Exercise 1. Put these sentences into the passive voice.
1. Should they help Jane with the sewing?
2. The mechanic is repairing Judy’s car.
3. Must we finish the test before ten?
4. They use a computer to do that job nowadays.
5. Employers must pay all travel expenses for this training course.
6. Did her story take them in?
7. The bank manager kept me for half an hour.
8. Has he spelt this word wrongly
9. All his friends will see him off at the airport.
10. They used to drink beer for breakfast in England years ago.
11. Someone might have sent the letter to the wrong address.
12. They were cleaning the floor when I arrived.
13. They are digging the hole on the wrong side of the road.
14. They are going to steal your money if you’re not careful.
15. Has anyone ever asked you for your opinion?
16. Alan’s knowledge of art doesn’t impress me.
17. How do people make candles?
18. They can’t make tea with cold water.
19. When is someone going to announce the results of the contest?
20. Nobody informed the police that there had been a mistake.
21. Where will your company send you next year?
22. Who looked after the children when you were away?
23. Look! Someone is feeding the seals.
24. Kathy had returned the book to the library.
25. By this time tomorrow, the president will have made the announcement.
26. The pollution in the city was affecting people’s breathing.
27. Mrs Andrews hasn’t signed those papers yet. Has Mr Andrews signed them yet?
28. Is a student pilot flying that airplane?
29. Where did they hold the 1988 Olympic Games?
30. Do they make those tractors in this country, or do they import them?
Exercise 2. Change active to passive, paying close attention to special structures.
1. Parents always give me proper encouragement.
2. I remember someone giving me a toy drum on my fifth birthday.
3. Someone saw him pick up the gun.
4. They asked me some difficult questions at the interview.
5. Don’t touch this switch.
6. He won’t let you do that silly thing again.
7. The real estate office will send you a copy of the sales contract.
8. I didn’t expect the police to find my car.
9. I rarely hear her call her children bad names.
10. Someone seems to have made a terrible mistake.
11. I think they should have offered Tom the job.
12. People say that Arthur robbed a bank a long time ago.
13. They used to make little boys climb the chimneys to clean them.
14. They suggested banning the sale of alcohol at football matches.
15. Take off your coat.
16. They have sent that money to the poor families.
17. He recommended using bullet-proof glass.
18. She loves someone praising her all the time.
19. We believe that he has special knowledge which may be useful to the police.
20. You need to have your hair cut.
Exercise 3. Write the sentences in another way, beginning as shown.
1. Someone reported that the situation was under control.
The situation ___________________________________
2. It is said that she works 16 hours a day.
She ______________________________________________
3. Someone thinks that the company is planning a new advertising campaign.
The company ______________________________________
4. Everyone expects that the soap opera will end next year.
The soap opera __________________________________
5. It is alleged that the man drove through the town at 90 miles an hour.
The man _________________________________________
6. Someone reported that the President had suffered a heart attack.
The President ___________________________________
7. They think that the prisoner escaped by climbing over a wall.
The prisoner ____________________________________
8. It is reported that the buildings have been badly damaged by fire.
The buildings __________________________________
9. It is reported that many people are homeless after the floods.
Many people ____________________________________
10. We all expected Marta would pass her driving test.
Marta _________________________________________
11. People believe that he was killed by terrorists.
He ____________________________________________
12. We knew that you were in town on the night of the crime.
You _____________________________________________
13. Journalists supposed that the footballer Wayne Johnson was earning £10 million a year.
The footballer Wayne Johnson __________________________
14. It is said that there is a secret tunnel between those two houses.
There _____________________________________________
15. We know that they lives in a small flat on the fifth floor.
They_______________________________________________
16. Lots of people believe that the Prime Minister and his wife have separated.
The Prime Minister________________________________
17. It is believed that the boy is wearing a white pullover and blue jeans.
The boy___________________________________________
18. Everyone expects that the hostages will be released soon.
The hostages______________________________________
19. It is reported that two people were injured in the explosion.
Two people_______________________________________
20. They say exercise is good for health.
Exercise _________________________________________
Exercise 6. Use the words in brackets to complete the sentence. Use the structure have some¬thing done.
1. We _____ (the house/ paint) at the moment.
2. I lost my key. I’ll have to _____ (another key/ make).
3. When was the last time you _____ (your hair/ cut)?
4. You look different. ; _____ (you/ your hair/ cut)?
5. _____ (you/ a newspaper/ deliver) to your house or do you go to the shop to buy one?
6. A: Can I see the photos you took when you were on holiday?
B: I’m afraid I _____ (not/ the film/ develop) yet.
7. A: What are those workmen doing in your garden?
B: Oh, we _____ (a swimming pool/ build).
8. This coat is dirty. I must _____ (it/ clean).
9. If you want to wear earrings, why don’t you _____ (your ears/ pierce)?
10. A: My car has been serviced recently.
B: How often _____ (.you/ your car/ service)?
Exercise 7. Choose the correct answer.
1. We can’t go along here because the road _____.
a. is repairing b. is repaired c. is being repaired d. repaires
2. The story I’ve just read _____ Agatha Christie.
a. was written b. was written by c. was written from d. wrote by
3. Why don’t you have your brother _____ the roof?
a repairs b. repair c. repaired d. to repair
4. The man died because medical help was not summoned. A doctor should _____.
a. be have called b. been called c. be called d. have been called
5. Something funny _____ in class yesterday.
a. happened b. was happened c. happens d. is happened
6. Many US automobiles _____ in Detroit, Michigan.
a. manufacture b. have manufactured
c. are manufactured d. are manufacturing
7. A lot of pesticide residue can _____ on unwashed produce.
a. find b. found c. be finding d. be found
8. We _____ by a loud noise during the night.
a. woke up b. are woken up c. were woken up d. were waking up
9. How did that window _____? ~ I don’t know.
a. get broken b. broke c. got broken d. broken
10. Some film stars _____ difficult to work with.
a. are said be b. are said to be c. say to be d. said to be
11. Last night a tornado swept through Rockville. It _____ everything in its path.
a. destroyed b. was destroyed
c. was being destroyed d. has been destroyed
12. Vitamin C _____ by the human body. It gets into blood stream quickly.
a. absorbs easily b. is easily absorbing
c. is easily absorbed d. absorbed easily
13. Why did Tom keep making jokes about me? I don’t enjoy _____ at.
a. be laughed b. to be laughed c. laughing d. being laughed
14. John _____ last week.
a. had his house painted b. had painted his house
c. had his father to paint d. had his house paint
15. Today, many serious childhood diseases _____ by early immunization.
a. are preventing b. can prevent c. prevent d. can be prevented
16. ‘_____ about the eight o’clock flight to Chicago?’ ‘Not yet.’
a. Has been an announcement made b. Has an announcement made
c. Has an announcement been made d. Has been made an announcement
17. ‘Has the commitee made its decision yet?’
‘Not yet. They are still _____ the proposal.’
a. considering b. been considered c. being considered d. considered
18. I might watch this programme. It _____ very funny.
a. supposes to be b. is supposed being
c. is supposed to be d. was supposed be
19. Do you get your heating _____ every year?
a. checking b. check c. be checked d. checked
20. Claude Jennings is said _____ his memory.
a to have been lost b. to be lost
c. to have lost d. to lose
