Changing the subject without using the Passive
With some transitive verbs the subject of a sentence can be changed without using the passive. The active transitive verb becomes intransitive.
e.g. The dog opened the door (active).
The door was opened by the dog (passive).
The door opened. – Дверь открылась.
Detective stories sell well. – Детективные рассказы хорошо продаются.
Change
Close
Wash
Dry
Begin
Read
Break
Turn
Wear
Increase
Stop
Crease
Vary
Fill
Record
Bake
Boil
Melt
Cook
Expand
Exercise 1. Translate into Russian.
1. This cloth washes and wears well. 2. The pie is still baking. 3. The book reads well. 4. The commodity sells well. 5. She photographs very well. (She is photogenic). 6. Her voice records well. 7. Will this stain wash out? 8. The skirt creases so easily. 9. The movie watches easily. 10. The software loads quickly. 11. His life changed completely when he moved to France. 12. Their clothes had dried by the time they got home. 13. Her pencil broke. 14. Black jeans are selling well. 15. The car crashed into a post. 16. The soup thickened.
Exercise 2. Rewrite the sentences in the passive, where possible.
e.g. Her mother drives her to school every day.
She is driven to school by her mother every day.
Paul drives to work every day. It cannot be changed
1. I woke up late on Sunday morning. 2. Her mother woke her up at seven o’clock. 3. Sue asked the waiter to bring some water. 4. David asked for some help. 5. Simon is moving house next month. 6. Michael moved the boxes out of the way. 7. Sandra walks on the beach regularly. 8. The boys walk the dog every day. 9. Mary hasn’t written the postcards yet. 10. Paul goes bowling with his friends on Fridays. 11. The mechanic will repair our car on Saturday. 12. Susan enjoys cooking oriental food. 13. Had Jack ordered the pizza? 14. They saw a man running out of the bank. 15. I have a shower every morning. 16. Mum is making dinner at the moment. 17. The Smiths will be cruising in the Caribbean next week. 18. The children walk to school every day. 19. He didn’t collect the dry cleaning yesterday. 20. The shop won’t deliver our furniture until Monday. 21. This dress fits you perfectly.
* Exercise 3. Fill each of the gaps with an appropriate word from the list.
| grown explained fallen | contracted widened intensified | folded changed dried | increased |
1. The amount we can spend on technical equipment has _________.
2. It is said that the number of students considering a career in teaching has ________ off a lot.
3. Consequently, the teacher training faculty has ________ by 25 per cent.
4. Attitudes towards the teaching profession have ________ considerably.
5. However, in other departments options have ________ greatly.
6. Inevitably some departments have ________ completely.
7. Interest in Latin, for example, has _________ up.
8. And competition with other colleges has, it must be admitted, ________.
9. But the curriculum has ________ into new areas such as media studies.
10. Interest in computer studies has ________ beyond all expectations.
* Exercise 4. For each of the following sentences write a new sentence as similar as possible in meaning to the original sentence, but using the word given.
e.g. The first act of your play is very well written. – READS
The first act of your play reads very well.
1. Initially, I think you develop the plot very convincingly. – UNFOLDS
2. You step up the tension in the third scene. – INCREASES
3. But then everything seems different. – CHANGE
4. You put in melodrama instead of real drama, don’t you? – REPLACES
5. Why do you close the first act with only a vague suspicion of murder in the air? – DOES
6. Why don’t you open the second act with the actual killing? – DOESN’T
7. And why does the third act end on such an anticlimax? – DO
Exercise 5. Each of the following sentences contains at least one active verb; however, some of the verbs should be passive. Underline the verbs twice. Then indicate if the sentences are correct (C) or incorrect (I).
1. The car parked in a no-parking zone. 2. The coffee turned bitter when it was left on the stove for so long. 3. Everything to organize the picnic has already done. 4. The police investigated him because of his unusual actions. 5. The package containing the necessary samples has just sent. 6. The vacation to Europe will carefully plan before the scheduled departure date. 7. The physics exam began just a few minutes ago. 8. The soccer game won in the closing minutes. 9. The clothes made to rival the latest fashions of the season. 10. When the roads are icy, the buses do not drive. 11. Inflation has increased over the last six months. 12. Metals expand when heated.
REVISION
Exercise 1. Translate the following sentences into Russian.
1. The delegation was headed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs. 2. She can be seen in the library every day. 3. Heat and light are given to us by the sun. 4. The child was often left home alone. 5. I wasn’t told about your decision. 6. The guests will be shown the places of interest in the city. 7. The house has been destroyed by the fire. 8. She is invited to come to England next year. 9. This house had been rebuilt by the end of the year. 10. Are you often shown good movies? 11. You are not heard, speak louder. 12. He was not seen in the dark hall. 13. They were taught two foreign languages. 14. Hurry up, you are being waited for. 15. Dinner is not ready, it is being prepared. 16. When the bell rang, this question was still being discussed. 17. It was so dark in the room that nothing could be seen. 18. What must be read for this seminar? 19. The money will be spent on food. 20. This work can be done in two days.
Exercise 2. Translate the following sentences into Russian. State the form of the predicate in the Passive.
1. Most government securities are marketable and may be bought and sold on the Stock Exchange. 2. Precious metals were first used as money on the basis of weight. 3. It is assumed that he will announce his candidacy soon. 4. This question was raised at the last meeting and no decision was reached then. 5. At this stage the raw materials are loaded into this container. 6. A production manager has just been appointed. 7. These products have been designed by a special team. 8. Based on the total figure, it appears that an error was made in the budget. 9. The price of a product is determined by the interaction of demand and supply. 10. Raw materials and agricultural products are usually sold in open markets, where the influence of cost on supply is much less pronounced. 11. An industry which is being increasingly mechanised may be employing less labour but increasing its output. 12. The gradual trend towards larger enterprises has not been confined to manufacturing industry. 13. Each individual firm may obtain its components at relatively low cost because they are being mass produced for the industry. 14. The ordinary shareholder is entitled to the residue of profits after all other claims have been met. 15. The ordinary share capital of a company is usually referred to as the equity of the company. 16. Countries are often described as underpopulated or overpopulated. 17. The output of agricultural products is seriously affected by variations in weather conditions. 18. The management knew what prices were being asked for the commodity in every part of the market. 19. The legal control of monopoly has been substantially extended and modified since the first legislation in 1948. 20. If we assume that the stock of capital is being increased relative to the stocks of the other factors of production, the returns to capital will be diminishing.
Exercise 3. Complete each sentence with two to five words including the word in bold.
e.g. They built the house last year. WAS The house was built last year.
1. They are planting trees in the garden. BEING Trees ________ in the garden. 2. The dog was chasing the cat around the house WASThe cat ________ around the house by the dog. 3. They haven’t cleaned the floor yet. BEEN The floor ________ yet. 4. They had eaten all the food by the time I got there. HAD All the food ________ by the time I got there. 5. You must finish the project by Wednesday afternoon. BEThe project ________ by Wednesday afternoon. 6. Mr Brown sent us a wedding invitation. WAS A wedding invitation ________ to us by Mr Brown. 7. They should inform the citizens as soon as possible. SHOULD The citizens ________ as soon as possible.
* Exercise 4. Complete each sentence with two to five words, including the word in bold.
e.g. People say that a change is as good as a rest. BE
A change is said to be as good as a rest.
1. Tom needs someone to help him with his homework. BE Tom needs _________ with his homework. 2. Someone sent us an anonymous letter. WERE We _________ an anonymous letter. 3. My father broke my mother’s glasses when he sat on them. GOT My mother’s glasses _________ when my father sat on them. 4. Erica covered the sofa with an old sheet. WAS The sofa ________ an old sheet by Erica. 5. Gina likes the chauffeur driving her to work every day. BEING Gina _________ to work every day by the chauffeur. 6. Someone should inform the employees about the strike. BE The employees _______ about the strike. 7. They will offer Mr Templer a more responsible post. TO A more responsible post _________ Mr Templer. 8. David hasn’t signed the new contract yet. BEEN The new contract _________ David yet. 9. Is Tom producing a new film next year? PRODUCED Is a new film _________ Tom next year? 10. They expect Monica Smith to win the competition. EXPECTED Monica Smith _________ the competition. 11. Dickens wrote the book she is reading. WAS The book she is reading ________ Dickens. 12. You mustn’t eat in the library. FORBIDDEN It ________ in the library. 13. It is known that the accident was caused by thick fog. HAVE The accident is known _________ by thick fog. 14. He made me pay for the damage. WAS I _________ for the damage. 15. They don’t let us use this phone. ALLOWED We _________ this phone. 16. I have to type the proposal by this evening. TYPED The proposal ________ by this evening. 17. The tailor made my suit before the interview. GOT I _________ before the interview. 18. I hate people interrupting me when I’m talking. BEING I _________ when I’m talking. 19. We hired a gardener to tidy the garden. TIDIED We _________ by a gardener. 20. People believe that they have made a deal. ARE They _________ a deal. 21. Someone stole his briefcase last week. HAD He _________ last week. 22. My coat is dry-cleaned twice a year. HAVE I _________ twice a year. 23. People expect that the factory will close soon. EXPECTED It ________ factory will close soon.
* Exercise 5. Complete the second sentence so that it is as similar in meaning as possible to the first sentence, using the word given. This word must not be changed. You must use between two and five words, including the word given.
e.g. There was bitter opposition to the proposal. OPPOSED The proposal was bitterly opposed.
1. They say the country is on the verge of civil war. SAID The country ________ on the verge of civil war. 2. People thought the president was ill. BE The President ________ ill. 3. People have suggested that you could be on the committee. PUT Your name _________ for the committee. 4. People believe he escaped with the money. RUN He is ________ off with the money. 5. They thought he was the best actor for the part. CONSIDERED He _________ the best actor for the part. 6. People always thought she was very good at maths, but she made some basic mistakes. SUPPOSED She _________ very good at maths, but she made some basic mistakes. 7. The directors decided to discuss the matter at the next meeting. AGREED It ________ would discuss the matter at the next meeting. 8. Two of the men walking home accepted our offer of a lift. UP Our offer of a lift ________ two of the men walking home. 9. Everything I know about art I learnt from Mrs Robinson. WAS I _________ about art by Mrs Robinson. 10. The court ordered him to pay a fine of $100. WAS He ________ a fine of $100 by the court. 11. You can’t leave the room during the exam. ALLOWED You ________ the room till the end of the exam. 12. The price of the room includes breakfast. Breakfast ________ the price of the room. 13. Some people said Peter stole the pen. ACCUSED Peter _________ the pen by some people. 14. They haven’t finished building the bridge yet. COMPLETED The _________ yet. 15. They will want to know what you have in your suitcase. ASKED You ________ show the contents of your suitcase. 16. The police are examining the case carefully. LOOKED The case _________ carefully by the police. 17. They are not going to let him get away with his crimes. PUNISHED He is _________ his crimes. 18. It is possible that the cat got run over by a car. KILLED The cat __________ by a car. 19. The government has reduced income tax. CUT Income tax _________ the government.
Exercise 6. Correct the mistakes, as in the example.
e.g. The new regulations will been announced in September. BE
1. Do they have their dogs walking every day? 2. She has the piano tune twice a year. 3. The letters are be posted first thing tomorrow morning. 4. When Mr Cobert arrived at the office, he realised his computer has been stolen. 5. The photographs will already been developed. 6. It’s worth having the car servicing. 7. She is expects to win the November election. 8. They are having their garage painted when I called. 9. Your teeth is be checked every six months. 10. He is said he has been promoted. 11. This pie was made by shortcrust pastry. 12. Who was this cake made? 13. Have you your car serviced often? 14. Green clothes are suited by Katie. 15. The man was seen hit the police officer. 16. The house has decorated recently.
Exercise 7. Translate the following sentences into English:
1. Этот вопрос будет подробно рассмотрен в главе III.
2. Ему не дали возможности закончить эту работу.
3. Для того чтобы преодолеть эти недостатки, использовали новые методы.
4. Полученные результаты сейчас анализируют.
5. В статье представлены новые данные по экономическому развитию.
6. Особое внимание уделяется вопросам финансирования.
7. Автором подробно описывается процесс глобализации.
8. Его попросили подписать договор.
9. Никакие документы еще не подписаны.
10. Этот факт не был упомянут.
11. Об этой проблеме пока не говорили.
12. Ей платят много.
13. За лекцией последовало несколько докладов.
14. К тому времени, когда мы придем, проблему решат.
15. Сейчас подписывают соглашение.
16. Не беспокойтесь, за детьми присмотрят.
17. Где ключ? Не знаю. Когда я пришел, его искали.
18. Этот менеджер квалифицированный. На него можно положиться.
19. Это событие нужно прокомментировать.
20. Генерального менеджера сейчас ждут.
21. На этот эксперимент часто ссылаются.
22. Лектора следует слушать очень внимательно.
Exercise 8. Translate the following sentences into English (the subject and verb to be used as the passive predicate are given in brackets):
1. Нам будут читать лекции на английском языке (we, to lecture).
2. Им подарили два принтера (they, to present).
3. Пособие по безработице будет выплачивается тем, кого увольняют (unemployment benefit, to pay to dismiss).
4. Об этом бизнесмене еще раз упомянули (this businessman, to hear of).
5. Эти системы создавались в некоторых компаниях на протяжении многих лет (this systems, to establish).
6. Город был заполнен приезжими из других стран (this town, to pack with).
7. Его доводов не слушали (his arguments, to listen to).
8. Дела оцениваются по результатам (deeds, to measure).
9. Как только было обеспечено финансирование, исследование началось (funding, to secure).
10. Значительные изменения климата уже подтверждены во всех странах мира (significant changes, to confirm).
11. Ваш творческий потенциал неэффективно расходуется на вашей теперешней работе (your creativity, to waste).
12. Все виды деятельности человека сопровождаются риском (all human activities, to accompany).
13. Такие виды товаров приобретаются у поставщиков (such items, to buy from).
14. Это предложение будет рассмотрено позднее (this proposal, to deal with).
15. Реальные зарплаты сократили наполовину за последние 10 лет (real wages, to cut).
16. Цены на товары на рынке зависят от спроса и предложения (the prices of commodities, to influence).
TEST 1