Exercises on the passive voice - simple present

Group

Andrs Gonzlez Casteblanco

John Fredy Garca
Diego Vergara Marroqun

Dialogue in the simple present

Complete the short dialogue with the correct forms of the verbs.
A: English is spoken (speak) as a second language by a lot of people.
B: Yes, English is understand (understand) all over the world.
A: In Switzerland four language is spoken (speak) but not English.
Passive sentences
Put in the correct form of the in the passive voice.
1. A lot of T-shirts are made (make) of cotton.
2. The cotton is grown (grow) in America.
3. It was picked (pick) by machines.
4. The cotton is taken (take) to a factory.
5. The clothes are sold (sell) in the USA and all over the world.
6. Cotton T-shirts were bought (buy) by people who like comfortable clothes.
Passive sentences with adverbs
Was ist denn blo wieder ein Adverb?
Ein Adverb beschreibt ein Verb (Tunwort) nher.
Put in the correct form of the verb in the passive
voice with an adverb.
1. T-shirts are usually washed (usually wash) in a washing machine or by hand.
2. They are often made (often make) in lots of different colours.
3. The maker's name often put (often put) on the front.
4. A picture was sometimes printed (sometimes print) on the front of T-shirts.
5. T-shirts are often sold (often sell) in supermarkets.
6. They are also found (also find) at markets, airports and in souvenir shops.

Negative passive sentences

Use the passive voice with not or never to
answer the questions. Use the verb from
the question.
1. Do people know who invented the T-shirt? - No, it is not known.
2. Do people think it came from India? - No, it is not thought that it's Indian.
3. Do people say it is uncomfortable? - No, it is not said it is uncomfortable.
4. Do people believe it came from army clothes? - No, it is not believed to have come from the army but
from the US Navy.
5. Do we know if it is "T-shirt" or "tee-shirt"? - No, it are not known which is correct.
A report in passive voice
Every year Mr and Mrs Hooper go on a trip to London.
Put in the verbs in the passive voice.
1. Mr and Mrs Hooper were taken (take) by car to the station.
2. In London they were met (meet) by a car and a driver from the train.
3. They were taken (take) to a nice hotel and have dinner.
4. They were collected (collect) by car.
5. They were driven (drive) to a theatre and back again after the play.
6. The trip was for paid (pay for) by their son.
Active or passive?
a) Read the following text and underline all the verbs in the passive voice.
Books are made on big machines. First, the writer puts words and pictures on a computer. These are sent to
a publishers, a company that makes and sells books. There the text is carefully checked. This text is passed
on to a printer who puts the words on paper. This is done by different methods. Which method is used?
That depends. Some books are printed like newspapers on huge rolls of paper. The printer makes these
books quite cheaply, but in large numbers. The pages of the book are cut by machine and are sorted into
the correct order. Then the cover is put on. Now the publishers sell the book to bookshops and readers.

b) Now look at the sentences in the active voice (you haven't underlined the verbs in these
sentences. Circle the verb and a double line under the object. The object of the active
sentence is going to become the subject of a new passive sentence. Example:
First, the writer puts words and pictures on a computer. - First, words and pictures are put on a computer.

Do this with four more active sentences from the text.

1. a company that makes and sells books
_________________________________________________________________________
2. who puts the words on paper
_________________________________________________________________________
3. The printer makes these books
_________________________________________________________________________
4. the publishers sell the book
_________________________________________________________________________
Some information on the trip to Yosemite National Park
Put in the verbs in the passive voice.
Yosemite was visited (visit) by millions of people every year. We'll cross the park on
Highway 120 but this road was closed (close) by snow in winter. We won't use our bus in
Yosemite Valley because tourists were taken (take) to all the sights there by free park buses.
In California earthquakes is felt (feel) by millions every year and buildings, roads and
bridges were sometimes destroyed (destroy) In bad earthquakes people was killed (kill),
too.

Concentrate on the use of the verbs in the Passive Voice.

Text 1.
How Towns Have Arisen
Most villages and towns on the British Isles came into being because of their favourable
situation for trade.
Rather more than a hundred years ago, a great change came over the land. Many
machines were invented about that time. Spinning and weaving, for example, which had
previously been done by hand, were done by machinery that were driven by water or
steam-power.
The work which usually was done in the houses of the people began to be carried on in
large mills or factories, and workers found it convenient to live near them.
More and more factories were built and men and women left the country districts in
great numbers and crowded into towns.
Since then the movement of people into towns has been going on until now. England is
dotted with great cities.
All over Britain, and especially in those parts were the coal needed for power is to be

found, there are mining and manufacturing areas, such as the Lancashire cotton district,
the Black county of Midland, and others. A great many towns are found close together
in those districts, and a great many people live within a small area, so that the
population is very dense.
(After The British Isles, Their Life and Work by S. Bryson and Maxton)

Text 2.
Britains Roman Villas
Numerous monuments recall the 400 or so years when Britain was part of the Roman
Empire. Ancient city walls, old roads, front defences. But it is at the villas that one feels
closest to the everyday life of Roman Britain.
The villas were homes. In their kitchens bread was baked. Along their corridors echoed
family conversations. They were well built and handsomely decorated. The first villa
was built around A.D. 80-90. It was a small farm. Later on the house was extended,
kitchens and baths were added.
It is known that many villas were destroyed by fire. Their ruins remain hidden for years
and it is often by accident that the site is discovered.
So in Hampshire a number of oyster-shells were found by a farmer, and the shells,
remnants of a long-ago feast, led to the discovery of the villa at Rockbourne.
(From Mosaica)

Text 3.
A Skillful Piece of Work
Once Birmingham and Sheffield, two of the largest towns in England, began to quarrel.
The quarrel started as each of them claimed to be able to produce the most skillful piece
of work.
A special jury was chosen to decide which city would show the greatest skill.
The day arrived. A steel spider with long thin legs was produced by representatives of
Sheffield. The spider was made by the best workers. It was as small as a pea. It ran
about on the table as if it were alive. A wonderful mechanism had been put in that little
body. Everybody was sure that the first place would be given to Sheffield.
Then a sewing needle was laid on the table by representatives of Birmingham. A smile
appeared on the lips of the jury when the needle was noticed.
Then the top of the needle was screwed off and 4 needles were drawn out, one from
another.
The first needle, as it was, had been the case of the four other needles. The needles were
handed over to each member and examined with great interest.
In whose favour did the jury decide?