I (walk) down the street the other day when I (bump) into an old friend of mine. We (be) friends at university but we (lose) touch. We (talk) for a few minutes and he (tell) me that he (work) with computers for the past two years. I (can) hardly believe it; he (do) a drama degree at university and (act) in several films when he was younger. It (be) funny how things (turn out) sometimes.
1.8. THE USE OF TENSES IN THE PASSIVE VOICE
FORMATION
The Passive voice is formed with the help of the auxiliary be in the appropriate form and the Past Participle of the main verb (see Table 13).
Tense
Structure
Example
Present Simple
am/are/is + Past Participle
English is spoken here.
Past Simple
was/were + Past Participle
His leg was hurt in an accident.
Future Simple
shall/will + Past Participle
The matter will be discussed tomorrow.
Present Cont.
am/are/is being + Past Participle
She is being interviewed now.
Past Continuous
was/were being + Past Participle
I felt I was being watched.
Present Perfect
have/has been + Past Participle
My brother has never been beaten in tennis.
Past Perfect
had been + Past Participle
The bridge had been built by winter time.
Future Perfect
will have been + Past Participle
Everything will have been done by Tuesday.
Note 1: Future Continuous Passive (will be being + Past Participle) and Perfect Continuous Passive (have been being + Past Participle, etc.) are unusual and are not normally used. Note 2: Passive Infinitives are used with 'to' or without 'to' in the same way as Active Infinitives: e.g.
The pupils must be warned about the change in the time-table. The letter doesn 't have to be sent
tomorrow.
USAGE
The use of the verb-tenses in the passive voice is determined by the same principles as in the active voice. Yet a passive construction is not merely a transformation of the active one. It is made to show that the subject of a sentence is not the
doer of the action but the receiver of it. Hence the passive
voice has its own uses marked by the shift of focus from the doer of the action to the action itself which is typical of more formal speech.
Customers are requested to ask for a receipt. When were you told about the new rules? The floor is filthy. It must be scrubbed.
PRACTICE
I. Open the brackets using the appropriate passive forms.
1. The Tower of London formerly (use) as a prison.
2. Progress (make) every day in the world of science.
3. He saw that the table (push) into the corner.
4. Empty bottles must (throw away), the sooner the better.
5. Photographs (take) after the ceremony.
6. I never (speak to) like that before.
7. Ann (show) how to bath a baby by her elder sister.
8. A big battle (fight) here 200 years ago.
9. These books must not (take) away from the reading-room. 10. Milk (use) for making butter and cheese.
I1. In some countries women still (deny) the right to vote.
12. My uncle recently (make) a captain.
13. She fell into the water because she (push).
14. We (suppose) to take your remark seriously?
15. They say she (interview) for the job tomorrow.
16. The newspaper (deliver) before I got up this morning.
17. Milk can (buy) at the shop on the corner.
18. We (tell) there (be) a private bathroom for every room.
19. Next week we (tell) who will be in charge of the department.
20. I phoned the police when I found out that my passport (steed).
21. A new plug for the television must (buy).
22 Smoking (not/allow) in this part of the building.
23 I (tell) that fifty people (invite) to the reception.
24' The National Gallery (restore) at the moment.
25 During the Gulf War many oil wells in Kuwait (damage).
26 He (arrest) by a security guide, who later admitted he had made a mistake.
27 When I entered the room Richard still (examine).
28. I wonder who else is going (to invite).
29. Oranges usually (treat) with wax and then (store) in large boxes.
30. We can't take the car yet: it still (repair).
31. The windows are really dirty: they (not/clean) for years,
32. Do you need (wake) up in the morning?
33. The local cinema (close down) three years ago.
34. Very few typewriters (sell) these days.
1.9. MISCELLANEOUS PRACTICE ON THE USE OF THE VARIOUS TENSE-FORMS IN THE ACTIVE/PASSIVE VOICE
1. Bernard and Francis Bashet (be) brothers. They (live) in Paris and (work) with new sounds and shapes for making music. But they always (not/do) this, though; for a long time Bernard (manage) a factory and Francis (run) a business in Argentina. Then about 30 years ago they (take) their savings and (begin) the work they (do) now. First they (learn) about how classical musical instruments (make). And since that time they (begin) inventing their own musical instruments. Now their lives (be) quite varied. They still (invent) new instruments; but Bernard recently (start) working with children as well. He (help) them to discover music without having to read written notes. He and Francis sometimes (travel) too giving concerts on their instruments or setting up exhibitions. Bernard's main complaint? The telephone. 'When an artist (work) ', he said, 'and he (have) to run to the telephone,
something (break) inside. I (agree) with the sculptor who once (say) that freedom for an artist (mean) having a secretary'.
2. It (rain) when we (arrive) at the coast but by midday the rain (stop).'We (think) the rain (last) all day and we (be) very glad it (not/do) because we (want) to do swimming. We (find) a cafe where we (offer) a nice meal. By the time we (finish) lunch the sun (come) out and the temperature (rise) to 30 degrees. We all (run) down to the beach and after we (change) into our swimming things we (dive) in the sea.
3.1 remember going on holiday abroad for the first time. I just (leave) school. I (study) very hard for my final exams. And I (feel) that I (need) a holiday. A friend of mine (want) to come as well so we (look) at some brochures from the travel agent's. We (read) for about an hour when my friend (find} the perfect holiday - two weeks in Hawaii. We (be) very excited about it. Finally the day of our holiday (arrive). We just (leave) the house when the phone (ring). I (run) back into the house, but the phone (stop) by the time I (reach) it. When we (arrive) at the airport we (learn) that our flight (delay) for six hours. We (get) up very early and rushed to the airport, all for nothing.
4. As soon as little Michelle (take) to hospital her ankle (X-ray) and the X-ray plates (give) to the doctor. He (examine) her ankle thoroughly and (decide) that it (have) to be put in plaster at once. Although her ankle (be) painful, she (not/cry) and everybody (say) how brave the girl (be). Now Michelle's ankle gradually (get) better and the doctor just (tell) her mother that he (be) able to take off the plaster next Monday. Then she (send) home if everything (be) all right.