English Advanced Grammar Exercises – Passives and causatives exercise

A. If the verb in bold is correct, put a tick. If it is incorrect, rewrite it correctly.

1   Could you tell me where your passport was been issued?

2   When the winning actor was finally announced, a big cheer went up.

3   Has your business trip to Calcutta next week confirmed by the Indian office?

4   Everyone who was been invited to the wedding came.

5   The wire coat hanger invented in 1903 by a Mr Parkhouse.

6   The issue has discussed in Parliament yesterday, but no decisions were taken.

7   By the time we get there, the problem should have been sorted out.

8   Britain was be invaded by the Romans under Emperor Claudius in 43 AD.

9   The party had been planned months in advance, but we still had problems.

10   After be treated, I was allowed to leave the hospital.

11   We boarded the ship and were showing to our cabin by a steward.

12   The new supermarket is to be opened by an actor from a soap opera.

B. Write a verb from the box in the correct passive form in each gap.

1   The stolen items ………………….. in the attic of an empty house last week.

2   When the open-air cinema opens, the first film ………………….. will be Vertigo.

3   Questions ………………….. in Parliament about the Minister’s business interests.

4   We’re looking forward to ………………….. a guided tour of the whole factory.

5   Just imagine that when these words ………………….., Europeans had not yet discovered America.

6   Once the barbecue ………………….., we’ll be able to start cooking.

7   Before ………………….. to see the invention, I had to agree not to tell anyone.

8   I would really like ………………….. at the airport, if that’s possible.

9   It ………………….. very clear to us that we weren’t welcome.

10   Gareth says he’s always wanted ………………….. as someone with a good sense of humour.

C. Circle the correct word or phrase.

1   Global warming is thought to be caused / is caused by pollution.

2   There are to be estimated / are estimated to be about 5,400 different species of mammals.

3   It is to be reported / has been reported that gunshots have been heard in the city centre.

4   The escaped prisoner is believed to use / to have used a rope to climb the wall.

5   It is to be calculated / is calculated that about 60% of a man’s body mass is water.

6   Over 200 people are being understood / are understood to have been injured in the explosion.

7   It is considered impolite in some cultures to be eaten / to eat with your left hand.

8   There mean / were meant to have been 60 crates of olives in the order, not 600!

9   It / There has been suggested that people who don’t recycle should pay more tax.

10   Your order is guaranteed will be delivered/ to be delivered within three working days.

D. Each sentence contains one verb in the wrong form. Underline the incorrect word or phrase and rewrite it correctly.

Heathrow

1   Heathrow Airport, near London, has called the world’s busiest international airport and the 68 million passengers who are processed each year would probably agree.   ……………………………

2   The land on which the airport stands sold to Fairey Aviation by the local vicar and was used for test flights during the 1930s, under the name Great Western Aerodrome.   ……………………………

3   In 1944, the airport was handed over to the government and was developed for civilian use, was named after a small village that was removed to create space, Heath Row.   ……………………………

4   The first concrete slab of the modern runways was laid by Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, and the first terminal building, which has later renamed Terminal 2, was opened two years later.   ……………………………

5   The London Underground was extended to reach Heathrow in 1977, meaning that passengers could be transport from central London via the Piccadilly Line in just under an hour.   ……………………………

6   Four passenger terminals and a cargo terminal have been constructed and permission was been granted for a fifth passenger terminal in 2001.   ……………………………

7   It has been suggested that a new airport, which would lead to Heathrow being retired over a period of 20 years, has been built on a floating island in the Thames, although no firm plans have been drawn up.   ……………………………

E. Complete the sentences describing each situation using the phrase given.

1   I started training to be an accountant six months ago. I’ve got six more months to go, and then I have to take exams. (in training)

     By the time I take my exams, ……………………………………………………. .

2   The council have been thinking for some time of redeveloping the city centre. (under consideration)

      The redevelopment of the city centre ……………………………………………………. .

3   They’ve been having discussions on the issue for over two weeks. (in progress)

      Discussions on the issue ……………………………………………………. .

4   This weekend, the local Art Society will be displaying their latest works at the library. (on display)

     The local Art Society’s latest works ……………………………………………………. .

5   George seems to have been putting his website together for a long time. (under construction)

     George’s website ……………………………………………………. .

F. If the word or phrase in bold is correct, put a tick. If it is incorrect, rewrite it correctly.

Hannah:   . . .and that was that, really. Anyway, what about your new car? Tell me about that.

Alison:   Oh, what a nightmare! We had to have it repaired twice! (1) ……………………

Hannah:   Oh, no! What happened?

Alison:   Well, we got delivered it to our house on Monday morning. (2) ……………………

Hannah:   Right.

Alison:   We decided to have it check straight away, because it had come all the way from America. (3) ……………………

Hannah:   Oh, I didn’t know you’d had them do that. (4) ……………………

Alison:   Yeah. Anyway, we had my dad to have a look at it. And he found that the engine wasn’t running properly. (5) ……………………

Hannah:   Did you have the company to come to fix it? (6) ……………………

Alison:   Well, not at first. We got my brother to working on it. (7) ……………………

Hannah:   Oh, he’s very good. I bet he soon had running it smoothly. (8) ……………………

Alison:   Yes, but we still had to get the company come out in the end, because the fuel pump stopped working. (9) ……………………

Hannah:   Terrible! You should get them to give you some compensation. (10) ……………………

Alison:   Maybe. Oh, is that the time? Listen, give me a call …

G. Complete each sentence using the noun in bold and an appropriate causative form of the verb in bold.

1   If you don’t understand, ……………………………………. it to you again after the lesson. (your teacher / explain)

2   I was a bit depressed, but watching my kitten play with a ball of wool soon ……………………………………. much better. (me / feel)

3   Don’t bother redecorating yourself – ……………………………………. it. (a professional / do)

4   ……………………………………. was so annoying because it meant I had to take the tube to work. (our car / steal)

5   You won’t learn as much if you ……………………………………. you with your homework all the time. (your parents / help)

6   The concert started quietly, but the band soon ……………………………………. to their hit songs. (us all / dance)

7   Tell Gordon yourself! Don’t try ……………………………………. your dirty work for you! (me / do)

8   Have you thought about ……………………………………. as short as mine? (your hair / cut)

9   I ……………………………………. me how to juggle with five balls, but I still couldn’t do it. (Karen / show)

10   Have you heard about the problems caused by students ……………………………………. by companies on the Internet? (their essays / write)

H. Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between three and eight words, including the word given.

1   They made me wait for over 20 minutes on the phone! kept

      I …………………………………….. for over 20 minutes on the phone!

2   Although people consider Ashley to be a star, she is always friendly towards everyone. considered

     Despite …………………………………….., Ashley’s always friendly towards everyone.

3   We have had reports that the Prime Minister is making a surprise visit to Syria. be

     The Prime Minister …………………………………….. a surprise visit to Syria.

4   The manager provided the staff with extra training. by

     The …………………………………….. the manager.

5   I think someone needs to explain this computer program to me. explaining

     I think I need …………………………………….. me.

6   They have been building the new stadium for much longer than they originally estimated. under

     The new stadium …………………………………….. for much longer than they originally estimated.

7   Do you know why they made Craig stay behind after the lesson? to

     Do you know why …………………………………….. behind after the lesson?

8   Call Lionel and ask him to send the reports up to my office. have

    Call Lionel and …………………………………….. the reports up to my office.

I. Choose the correct answer.

1   When Nadine arrived, she soon ………………… at all her jokes.

      A   had everyone laughed

      B   had laughing everyone

      C   had everyone laughing

      D   had laughed everyone

2   The government must ………………… strong measures against crime.

      A   be seen be taking

      B   see to be taking

      C   seen to take

      D   be seen to be taking

3   Mrs Davies asked me to tell you that she would like ………………… by Friday at the latest.

      A   the orders sent

      B   sending the orders

      C   that you sent

      D   sent the orders

4   Joining a gym …………………, but I didn’t really fancy the idea.

      A   was suggested me

      B   to me was suggested

      C   was suggested to me

      D   was suggesting me

5   There ………………… between 4,000 and 6,000 languages in the world, depending on how you count them.

      A   say to be

      B   are said that

      C   are said to be

      D   said being

6   I spoke to Victor last night and he says he ………………… while he was on holiday.

      A   had stolen his phone

      B   got stolen his phone

      C   was got his phone stolen

      D   had his phone stolen

7   Why didn’t you ………………… you when you moved house?

      A   have Aaron help

      B   have got Aaron help

      C   have Aaron helped

      D   get Aaron help

8   Profits ………………… slightly next year, although we don’t predict any job losses.

      A   expect to fall

      B   are expecting to fall

      C   are expected falling

      D   are expected to fall

9   It’s hard to believe that this film ………………… completely by computer.

      A   was been generating

      B   has generated

      C   has been generated

      D   was to generate

10   As soon as Dad …………………, we can leave.

      A   has the car starting

      B   has got the car started

      C   got started the car

      D   was got starting the car

J. Write one word in each gap.

The scramjet

Imagine (1) ……………….. transported around the globe in a matter of hours, rather than the 24 hours which (2) ……………….. currently required to get from London to Sydney. Such is the promise of the scramjet, a highly experimental type of engine which has been (3) ……………….. development over the past couple of decades. In a conventional jet engine, air (4) ……………….. sucked into the engine at speeds below the speed of sound, where it is mixed (5) ……………….. fuel, ignited, and the exhaust gases provide thrust. In a scramjet, which has to (6) ……………….. taken to supersonic speeds by conventional means before it will operate, the air enters at supersonic speeds.

It has (7) ……………….. estimated that a scramjet might be capable of travelling at 12-24 times the speed of sound. However, the technology (8) ……………….. been found to be extremely difficult to control. Although scientists (9) ……………….. had scramjets perform short flights, commercial aircraft are still a long way in the future, and indeed may never (10) ……………….. successfully developed.