Exercise 1
What do these words mean? Use it can … or it can’t …. Use a dictionary if necessary.
If something is
1 washable, …………………….
2 unbreakable, it …………………….
3 edible, …………………….
4 unusable, …………………….
5 invisible, …………………….
6 portable, …………………….
Answers
1
1 it can be washed
2 it can’t be broken
3 it can be eaten
4 it can’t be used
5 it can’t be seen
6 it can be carried
Exercise 2
Complete these sentences with the following verbs (in the correct form):
arrest carry cause make repair send spend wake up
Sometimes you need have (might have, should have etc.).
1 The situation is serious. Something must ……………………. Before it’s too late.
2 I should have received the letter by now. It might ……………………. to the wrong address.
3 A decision will not ……………………. until the next meeting.
4 Do you think that more money should ……………………. on education?
5 This road is in very bad condition. It should ……………………. a long time ago.
6 The injured man couldn’t walk and had to …………………….
7 I told the hotel receptionist I wanted to ……………………. at 6.30 the next morning.
8 If you hadn’t pushed the policeman, you wouldn’t …………………….
9 it’s not certain how the fire started, but it might ……………………. by an electrical fault.
Answers
2
1 be done
2 have been sent
3 be made
4 be spent
5 have been repaired
6 be carried
7 be woken up
8 have been arrested
9 have been caused
Exercise 3
Rewrite these sentences. Instead of using somebody or they etc., write a passive sentence.
1 Somebody has cleaned the room.
…………………….
2 Somebody is using the computer right now.
The computer …………………….
3 I didn’t realise that somebody was recording our conversation.
I didn’t realise that …………………….
4 When we got to the stadium, we found that they had cancelled the game.
When we got to the stadium, we found that …………………….
5 They are building a new ring road round the city.
…………………….
6 They have built a new hospital near the airport.
…………………….
Answers
3
1 The room has been cleaned.
2 The computer is being used at the moment.
3 I didn’t realise that our conversation was being recorded.
4 … we found that the game had been cancelled.
5 A new ring road is being built round the city.
6 A new hospital has been built near the airport.
Exercise 4
Make sentences from the words in brackets. Sometimes the verb is active, sometimes passive.
1 There’s somebody behind us. (I think / we / follow) …………………….
2 This room looks different. (you / paint / the walls?) …………………….
3 My car has disappeared. (it / steal!) It …………………….
4 My umbrella has disappeared. (somebody / take) Somebody …………………….
5 Sam gets a higher salary now. (he / promote) He …………………….
6 Ann can’t use her office this week. (it / redecorate) It …………………….
7 There was a problem with the photocopier yesterday, but now it’s OK.
(it / work) It ……………………. again. (it / repair) It …………………….
8 When I went into the room, I saw that the table and chairs were not in the same place. (the furniture / move) The …………………….
9 A neighbour of mine disappeared six months ago. (he / not / see / since then)
He …………………….
10 I wonder how Jane is these days. (I / not / see / for ages)
I …………………….
11 A friend of mine was mugged on his way home a few nights ago. (you / ever / mug?)
…………………….
Answers
4
1 I think we’re being followed.
2 Have you painted the walls?
3 it’s been stolen! / It has been stolen!
4 Somebody has taken it. or … taken my umbrella.
5 He’s been promoted. I He has been promoted.
6 it’s being redecorated. / It is being redecorated.
7 it’s working again. / It is working again.
it’s been repaired. / it has been repaired.
8 The furniture had been moved.
9 He hasn’t been seen since then.
10 I haven’t seen her for ages.
11 Have you ever been mugged?
