PASSIVE VOICE

Rewrite the sentences using the passive voice. Use the same tense.

1. You should not shake a bottle of port.

A bottle of port______________________________________ .
2. You must not throw batteries out in the communal waste.
Batteries______________________________________________ in the communal waste.
3. We did not think of all eventualities.
Not all eventualities _____________________________________________ .
4. We can write nothing more about love.
Nothing more _______________________________________ about love.
5. They were tearing down the plaster off the wall.
The plaster _________________________________________ off the wall.
6. They swore Mr Watson in as town mayor.
Mr Watson ____________________________________ as town mayor.
7. They stuck the paper on the window.
The newspaper ____________________________________ on the window.
8. They showed a good film at the cinema yesterday.
A good film ___________________________ at the cinema yesterday.
9. They shot him in the crossfire.
He __________________________________________ in the crossfire.
10. They did not take our cars.
Our cars _______________________________________________ .
11. They are sweeping diligently.
It ___________________________________________diligently.
12. They are singing many beautiful songs at this competition.
Many beautiful songs __________________________________ at this competition.
13. They are going to teach Chinese at this school.
Chinese ______________________________________ at this school.
14. The teacher split up the class into groups of five.
The class _________________________________ into groups of five.
15. The country is spending too much on the army.
Too much money on the army.
16. The alarm clock woke me up at 5 o'clock.
I ________________________________by the alarm clock at 5 o'clock.
17. Somebody stole the jewellery.
The jewellery _______________________________________ .
18. Nobody had told me about the accident.
I _____________________________________about the accident.
19. It is easy to understand his English.
His English _______________________________________ .
20. Are you sure you have shut the door?
Are you sure the door ______________________________________ ?

Other Passive constructions:

NEED: Need + V + ing-form is used to imply that we are not performing the action:

The ceiling needs cleaning.

GET/HAVE SOMETHING DONE: This passive construction is used:

a. for things which we make happen -often services done for us by someone else:
They had their house repainted (someone else did it)
b. for things which happen to us - often accidents or misfortunes:
She had her car stolen. He had his arm broken
c. When get is used, it can suggest that we managed to do something:
We got the wall painted in the end (it was difficult but we did it)

REPORTS
In news reporting especially, when a report involves opinion (people say...) it is common to use an
impersonal expression:
It is said...
This can also involve putting the object of the report (people say that he) at the beginning of the sentence:
People say that he is in prison = He is said to be in prison
Verbs which are commonly used in this way include: believe, say, report, know, understand, suppose, think.

People believe he lives in Brazil. He is believed to live in Brazil.

People say he is living in Brazil. He is said to be living in Brazil.
People think he left/has left Brazil. He is thought to have left Brazil
People understand he was asking for help. He is understood to have been asking for help

Notice: People / They said/thought/etc he lives in Brazil.

He was said/thought to live in Brazil.

VERBS WITH TWO OBJECTS

Some verbs (e.g. give) can have two objects:
We gave her the watch
It is possible to make two different passive sentences. The sentence that begins with a person is preferred.
She was given the watch.
The watch was given to her.
Other verbs like this include: lend, offer, bring, owe, promise, show, throw

Rewrite each sentence without changing the meaning, beginning as shown.

1. The dentist took out all my front teeth.

I had ___________________________________________________ out.
2. The car was lent to him by an old friend.
He ___________________________________________ by an old friend.
3. Everyone believes he is a terrible liar.
He ______________________________________ a terrible liar.
4. She managed to do the ironing in the end.
She got ___________________________________ in the end.
5. He was thought to have sold secrets to a foreign power.
Everyone thought ____________________________________________ secrets to a foreign power.
6. Someone broke his arm in a fight.
He had ____________________________________ in a fight.
7. There is a report that he is seriously ill.
He ____________________________________________ seriously ill.
8. They have just removed her appendix.
She has _____________________________________ removed.
9. A glass of water will be brought to you if you call.
You ________________________________________ of water if you call.
10. When the accident happened, he was taken to hospital.
They ________________________________________ when the accident happened.
11. They made him rewrite the report.
He _________________________________________the report.
12. I wasn't asked for my opinion of the matter.
Nobody _______________________________________ of the matter.
13. Our whole building was redesigned by an architect from London.
We had _______________________________________ by an architect from London.
14. They say that the president was shot by the secret service.
The president ____________________________________ shot by the secret service.
15. They used a knife to open the french windows.
The french windows _______________________________ a knife.
16. An old man with a walking-stick showed me the way
I was ____________________________________________ an old man with a walking-stick.
17. You shouldn't have taken those boxes away.
Those boxes ______________________________________ away.
18. Nobody thought she was really dangerous.
She wasn’t ________________________________________ really dangerous.
19. Everyone thinks she is the best person for the job.
She ______________________________________________ the best person for the job.
20. They are going to hire a carpenter to build a new closet for them.
They are going to have __________________________________________ by a carpenter.
21. It is necessary to deliver the boxes at nine sharp.
The boxes need ________________________________________ sharp.
22. The students have handed in the papers to the teacher.
The teacher ___________________________________________ the papers.