Review Exercises for Passive Voice & GerundsENGL 123-2Writing II

Rules : RevisionTENSE ACTIVE VOICE PASSIVE VOICE

Present We normally heat the water in a kettle.The printer prints the Excel sheets.

The water is normally heated in a kettle.The Excel sheets are printed by/using a printer

Simplepast

We heated the water in a kettle.The scientist found out the reason for the disease.

The water was heated in a kettle.The reason was found out by/the scientist.

Presentperfect

We have heated the water in a kettle.The program has calculated the parameters.

The water has been heated in a kettle.The parameters have been 

calculated by/using the program.

TenseAuxiliary verb + sample V3 (past participle)

Examples

Present simple am, is, are + made

Water is heated in a kettle.Many cars are made in Japan.

Present progressiveam, is, are + being + sent

The document is being sent right now.I am being sent to work in the London office.

Past simple was, were + invited

John was invited to speak at the conference.We were invited to Daniel and Mary’s wedding.

Past progressivewas, were + being + washed

The car was being washed when I got home.Their families were being kidnapped while they were in the mall shopping.

Future (will) will be + signed

The contract will be signed tomorrow.The documents will all be signed by next week.

The Perfect Tenses

Present perfecthas, have + been + sold

That start-up has been sold for $5 million.The rights to his book have been sold for $250,000.

Past perfect had + been + hired

The new manager had been hired before John left the company.All the employees had hired before the store opened.

Future perfectwill + have been + finished

The car will have been loaded by the time he gets home.The crates will have been loaded by then.

Modals[can, have to, should , could, must, may, might, can ,would]

Modals: can/couldcan, could + be + issued

A passport can only be issued at the embassy.He said the documents could be issued within the week.

Modal: have tohave to, has to, had to + be+ arranged

A babysitter has to be arranged for this evening.Joan’s travel plans have to be arranged by December.

Modal: mustmust + be + stopped

Criminals must be stopped before they commit crimes.

Passive sentences with 2 objects• Rachel will give you some advice.

→• I sent him a letter.

→• The police officer showed us the way.

→• Our neighbour gave me a lift.

→• We have asked him a favour.

→• She told me a lie.

→• They have written her a postcard.

→• Kerrie will make you a cup of tea.

→• The waiter has not brought us the coffee.

→• They did not offer her a seat.

→

Answers

• 1.Rachel will give you some advice.

• → You will be given some advice.

• 2.I sent him a letter.• → He was sent a letter.• • 3.The police officer showed

us the way.• → We were shown the way.• • 4.Our neighbour gave me a

lift.• → I was given a lift.• • 5.We have asked him a

favour.• → He has been asked a

favour.

•

• 6.She told me a lie.• → I was told a lie.• • 7.They have written her a

postcard.• → She has been written a

postcard.• • 8.Kerrie will make you a cup of

tea.• → You will be made a cup of tea.• • 9.The waiter has not brought us

the coffee.• → We have not been brought the

coffee.• • 10.They did not offer her a seat.• → She was not offered a seat.

People’s opinion/perception• 1.People know that she is a good swimmer.• → • 2.They say that Francis is in hospital.• → • 3.They think that the children are in bed.• → • 4.People believe that the robber has worked in the bank.• → • 5.People believe that nuclear power stations are dangerous.• → • 6.His collegues thought that he was on holiday.• → • 7.People know that cars pollute the environment.• → • 8.They suppose that the new product will come out soon.• → • 9.They found that the mission was impossible.• → • 10.They believe that she will win a gold medal.• →

• 1.People know that she is a good swimmer.• → She is known to be a good swimmer.

• 2.They say that Francis is in hospital.• → Francis is said to be in hospital.

• 3.They think that the children are in bed.• → The children are thought to be in bed.

• 4.People believe that the robber has worked in the bank.• → The robber is believed to have worked in the bank.• • 5.People believe that nuclear power stations are

dangerous.• → Nuclear power stations are believed to be dangerous.

• 6.His colleagues thought that he was on holiday.• → He was thought to be on holiday.

• 7.People know that cars pollute the environment.• → Cars are known to pollute the environment.

• 8.They suppose that the new product will come out soon.

• → The new product is supposed to come out soon.• • 9.They found that the mission was impossible.• → The mission was found to be impossible. • 10.They believe that she will win a gold medal.• → She is believed to win a gold medal

Exercise on Passive Voice - Future I

• Rewrite the sentences in passive voice.• Jane will buy a new computer. -• Millions of people will visit the museum. -• Our boss will sign the contract. -• You will not do it. -• They will not show the new film. -• He won't see Sue. -• They will not ask him. -• Will the company employ a new worker? -• Will the plumber repair the shower? -

Answers Future I• 1.Jane will buy a new computer. - A new computer will be bought by Jane.

• 3.Millions of people will visit the museum. - The museum will be visited by millions of people.

• 4.Our boss will sign the contract. - The contract will be signed by our boss.

• 5.You will not do it. - It will not be done by you.• • 6.They will not show the new film. - The new film will not be shown by them.• • 7.He won't see Sue. - Sue will not be seen by him.• • 8.They will not ask him. - He will not be asked by them.

• 9.Will the company employ a new worker? - Will a new worker be employed by the company?

• 10.Will the plumber repair the shower? - Will the shower be repaired by the plumber?

Passives –Future II• Frank will have ordered the drinks. -• You will have spent all the money. -• I will have taken the dog for a walk. -• She will have sold the car. -• They will have solved the problem. -• She will not have read the book. -• They will not have trusted him. -• He won't have rung Barbara. -• Will they have paid the bill? -• Will you have washed my socks? -

Answers to Future II• 1.Frank will have ordered the drinks. - The drinks will have been ordered by Frank. • 2.You will have spent all the money. - All the money will have been spent by you.• • 3.I will have taken the dog for a walk. - The dog will have been taken for a walk by

me.• • 4.She will have sold the car. - The car will have been sold by her.• • 5.They will have solved the problem. - The problem will have been solved by

them. • 6.She will not have read the book. - The book will not have been read by her.• • 7.They will not have trusted him. - He will not have been trusted by them. • 8.He won't have rung Barbara. - Barbara will not have been rung by him.• • 9.Will they have paid the bill? - Will the bill have been paid by them?• • 10.Will you have washed my socks? - Will my socks have been washed by you?

Passive Voice - Exercise with Auxiliary Verbs

• Rewrite the sentences in passive voice.• I can answer the question. -• She would carry the box. -• You should open the window. -• We might play cards. -• You ought to wash the car. -• He must fill in the form. -• They need not buy bread. -• He could not read the sentence. -• Will the teacher test our English? -• Could Jenny lock the door? -

Complete the sentences (Simple Present or Simple Past). • Portal dolmens(be) ____________ancient tombs. • They(build) ____________about 6000 years ago. • In order to build such a tomb, ancient people(put) _________up big

stones. • These standing stones then(form) ____________the walls. • Another huge stone, the cap stone,(place) __________on top of the

other stones. • Finally, the tomb(have) _______________the form of a little chamber. • In that chamber, the dead person(bury)__________ . • Then the entrance to the tomb(close)____________ with another

stone. • Nowadays, portal dolmens(see / can) _________in Ireland, Wales and

Scotland. • They(call)______ portal dolmens because they (look) _____like a huge

doorway (or portal

Answers to the Exercise• Portal dolmens are ancient tombs. • They were built about 6000 years ago. • In order to build such a tomb, ancient people put up big

stones. • These standing stones then formed the walls. • Another huge stone, the cap stone, was placed on top of the

other stones. • Finally, the tomb had the form of a little chamber. • In that chamber, the dead person was buried. • Then the entrance to the tomb was closed with another stone. • Nowadays, portal dolmens can be seen in Ireland, Wales and

Scotland. • They are called portal dolmens because they look like a huge

doorway (or portal).

GERUNDS AND INFINITIVES

Gerunds: Verb + ing

1. Gerunds are used as subjects of sentences

Drinking a lot of coffee might be harmful.Travelling helps us to explore the world.

2. Gerunds are used as objects after certain verbs:

I usually avoid driving in the rush hour.She does not enjoy cooking after 5 o’ clock.

3. Use gerunds after prepositions The whole idea is about learning the new language

Only gerunds

• admit • avoid, • carry on • Consider• delay,• deny, detest,• dislike,• Enjoy• ,excuse• ,finish,

• give up,• Imagine• ,involve,• keep on, • practise,• put off,• Save• Suggest• tolerate

Complete the sentences using infinitive constructions

• She didn't tell me(do / what) • We asked a man(get / to the station / how) • We didn't know(go / this way or that way / whether) • She found out(queue / for the tickets / where) • I learnt(juggle / with three balls / how) • Fill in the gerund as the subject of the sentence.• (smoke) causes cancer.• (play) football is not allowed here.• (walk) in New York's Central Park at night can be

dangerous.• (spend) your summer holidays watching TV is a waste

of time.• (sleep) in is what we usually do on a Sunday.

Answers Complete the sentences using infinitive constructions• .• She didn't tell me what to do.• We asked a man how to get to the station.• We didn't know whether to go this way or that way.• She found out where to queue for the tickets.• I learnt how to juggle with three balls.• Fill in the gerund as the subject of the sentence.• Smoking causes cancer.• Playing football is not allowed here.• Walking in New York's Central Park at night can be

dangerous.• Spending your summer holidays watching TV is a waste

of time.• Sleeping in is what we usually do on a Sunday.