Self Study Guide – Test Your English Grammar Part 09

The editions did not publish anything; somebody published them, so we need the passive. This year is a finished action here, so use the past simple passive: were published. Not published, because that would mean the editions published something.

The sentence needs a full verb, and the cars were made by workers, so we use the past simple passive: were made. Until after World War II refers to finished past time, so have been made is wrong. made in Detroit alone has no auxiliary, so the sentence would have no main verb.

The driver was injured by the accident, so we need the passive was hurt. The adverb goes between the auxiliary and the participle: was seriously hurt. Not seriously hurt, because without was it means the driver hurt someone, and there is no object.

Someone has cut the vegetables, so we use the passive: are cut up. All comes after are: are all cut. Cut is irregular (cut – cut – cut), so cutted does not exist.

Someone broke the furniture into pieces to burn it, so we need the past simple passive of break up: was broken up. The past participle of break is broken, not broke. Not broke up, because furniture cannot break itself for a purpose.

Mary's behaviour annoyed me, so I am the receiver of the action: I was annoyed by …. By shows the cause. Not annoyed alone, because that would mean I annoyed someone, and there is no object.

This is a general scientific fact, so we use the present simple. The atoms receive the action, so the verb is passive: are attracted to. Not attract, because attract needs an object (X attracts Y), not to.

Daily shows a regular, repeated event, so we use the present simple. People do not kill; they are killed by traffic, so the verb is passive: are killed.

Tickets cannot buy anything; people buy them. So we need a modal passive: may be purchased (modal + be + past participle). Not may purchase, because that would mean the tickets buy something.

Someone invented the method in the past, so we need the past simple passive: was invented. The adverb probably goes after the auxiliary: was probably invented. Without was, the sentence has no main verb.

The structure is the thing seen, so we need a modal passive: could be seen by the astronauts (modal + be + past participle + by + agent). Not could see by the astronauts, because see must be passive (be seen) here.

A battle does not fight; people fight it. So we use the past simple passive: was fought. Fight is irregular (fight – fought – fought), so fighted is wrong.

Every six months shows a regular routine, so we use the present simple passive: is checked. We say check something for viruses, meaning to look for them. Not is being checked for, because the continuous describes something happening now, not a routine.

We say sleep in a bed, so the passive keeps the preposition: the bed hasn't been slept in. The present perfect shows the result now: nobody has used it. Not hasn't been slept, because the preposition in is needed.

Channels do not change themselves; people change them. So we need a modal passive: can be changed. Not can change, because it would mean the channels change by using the remote control themselves.

We say connect something to something. In the passive this becomes is connected to. Not is connected, because the preposition to is needed before my personal computer.

Information does not store anything; people store it. After a modal like can, the passive is be + past participle: can be stored. Storage is a noun, so it cannot follow can.

After should, the passive is be + past participle, and the person or group doing the action follows by: should be controlled by the government. Not be controlled with, because with is used for a tool, not for the person doing the action.

Felt is past, and the action was in progress at that moment, so we use the past continuous passive: was being watched. Not I am being watched, because the sentence is about a past feeling.

The interview was in progress when the short past action (phoned) happened, so we use the past continuous. Someone was interviewing Liz, so it is passive: was being interviewed. Not is being interviewed, because the call was in the past.

The mess shows the work is happening now, so we use the present continuous. The house does not paint; people paint it, so it is passive: is being painted. Not is painting, which would mean the house is doing the painting.

Now shows an action in progress, so we use the present continuous passive: are being used. Not are been used, because the continuous form needs being, not been.

The sales manager caught him, so the verb is passive: was caught. We say catch someone doing something, so stealing follows. Not caught alone, because with by our sales manager the sentence needs the passive.

Someone attached the resume, so we need the passive with to: is attached to. Not attaches, because a resume cannot attach itself to something.

Have to is followed by the base form, and the driver is the receiver of the action, so we use a passive infinitive: has to be sent (to be + past participle). Not to send, because the driver is not sending anyone.