UNIT 8 The Passive

EXERCISE 1 :

Change the active to the passive by supplying the correct from of be.

1.   Tom opens the door .                           The door is opened by Tom.

2    Tom is opening the door.                      The door is being opened by Tom .

3.   Tom has opened the door.                    The door has been opened by Tom.

4.   Tom opened the door.                          The door was opened by Tom.

5.   Tom was opening the door.                   The door was being opened by Tom.

6.   Tom had opened the door.                    The door had been opened by Tom.

7.   Tom will open the door.                        The door will be opened by Tom.

8.   Tom is going to open the door.              The door is going to be opened by Tom.

9.   Tom will have opened the door.            The door will have been opened by Tom.

EXERCISE 2 :

Change the active to the passive.

1.   Shakespeare wrote the play.                               That play was written by Shakespeare.

2.   Bill will invite Ann to the party.           

Ann will be invited to the party by Bill.

3.   Alex is preparing that report.                              

That report is being prepared by Alex.

4.   Waitresses and waiters serve customers.

      Customers are served by waiters.

5.   The teacher is going to explain the lesson.

      The lesson is going to be explained by the teacher.

6.   Shirley has suggested a new idea.

      A new idea has been suggested by Shirley.

7.   Two horses were pulling the farmer’s wagon.

      The farmer wagon was being pulled two horses.

8.   Kathy had returned the book the library.

      The book had been returned by Kathy.

9.   By this time tomorrow, the president will have the announcement.

      By this time tomorrow, the announcement will have been the president.

10. I didn’t write that note. Jim wrote it.

      That note was written by Jim not me.

11. Alice didn’t make that pie. Did Mrs. French make it?

      That pie had not been made by Alice. Did Mrs. French make it?

12. Does Prof. Jackson teach that course? I know that Prof. Adams doesn’t teach it.

      Was that course taught by Prof. Jackson? I know that Prof. Adams doesn’t teach it.

13. Mrs. Andrews hasn’t signed those papers yet. Has Mr. Andrews signed them yet?

      Those papers had not been signed by Mrs. Andrews. Has Mr. Andrews signed them yet?

14. Is Mr. Brown painting your house?

      Was your house being painted by Mr. Brown?

15. His tricks won’t fool me.

      I will not be fooled by his tricks.

EXERCISE 3 :

 Change the active to passive if possible. Some verbs are intransitive and cannot be changed.

1.   A strange thing happened yesterday. (No change)

2.   Jackie scored the winning goal.           The winning goal was scored by Jackie.

3.   My cat died. (No change)

4.   I agree with Dr. Ikeda’s theory. (No change)

5.   Dr. Ikeda developed that theory.

      That theory was developed by Dr. Ikeda.

6.   Timmy dropped the cup.

      The cup was dropped by Timmy.

7.   The cup fell to the floor. (No change)

8.   The assistant manager interviewed me.

      I was interviewed by the assistant me.

9.   It rained hard yesterday. (No change)

10. A hurricane destroyed the small fishing village.

      The small fishing village was destroyed by a hurricane.

11. Dinosaurs existed millions of year ago. (No change)

12. A large vase stands in the corner of our front hallway. (No change)

13. The children seemed happy when they went to the zoo. (No change)

14. After class, one of the students always erases the chalkboard.

      The chalkboard is always erases by one of the student.

15. The solution to my problem speared to me in a dream (No change)

EXERCISE 4 :

Why is the use of the passive appropriate in the following sentences? What would be the active equivalents of the passive sentences?

1.   My sweater was made in England.

      Ivan in England made my sweater.

2.   The new highway will be completed sometimes next month.

      Government will complete the new highway sometime next month.

3.   Language skill is taught in every school in the country.

Every school in the country teaches language skill.

4.   Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony was performed at the concert last night.

      The concert performed Beethoven Seventh Symphony last night.

5.   The world cup soccer games are being televised all over the world.

      All over the world is televising the world cup soccer games.

6.   This composition was written by Ali. That one was written by Yoko.

      Ali wrote this composition Yoko wrote that one.

7.   The Washington Monument is visited by hundreds of people every day.

      Hundreds of people visit the Washington Monument every day.

8.   The chief writing material of ancient times was papyrus. It was used in Egypt, Greece, and other Mediterranean lands.

      In Egypt, Greece, and other Mediterranean lands used papyrus.

9.   Parchment, another writing material that was widely used in ancient times, was made from the skin of animals such as sheep and goats. After the hair had been removed, the skins were stretched and rubbed smooth.

      Parchment, another writing material that was widely used in ancient times, from the skin of animal such as sheep and goats. After the hair had been removed, the skins were stretched and rubbed smooth.

10. Paper, the main writing material today, was invented by the Chinese.

      Chinese invented papers the main writing material today.

EXERCISE 5:

Change the following active sentences to passive sentences if possible. (Some of the verbs are intransitive and cannot be changed). Keep the same tense. Include the “by phrase” only if necessary.

1.   People grow corn in low a.                    Corn is grown in low a.

2.   Peter came here two months ago. (No change)

3.   Someone made this antique table in 1734.

      The antique table was made in 1734.

4.   An accident happened at the corner of … (No change)

5.   Someone stole my purse.

      My purse was stolen by someone.

6.   Someone was making the coffee when I walked into the kitchen.

      The coffee was being made when I walked into the kitchen.

7.   Translator has translated that book into many languages.

      That book had translated by translator into many languages.

8.   Jim’s daughter drew that picture. My son drew this picture.

      That picture was drawn by Jim’s daughter. This picture was drawn by my son.

9.   The judges will judge the applicants on the basis of their originality.

      Judge will be the applicants on the basis of their originality.

10. My sister’s plane will arrive at 10.35. (No change)

11. Is professor Rivers teaching that course this semester?

      Was that course being taught by professor Rivers this semester?

12. When did someone invent to radio?

      When radio had been invented?

13. The mail carrier had already delivered the mail by the time I left for school this morning.

      The mail had been already delivered by the mail carrier by the time I left for school this morning.

14. When is someone going to announce the results of the contest?

      When the result of the contest will be announced?

15. After the concert was over. Hundreds of fans mobbed the rock music star outside the theater.

      After the concert was over. The rock music star was mobbed by hundreds of fans outside the theater.

16. Ever since I arrived here., I have been living in the dormitory because someone told me that was cheaper to live there than in a apartment. (No change)

17. They are going to build the new hospital next year. They have already built the new elementary school.

      The new hospital is going to be built next year. They have already built the new elementary school.

18. If you expose a film to light while you are developing it, you will ruin the negatives. (No change)

EXERCISE 6:

Find the Indirect Object in each sentence, and make it the focus of attention by using it as the subject of a passive sentence. Use the “by phrase” only in necessary.

1. Someone handed Ann a menu at the restaurant. (Indirect object – Ann) .

Ann was handed a menu at the restaurant.

2. Indian University has awarded Peggy a scholarship.  

Peggy has been awarded a Scholarship by Indian University.

3. Some company paid Fred three hundred dollars in consulting fees.  

Fred was paid three hundred dollars by some company in consulting fees.

4. A Local advertising company has offered Maria a good job.  

Maria has been offered a good job by a local advertising company.

5. They will send you a bill at the end of the month.  

You will have been sent a bill by them at the end of the month.

6. Someone will give the starving people a week’s supply of rice as soon as the food supplies arrive in the famine-stricken area.  

The starving people will have been gave a week’s supply of rice as soon as the food supplies arrive in the famine-stricken are by someone.

EXERCISE 7: Change the active to the passive.

Example : someone built that house ten years ago.

Response : that house was built ten years ago.

1. Someone invited you to a party. 

You were invited to a party.

2. Someone wrote that book in 1987.  

That book was written in 1987.

3. (Someone) wrote that book in 1987.  

That book was written in 1987.

4. People grow rice in many countries.   

Rice is grown in many countries.

5. The secretary is typing the letter.  

The letter is being typed.

6. Someone is televising the game.   

The game is being televised.

7. Teacher reading in the first grade.   

 Reading is being taught in the first grade.

8. Someone has offered (you) a good job.   

You have been offered a good job.

9. Someone told you to be here a ten.    

 You were told to be here a ten.

10. Someone published that book in 1985.   

That book was published in 1985.

11. Someone has sent (you) an invitation to a wedding.   

You have been sent an invitation to a wedding.

12. Someone made that hat in Mexico. 

That hat was made by someone in Mexico.

13. In the early 80s, Photographs of Mars (send) had been sent back to earth by unmanned space probes. From these photographs scientist have been able to make detailed maps of the surface of Mars.
14. A network of lines (discover) was discovered on Mars. Astronomer (call) called these lines “channels”, but when the Italian word (translate) was translated into English, it became “canals”. As a result, some people thought the lines were waterways that (build) has been built by some unknown living creatures. We now know that the lines are not really canals. Canals (exist, not) are not existed on Mars.

EXERCISE 8:

Complete the sentences with the given words, active or passive.

1. James should be told the news as soon as possible.( should + tell )
2. Someone should told James the news immediately.(should + tell)
3. James should have been told the news a long time ago.(should + tell)
4. Meat must be kept in a refrigerator or it will spoil.(must + keep)
5. You must kept meat in a refrigerator or it will spoil.(must + keep)
6. We tried, but the window couldn’t have been opened it was painted shut.(couldn’t + open)
7. I tried, but i couldn’t opened the window.(couldn’t + open)
8. Good news! I may have been offered a job soon. I had an interview at an engineering firm yesterday.( may + offer)
9. Chris has good news. The engineering firm where she had an interview yesterday may have offered her a job soon. ( may + offer)
10. I hope Chris accepts our job offer, but i know she’s been having interviews with several companies. she may already been offered job by a competing firm before we made our offer.( may + already + offer *)
11. A competing firm may already offered Chris a job before we made our offer.( may + already + offer *)