Exercises

I. Complete this information about Barford Hall. Put in the correct form of these verbs.

Build (past simple) 1 own (present simple) 2 use (past continuous) 3 buy (past simple) 4 not look (past perfect) 5 do (present perfect)

The building at the end of the High Street is Barford Hall, which was built in 1827. Today the Hall (1) ___________________ by Bardale Council. It (2) _________________________as a warehouse when it (3) _________________________ by the Council in 1952, and it (4)_____________________ after very well. Since then a lot of work (5)______________________________on it, and these days the Hall(6)____________________as an arts centre.

II. The future and modal verbs in the passive.

A press conference is being held. Put in the correct form of the verbs.

Reporter: Can this new drug prolong human life?

Professor: Yes, we believe that human life can be prolonged by the drug.

Reporter: Are you going to do any more tests on the drug?

Professor: Yes, further tests _______________________________ soon.

Reporter: What _______________the drug ____________________________?

Professor: It will be called Bio-Meg.

Reporter: Can people buy the drug now?

Professor: No, it _______________________ by the public yet.

Reporter: Do you think the company should sell this drug?

Professor: Yes, I think Bio-Meg ______________________________to anyone who wants it.

III. The passive with get

Put in ge t or got and the passive participle of these verbs: break, change, divorce, hurt, lose

If we’re going out to the theatre, I’d better get changed.

1 Daniel ______________________________________________________________ when he tried to break up a fight.

2 I know the way. We won’t ________________________________________________________________________.

3 You’d better wrap up the glasses, so they don’t ________________________________________________________.

4 They were only married a year before they ____________________________________________________________.

IV. Active or passive verb?

Choose the correct verb forms in this news report about a storm.

Millions of pounds’ worth of damage has caused/has been caused by a storm which swept/was swept across the north of England last night. The River Ribble burst/was burst its banks after heavy rain. Many people rescued/were rescued from the floods by fire-fighters, who received/were received hundreds of calls for help. Wind speeds reached/were reached ninety miles an hour in some places. Roads blocked/were blocked by fallen trees, and electricity lines brought/were brought down, leaving thousands of homes without electricity. ’Everything possible is doing/is being done to get things back to normal,’ a spokesman said/was said.

V. In each sentence underline who or what is doing the action (the agent).

The traffic was all heading out of town.

1 The photo was taken by my brother.

2 The water was pouring out of the hole.

3 A policeman has been murdered by terrorists.

4 We were woken by the alarm.

5 The guide led a group f tourists around the castle.

6 The dog has bitten several people.

VI. You are telling a friend some news. Use the notes and complete the second sentence.

(Past Simple: Claire/go/ to Florida/ last month) You remember Claire? She went to Florida last month.

(Present Perfect: send/ our luggage/ to Australia.)

Bad news about our luggage. It’s been sent to Australia.

1 (Past Simple: Claude Jennings / win/ the quiz competition)

Did you hear about the quiz competition? It __________________________________________________.

2 (Past Simple: Mrs Miles / do/ a parachute jump / last week

You know Mrs Miles? She ________________________________________________________________.

3 (Present Perfect: a bull/ attack/ David)

Have you heard about David? He’s _________________________________________________________

4 (Present Continuous: build/ the house)

Trevor and Laura have bought a house. It’s still ________________________________________________

5 (Present Simple: Andrew/ like Jassica)

Did I tell you about Andrew? He ____________________________________________________________

6 (Present Perfect: throw away/ your stamp collection)

Bad news about your stamp collection. It’s ____________________________________________________

7 (Present Perfect: Martians / kidnap / my neighbours)

Did I mention my neighbours? They’ve ______________________________________________________

8 (Past Simple: five people/ see/ the ghost)

Did you see about the ghost? It ______________________________________________________________