The windows are cleaned every two weeks

20.07.2017

|

0

Episode #9 of the course English grammar by Kasia Sielicka, PhD

So, the next day, I went to the office. I was really excited that I would see Susan but also terrified about asking her . . . you know . . . the question.

“Hi, Susan,” I said when I saw her beautiful face.

“Hi, John,” she answered. “About that phone call yesterday . . . did you really want to ask about the time?”

“No, not really. I wanted to ask you . . . ” I really didn’t know how to say that. “It’s about my article, the Queen article. I’ve just realized I don’t know much about her home, Buckingham Palace. Could you also be my guide today?”

Oh my, what was I saying? Buckingham Palace?!

“Oh, sure,” said Susan, puzzled. “Let’s take a tour. Take your jacket!”

And we took the tube to the Palace. Susan turned out to be a very knowledgeable guide.

“The Palace was built in 1705 and transformed into a real palace by John Nash, who was fired for spending too much money on it. George III bought it for his wife, Queen Charlotte, whose 14 children were born there (one was born in another place). It has 760 windows, which are cleaned every six weeks. Also, there are secret tunnels, which connect the palace to streets close to it.”

And she gave me many other fascinating facts, but I wasn’t really in a mood to listen.

“Susan,” I asked, “why don’t we grab a coffee? There’s a café down there, and I have one more question to ask.”

“Oh, sure,” she answered suspiciously. She probably thought I was out of my mind.

The Passive

The Palace was built in 1705.

John Nash was fired for spending too much.

Queen Charlotte’s 14 children were born there.

The windows are cleaned every six weeks.

In these sentences, we use the passive. We make the passive by using the verb “to be” in the first form and then the third form of the main verb. There are two main uses of the passive:

a. When we don’t know who does the thing

John Nash was fired for spending too much.

We don’t know who fired John Nash. But it doesn’t matter—what matters is that he lost his job. More examples:

The chemical element of radium was discovered in the 19th century. (We don’t know who discovered it.)

Help! My car has been stolen! (I don’t know who stole it. All I know is that it’s gone!)

b. When it’s obvious who does the thing (everyone knows it, so it makes no sense to say that).

The windows are cleaned every six weeks.

We know who cleans the windows—many professional window cleaning people!

Queen Charlotte’s 14 children were born there.

We know who gave birth to Queen Charlotte’s children—the Queen herself!

Another example:

Slow down, or you’ll be arrested for speeding. (It makes no sense to say, “someone will arrest you”—only the police can arrest people.)

Relative Clauses

The building was transformed into a real palace by John Nash, who was fired for spending too much money on it.

George III bought it for his wife, Queen Charlotte, whose 14 children were born there.

It has 760 windows, which are cleaned every six weeks.

Also, there are secret tunnels, which connect the palace to streets close to it.

These sentences have in them “relative clauses”—these are the parts starting with “who,” “which,” or “whose” (also “where” and “when”). We use them to combine two simple sentences into a more complex sentence. So, instead of saying:

It has 760 windows. The windows are cleaned every six weeks.

we can say:

It has 760 windows, which are cleaned every six weeks.

More examples:

This is the house where I was born.

I’ll meet you at 6 pm, when Alan will come as well.

Shh! Let me tell you a secret! In the café, John WILL ask Susan to marry him. Read about him doing it in the last episode of our course tomorrow!

Recommended book

Practical English Usage by Michael Swan

Share with friends

The
causative – to have something done

Practice

Test
3

1. Ken
   had his car serviced yesterday.

2. We
   are having the car repaired.

3. They
   are going to have stereo fit in the car.

4. Sue
   has her flat cleaned.

5. Have
   you had your eyes tested?

6. John
   had his briefcase stolen last week.

7. She
   has her house cleaned.

8. She
   has her meals cooked.

9. She
   has her clothes washed.

10. She
    has her windows cleaned.

11. She
    has her car serviced.

12. She
    has her shopping done.

13. She
    has her garden looked after.

14. She
    has her letters posted.

15. They
    need to have their windows cleaned.

16. Mrs.
    Brown was having her hair styled.

17. She
    had the shopping carried.

18. Dad
    is going to have the grass cut.

19. They
    used to have the house cleaned.

20. Did
    Paul have the motorbike repaired?

Test
4

1. He
   has his teeth checked twice a year.

2. She
   is having her skirt cleaned at the moment.

3. I
   have my hair trimmed once a month.

4. We
   are going to have central heating installed in our house next month.

5. Sam
   had burglar alarm fitted last week.

6. I
   am having my car repaired at the moment.

7. The
   band has just had a new single recorderd.

8. We
   are going to have our new furniture delivered tomorrow.

9. They
   are having their new house decorated at the moment.

10. We
    will have the windows cleaned.

Test
5

1. I
   have had a new jumper knitted.

2. I
   should have the lock fixed.

3. He
   is going to have a new pair of glasses made.

4. The
   need to have the windows cleaned.

5. Mrs.
   Brown was having her hair styled.

6. She
   had the shopping carried.

7. Dad
   is going to have the grass cut.

8. They
   used to have the house cleaned.

9. Did
   Paul have the motorbike repaired?

10. The
    boss had the letter typed.

Test
6

1. Joe
   had the dripping tap fixed.

2. Have
   you had some photocopies made?

3. Tom
   was having his lunch cooked.

4. Did
   you have the sofa delivered?

5. I
   had my purse stolen last Friday.

6. Did
   you have your house decorated?

7. Adam
   is having a new roof put on his house.

8. She
   had the silver polished.

9. The
   man had his luggage taken to his room.

10. Did
    you have the flowers arranged for you?

Test
7

1. When
   will you have your glasses made?

2. I
   had my party catered for.

3. Did
   you have the chimney swept?

4. She
   had the shopping done.

5. They
   had their house burgled last night.

6. He
   had the fence built.

7. Julie
   has all her clothes ironed.

8. He
   had his shop’s windows smashed in the riot.

9. Pete
   must have had this letter sent.

10. He
    should have some more flowers planted.

Test
8

1. I
   am having my hair cut on Tuesday.

2. Did
   you have the cake made?

3. I
   had my car stolen last week.

4. Sandra
   had the new lights fitted.

5. The
   woman had had the bill brought to the table.

6. They
   had the shower fitted.

7. You
   have had the contract faxed to Mr. Brown.

8. Alan
   has all his clothes washed.

9. They
   had the car serviced at the garage.

10. He
    had the blackboard cleaned.

Test
9

1. I
   have windows cleaned twice a month.

2. The
   star has just had the film released.

3. They
   will have the swimming pool drained.

4. We
   must have the carpets laid in our flat by Monday.

5. I
   have had the brakes on my bike oiled.

6. We
   are having our desk painted.

7. She
   had her bookcase delivered last week.

8. I
   have had a new computer ordered.

9. Annie
   is going to have her sculptures exhibited tomorrow.

10. Tim
    was having a skateboard made.

Test
10

1. Holly
   is going to have her dress sewed.

2. Mark
   has had the garden tidied.

3. When
   will he have his telephone fixed?

4. Pat
   has the windows cleaned every week.

5. Can
   you have those boxed moved?

6. When
   will Dan have his sofa delivered?

7. Howard
   should have the package delivered.

8. When
   will you have your car serviced?

9. You
   should have the curtains made for you.

10. Alice
    has had her skirt shortened.

Соседние файлы в предмете [НЕСОРТИРОВАННОЕ]

• #
• #
• #
• #
• #
• #
• #
• #
• #
• #
• #