English Grammar in Use With Answers » Unit 43: Passive 2 (be done / been done / being done)

Study the following active and passive forms:

Infinitive
active (to) do/clean/see etc.Somebody will clean this room later.
passive (to) be + done/cleaned/seen etc.This room will be cleaned later.

  • The situation is serious. Something must be done before ifs too late.
  • A mystery is something that can't be explained.
  • The music was very loud and could be heard from a long way away.
  • A new supermarket is going to be built next year.
  • Please go away. I want to be left alone.

Perfect infinitive
active (to) have + done/cleaned/seen etc.Somebody should have cleaned the room.
passive (to) have been + done/cleaned/seen etc.The room should have been cleaned.

  • I should have received the letter by now. It might have been sent to the wrong address.
  • If you had locked the car, it wouldn't have been stolen.
  • There were some problems at first, but they seem to have been solved.

Present perfect
active have/has + done etc.The room looks nice. Somebody has cleaned it.
passive have/has been + done etc.The room looks nice. It has been cleaned.

  • Have you heard? The trip has been cancelled.
  • Have you ever been bitten by a dog?
  • 'Are you going to the party?' 'No, I haven't been invited.'

Past perfect
active had + done etc.The room looked nice. Somebody had cleaned it.
passive had been + done etc.The room looked nice. It had been cleaned.

  • The vegetables didn't taste good. They had been cooked too long.
  • The car was three years old, but hadn't been used very much.

Present continuous
active am/is/are + (do)ingSomebody is cleaning the room at the moment.
passive am/is/are + being (done)The room is being cleaned at the moment.

  • There's somebody walking behind us. I think we are being followed.
  • (in a shop)  'Can I help you?'  'No, thanks. I'm being served.'

Past continuous
active was/were + (do)ingSomebody was cleaning the room when I arrived.
passive was/were + being (done)The room was being cleaned when I arrived.

  • There was somebody walking behind us. I think we were being followed.

43.1 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, __________ .

43.2 Complete these sentences with the following verbs (in the correct form):

  • arrest
  • carry
  • cause
  • do
  • 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.

43.3 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.
    __________ .

43.4 Make sentences from the words in brackets. Sometimes the verb is active, sometimes passive.

  1. There's somebody behind us. (I think / we / follow)
    (1) .
  2. This room looks different. (you / paint / the walls?)
    (2) ?
  3. My car has disappeared.
    (it / steal!) It (3) __________ !
  4. My umbrella has disappeared. (somebody / take)
    Somebody (4) __________ .
  5. Sam gets a higher salary now. (he / promote)
    He (5) __________ .
  6. Ann can't use her office this week. (it / redecorate)
    It (6) __________ .
  7. There was a problem with the photocopier yesterday, but now it's OK.
    (it / work) It (7) __________ again.
    (it / repair) It (8) __________ .
  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) __________ .
  9. A neighbour of mine disappeared six months ago. (he / not / see / since then)
    He (10) __________ .
  10. I wonder how Jane is these days. (I / not / see / for ages)
    I (11) __________ .
  11. A friend of mine was mugged on his way home a few nights ago. (you / ever / mug?)
    (12) __________ ?

Answer Key
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