ERDAY ,

..... Th.e. fo.otbf3.llt;r. h0~ .b.t;~n o.ffere.d .Q.r.niJUon p.Ql)nd;;. for.tltt< .t.rJ}fJ;5.f.e.r; .. ...
2 ................................•....................................•....••.....
3
4 .••••••....••••.••.•...•.••••..•••••.•.••••••••....••.•••••....•.....•..•..•••••.
5
6 ................................................................................ .
7 ................................................................................ .
8
9 ................................................................................ .

~ 118 ~
 The Passive

Rewrite the following passage in the passive. 111M

Our school is organising a Science Fair. The headmaster will

choose the best project. The teachers have asked students to
do something about the environment. Students should include
interesting experiments in their projects. The school will give
the winners a set of Science books .

. . . . . . . A .Skkm4~ . f0J r.iP. p,t<inq . Qr~i3tf1 i.s.~d. by. .t.h~ . t~i3t4b~rp. .af. .P.LJ r .f?c;;hQQ[ .•••••.•

A reporter is talking to Lucy Fame. Complete the interview.

Rep: It's wonderful to interview such a famous person as you.

Lucy: Yes, you are very lucky!
Rep: I know that you 1) .... MI(~. b~t;.f1.intt<rl(i~'vY(:d ....
(interview) many times before.
Lucy: Yes, I have.
Rep: Also, I know that three books 2)
....•..•.••••••..••••••.. (already/write) about you.
Lucy: Yes, they have - and another one 3) ........................... (write) at the moment.
Rep: A film 4) ..••••••.•..•......•.•....••.. (make) about your life two years ago, wasn't it?
Lucy: Yes, it was a brilliant film! The leading role 5) ........................•...•..••. (play)
by a beautiful young actress.
Rep: 6) .•••.••.......•••.•.• any more films . : •••••••.••••..•...• (make) in the future?
Lucy: Oh yes, of course!
Rep: Where do you buy your clothes from, Lucy?
Lucy: I don't buy them! They 7) ................................. (design) especially for me.
Rep: And what about your fabulous house?
Lucy: It 8) •.••.•..•.•••.•..••••.••••••••....•• (build) five years ago by an Italian architect.
Rep: You must make a lot of money.
Lucy: I make lots of money and everybody loves me. Flowers 9) ...••..•.•..•••...•••••.....
(send).to my house every day.
Rep: Not by me, that's for certain!

~ 119 ~