In this unit you will learn:
Passive Voice
Read the following fragment belonging to James Joyce's A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. Look for those verbs which are used in the passive voice. Translate the text into Romanian.
Why did he not tell it? His father, who kept the racehorses, must be a magistrate too like Saurin's father and Nasty Roche's father. He thought of his own father, of how he sang songs while his mother played and of how he always gave him a shilling when he asked for sixpence and he felt sorry for him that he was not a magistrate like the other boys' fathers. Then why was he sent to that place with them? But his father had told him that he would be no stranger there because his granduncle had presented in address to the liberator there fifty years before.
You could know the people of that time by their old dress. It seemed to him a solemn time: and he wondered if that was the time when the fellows in Clongowes wore blue coats with brass buttons and yellow waistcoats and caps of rabbitskin and drank beer like grownup people and kept greyhounds of their own to course the hares with.
Word sets. Try to think of the sentence [.] he always gave him a shilling when he asked for sixpence [.]. Now think of words connected to money. In this way you may create a word set. For example a word set of the word time may include among other words: day, month, year, century, year, etc. Now complete the following sentences with one appropriate word connected with the subject of money:
a. They refused to accept a cheque so I had to pay in .......
b. When she started with the company her ..... was only $ 1000 a year. Now it's at least four times that.
c. When Mr Michael retired he received a ..... of $ 100 a month.
d.
e. If you want a new car why not go and see your bank manager about a .......
Here is a list of words and expressions to do with money. Use your dictionary and divide them into the following categories:
-borrowing money; saving and investing money; having a personal bank account.
Sometimes the same word will fit different categories:
-to withdraw money; a building society; a current account; a cheque card; a mortgage; to cash a cheque; to buy shares in a company; the Stock Market; to put money in; a monthly statement; a deposit account; to earn 15% interest.
The verbs which can accept the passive voice are transitive verbs and some prepositional verbs such as: to account for, to attend to, to look at, to look after, to send for, to speak to, etc.
There are some transitive verbs which cannot accept the passive voice such as: to have, to hold, to possess, to resemble, etc.
Form:
the auxiliary verb to be in the same tense as the active verb + the past participle of the lexical verb.
|
TENSES |
ACTIVE VOICE |
PASSIVE VOICE |
|
Simple Present |
He paints houses. |
Houses are painted (by him). |
|
Simple Past |
He painted his house. |
His house was painted. |
|
Present Continuous |
He is painting his house. |
His house is being painted. |
|
Past Continuous |
He was painting his house. |
His house was being painted. |
|
Present Perfect |
He has painted his house. |
His house has been painted. |
|
Past Perfect |
He had painted his house. |
His house had been painted. |
|
Simple Future |
He will paint his house. |
His house will be painted. |
|
Future Perfect |
He will have painted it. |
It will have been painted. |
|
Present Conditional |
He would paint his house. |
His house would be painted. |
|
Perfect Conditional |
He would have painted it. |
It would have been painted. |
|
Present Infinitive |
He should paint his house. |
His house should be painted. |
|
Perfect Infinitive |
He should have painted it. |
It should have been painted. |
|
Gerund |
He enjoys people asking him to paint their houses. |
He enjoys being asked to paint houses. |
|
Perfect Gerund |
He remembers Jane having asked him to paint her house. |
He remembers having been asked to paint Jane's house. |
Use:
When we are interested in the action itself rather than the person who performs it: I was advised to save the files once in a while (by my friend).
Let becomes was/were allowed to in the passive or is followed by a reflexive pronoun+bare/short passive infinitive.
She let me go. / I was allowed to go.
Don't let him trick you. / Don't let yourself be tricked.
It + passive verb + that-clause
Subject +passive verb + to-infinitive
They believe she is a spy. / It is believed that she is a spy. / She is believed to be a spy.
He gave me some money. / I was given some money. / Some money was given to me.
She accused me of lying / I was accused of lying.
The Royal couple went into the room arm in arm. / The room was entered (NOT gone into) by the Royal couple.
They can't repair the building. / The building can't be repaired.
Shakespeare was born at
This notion is based on a misconception.
It is alleged that the thief was caught.
(a) a reflexive pronoun: John has been washing himself for hours.
(b) a reciprocal pronoun: We can hardly see each other in the dark room.
(c) a possessive pronoun: The teacher shook his head and sighed.
I'll have my car repaired. (I'll arrange for it to be done)
Don't have the files printed, please.
He had/got his car stolen.
The manager had the secretary type 20 letters.
See if you can get Mary to help us with our homework.
The teacher got the students to write the sentence five times.
Once you get her talking about her children, she never stops.
Also: get moving, get going (without an object)
I want the room cleaned.
I need the reports checked
The Active Voice: I'm decorating the room. (I am doing it myself)
The Passive Voice: The room is being decorated. (Someone else is doing it but the agent is not important; what interests us is the room)
Causative: I am having the room decorated.
Translate the following sentences into English:
a. Tu vei fi chemată de director mâine să explici decizia ta.
b. El este întrebat dacă este vegetarian.
c. Solutia a fost găsită de fratele meu.
d. Mi s-au furat banii.
e. Problema a fost rezolvată recent prin introducerea internetului.
f. Doctorul a fost chemat.
g. El a fost ales presedintele companiei în 1997.
h. Copiii sunt întrebati dacă stiu în ce constă structura acestei lucrari
i. Se construiesc foarte multe case zilele acestea.
Put the following sentences into the Passive:
a. Who drew this picture?
b. People in my town built this hospital last year.
c. John can't have done this.
d. The soldiers shall hand in all their weapons.
e. Children had cast stones.
Transfer these passive sentences into active ones. When no agent is given supply one:
a. My drawings were shown at the art exhibition in 2000.
b. When was your car stolen?
c. AIDS is thought to be curable.
d. The girl has been made to recite the poem and everybody has given her a big hand.
e. The prisoners were forbidden to smoke when they were transferred into the new building.
Rewrite each sentence beginning as shown, so that the meaning stays the same:
a. It is believed that the child was punished by his parents.
The child ....................
b. When we have finished decorating the bedroom, we'll paint the dining room.
After the bedroom..................
c. Please turn off the lights.
I'd rather you ...................
d. It is thought that the coins date from the Middle Ages.
The coins .....................
e. Somebody punched John in the face at a volley match.
John is thought ...................
f. They say that Mary is difficult to work with.
Mary is said ......................
g. They have no idea what caused this error.
What caused this error.................
h. Ticket collectors work on the train on this line.
Tickets ........................
i. Somebody directed me at the wrong address.
I ...........................
j. The discovery of this new medicine is helping the fight against cancer.
The fight ........................
Complete the sentences using the verbs given in brackets in the passive tense suggested at the end of the sentence:
a. Many of
b. My neighbour's leg (not broken) if he hadn't walked on ice. (perfect conditional)
c. The girl who (bite) by a dog was given a serum. (past perfect)
d. A great deal of effort (make) lately to avoid a war with that country. (present perfect)
e. Would she go to the cinema if she was to (invite)?
f. The army (instruct) to shoot if the enemy crosses the line. (future)
g. Many block-of-flats (build) in the neighbourhood. (present continuous)
h. He strongly objected to (ask) about the accident. (gerund)
i. Mary (take) to the hospital by the end of the day, I'm sure. (future perfect)
j. Something (do) if we want to rescue the rest of the crew. (modal verb)
Put the verbs in brackets into a correct Passive Voice form:
a. The escaped man (arrest) a week later.
b. That person in the dock (let off) as it's his first offence.
c. The police (instruct) to take firm action against beggars on the street.
d. I was surprised to find out that you (get paid) twice in the same week.
e. Has the search for the stolen car (give up) yet?
f. Very few criminals (catch) if the population didn't offer information.
g. Foreign coins (not put) in parking meters in this part of the country.
h. John (think) to have broken that precious vase in the living room.
i. Could violence (control) less effectively if the police didn't carry guns?
j. The red car (rev up) ready for the policemen to start chasing the thieves.
Use one of the Passive forms of a suitable verb in each of the following sentences:
a. A lot of money (.) from a German bank two years ago.
b. Windows (.) on the inside to prevent the wind from breaking them.
c. The police (.) in hearing from anyone who saw a 10-year-old child in front of the shop yesterday.
d. The lock (.) and the window (.) by the police.
e. All the persons in the room (.) for drugs.
f. Money (.) always in the bank for interest.
g. (.) the reward to those who saved Jane?
h. She doesn't remember her purse (.) by the thief.
i. Who (.) you by at the hospital?
j. Safes (.) not often by amateurs.
k. They (.) a five year sentence by the High Court Judge.
l. A sharp instrument (.) the old man.
m. The giraffe (.) to the zoo when it escaped.
n. It was the first time, my sister never (.) by the customs before.
o. The carpet in your room (.) with orange juice.
p. When capital punishment (.) in
Complete the sentences using a suitable Passive Voice verb and any necessary phrases:
a. It's very foggy tonight; the cars . .
b. George's watch has disappeared from the table where he left it; it . .
c. Shoplifting is on the increase; Ł 20,000 worth of merchandise . .
d. There'll be a big check
at the customs tomorrow; all the people from the
e. He insisted that our neighbour . .
f. The evidence that one of the accused gave . .
g. My window is open instead of closed; the lock ..
h. The house was found in a terrible condition; all the rooms . .
i. Will the new laws . .
j. There was a dreadful accident and all the cars . .
Use the Passive form with the verb to have in the following sentences:
a. The room looks different. They (repaint it).
b. The customs officers (arrest him) if he tries to leave the country.
c. Father (fit the burglar alarm) because his house had been broken into.
d. I (vaccinate my child) against all the possible diseases when he was one year old.
e. They (check the documents) before the case comes up next month.
f. Look at that man's green hair! He (dye it).
g. The car is covered in mud, so he (clean it) as soon as possible.
h. Someone (clean the kitchen) when mother arrived.
i. She is not quite sure but she thinks she (steal the money) in the train.
j. You shouldn't (repair the sink) before the plumber had examined it.
Complete the following sentences, using the Passive form with either have or need:
a. The roof is unsafe. It . .
b. Your back window squeaks. It . .
c. You can't take your luggage into the shop unless you . .
d. This is quite bizarre! There are many questions that . .
e. Your hair seems shorter. Have you . .?
f. The so-called poet did not write the poem himself, he . .
g. Before we buy the mansion, we should make sure that we . .
h. There are many errors in your paper, don't you think they . .?
i. I don't think these translations are accurate. You . .
j. Their washing-machine is working again. They . .
Complete the following passage with the correct Passive forms:
When John Miller killed his uncle, he was convinced that his crime wouldn't ever (detect). His plans were (lay) with extreme precision. He had not (employ) as an accountant for the past ten years without acquiring a passion for minute details. He was known as being a methodical man. His bills (pay) regularly, he had his hair (cut) once a month, his car (service) every three months, everything that in his ordinary life needed (do), John saw to it that it was (do). It was entirely in his character that he had made up his mind to get rid of his uncle. He was old, he needed (care for), his desires had (consider), his wants (gratify). He had become a nuisance who should (remove) as quickly as possible. Besides he was rich, and John was aware that his fortune (leave) to him. 'It is sad', he told to himself, 'that he has (kill) rather than die a natural death, but the important thing is to make it look as if it (do) while I was away.
Indeed, John's crime would probably never (discover) if it had not stopped raining just before he came home and if his uncle's window had not (break) with a flower pot. He didn't even suppose inspector Thomson would guess that the ladder (put) outside the bedroom window after his uncle (murder). But then, as John himself said to the inspector, the criminal always gets (catch) after all.
Change the following sentences into the Active Voice:
a. The library is well provided with books.
b. The problem will be dealt with I detail next week.
c. My neighbour's dog was run over by a truck.
d. The pen has been lost in the fire.
e. The basement was flooded with water.
f. As you see, his remarks are being received with enthusiasm.
g. Tons of uranium have been stolen from this mine this year.
h. No explanation had been given for his behaviour.
i. It is reported that there has been an earthquake in the area.
j. All TV programs were suspended for nearly 6 hours.
k. They are forbidden to enter this room.
l. The students in this University are always recommended to apply for these jobs.
m. You hate to be interrupted from your research.
Change the following sentences into the Passive Voice, knowing that transitive verbs admit two passive constructions:
a. I told my parents the truth.
b. George gave him a beautiful present.
c. My friends promised me immediate assistance.
d. I give my child two bars of chocolate a day.
e. The doorman showed us the way to the bathroom.
f. The physician prescribed a bad medicine for the sick old man.
g. You paid him that huge sum of money two days ago.
h. The teacher may give us the results tonight.
i. They awarded the Best Actor Prize to George Clooney.
j. We showed them our newly- born child.
Change the following intransitive verbs into the Passive Voice, paying attention to the prepositions following the verbs:
a. They have called for the mechanic to repair their car.
b. The pupils will have to comment upon that poem.
c. The former enemies have arrived at an agreement after many years of discussion.
d. Nobody objected to their suggestions.
e. These spoiled children do not listen to their parents.
f. The employer insists upon a strict discipline in all our work.
g. Our parents often refer to him as being a wrong model for us.
h. You spoke much about that young lady you had met a week before.
i. Nobody has lived in this haunted house for more than 50 years.
j. You must look after your kid sister; otherwise your mother will scold you.
k. Don't put on that pink shirt, your friends will laugh at you.
Translate into English:
a. Se recomanda o mai atenta cercetare a acestui proiect.
b. În acest local se vorbeste numai limba spaniola.
c. Se construiesc din ce în ce mai multe scoli în acest orasel.
d. Orice defectiune a masinii se repara pe loc în acest atelier.
e. S-a anuntat o reducere semnificativa la articolele de îmbracaminte de iarna.
f. Se bea mult vin rosu la acest tip de petrecere.
g. Gunoiul se încarca numai martea si joia.
h. S-a ridicat nivelul apelor Dunarii cu 3 cm.
i. Din pacate nu s-a ajuns la nici un acord final.
j. Se vor înfiinta centre de ocrotire a minorilor.
k. Daca fratele tau nu se va simti mai bine, în aceasta seara se va trimite dupa doctor.
l. Mi s-a dat ocazia sa-mi arat talentul de compozitor.
m. Turistilor li s-a aratat un magazin cu lucruri foarte scumpe dupa ce acestora li se furasera deja portofelele.
n. Se vor reface unele strazi din acest oras dupa ce se va topi zapada.
o. Ni s-a spus ca pantalonii vor fi cusuti în fabrica noastra.
p. I s-a oferit un post de director economic la cea mai puternica corporatie din tara.
q. Problema câinilor fara stapân a fost dezbatuta de mai multe ori saptamâna aceasta.
r. Li se comunicase ca darâmarea prin implozie a acestei cladiri va fi facuta la mijlocul saptamânii urmatoare.
s. S-a ajuns la bataie dupa ce s-au certat toata ziua.
Finish each of the following sentences in such a way that it is as similar as possible to the sentence before it:
a. My cousin's child completely destroyed my paper.
My paper . .
b. First prize was awarded to a freshman in our school.
A freshman . .
c. The referee refused him permission to enter the game.
He . .
d. Tom has earned several thousand dollars from his new book.
Tom's new book. .
e. She suggested we eat Mike's new favourite meal.
We . .
f. Leaving this shirt in the rain has made it shrink.
This shirt . .
g. We watched my brother drive the car into the garage.
We watched the car . .
h. I dropped the china cup and cracked it.
The china cup . .
i. Mother added flour to the sauce and thickened it.
The sauce . .
j. They're buying a lot of copies of that volume of poetry.
That volume of poetry . .
Fill in each of the blanks with a suitable word or phrase:
a. Your decisions were rejected and you were (.) back down.
b. I suppose she needs (.) told to be careful with that acid solution.
c. The issue was (.) been told where his wife disappeared.
d. The package is believed (.) delivered by some strange people.
e. They were (.) been given 15 more minutes to complete the test.
f. The coffee maker is out of order but I'm (.) fixed tomorrow.
g. The lights in my room have been flickering for a while; I must (.) to look at the wiring for me.
h. Jack is quite a difficult person; that's something his friends will have (.) to.
i. We (.) house broken into yesterday.
j. Children can get (.) in by burglars going from house to house.
Write a new sentence as similar as possible in meaning to the original one, but using the word given.
a. Some of his neighbours are saying that he is selling marijuana. (rumoured)
b. He wants it to be clear to his friends that he's honest. (seen)
c. George often tells his parents how much of his ill-luck is down to you. (heard)
d. They believe that the captain fell overboard and died. (fallen)
e. Our teachers don't want any repetition of such a ridiculous behaviour again. (repeated)
f. The plan was originally
to complete the task by
g. As a kid, Mary was not allowed to play with matches. (let)
h. Subtracting is something one takes for granted after a while. (get)
i. All of his friends spent last month repairing his boat. (had)
j. She couldn't find her way out of the labyrinth. (got)
k. I don't like very much my mother scolding me in front of my friends. (having)
l. It's not difficult at all for Ben to copy the paper from his colleague. (copied)
m. Since we won the prize, we've had more telephone calls than we can deal with. (swamped)
n. Janine's answer took the audience by surprise. (aback)
o. The rain forced our weekend trip to be cancelled. (rained)
p. The House of Parliament is the tallest building in the area. (dwarfed)
q. His latest article about unemployment came in for sharp criticism in this newspaper. (pilloried)
r. There were thousands of strikers in the yard of the factory. (packed)
s. Our new manager wants us to call him "Sir". (addressed)
t. Never forget that friends will be friends. (borne)
u. I became very emotional when I found out my wife had given birth to a daughter. (overcome)
v. His grandmother underwent a three-hour operation to remove the brain tumour that had been diagnosed. (operated)
w. Our professor of
History was given the Academy Award by
Finish each of the following sentences in such a way that it is as similar as possible to the sentence before it.
a. She didn't remember that she had been called home by her mother.
She has no recollection of . .
b. You vaguely remember that you drank five bottles of wine last night.
You have vague memories of . .
c. Sometimes it is quite embarrassing when people laugh at you.
Being . .
d. George was severely criticized for his bad jokes and was more attentive after that.
Having . .
e. They really wish they hadn't been pushed to eat that horrible soup.
They really regret . .
f. I can't explain what it feels like for nobody's ever given me the chance to fly a plane.
Never . .
g. The group of people moved towards the Town Hall from all sides.
The Town Hall . .
h. Peter poured wine into the glass until it was full.
The glass . .
i. Mice came into the room through a sort of hole in the wall.
The room . .
j. Do not put the card in until the screen shows 'Insert your card'.
The card is only . .
k. It's over twenty years since anyone saw that valuable painting.
That valuable ..
l. People crave for justice and they need to see it done.
Justice must not . .
m. They've had to call the office five times to find out the result of the race. The office . .
n. The dentist is supposed to be filling one of my teeth this afternoon.
I'm . .
Match the sentences on the left with the functions on the right:
|
A |
B |
|
We'll have a thunderstorm tonight, I'm sure. - b. |
a. stating a planned arrangement |
|
Will there be a general strike? |
b. making a prediction |
|
I'll send you a card from |
c. making a request |
|
Will you send me an e-mail? |
d. expressing future hope |
|
Shall I go to the library for you? |
e. expressing future uncertainty |
|
Shall we take a drive into the country later? |
f. offering |
|
I'll report you to the police next time. |
g. promising/ stating an intention |
|
The wedding will take place next Friday. |
h. making an invitation |
|
I hope you'll come and see us on Saturday. |
i. asking for a prediction |
|
Explain it to them again. Perhaps they'll understand. |
j. threatening |
|
Will you have dinner with us on Sunday? |
k. making a suggestion |
Change the following sentences into the Passive Voice:
a. A child asked me a question on my way home; he wanted to know the time.
b. The gust of wind blew the woman's hat off.
c. What will you call your new cat?
d. She has burned the chicken in the oven.
e. He wrote the paper on time.
f. They consulted the doctor when they were ill.
g. They are shutting the bank for the winter holidays.
h. She soon lost sight of her friend.
i. My brother has been looking after the dog for the last two years.
j. We could read the note by the light of the candle.
k. Children ask a lot of questions.
l. The bodyguards requested us to show our tickets.
m. I must pay the telephone bill at the end of the month.
n. Father made her cry hard.
o. We didn't fix the roof yesterday.
p. Nobody asked Mike to come.
q. People mustn't walk on the grass in this park.
r. They are going to write a song tonight.
s. The children have made him captain of their team.
t. We haven't invited our friends to the party yet.
u. Someone is going to beat him soon!
v. I found your bike in front of the cinema.
Fill each of the gaps in the following sentences with an appropriate verb from the list. The participles should be used with the verb to be in the appropriate tense:
strewn, deemed, scheduled, inundated, overcome, baffled, dubbed, shrouded, short-listed, dwarfed
a. The secretary (.) by exhaustion after 12-hour typing and had to go home.
b. How he managed to obtain such a large sum of money (.) in mystery.
c. Since her book on cooking came out, she (.) with requests for some more recipes.
d. My brother, who is rather short, (.) by almost all of his colleagues.
e. Richard's new album (.) for release next year.
f. All the neighbours I asked (.) by the reason of her disease.
g. Unfortunately, your language in this newspaper article (.) inadequate for the public taste.
h. Impossible as it may
seem, Christine (.) the most beautiful girl in
i. Having read the manuscript, we all agreed: his paper should (.) for last year's Literature prize.
j. When we came back from the mountains, our clothes (.) all over the house.
Translate into English:
a. Când voi pleca la munte, o sa-mi iau si haine subtiri si haine groase.
b. Daca voi avea timp, o sa-ti telefonez.
c. El intentioneaza sa se înscrie la acest curs saptamâna viitoare.
d. Noi vrem sa stim daca ne puteti ajuta sau nu.
e. Am ajuns cam târziu acasa, asa ca spectacolul se terminase deja la televizor.
f. El fusese sunat de director de mai multe ori înainte de a veni la serviciu.
g. O sa-mi dau masina la reparat, pentru ca i s-au defectat frânele.
h. Ei au de gând sa-si renoveze vila anul viitor.
i. De îndata ce voi termina raportul o sa te informez în legatura cu rezultatele cercetarii mele.
Key:
1. b; 2. i; 3.g; 4. c; 5. f; 6. k; 7. j; 8. a; 9. d; 10. e; 11.h
. a. I was a asked question on my way home; he wanted to know the time.
b. The woman's hat was blown off (by a gust of wind).
c. What will your new cat be called?
d. The chicken has been burnt in the oven.
e. The paper was written on time.
f. The doctor was consulted when they were ill.
g. The bank is being shut for the winter holidays.
h. Her friend was soon lost sight of.
i. The dog has been looked after(by my brother) for the last two years.
j. The note could be read by the light of the candle.
k. A lot of questions are asked by children
l. We were requested to show our tickets (by the bodyguards).
m. The telephone bill must be paid.
n. She was made to cry hard (by Father).
o. The roof wasn't fixed yesterday.
p. Mike wasn't asked to come.
q. The grass mustn't be walked on in this park.
r. A song is going to be written tonight.
s. He has been made captain of the children's team.
t. Our friends haven't been invited to the party yet.
u. He is going to be beaten soon!
v. Your bike was found in front of the cinema.
3. a. was overcome; b. is shrouded; c. has been inundated; d. is dwarfed; e. is scheduled; f. were baffled; g. has been deemed; h. has been dubbed; i. was short listed; j. were strewn.
4. a. When I go to the mountains I'll take both light and warm clothes.
b. If I have time I'll call you.
c. He is going to take up this course next week.
d. We want to know if you can help us or not.
e. We arrived home rather late, so the TV show had already been over.
f. He had been called by the director several times before coming to work.
g. I'll have my car repaired, for the brakes broke down.
h. They are going to have they villa redecorated next year.
i. As soon as I finish the report I'll inform you on the results of my research.
Score:
1point each x 10 = 10 points
1 point + 0.40 points each x 22 = 10 points
1 point + 0.90 points each x 10 = 10 points
1 point + 1.00 point each x 9 = 10 points
Divided by 4 = 10 points
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