English Grammar: Verb Forms and Sentence Construction

English Grammar Practice Drills

1. Passive Voice: Modals and Tenses

• The electricity bill must be paid.
• Yesterday's assignment wasn't prepared.
• Your question was already answered by…
• The time of the meeting had been set before…
• How many people have been invited so far?
• The winners of the competition were chosen…

2. Active, Passive, and Causative Verbs

• People stood and watched as the building was being destroyed.
• I love this guitar. My father gave it to me.
• That man was driving… he should be blamed for the accident.
• Can we play, or is someone using the tennis court?
• My car isn't working. Will it be repaired soon?
• You don't need an operation; your leg isn't broken.
• Ingrid hasn't come… Is she still being examined?
• This is a great phone. You can download lots of apps.

3. Passive Voice Transformations

• Original: He has just written his latest bestseller.
  Transformed: His latest bestseller has just been written.
• Original: You must use a seat belt when you drive.
  Transformed: A seat belt must be used when you drive.
• Original: They hadn't repaired the car so they came by bus.
  Transformed: The car hadn't been repaired so they came by bus.
• Original: Why does rock music bother the neighbours?
  Transformed: Why are the neighbours bothered by the music?

4. Causative Verbs in Dialogue

• Why can't we meet? I will have my nails done.
• What did Jane do? She had her dog walked.
• Why is Britney here? She wants to have the shop delivered.
• There's a virus… we must have it repaired.
• What did you do? I had it translated by my friend.

5. Verb Forms in Context (Part 1)

(These are likely answers to a text completion exercise.)

• Linda needs to do a lot of things before her family…
• goes
• were bought
• are going to be picked up
• must be chosen
• Can be packed
• has
• has added
• was written
• Asks
• works
• dreams
• are being watched
• is promised

6. Conditional Sentences

• If you hadn't reminded me about… I would have forgotten.
• If I were you, I wouldn't say anything…
• I would have called you if I had remembered it was…
• Unless it rains, tomorrow's race will take place…

7. Mixed Grammar Practice

• I wouldn't have forgotten… if I had written it down…
• If he isn't home by tomorrow, I will call…
• We stood outside in the rain… until we were allowed in.
• He advised us not to eat the meat… that had been left out.
• What would you do if you saw your…

8. Verb Forms in Context (Part 2)

(These are likely answers to a text completion exercise.)

• A new advert against fast food… has been produced.
• Is compared
• have chosen
• wanted
• has caused
• Made
• would have been
• wasn't
• have achieved

9. Sentence Completion and Correction

• His music blog is read by thousands…
• I never have my car washed.
• We haven't received the tickets…
• One of the dancers was being made up for the show.
• The band has just announced…
• This library book should have been returned.
• The sound check is being done right now.

10. Sentence Transformations

• Original: He didn't answer any of our questions.
  Transformed: None of our questions was answered.
• Original: Have they already booked tickets?
  Transformed: Have tickets been booked?
• Original: A professional does Ms. Burge's makeup.
  Transformed: Ms. Burge has her makeup done by a professional.
• Original: Is he already designing the lighting effects?
  Transformed: Are the lighting effects being designed by him already?
• Original: "I won't tell Dave anything." (promised)
  Transformed: Fiona promised not to tell Dave anything.
• Original: Unless you leave work early, you won't…
  Transformed: If you don't leave work early, you won't arrive on time.