Put the sentences into the Passive voice.

1. The guests sang us a song.

2. Someone wrote me a funny letter.

3. Tom is reading the text to me.

4. My boss has mentioned this idea to me.

Give the back translation.

— Чем ты занимаешься?

— Перевожу песню.

— Ты часто переводишь песни?

— Да.

— Как часто ты делаешь переводы?

— Я обычно перевожу одну песню в день.

— Как давно ты переводишь песни?

— Я перевожу песни с того времени, как начал учить английский.

— Ты сегодня перевел какие-нибудь песни?

— Да, я перевел одну сегодня и завтра собираюсь перевести одну песню.

— Когда ты завтра будешь делать перевод?

— Я буду переводить весь день и к полуночи я переведу.

— Когда ты переведешь эту песню?

— Я ее уже перевел, когда ты позвонил. Я ее переводил вчера весь день.

— Как насчет вчерашней песни? (yesterday’s song)

— Она переведена.

— А позавчерашняя? (the song from the day before yesterday)

— Ее перевели еще ко вчерашнему утру.

— Понятно. Когда точно ее перевели?

— Половину перевели вчера ночью.

— Все песни перевели?

— Они будут переведены через10 минут. Их сейчас переводят.

Change from the active into the passive. Omit the doer where it can be omitted.

1. Her mother drives her to school every day.

2. The teacher sent him out of the class.

3. They will have finished the work by tonight.

4. Someone had warned her that she might lose her job.

5. Who discovered America?

6. Who answered the phone?

7. Who did they give the prize to?

8. The lecturer bored the students with his long lecture.

9. During the summer the cafe was employing more waiters every week.

10. The University library lends its readers nearly 2 million books every year.

Check your progress

Variant – I.

I. Modify the sentences from Active into Passive voice.

1. A great artist painted this picture.

2. John broke the window the other day.

3. I will post the letter tomorrow.

4. My little brother has broken the cup.

5. By the time the director came she had typed all the letters.

6. They are preparing a meal now.

7. We asked the lecturer a few questions about Shakespeare.

II. Translate the sentences from Russian into English.

1. Эта книга скоро будет опубликована.

2. Его всегда любили друзья и учителя.

3. Об этом фильме много говорят.

4. Он не знает, почему его туда посылают.

5. К концу этой недели его имя будет известно каждому.

6. Его давно не видели.

7. Около моста строятся два новых дома.

III. Put the verbs in gaps in the Passive voice.

Windsor Castle (situate) twenty-one miles west of London. If you go there by train, you (take) an hour to get there. Windsor Castle is a famous ancient castle. For over 800 years Windsor Castle (use) as the residence of the British Royal Family. The Castle (start) by William the Conqueror in the 11th century. The surrounding countryside (not change) much since the old times. In the centre the Round Tower (build). It is eighty feet high and (can see) from far away. Every year Windsor Castle (visit) by thousands of tourists from all over the world and it (name) as one of the most beautiful castles in Great Britain.

Variant –II.

I. Put the verbs in gaps in the Passive voice.

The Tower of London (build) By William the Conqueror in 1078. Since that time it (expand) to its present size, and (use) as an armory, a zoo, a royal mint, a prison, and a museum. At the time when it was a prison a lot of people (lock) in the Tower and (execute) on Tower Hill. They (behead) with the block and axe, which (keep and show) in the Tower Armory now. The Jewel House (situate) in the Tower. The collection of the Crown Jewels (keep) in it. In 1671 an attempt (make) to steal the Crown Jewels by a man named Captain Blood.

II. Modify the sentences from Active into Passive voice.

1. We heard a sound of a piano in the hall.

2. I bought this book a week ago.

3. The secretary has already brought these letters.

4. They went home after they had finished the work.

5. Our scientists are examining this problem now.

6. My mother taught him English.

7. I sent her brother a telegram.

III. Translate the sentences from Russian into English.

1. Все телеграммы уже отправлены.

2. Эта книга сейчас продается в этом магазине.

3. Вчера в библиотеке были обсуждены эти книги.