Level 4 Chapter 1 Unit 2 - Passives (or not)

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The Passive

ACTIVE: Tom wrote the letter yesterday.

PASSIVE: The letter was written yesterday (by Tom)

Notice the word BY before the person who does the action in the passive sentence.

The passive sentence is used when the person is not very important - what happened is more important than who did it.

The BY + AGENT is usually omitted in the passive sentence.

Examples:
ACTIVE:

Toyota MAKES cars in Japan .

They WILL PAY the bill in cash.

The secretary IS FILING the documents.

You MUST SIGN the check.

The mailman SHOULD DELIVER the
mail soon.

PASSIVE:

Toyota Cars ARE MADE in Japan.

The bill WILL BE PAID in cash.

The documents ARE BEING FILED (by the secretary).

The check MUST BE SIGNED.

The mail SHOULD BE DELIVERED soon (by the mailman).

My watch _____ of gold.
1. is made
2. makes
3. made
Most bottles _____ of plastic nowadays.
1. are made
2. make
3. made
These bills _____ in a few days.
1. must pay
2. must be paid
3. must be paying
You _____ this bill by tomorrow.
1. must pay
2. must be paid
3. must be paying
Both English and French _____ in Canada.
1. is spoken
2. speak
3. are spoken
They _____ English and French in Canada.
1. are spoken
2. speak
3. are being spoken
Your pizzas _____ in about 15 minutes.
1. will deliver
2. will be delivered
3. delivers
They say they'll _____ the pizza in about 15 minutes.
1. be delivered
2. delivered
3. deliver
My new car _____ from Japan.
1. was imported
2. is imported
3. imports
Japan _____ a lot of cars.
1. is being exported
2. exports
3. is exported
Where is the letter? ... It _____ right now.
1. is printed
2. was printing
3. is being printed
This medicine _____ with lots of water.
1. should take
2. should be taking
3. should be taken
Don't hurry. You really _____ your time.
1. should be taken
2. should take
3. should have taken
Bills _____ by check or by credit card.
1. can pay
2. can be paying
3. can be paid
You _____ the bill by check or by credit card.
1. can pay
2. can be paying
3. can be paid
Cheques _____ in pencil.
1. can't sign
2. can't be signed
3. can't be signing
You _____ company credit cards to buy personal items.
1. mustn't be used
2. mustn't use
3. must be not used
Sorry. You _____ to smoke in here.
1. don't allow
2. aren't allowed
3. aren't allowing
We _____ eating or drinking in the laboratory.
1. don't allow
2. aren't allowed
3. aren't being allowed
My passport _____ in 2005.
1. issued
2. issues
3. was issued
The policeman _____ ten tickets in half an hour.
1. issued
2. was being issued
3. is issued
English newspapers _____ almost anywhere.
1. can buy
2. can be bought
3. can be buying
This Eiffel Tower _____ at the end of the 19th century.
1. built
2. was built
3. was building
Where is this package _____?
1. sending
2. sent
3. being sent
Where was this wine _____ from?
1. import
2. imported
3. importing
What does the U.S. _____ to Japan?
1. export
2. exported
3. exporting
Who was the letter _____ by?
1. signing
2. signed
Sorry, you can't call now. The phone is _______ .
1. being used
2. used
3. using