The PASSIVE

Form:

Intel produces millions of chips every year.

                                             Millions of chips _________ every year.

Our supplier is shipping the goods next week.

                                             The goods _____________ next week.

The government raised interest rates by 1%.

                                             Interest rates ____________ by 1%.

He was asking me some difficult questions.

                                             I _______________ some difficult questions.

They have chosen the new design.

                                             The new design__________________.

Rosa will give a press briefing tomorrow.

                                             A press briefing ____________ tomorrow.

We can arrange a loan within six days.

                                             A loan _______________ within six days.

We may give you some new sales targets.

                                             You _____________ some new sales targets.


1. Complete the following text with the correct forms of the verbs in brackets.

Manchester United: just a game of football?


Manchester United is supposed to have 1. / SUPPOSE, HAVE/ between 10 million and 30 million
supporters throughout the world. In Norway, for example, one in every 140 people 2. ______________
/SAY, BE/ a registered supporter. Ticket sales and merchandising contribute over half of the club´s
revenue, with television contributing a further 20%. But senior executives 3._____________/ KNOW,
LOOK AT/ other ways to generate income at the moment. For example, the club 4. ______________ /
BELIEVE, DEVELOP/ e-commerce initiatives through a series of alliances. Costs at the club continue
to increase. A few years ago the club 5._____________/ REPORT, SPEND/ £30m on a plan to expand the
capacity of the stadium from 55,000 seats to 67,400 seats. But this 6._____________ / THINK, BE/ a
good investment as it will generate nearly £7.5 million in additional turnover annually. The main
costs at the club are the salaries for the players. Last year the team´s captain
7.________________/UNDERSTAND, NEGOTIATE/ four-year contract worth over eight figures.


2. Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence.

1 David Gill from Marketing lent me this book.

_______________________________ this book by DG from Marketing.


2 This sample was given to me at the Trade Fair.

__________________________ this sample at the Trade Fair.


3 They promised us delivery within two weeks of our order.

We __________________________ within two weeks of our order.


4 This order was sent to us through our website.

_________________________________ this order through our website.


Reporting in the passive:

1. Yesterday we ________________ wait here. /INSTRUCT/

2. In my previous job I _______________ work late on several occasions. /ASK/

3. I _____________ that everyone had passed./TELL/

4. Some students ____________ if they commuted to school. /ASK/

5. The rebels ______________ be near the capital now. /REPORT/

6. He _______________ have ordered the murder of a US citizen. /ALLEGE/


Passive in the continuous/progressive form:

Complete the sentences with the appropriate forms of the verbs given:

1. I can´t use my car this week. It´s_________________ . (repair)

2. The director says that too much money _____________________ administration. (spend on)


Change the active voice into the passive voice:

1. I think somebody is following us.

I think we ______________________.


2. They are not doing enough for the homeless.

Not enough____________________________________.