Flo-Joe for Cambridge English Exams

Cambridge English: Preliminary

Vocabulary practice for the Cambridge PET exam

Grammar: Past Simple Passive

1: Work it Out

Do you know when to use the passive and when to use the active? Do you know how the passive is formed in the past tense? Look at these sentences. Can you work out the rules?

JK Rowling wrote Harry Potter.
'Harry Potter' was written in English.
Picasso painted in many different styles.
'Guernica' was painted by Picasso in 1937
The man who stole the car has been arrested.
My camera was stolen while I was on holiday.
They built their own house with the help of some friends.
The house was built during the 19th Century.

Now try the quiz below to check your ideas.

2: Check Active or Passive

Answer the following questions below to check your understanding of active and passive:

1) I decorated the living room last year.
2)
Ben wrote to the council about the noisy neighbours.
3) The furniture was bought at a local market.
4) The Internet was invented during the 1950's
5) The police were called just after midnight.
6) I took the exam last year.

Well done. The past simple passive is formed by using 'was' or 'were' plus the past participle. The passive is used when the person or thing that did the action is unknown, unimportant or not the focus of our interest. We use 'by' with the passive if we want to identify who or what did the action.Try again. Tip: The past simple passive is formed by using 'was' or 'were' plus the past participle. The passive is used when the person or thing that did the action is unknown, unimportant or not the focus of our interest. We use 'by' with the passive if we want to identify who or what did the action.Your answer has been saved.Check your answer

 

 

 

3: Sentence Transformation Practice

For each question, complete the second sentence so that it means the same as the first.
Use no more than three words.

A) They designed the area to appeal to young people.
The area to appeal to young people.

B) The company exported their products all over the world.
The company's products all over the world.

C) Shakespeare wrote Hamlet around 1600.
Hamlet Shakespeare around 1600.

D) Scientists found large amounts of chemicals in the river.
Large amounts of chemicals in the river.

E) The police closed the road to deal with the accident.
The road the police so they could deal with the accident.

F) The Director of Studies gave the parents a tour of the school.
The parents a tour of the school by the Director of Studies.

Well done!The correct answers are: A) was designed, B) were exported, C) was written by, D) were found, E) was closed by, F) were given.Your answer has been saved.Check your answer

 

Study Tip, Grammar

Food was produced more naturally.
Documents were typed on a typewriter.
Films were made in black and white.