THE CHART:


present simple              Peter eats bread                      Bread is easten (by Peter)

present continuous       Peter is eating bread                Bread is being eaten (by Peter)

present perfect Peter has eaten bread              Bread has been eaten (by Peter)

past simple                   Peter ate bread                        Bread was eaten (by Peter)

past continuous            Peter is eating bread                Bread is being eaten (by Peter)

past perfect                  Peter had eaten bread              Bread had been eaten (by Peter)

going to                       Peter is going to eat bread        Bread is going to be eaten (by
Peter)

will                              Peter will eat bread                  Bread will be eaten (by
Peter)

must                            Peter must eat bread                Bread must be eaten (by Peter)

have to                        Peter has to eat bread              Bread has to be eaten (by Peter)


 Underline the following verb forms which are not possible:


b) Jack was borned on a Thursday. Correct: Jack was born on a Thursday.

e) Your order will been sent as soon as possible. Correct: Your order will be sent asap.

i) An address is writing on the back of the envelope. Correct: An address is written ….

j) Customers are request to ask for a receipt. Correct: Customers are requested to ask ….


 Choose the most suitable tense:

b) The robbers were arrested as soon as the left the bank.

c) Sue told us her baby had been born two weeks earlier than expected.

d) If there is too much snow, the match will be cancelled.

e) By the time we got there, the rain had stopped.

f) When were you told about the new rules?

g) Most of the passengers were swimming easily to the shore.

h) The winning horse was ridden by Pat Murphy.

i)I looked again for the old man, but he had vanished.

j) I don´t think that you will be asked to show your passport.


Rewrite the sentences. Instead of using “somebody“ or “they“, write a passive sentence.


2 The concert has been postponed.

3 The computer is being used at the moment (by somebody)

4 I didn´t realize that our conversation was being recorded.

5 When we got to the stadium, we found that the match had been cancelled.

6 A new ring road is being built round the city.

  A new ring road round the city is being built.

7 A new hospital has been built near the airport.

   Near the airport a new hospital has been built.


The Passive Voice – medical examples

1 The development of the serum has been influenced by work  carried out in the USA.

2 The patient was injected with morphine.

3 A bronchoscope is being used by the doctor to inspect the inside of the lungs.

  The inside of the lungs is being inspected by the doctor using a bronchoscope.

4 He was arrested for misuse of drugs.

5 The patient is going to be referred to a consultant.

6 Traces of the drug have been found (by the lab).

7 The artery was blocked by a blood clot.

8 Supplies of drinking water were contaminated by refuse from the factories.

9   A high proportion of cancers can be treated by surgery.

10 His toes will have to be amputated if gangrene sets in.

     If gangrene sets in, his toes will have to be amputated.

11 He has been banned from drinking alcohol (by his doctor).

12 Sometimes patients are hypnotized (by therapists).

     Patients are sometimes hypnotized (by therapists).

13 A new procedure for dealing with Parkinson´s disease is being developed (by that hospital).

14 The solution should be heated to 25 degrees.

15 He was rejected (by the police) because of his medical record.