1. Complete the sentences using words from each box.
build design develop discover discover
invent invent name paint write
the Ancient Egyptians Sir Tim Berners-Lee the Chinese
Crick and Watson Marie Curie Gustave Eiffel Eric the Red
Guglielmo Marconi William Shakespeare Vincent van Gogh
1) Greenland __was named by Eric the Red __ .
2) Hamlet ________
3) The Pyramids ________
4) The wireless ________
5) The Starry Night ________
6) The World Wide Web ________
7) The Statue of Liberty ________
8) The structure of DNA ________
9) Paper money ________
10) Radium ________
Show answers
2) was written by William Shakespeare
3) were built by the Ancient Egyptians
4) was invented by Guglielmo Marconi
5) was painted by Vincent van Gogh
6) was developed by Sir Tim Berners-Lee
7) was designed by Gustave Eiffel
8) was discovered by Crick and Watson
9) was invented by the Chinese
10) was discovered by Marie Curie
2. Put the verbs into the correct present perfect form, active or passive (has done or has been done).
Show answers
3) The puncture has been mended.
4) The concert has been cancelled.
5) Jane Jones has been elected.
6) The rabbit has disappeared.
7) The sculpture has been stolen.
8) The students have passed.
3. Rewrite this article using passive forms of the underlined verbs.
DARING RAID AT LOCAL HOTEL
Thieves (1) held the manager of the Ridgeway Hotel hostage last night during a daring raid in which they (2) took nearly £50,000 from the hotel safe. They also (3) broke into several of the bedrooms and (4) removed articles of value.
The thieves made their escape through the kitchen, where they (5) damaged several pieces of equipment. They (6) tied up the chef when he tried to stop them and (7) left him locked in a cupboard. Police (8) arrested the thieves early this morning.
1 The manager of the Ridgeway Hotel was held hostage last night.
2) ___________
3) ___________
4) ___________
5) ___________
6) ___________
7) ___________
8) ___________
Show answers
2) Nearly £50,000 was taken from the hotel safe.
3) Several of the bedrooms were also broken into.
4) Articles of value were removed.
5) Several pieces of equipment were damaged.
6) The chef was tied up.
7) He was left locked in a cupboard.
8) The thieves were arrested early this morning.
4. Put the verbs into the correct passive form.
1) I’ve collected all the documents that __are needed __ (need) for the house sale. Can you take them to the lawyer’s office __to be signed __ (sign)?
2) Look, this is a secret. Come into the garden where we ________ (not / overhear).
3) If you hadn’t been so late for work, you ________ (not / sack).
4) This office is very inefficient. The phone ________ (never / answer) promptly, no proper records ________ (keep), and, worst of all, no reports ________ (written) since I started work here.
5) I was so worried about garden while I was in hospital, but I have very good neighbours. When I got home, I could see that the vegetables ________ (water) every day and the grass ________ (cut) regularly.
6) Can you come to the police station? The man who ________ (suspect) of stealing your wallet ________ (arrest) and ________ (question) at the moment. The police hope he ________ (identify), either by you or another witness.
7) We had hoped to see several famous paintings, but the gallery ________ (reorganised) at the time of our visit last month and most of the really valuable works ________ (move) for safe keeping.
Show answers
2) won’t be overheard
3) wouldn’t have been sacked
4) is never answered ___ are kept ___ have been written
5) had been watered ___ had been cut
6) is suspected ___ has been arrested ___ is being questioned ___ will be identified
7) was being reorganised ___ had been moved
5. There are mistakes in eight of these sentences. Correct the sentences where necessary. Write ‘OK’ if the sentence is already correct.
1) neighbour is proud of her grandson who born last week.
…who was born …
2) I’m very fond of this old necklace because it was belonged to grandmother.
________
3) family live in Dubai, but I was educated in Switzerland.
________
4) I’m afraid I can’t lend you car. It’s repairing this week.
________
5) The bridge was collapsed during the floods, but fortunately no one was using it at the time.
________
6) If you don’t watch the barbecue carefully, someone will get burn.
________
7) The word ‘stupid’ was in report, but it wasn’t referred to you.
________
8) I’m sorry I’m late. I got held up in the traffic again.
________
9) When did you realise that your bag had been disappeared?
________
10) Children under the age of sixteen do not allow in the jacuzzi.
________
Show answers
2) it belonged to grandmother
3) OK
4) It’s being repaired this week.
5) The bridge collapsed
6) someone will get burnt/burned
7) it didn’t refer to you
8) OK
9) your bag had disappeared
10) are not allowed in the jacuzzi
6. Choose the correct alternative.
From: Max
To: Sara
Subject: Trip to Namibia
Hi Sara,
How are you? I’m having a great time in Namibia.
Our group is small and (1) we were looked after / we’re being looked after very well by our guide. (2) We’ve been shown / We were shown some amazing things already and (3) we’ve seen / we’ve been seen some fantastic landscapes.
Last weekend we went to a National Park. (4) We were driven / We were driving to a watering hole where an amazing range of animals (5) could be seeing / could be seen. We were told that the numbers (6) were risen / have risen since the National Park (7) founded / was founded.
(8) I’d been warned / I’d been warning that the accommodation there was quite basic, but it was fine. (9) We were given / We were giving a big tent each, and there are outdoor showers and so on, which (10) are kept / have kept very clean.
Our guide tells us lots of funny stories. He (11) was sent / sent to South Africa by his family to work in a bank, but he (12) hated / was hated it. So he (13) has behaved / behaved very badly in order to (14) lose / lost his job. He kept us laughing for hours.
Tomorrow (15) we’ll be joined / we’ll be joining another group and going to see some rock paintings. (16) They were discovered / They discovered quite recently, so we’re one of the first groups (17) to be shown / to have shown them.
I’ll email again when I can (18) get connected / have connected to the internet.
Love, Max
Show answers
2) We’ve been shown 3) we’ve seen
4) We were driven 5) could be seen
6) have risen 7) was founded
8) I’d been warned 9) We were given
10) are kept 11) was sent
12) hated 13) behaved 14) lose
15) we’ll be joining 16) They were discovered
17) to be shown 18) get connected
7. Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence. Do not use by unless it is important to the meaning.
1) The instructor has marked all the assignments.
All the assignments __have been marked __ .
2) hairdresser kept me waiting for half an hour.
I ________
3) The students must pay their own fees for this course.
The fees for this course ________
4) Do you suppose your brother could have sent that text?
Do you suppose that text ____________?
5) Solar panels supply all the power for this house.
All the power for this house ________
6) During the summer, the cafe was employing more waiters every week.
During the summer, more waiters ________
7) Nobody informed the police that there had been a mistake.
The police ________
8) Where will your company post you next year?
Where will you ____________?
9) The news about the war worried Josephine.
Josephine ________
10) I’ve still got the money because no one has claimed it.
I’ve still got the money because it ________
11) Has anyone ever asked you for your opinion?
Have you ____________?
12) People shouldn’t allow children to watch that kind of TV programme.
Children ________
13) All visitors must wear identity badges.
Identity badges ________
14) Someone must have changed the time of the meeting.
The time of the meeting ________
15) When will someone deliver the food for the party?
When ____________?
Show answers
2) was kept waiting for half an hour by hairdresser
3) must be paid by the students
4) could have been sent by your brother
5) is supplied by solar panels
6) were employed by the café every week
7) weren’t informed that there had been a mistake
8) be posted by your company next year
9) was worried by the news about the war
10) hasn’t been claimed by anyone
11) ever been asked for your opinion
12) shouldn’t be allowed to watch that kind of TV programme
13) must be worn by all visitors
14) must have been changed
15) will the food for the party be delivered
8. Put the verbs into the most suitable passive tense.
Alana has just met her boyfriend Grant in a coffee shop.
ALANA: Hi! Sorry I’m late.
GRANT: What kept you? Why didn’t you call?
ALANA: I left phone at home and I came on the bus. Then (1) __the bus was stuck __ (the bus / stick) in a traffic jam for forty minutes.
GRANT: Why didn’t you just walk across the park as usual?
ALANA: Because the park (2) ________ (close) since last weekend.
GRANT: Why’s that?
ALANA: A celebrity tennis tournament (3) ________ (hold) there.
GRANT: Do you know who ________ (4) (it / organise) by?
ALANA: No, but I think the Williams sisters are competing in the tournament. Someone told me (5) ________ (they / see) at the Royal Hotel at the weekend.
GRANT: Really?
ALANA: Yeah. friend said (6) ________ (they / fly) here in a private plane by the organisers.
GRANT: Well, if it’s true, we’re not going to the disco at the Royal this Friday.
ALANA: Why not?
GRANT: If they’re there, the hotel (7) ________ (surround) by fans and security guards.
ALANA: But we might meet them if we go.
GRANT: Don’t be silly. They won’t go to our local disco.
ALANA: No?
GRANT: No, and (8) ________ (we / not invite) to their suite. In fact, the disco (9) ________ (probably / cancel) if the hotel is full of celebrities.
ALANA: I suppose so. But we can go to the entrance to the park now and see what’s happening. I heard that some local people (10) ________ (recruit) yesterday, but I was too busy to go. Perhaps (11) ________ (we / employ) to sell programmes or something.
GRANT: OK, if you want to. But don’t expect (12) ________ (allow) anywhere near the big stars.
Show answers
2) ’s been closed / has been closed
3) ’s being held / is being held there
4) it’s being organised / it is being organised / it’s organised / it is organised
5) they’d been seen / they had been seen / they were seen
6) they were flown
7) ’s going to be / is going to be / will be surrounded
8) we won’t be invited
9) will probably be cancelled
10) were being recruited / were recruited
11) we’ll be employed / we will be employed
12) to be allowed
9. Complete the sentences with the correct form of get where possible and a form of be in the others.
1) I never found that book we were looking for. It __got __ lost when we moved house.
2) After the way he behaved last time he went to their house, it’s unlikely he ________ asked there again.
3) Naturally this vase is expensive. After all, it ________ believed to be over three hundred years old.
4) I phoned to explain what had happened, but I ________ cut off before I could finish.
5) There isn’t any cheese left, I’m afraid. It ________ eaten by the children.
6) He is a well-known expert on animal diseases and his opinions ________ greatly respected.
7) sister will be thrilled if her design ________ chosen.
8) The book ________ torn when the cousins started fighting over who should read it first.
9) Please don’t touch anything on desk. You ________ supposed to answer the telephone, not tidy the office.
10) She was quite friendly at first, then she ________ promoted and now she doesn’t care about us any more.
Show answers
2) ’ll/will get 3) is 4) got 5) got
6) are 7) gets 8) got 9) are 10) got
10. Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence.
1) It is said that house prices are too high.
House prices __are said to be too high __ .
2) It is thought that the hospital is short of money.
The hospital ________
3) It was alleged that the athlete had cheated.
The athlete ________
4) It is reported that the prime minister is resigning.
The prime minister ________
5) It is expected that the new sports stadium will be finished soon.
The new sports stadium ________
6) It is generally considered that sixteen is too young to get married.
Sixteen ________
7) It was thought that the book had been destroyed.
The book ________
8) It is believed that the children had been hiding for two weeks.
The children ________
Show answers
2) is thought to be short of money
3) was alleged to have cheated
4) is reported to be resigning
5) is expected to be finished soon
6) is generally considered (to be) too young to get married
7) was thought to have been destroyed
8) are believed to have been hiding for two weeks
11. Look at these notes made by a journalist. Then complete the article she wrote for her blog. Use verbs in the correct passive form.
EATING OUTwith Eva Wolsey
It’s exactly midday and I’m sitting in the Beverly Restaurant. Today I’ve been finding out just how much work goes on in a restaurant before the first customers arrive.
The staff have already done six hours work. The day began with a visit to the market where vegetables and fruit (1) __were chosen __ . Back at the restaurant the menu (2) ____________ and then the day’s delivery of meat (3) ________ After that, breakfast (4) ____________ for the staff. But they didn’t have long to eat it, because by 9.30 it was time for the desserts (5) ________ After the vegetables (6) ____________, the fish (7) ____________ and the meat (8) ____________ in the oven.
While this was happening in the kitchen, in the restaurant dining room the floor (9) ________ Since then, the tables (10) ____________ and the flowers (11) ____________, so the dining room looks fresh and pretty.
In the last few minutes, salads (12) ____________ in the kitchen and in a moment the doors (13) ________
In the next three hours, about 200 meals (14) ____________!
Show answers
2) was planned 3) was unloaded
4) was cooked 5) to be made
6) had been washed or were washed
7) was cleaned 8) was put
9) was being vacuumed
10) have been laid
11) have been arranged
12) have been mixed
13) will be opened
14) will be served