La pasiva

The Passive:A Choose the correct answer.

1. A new law on health care (passed / was passed)

by the government last month.

2. School uniforms (aren’t worn / don’t wear) at our

school.

3. We (will meet / will be met) you at the station at

10 o’clock.

4. We believe that endangered animals

(should be protected / should protect).

5. Notices (have sent / have been sent) to all the

members of the club.

6. The offices (were cleaning / were being cleaned)

all afternoon.

7. Dave (hadn’t finished / hadn’t been finished) the

exam when the bell rang.

8. Dogs (mustn’t take / mustn’t be taken) into shops.

B

Rewrite the sentences in the passive. Omit the agent when possible.

1. Both teams must agree on the date for the match.

..........................................................................................................................................

2. The postman may have delivered the letters to the wrong address.

..........................................................................................................................................

3. We didn’t see the famous painting because somebody had stolen it.

..........................................................................................................................................

4. The doctor is examining the patient now.

..........................................................................................................................................

5. The prisoner escaped while the police were questioning him.

..........................................................................................................................................

c 

Complete the passage with the correct form of the verbs in brackets. Use the active or passive.

Many people use the Internet, or the Net as it

encyclopedia, which

(invent), the Internet had a different purpose. Until then, people

and telephone, but these means of communication

private messages. A new way of sending private or secret information

Researchers in the American Defence Department studied the problem, and in 1969 they

1.............................. (call). Some people consider it as an2.............................. (can / use) to get information. However, when it 3..............................4.............................. (communicate) by radio5.............................. (not consider) safe ways of sending6.............................. (need).

7.

.............................. (establish) the Internet. Since then, the Net has grown and changed. In recent years, it

8.

............................. (use) for e-mail, shopping and chatting to people all over the world. Millions of people

9.

e-mail, but

A

2. aren’t worn 6. were being cleaned

3. will meet 7. hadn’t finished

4. should be protected 8. mustn’t be taken

1. was passed 5. have been sent

B

2. The letters may have been delivered to the wrong address.

3. We didn’t see the famous painting because it had been stolen.

4. The patient is being examined now.

5. The prisoner escaped while he was being questioned.

1. The date for the match must be agreed on by both teams.C

1. is called 6. was needed

2. can be used 7. established

3. was invented 8. has been used

4. had communicated 9. are connected

5. weren’t considered / 10. will be replaced

were not considered

The Passive – Answers

.............................. (connect) to it. Perhaps, in the future, phones 10.............................. (replace) entirely by