Fill in the blanks with an appropriate active or passive verb form.
1. It seems that somebody ..................... the room.
We use the active verb in the subordinate clause because the action is performed by the subject.
2. It seems that the house .................. yesterday.
We use the passive verb in the subordinate clause because the subject is not the doer of the action.
3. She enjoys ……………… at.
She enjoys it when others look at her. She doesn’t look; someone else does; so we use the passive verb here.
4. My dog loves .........................
My dog likes it when somebody chases him. The dog doesn’t do the chasing. It is done by somebody else; so we need the passive verb here.
5. I understand that she .....................
Here we use the passive verb in the subordinate clause because something was done to the subject.
6. I think the castle ................. in the sixteenth century.
Here we use the passive verb in the subordinate clause because something was done to the subject.
7. She hates ..................... in her pyjamas.
She hates people seeing her in her pyjamas.
8. He thinks that he .....................
He does not do the chasing. Somebody else is doing it. So we use a passive verb here.
9. Samuel wants to ...................
Samuel would like someone to promote him. Here Samuel is not the doer of the action, so we use the passive verb.
10. Do you enjoy ......................?
11. He claimed that the money .................
He claimed that somebody stole the money. He did not steal the money. It was done by somebody else. So, we use the passive verb here. 'Has been stolen' is not possible here because the main verb is in the past tense.
12. I believe that the roof ........................
Somebody is repairing the roof. That means the roof is being repaired.
Answers
1. It seems that somebody has cleaned the room.
2. It seems that the house was cleaned yesterday.
3. She enjoys being looked at.
4. My dog loves being chased.
5. I understand that she was fired.
6. I think the castle was built in the sixteenth century.
7. She hates being seen in her pyjamas.
8. He thinks that he is being chased.
9. Samuel wants to be promoted.
10. Do you enjoy being tickled?
11. He claimed that the money was stolen.
12. I believe that the roof is being repaired.
