The Continuous Tenses

Exercise 8. Translate the following sentences into Russian. Make them negative and interrogative.

1. The new rule is being explained by the teacher. 2. This question was being discussed when I entered the room. 3. The walls are being covered with green paint. 4. Something was being said about her, but Julia couldn’t know what. 5. New methods of technology are being used in building houses now. 6. You were being listened to with great attention when I came in. 7. The letter is being typed now.

8. Wonderful discoveries are being made by Russian scientists. 9. The students were being examined for two hours. 10. The documents are being checked now.

Exercise 9. Ask questions indicated in the brackets.

1. A new house is being built on Elm Street. (where?) 2. When I entered the room, a new rule was being explained to the students. (when?) 3. All my problems are being solved. (what?) 4. The steamer is being discharged by the workers. (by whom?) 5. At 10 am the contract was still being checked by the legal adviser. (when?) 6. I’m just being instructed. (who?) 7. When you called, the letters were being signed by the director. (by whom?) 8. Important scientific research is being carried on now. (what?)

Exercise 10. Make the sentences passive.

1. We are discussing your question now. 2. The Customs officer is counting the cases. 3. The agent was informing the buyers about the arrival of the steamer. 4. All day long the professor was looking through their reports. 5. They are monitoring him night and day. 6. Some people were using the tennis court, so we couldn’t play.

7. This man is installing a new Xerox in the office. 8. She was pointing out the mistake to us and we were attentively listening to her.

Exercise 11. Make the sentences active. Invent the subject where necessary.

1. The building is being restored now. 2. Large quantities of coal were being produced by this mine a year ago. 3. This theater is being designed by a well-known architect. 4. I was being listened to with great suspect. 5. You are being laughed at.

6. My article is being published now. 7. When you rang up, the work was being finished.

Exercise 12. Open the brackets using the verb in passive.

1. Can you hear? Your report (discuss). 2. When I (introduce) to Betty, my telephone rang. 3. My suit (dry-clean). I can’t wear it. 4. When you come to Moscow next year, a new line of the underground (build). 5. When we were discussing this serious question, I (annoy) by his noisy children. 6. These goods are (export) to all European countries. 7. The meeting (hold) when I entered the office. 8. Do you know that this case (investigate) soon? 9. She felt that she (look at) with surprise. 10. … your house (build) yet?

Exercise 13. Make up sentences using the models.

Model 1: My car is being repaired now.

Use the following verbs: to examine, to show, to tell, to wake, to meet, to dust, to ask

Model 2: When I entered the room, my report was being discussed.

Use the following verbs: to inform, to destroy, to finish, to reconstruct, to mend, to watch

Model 3: You are being laughed at.

Use the following verbs: to speak of, to take care of, to comment upon, to interfere with, to listen to, to lose sight of

Exercise 14. Translate the following sentences paying attention to the passive voice.

1. Эта книга сейчас продается в магазинах. 2. Кто-то играл прекрасную мелодию. 3. В нашем городе строится новый мост. 4. Этот вопрос не обсуждался вчера на совещании. 5. Об этих детях не заботятся. 6. Твою машину ремонтируют? 7. Весь вчерашний день в офисе устанавливали новое оборудование? 8. Когда я приду на работу, письма еще будут печататься? 9. Об этой пьесе не много говорили. 10. На нее смотрели с удивлением.11. Когда мы разговаривали, нам постоянно мешали. 12. Пароход медленно скрывался из виду.

Exercise 16. Ask questions indicated in the brackets.

1. New roses have been planted in her garden. (what?) 2. These data will have been collected by the end of the year. (by what time?) 3. When you came, the agreement had already been concluded. (by what time?) 4. All the instructions have been given to us by the boss. (by whom?) 5. They hope that this incident will have been forgotten by that time. (when?) 6. When he arrived, his house had been repaired, the fence had been painted and many flowers had been planted in his garden. (what?) 7. All my papers have been left at home. (where?)

Exercise 17. Make the sentences passive.

1. The manager has sent them the fax. 2. We knew that he had paid them a pretty sum of money. 3. They will have delivered the goods by the time you arrive.

4. They have already called the police. 5. He realized that he had made a rude mistake. 6. In two days we will have sold out all tickets. 7. He has taken a lot of wonderful photographs. 8. He closed the window when he had lost sight of her.

9. The scientists will have achieved the first results by tomorrow.

Exercise 18. Make the sentences active. Invent the subject where necessary.

1. Some historic dates have been mentioned by the lecturer. 2. I learnt that the truth had been told to him. 3. I hope this event will have been forgotten soon. 4. A wonderful cookery book has been given to me. 5. By the time we met again, all his problems had been solved. 6. The message will have been received by 6 a.m. 7. Large areas of forests have been destroyed. 8. He said that their team had been beaten twice. 9. We don’t know when the work will have been completed.

Exercise 19. Open the brackets using the verb in passive.

1. The letter (just type). 2. She showed me the article which (translate) by her brother. 3. The steamer (unload) when the agents arrives at the port. 4. All dry leaves (gather) 5. We noticed that the safe (break open) 6. The room looked nice. It (clean) 7. The new method will (introduce) next year. 8. My car (steel)! 9. Everything (arrange) when he appears.

Exercise 20. Make up sentences using the models.

Model 1: The question has already been discussed.

Use the following verbs: to finish, to forget, to decide, to leave, to revise, to do,

to sign

Model 2: When she came, the dinner had already been served.

Use the following verbs: to take away, to prepare, to lock, to redecorate, to change, to bring

Model 3: When you arrive, the house will have been sold.

Use the following verbs: to solve, to build, to post, to paint, to buy, to type, to marry

Model 4: An agreement has just been arrived at.

Use the following verbs: to comment upon, to dispose of, to send for, to lose sight of, to agree upon, to provide for

Exercise 21. Translate the following sentences paying attention to the passive voice.

1. Расписание изменили. 2. Мне сказали, что вас проинструктировали. 3. Все данные соберут завтра к полудню. 4. Эта статья еще не переведена. 5. Нам стало известно, что этот вопрос еще не улажен. (to settle - улаживать) 6. Когда вы приедете, эта работа еще не будет завершена. 7. Все необходимые меры уже приняты? 8. Разве это сочинение было написано вами до того, как вы делали доклад? 9. К концу дня пациента прооперируют?

Exercise 22. (Revision)Open the brackets, using the verb either in the passive or active voice.

1. Every year London (visit) by many people from all over the world. 2. The City of London (destroy) by fire in 1666 and by bombs in 1940. 3. Your computer (repair) soon. 4. He (not waste) time with foolish questions like why, when and where. He always (do) as he (tell). 5. The girl didn’t suspect that she (laugh at) as she spoke. 6. It (be) an old house that (divide) into flats. 6. New methods of technology (use) in building houses now. 7. The flight (announce) yet. 8. The Tower of London (use) as a fortress, a royal palace and a prison before it became a museum. 9. They hope that the hotel (build) by the end of the year. 10. Inez (occupy) a chair in the room’s center to which she (guide) on arrival. 11. He (see) that the door of Trans America Flight Two (not close) yet, and a few remaining passengers still (check) in.

Exercise 23.(Revision)Translate the following sentences paying attention to the passive voice.

1. За ним послали двадцать минут назад. 2. Эта книга еще не переведена на русский язык. 3. Почему на его статью никогда не ссылаются? 4. Она известная личность. О ней очень много говорят. 5. Больного не будут оперировать без его согласия. 6. Вам задавали дополнительные вопросы на экзамене? 7. Новая библиотека была построена до того, как мы поступили в университет. 8. Завтра к вечеру решение будет принято. 9. Я почувствовала, что на меня смотрят. 10. Их необходимо проинформировать. 11. Тебе когда-нибудь объясняли значение этих слов? 12. Всю информацию отправят электронной почтой.

§57. СОГЛАСОВАНИЕ ВРЕМЁН