Prepositions with Passive Verbs

1) They use by + agent to say who or what carries out the action.

2) They use with + instrument/material/ingredient to say what the agent used. The pancakes were made by Claire. They were made witheggs,flour and milk.

The agent is often omitted in the passive sentence when the subject of the active sentence is one of the following words: people, one, someone/somebody, they, he, etc.

Active: Somebody has rearranged the furniture.

Passive: The furniture has been rearranged.

But: The agent is not omitted when it is a specific or important person, or when it is essential to the meaning of the sentence: The “Mona Lisa” was painted by Leonardo da Vinci. A new law has been passed by the government.

E x e r c i s e s

Underline phrases which are not necessary in these sentences. Not all sentences contain unnecessary phrases

1) My wallet has been stolen by someone.

2) We were taught by a different teacher yesterday.

3) Nick was operated on at the hospital by a doctor.

4) The meal was served by a waiter in a red coat.

5) We were shown round the museum by a guide.

6) Two letters were delivered this morning by the postman.

7) Three men have been arrested by the police.

8) Yesterday a window was broken by someone.

9) Paper was invented by the Chinese.

10) The interview is being televised throughout the world.

Read the following text and underline the passive constructions.

Acid rain is caused by burning coal or oil. When either fuel is burned, it releases poisonous gases which are carried up into the atmosphere and sometimes transported long distances.

Over 3,000 research projects have been carried out to look into acid rain, and a decision to tackle the problem has been taken in most of the western European countries. Measures have been taken in Scandinavia and in Central Europe to stop the pollution before it is dumped on the environment, and a diplomatic campaign has been launched to convince other countries that the problem has to be considered as a major ecological threat.

‘Five years ago this issue was not being treated seriously,’ says one leading environmental group, ‘but now that damage has been reported in large areas of forest and Lakeland, our politicians are being forced to take action. This problem must be solved quickly: if governments do nothing, they will be faced in two or three years’ time with the accusation that they have allowed our forests to die.’ A major international initiative to combat acid rain is expected in the near future.

The Indefinite Tenses in the Passive Voice

The Present Indefinite Passive is formed by means of the auxiliary verb to be in the Present Indefinite (am, is, are) and adding the past participle of the main verb: Write ® is written.

The Past Indefinite Passive is formed by means of the auxiliary verb to be in the Past Indefinite (was/ were) and adding the past participle of the main verb: Wrote ® was written.

E x e r c i s e s

Open the brackets. Use the Present Indefinite Passive

(A)

1) Lots of people like coffee. About 20 billion cups of coffee (to drink) in Belarus every year.

2) A billion litres of milk (to buy) by the Belarusian’s every year.

3) 1,5 million litres of juice (to produce) every year.

4) 10000 litres of water (to use) by the average Belarusian family every month.

5) Over 2 million cars (to own) by Belarusian families.

6) Some people do not eat meat. Meat (not to eat) by 2 per cent of Belarusian people.

7) 3 million chickens and turkeys (to kill) every week in Belarus.

8) A lot of TV-sets (to manufacture) by Belarusian plants every year.

9) Lots of computers (to assemble) by some Belarusian companies.

10) In Belarus lots of new block of flats (to build) every year.

(B) Open the brackets and retell the texts

Finding a Job

If you have left school and haven’t got a job, don’t despair. Jobs (to advertise) in local papers under “Situations Vacant”. Go to your local Job Centre or Employment Office. If they haven’t got a suitable job for you, at least good advice (to give) here. Job vacancies (to post) up on notice boards outside firms and factories. Local jobs (to display) on cards in shop windows and at post offices. When you have found a job that interests you, make an appointment for an interview. Sometimes, an interview (to arrange) by telephone, but often a written application (to require). Application forms (to provide) for this purpose by the firms. Sometimes the applicant (to test) at the interview. Don’t be nervous, do your best.

Don’t feel that you have to take the first job that (to offer) to you. Go to the Career Office and ask about the Young Training Scheme. Many on-the-job courses and schemes (to organize) by the Youth Training Scheme and they pay you during the training.

Delivery letters

First the letters (1) (to pick up) from the postbox, and then they (2) (to take) to the sorting office. Here the stamps (3) (to cancel) automatically with blue dots and the date. The letters (4) (to sort) then either by post-office workers or by machines which read the blue dots or postal code. Next the letters (5) (to sort) automatically into boxes. They then (6) (to tie up) with elastic bands and (7) (to put) into bundles. After that, they (8) (to send) to the main post-offices nearest their destinations. Finally, they (9) (to pick up) by the postman and (10) (to deliver).

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