IV. The Present Progressive Passive

Exercise 1

Make up sentences describing what is being done now.

> Pattern: The hens/to feed/ту brother.

The hens are being fed by my brother.

1. The money/to count.

2. The windows/to clean/me.

3. The meal/to cook/in the kitchen.

4. The car/to fix/in the garage.

5. The grass/to cut.

6. The fence/to whitewash.

7. The student/to examine/in this room.

8. The patient/to operate on.

9. The road/to repair/the workmen.

10. The old castle/to reconstruct.

11. The dishes/to wash.

12. The wheat/to harvest.

13. The field/to plough.

14. The dog/to wash/its master.

15. A birthday cake/to make/in the kitchen.

16. The trees/to plant/in the yard.

17. A record/to play.

Exercise 2

Ask questions to the following sentences beginning with the words in brackets.

1. The tape-recorder is being fixed now. (What? What?)

2. Some record is being played. (What?)

3. The forms are being filled in by the tourists. (Whom... by?)

4. The fire is being put out by the firemen. (Whom...by?)

5. A new medicine is being tried at the hospital. (Where? What?)

6. The tourists are being shown around the city. (Who?)

7. A new road is being built not far from here. (What? Where?)

8. A lot of questions are still being asked about it. (Why? What... about?)

9. A new film is being shown on TV now. (What?)

Exercise 3

Imagine that you are walking in the street. What do you see? Make up sentences describing what is going on now.

► Use: the Present Progressive Passive.

> Pattern: Some car is being washed.

V. The Past Progressive Passive

Exercise 1

Makethe following sentences passive according to the pattern.

> Pattern: When I came, they were still asking questions.

When I came, the questions were still being asked.

1. When she came, her husband was doing the washing.

2. When I came to this town again, they were building a new school in front of the supermarket.

3. He entered the hall and heard that somebody was calling his name.

4. As we were passing their garden, he was watering the flowers.

5. When they entered the auction-hall, they were selling those pictures.

6. When Father came home, I was cooking dinner.

7. When the guests arrived, they were still making preparations to meet them.

8. At that moment the specialists were examining a new car.

9. When I came home, they were still putting books on the shelves.

10. When I returned, the workmen were still building a new road not far from my house.

11. After half an hour I came back. They were still showing her how to use the remote control.

12.The lesson was almost over, but the teacher was still explaining the new rule to them.

VI. The Present Perfect Passive

Exercise 1

a) What has been changed in this room?

b) What has been done to the various things on the table?

Exercise 2

Make the sentences passive according to the pattern.

> Pattern: Nobody has ever spoken to him like that He has never been spoken to like that.

1. Someone has taken his bike.

2. No one has ever beaten me at chess.

3. No one has lived in that house for many years.

4. They have already paid him for that work.

5. He has made several mistakes in his work.

6. Somebody has left the door open.

7. Somebody has already boiled water.

8. They have invited us to dinner.

9. Someone has obviously found your purse.

10. Someone has left this house unattended.

11.They have left their money at home.

12. They've opened a new bar not far from here.

13. Have you done all the washing?

14. Someone has broken my glasses.

15. No one has ever treated her like that before.

Exercise 3

What has been recently done in your street? in your district? in your city?

Use: the Present Perfect Passive of the following verbs: to build, to open, to improve, to reconstruct, to issue, to publish, to close, to replace, to enlarge, to widen etc.

Exercise 4

Use the Present Perfect or the Past Simple Tense in the Active or the Passive Voice instead of the verbs in brackets.

1. The old fireplace (to replace) in this room recently.

2. In 1964 Martin Luther King (to win) the Nobel Peace Prize.

3. The cartoon character Mickey Mouse (to create) by Walt Disney.

4. What (to change) in this room? You (to put) a new carpet?

5. Teachers (to give) a new pay rise.

6. Where you (to find) this dog? It's so dirty.

7. A valuable, painting (to steal) from the Central Art Gallery last night.

8. The thief (to take) only money. The diamonds (not to take).

9. Where you (to be) lately?

10. You (to invite) to the party?

11. John Kennedy (to assassinate) in Dallas in 1963.

12. The thieves (to enter) the house through the kitchen window.

13. Someone (to be) here last night. My bracelet and some rings (to take)!

14. When the television (to invent)? Who (to invent) it?

15. They (to tell) you the news?'

'No, I (not to tell) anything.'

16. The missing boy still (not to find).

17. She (not to ask) any questions last night. The police only (to interrogate) me.

18. They already (to read) all these books, but the new books (not to bring) yet.

19. Who (to leave) the door open? Mrs. Jones (to leave) her
door open last week, and her house (to break into).

20. They (to send for) the doctor?'

'Yes, he (to send for).'

21. The patient (to operate on) last week. He almost (to recover) already.

22. What book they (to ask for)?

23. No books (to ask for) recently.

24. No mistakes (to make) in this work.

25. He (to take care of) well while he (to stay) at the hospital?

26. 'How he (to account for) his behaviour? He (to explain) anything while he (to talk) to you?'

'No, I (to give) a very evasive answer.'

27. Yesterday I (to give) very nice presents.

28. Someone (to spill) some wine on the table-cloth. And you see that some glasses (to break).