Task 3: Describing actions using the passives

The Passive: Present Simple

Make the sentences passive:
1. Somebody cleans the office every day.
 The office is cleaned every day
2. Somebody sends emails.
 Emails are sent.
3. Somebody cuts the grass.
 The grass is cut.
4. Somebody prefers chocolate.
 Chocolate is preferred.
5. Somebody often steals cars.
 Cars are often stolen.
6. Somebody plays loud music.
 Loud music is played.
7. Somebody speaks English here.
 English is spoken here.
8. Somebody loves the London parks.
 The London parks are loved.
9. Somebody wants staff.
 Staff are wanted.
10. Somebody writes articles.
 Articles are written.
11. Somebody loves Julie.
 Julie is loved.
12. Somebody reads a lot of books.
 A lot of books are read.
13. Somebody cooks dinner everyday.
 Dinner is cooked everyday.
14. Somebody delivers milk in the mornings.
 Milk is delivered in the mornings.
15. Somebody buys flowers for the flat.
 Flowers are bought for the flat.
16. Somebody washes the cars every week.
 The cars are washed every week.
17. Somebody writes a report every Friday.
 A report is written every Friday.
18. Somebody fixes the roads.
 The roads are fixed.
19. Somebody builds new houses every year.
 New houses are built every year.
20. Somebody sells vegetables in the market.
 Vegetables are sold in the market.

Passive Exercise 5
The Passive: Mixed Tenses
Change these sentences from active to passive:
1. People speak Portuguese in Brazil. s
 Portuguese is spoken in Brazil
2. The Government is planning a new road near my house
 A new road is being planned near my house
3. My grandfather built this house in 1943.
 This house was built (by my grandfather) in 1943
4. Picasso was painting Guernica at that time.
 Guernica was being painted (by Picasso) at that tim
5. The cleaner has cleaned the office.
 The office has been cleaned
6. He had written three books before 1867.
 Three books had been written before 1867.
7. John will tell you later.
 You will be told (by John) later.
8. By this time tomorrow we will have signed the deal.
  By this time tomorrow the deal will have been signe
9. Somebody should do the work.
 The work should be done
10. The traffic might have delayed Jimmy.
 Jimmy might have been delayed (by the traffic).
11. Everybody loves Mr Brown.
 Mr Brown is loved (by everybody)
12. They are building a new stadium near the station.
 A new stadium is being built near the station.
13. The wolf ate the princess.
 The princess was eaten (by the wolf).
14. At six o’clock someone was telling a story.
 At six o’clock a story was being told
15. Somebody has drunk all the milk!
 All the milk has been drunk!
16. I had cleaned all the windows before the storm.
 All the windows had been cleaned (by me) before the storm.
17. A workman will repair the computer tomorrow.
 The computer will be repaired tomorrow
18. By next year the students will have studied the passive.
 By next year the passive will have been studied (by the students)
19. James might cook dinner.
 Dinner might be cooked (by James).
20. Somebody must have taken my wallet.
 My wallet must have been taken.

Text 4
The diagram below shows a simple system that turns dirty water into clean water. Identify the
Noun phrase and verb phrase of sentences in the text. Write them in the table provided. The first
and second pairs have been located for you.
Noun phrase anda verb phrases
Noun Phrase Verb Phrase

the drum and barrel are placed

These items are linked

1 The filter Is made

2 Dirty water Is fixed

3 The water Is poured

4 The tap Is stored

5 Drinking Water Is turned on

6 Natural material and basic equipment Be used