English is spoken here

Look at the phrases and answer the questions.

o Where would you expect to find these?

o What is different about d)?

a)
d)
Philips Estate Agents WE REGRET
THAT TODAY’S
The house
was built SERVICES TO
in the early MANCHESTER
nineteenth HAVE BEEN
century. CANCELLED BY
MIDLAND
TRAINS LTD.
b)

e)

ENGLISH is My Fair Lady

spoken here. performed by the Lower
Compton Dramatic Society

Refreshments will be
c) served in the interval

THIS f)
GARMENT
MUST NOT
BE DRY-
CLEANED
This
product
should be
refrigerated
after
opening.

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 English is spoken here

All the phrases in Exercise 1 use the passive form. Study these reasons for using
the passive and match them with the phrases above. Fill in the table below by
writing the letter of the matching phrases in the right-hand column.

matching phrase(s)

We don’t know who did the action. (1 example)

The action is more important or interesting than

the agent (the person/thing which does it). (3
examples)

We want to put the most interesting / important

information near the beginning of the sentence.
(2 examples)

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 English is spoken here

Here are some notices. Decide whether these notices would be improved by using
the passive form and including the agent or not. Then rewrite the sentences like the
example.

People who wear this garment must wash it in cold water only.
This garment must be washed in cold water only.

a) We apologise that King Airways has cancelled flight KL167 to Stockholm.

........................................................................................................................................
b) Passengers can obtain refunds from the ticket office.
........................................................................................................................................
c) The waiters will serve drinks in the hotel lounge at six o'clock.
........................................................................................................................................
d) The staff in this shop accept payment by Eurocheque.
........................................................................................................................................
e) Pablo Picasso painted this portrait.
........................................................................................................................................

Using the verbs from the sentences above and in Exercise 1, complete the gaps in
this chart:

Active Passive
accept is accepted
present simple
speaks .........................................................

painted .........................................................

past simple ......................................................... .........................................................

was built

......................................................... has been cancelled

present perfect
have delayed .........................................................

must wash .........................................................

......................................................... can be obtained

modal verbs will serve .........................................................

......................................................... must not be dry-cleaned

......................................................... should be refrigerated

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 English is spoken here

Complete the sentences by using a verb from the box. Remember to use the
passive form of the correct tense.

wash pay win accept

rob clean not
invade discover deliver teach

a) The bank ............................................. last night.

b) Travellers cheques ............................................. in this store.

c) This pullover should ............................................. by hand.

d) Your new car ............................................. tomorrow.

e) The first prize ............................................. by a man from Manchester .

f) Penicillin ............................................. by Alexander Fleming.

g) Britain ............................................. since the year 1066.

h) This account must ............................................. within 28 days.

i) The hotel rooms ............................................. every day.

j) Next week your class ............................................. by Mrs Girton.

Make the following sentences active. The first one has been done for you.

This meal should be defrosted by purchasers before heating.

Purchasers should defrost this meal before heating.

a) Breakfast is served between 8 and 10 a.m. at this hotel.

........................................................................................................................................
b) A cure for cancer has been discovered by scientists at last!
........................................................................................................................................
c) The monkeys will be fed by the zoo keepers at four o clock.
........................................................................................................................................
d) The computer was installed by the engineer two months ago.
........................................................................................................................................
e) This shirt can be washed at any temperature.
........................................................................................................................................

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 English is spoken here

Work in teams of three. Your task is to combine the words you are given to
complete the chart of thirteen passive sentences. You must put the verbs into the
correct passive form. The first team to fill the chart with thirteen correct sentences
is the winner!
Student A: Look at the chart below. Your job is to read out the words in the chart, ask
your team mates to help you complete the sentences, and then write them in.

America

was invented by

in Germany

Coffee

Crimes

by water

should be eaten

President Kennedy

by Tchaikovsky

by Pablo Picasso

Japan

are designed

by Leo Tolstoy

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 English is spoken here

Student B: look at your information below

o to compose
o islands
o the 1812 Overture
o Radio
o to export
o most buildings
o in Dallas
o to manufacture
o Chinese food
o to discover
o by an Emperor
o to investigate
o Marconi

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Student C: look at your information below

o by architects
o to surround
o with chopsticks
o Mercedes cars
o to rule
o Guernica
o by Christopher Columbus
o from Colombia
o by detectives
o to paint
o to write
o to assassinate
o War and Peace

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 English is spoken here

Rewrite each sentence so that it means the same as the sentence before it. The first
one has been done for you.

People shouldn't take children on long journeys.

Children shouldn't be taken on long journeys.

a) You may take photographs in this museum.

Photographs .................................................................................................................................

b) Somebody has lost the keys.

The keys ........................................................................................................................................

c) Sherlock Holmes investigated many famous crimes.

................................................................................................................... by Sherlock Holmes.

d) Doctors have discovered a cure for the common cold!

A cure for the common cold .......................................................................................................

e) The postal service will send on your letters to the new address.

Your ................................................................................................................................................

f) They change the sheets every week.

The sheets ....................................................................................................................................

g) People eat a lot of hamburgers in the United States.

A lot of hamburgers .....................................................................................................................

h) You must not bring dogs into this park.

Dogs ...............................................................................................................................................

i) The Italians have designed the best outfits this season.

The best outfits this season ............................................................................ by the Italians.

j) Factory workers manufactured this TV in Korea.

This TV ..........................................................................................................................................

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