PASSIVE SENTENCES: IMPERSONAL STRUCTURES

Sometimes we do not know who did an action o it is not relevant. Then, the subject can be "PEOPLE" or "THEY":

a) People say that they are handsome (in the present). 

Or the subject can be "IT": 

b) It is said that they are handsome. 

And we can also use a passive sentence: 

c) They are said to be handsome. 

Pay attention to this examples in the past: 

They knew she had an idea.

It was known that she had an idea.

She was known to have had an idea. (to + have V3)

If the predicate of the passive sentence is a verb transitive like believe, think, find, say, report, consider, understand, acknowledge, expect, tell, know then you can change the active sentence into passive.  These are formal structures. They are often used in news reports and on TV.

EXERCISES

Rephrase the sentences to make them more formal. Look at the example above.

1) People think that the new prime minister is a good speaker.

It is .

 The new prime minister .

2) They report that the suspended gunman is in custody.

The suspended .

  It is .

3) People don't expect that the new party will win the election.

It isn't .

The new .

4) The police say that the principal is at large.

It is .

The principal .

5) The detective knows that the robber has left the city.

It is .

The robber .

6) People believe that giving encouragement is important at work, too.

It is .

Giving encouragement .

7) They told us that Charles drank too much at the party.

It was .

Charles .

– Rephrase the sentences to make them more formal.

1) People know that drug addiction is dangerous.

It is .

2) They believe that the lunch will be delicious.

The lunch is .

3) They think that the children are at school.

The children .

4) People said that the robbery lasted half an hour.

It is .

5) People acknowledge that he is talented.

He is .

6) The newspapers reported that he won the jackpot.

He was .

7) They think that your tea is too sweet.

It is .

8) Everybody says the old bridge will collapse.

The old .

– Rewrite the sentences. Look at the examples.

1) It is said that the thief stole several wallets.

The thief is said to have stolen several wallets.

2) People think that the pigeons carry a lot of diseases.

It is thought that the pigeons carry a lot of diseases.

3) Sarah is known to be the prettiest girl in the class.

It is .

4) It was understood that he got divorced.

He was .

5) Amy Winehouse was reported to have died.

It was .

6) It is acknowledged that she is a talented painter.

She is .

7) The Sun was believed to move round the Earth.

It was .

8) It is said that the pilot was drunken.

The pilot .

9) This kind of material is found to be poisonous.

It is .

10)The witness was thought to have injured.

It was .

http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=6854
Created by Susan V. Toth (Zsuzsapszi)

CAUSATIVE FORM PRACTICE

Rewrite these sentences using have or get.

1. The mechanic changed the oil in my car. _______________________________________________________

2. The hairdresser cut my hair in a completely different style. _______________________________________________________

3. A decorator has repainted our house. _______________________________________________________

4. A friend of mine, who´s an electrician, is going to repair my DVD player next week.
_______________________________________________________________________

5. My jacket is being cleaned at a specialist cleaner´s. _______________________________________________________________________

 6. The town hall has just been rebuilt for the council. _______________________________________________________________________


CLICK HERE FOR MORE PRACTICE

CAUSATIVE FORM

In English, the causative form is used when we don't do something ourselves, instead we arrange for someone else to do it for us.

The boy is getting his hair cut

There are two verbs generally used in the passive causative form; they are Have and Get. In addition, there is usually no agent in this form; it's not like in active form which has the agent. The action verb is in the past participle, and the object comes before it. The difference between have and get in this passive causative form is that have is more formal than get. 

I have my teeth cleaned
once a year 

Pattern

Subject

Have/Get

Object

Past Participle

Examples:

• I ask someone to fix my car.
  = I have my car fixed.

• She asked John to wash the plate.
  = She got the plate washed.

Write the correct response, changing the ACTIVE sentences into PASSIVE CAUSATIVE FORM sentences: 
EX: Jim is sendind the letter. --> Jim is having the letter sent. 


1. My mother changed the curtains. --> 

2. Thomas is going to wash the car. --> 

3. Maria has redesigned the web site. --> 

4. Kelly will take Mr. Brown to the beach. --> 

5. John brought the cat to the vet. --> 

6. Jane is putting the vase on the table. --> 

7. We were driving Mr. Jones to the airport. --> 

8. We fed the dog. --> 

9. We have given the money to the homeless shelter. --> 

10. Thomas cut his hair. -->

PRACTICE ON REPHRASING

Click HERE

CONDITIONAL SENTENCES

Perfect-English-Grammar

Conditionals

Finish the sentences with a clause in the correct 

conditional:

1: If it is sunny tomorrow ________________________

_______________________

2: If you sit in the sun too long _________________

_________________________

3: If I were you __________________________________

_____________________

4: If I were the Prime Minister ___________________

________________________

5: If she had studied harder ______________________

_______________________

6: If I won the lottery ___________________________

_______________________

7: If I hadn’t gone to bed so late ________________

_________________________

8: If I hadn’t come to London _____________________

______________________

9: If you mix water and electricity _______________

_________________________

10: If she hadn’t stayed at home __________________

________________________

11: If I go out tonight____________________________

_______________________

12: If I were on holiday today ____________________

________________________

13: If I had listened to my mother ________________

_________________________

14: If I hadn’t eaten so much _____________________

________________________

15: If it rains later _____________________________

_________________________

16: If I were British _____________________________

_______________________

17: If I were the opposite sex ___________________

_________________________

18: If I have enough money ________________________

______________________

19: If you don’t wear a coat in the winter ________

___________________________

20: If I weren’t studying English _________________

_________________________

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Possible answers (check your answer is in the same

tense