PASSIVE VOICE

The object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence and the subject
of the active sentence becomes the object of the passive sentence introduced by the
preposition by (or its dropped).
Notice that the tense of the verb to be in the passive sentence is always the same as the tense
of the main verb in the active sentence.

kills is + killed
killed was + killed
is killing is being + killed
was killing was being + killed
has killed has been + killed
had killed had been + killed
will kill will be + killed
would kill would be + killed
would have killed would have been + killed

Exercise 1: From active to passive

1. People returned many books to the library last night.
__________________________________________________________________________
2. Someone took that book from her desk.
_________________________________________________________________________
3. Someone has taken money from my wallet.
__________________________________________________________________________
4. The reporter wrote an article about pollution.
__________________________________________________________________________
5. The dog bit the tall little boy.
__________________________________________________________________________
6. The newspapers reported the event immediately.
__________________________________________________________________________
7. We could hear the sound of music.
__________________________________________________________________________

8. Lightning struck the house.

__________________________________________________________________________
9. We have to pay the bill before the first of the month.
__________________________________________________________________________
10. The police are holding him for further questioning.
__________________________________________________________________________

Exercise 2: From passive to active

11. The picture was taken by my brother.
__________________________________________________________________________
12. We were attacked by a swarm of bees.
__________________________________________________________________________
13. Paper and glass are recycled.
__________________________________________________________________________
14. The gates have been closed by the security guard.
__________________________________________________________________________
15. The sandwiches had been made by the children.
__________________________________________________________________________
16. The bills will be paid by the end of the month. I the bills by the end of the month.
__________________________________________________________________________
17. We should have been told about the changes. Somebody us about the changes.
__________________________________________________________________________
18. Very little was being done to improve the situation. They very little to improve the
situation.
__________________________________________________________________________

PHRASAL VERBS
1.

AGREE WITH

estar de acuerdo

"All women are bad drivers." "I don't

agree with you."

2.

BE ABOUT TO

estar a punto de

I was about to leave the house when my

friends arrived.

3.

BE BACK

regresar

I'm working late at the office tonight so I

won't be back until 10.

4.

BE OUT OF

quedarse sin

We're out of eggs so we can't make a

tortilla.

5.

BE OVER

terminarse

When the football match was over, we

went to the pub.

6.

BE UP

estar levantado

"Phil isn't up yet: he's still in bed.

7.

BLOW UP

estallar (una
bomba)

The bomb blew up killing six people.

8.

BLOW UP

inflar

We blew up at least a hundred balloons

for the Christmas party.

9.

BREAK DOWN

averiarse

My car broke down on the way to Paris.

10. CALL BACK

volver a llamar

. Could you call back later?"

11. CARRY ON

seguir. continuar

I'm sorry if I interrupted you. Please carry

on.

12. CARRY OUT

cumplir (una
promesa)

The President carried out his promise to

reduce taxation.

13. CARRY
OUT

llevar a cabo

The execution was carried out at seven

o'clock in the morning.

14. CLEAR UP

poner en orden

It took four hours to clear up after the

party.

15. COME ACROSS

encontrar, dar con

I came across an old friend on the metro

in Madrid.

16. COME BACK

regresar

I'm going to England for two weeks. I'm

coming back on the fifth.

17. COME IN

entrar

"Good morning. Come in and sit down."

18. COME ON

Vamos!, Date
prisa!

Come on. We're going to be late.

19. CUT DOWN ON

conumir menos

You must cut down on cholesterol or

you'll have a heart attack.

20. CUT OFF

cortar,
desconnectar

When we didn't pay the bill, the

electricity was cut off.

21. CUT UP

cortar en pedazos

We cut up the birthday cake and gave

everyone a slice.

22. DO UP

abrochar, atar

I was five before I knew how to do up my

shoelaces.

23. DO WITH

tener algo que ver

con, tener relacin
con

"What's MS DOS?" "It's got something to

do with computers."

24. DO WITHOUT

pasarse sin,
prescindir de

The shops are shut so we'll have to do

without sugar.

25. DRAW UP

pararse

The car drew up at the zebra crossing.

26. GET BACK

volver, regresar

Cinderella had to get back by twelve

o'clock.

27. GET IN(TO)

entrar

I lost my keys and so I couldn't get into

the house.

28. GET OFF

bajar (de un
autobus, tren)

You have to get off the bus at the next

stop if you want the station.

29. GET ON

subir (a un
autobus, tren)

Quick! Get on the train, it's about to

leave.

30. GET UP

levantarse

When I got up this morning it was still

dark.

31. GIVE BACK

devolver

If you don't like the dress, the shop will

give you your money back.

32. GIVE UP

perder la
esperanza,
rendirse

If you find phrasal verbs difficult, don't

give up.

33. GIVE UP

dejar (de fumar,

beber)

You'll get cancer if you don't give up

smoking.

34. GO AHEAD

Siga!

"Can I use the telephone?" "Yes, go

ahead."

35. GO AWAY

irse, marcharse

Are you going away for Christmas, or are

you staying at home.

36. GO BACK

volver, regresar

Although she's forty, she's going back to

University to study French.

37. GO DOWN

bajar

The price of fruit goes down in the

summer.

38. GO OUT

salir (por la calle)

I always go out and have a few drinks on

Saturday night.

39. GO UP

subir

The price of cigarettes went up in January

1992.

40. HANG
ON/HOLD ON

esperar

Hold on for a minute as Pablo will be back

in five minute.

41. HANG UP

colgar (el telfono)

My ex-girlfriend hung up when I phoned

her.

42. KEEP UP WITH

mantenerse (a la
altura de)

I can't keep up with my father when we

go cycling as he goes too fast.

43. KNOCK DOWN

derribar, atropear,
demoler

My grandfather's old house was knocked

down and a bank was built.

44. LEAVE BEHIND

olvidar, dejar

When I got to the airport, I realised I had

left my passport behind.

45. LET IN

dejar entrar

She opened the door and let in the cat.

46. LOOK AFTER

cuidar

My mother looks after the children when

we go away.

47. LOOK FOR

buscar

I spent two hours looking for my glasses

before I found them.

48. LOOK
FORWARD TO

esperar con ilusin

I'm looking forward to the Easter

holidays.

49. LOOK OUT

tener cuidado,
Ojo!

There's a car coming. Look out!

50. LOOK UP

buscar algo (en un

libro, diccionario)

If you don't understand the word, look it

up in a dictionary.

51. PUT IN

meter, introducir

Put ten pence in the machine and you

will get a cup of coffee.

52. PUT ON

encender

Put on the light, it's getting dark.

53. PUT ON

ponerse (la ropa)

Put your coat on or you'll get cold.

54. RUN OUT OF

quedars sin algo

We ran out of petrol so we had to get the

bus.

55. SET OFF

ponerse en camino

We set off to Madrid at five o'clock to

avoid the traffic.

56. TAKE AFTER

parecerse a

Pablo takes after his mother: they are

both optimistic.

57. TAKE OFF

despegar

The flight was delayed for two hours and

the plane eventually took off at 6 p.m.

58. TAKE OFF

quitarse la ropa

Take off your coat and make yourself

comfortable.

59. TAKE OUT

extraer, sacar

He took out a cigarette and lit it.

60. THROW AWAY

tirar (en la basura)

Don't throw these papers away: they're

important.

61. TURN DOWN

bajar (el volumen)

Turn down the radio: it's too loud.

62. TURN UP

poner el volumen
ms fuerte

Turn up the radio. I can't hear it.

63. TURN ON

encender
(televisin, luces)

Turn on the television, please; I want to

see the news.