Put the verbs into a suitable tense in the passive.
Mary has just arrived home from work. Neil is already there.
Mary: Hi! I’m back. Sorry, I’m late.
Neil: What kept you?
Mary: I had to use the ring road and I … (stick) in a traffic jam for forty minutes.
Neil: Why didn’t you use the usual route?
Mary: Because the road … (close) until work on the access road to the new hospital ... (complete).
Neil: When is it due to … (finish)?
Mary: Well, the access road … (open) by the Mayor next week, according to the newspaper, and the Health Minister … (invite) to open the hospital on the same day, but they don’t know yet whether she’s definitely coming.
Neil: A lot of money … (waste) if she doesn’t come.
Mary: Why’s that?
Neil: Haven’t you seen all those rose bushes that … (plant) round the hospital?
Mary: So? They’ll be lovely for the patients.
Neil: But the patients won’t be able to see them, because they are round the entrance, and the wards look out in the other direction. A lot of people protested about it, but all their complaints … (ignore) until it was too late.
Mary: If they had money to spare, it … (spend) on facilities for patients, not on making the front look pretty for the Minister.
Neil: Absolutely. It’s typical of this local council. They … (elect) to save money, but they do just the opposite.
Mary: Perhaps they … (throw) out at the next election.
Neil: I hope so. Now, are you ready for supper?
Mary: Hi! I’m back. Sorry, I’m late.
Neil: What kept you?
Mary: I had to use the ring road and I was stuck in a traffic jam for forty minutes.
Neil: Why didn’t you use the usual route?
Mary: Because the road was closed until work on the access road to the new hospital is complete.
Neil: When is it due to finish?
Mary: Well, the access road will be opened by the Mayor next week, according to the newspaper, and the Health Minister has been invited to open the hospital on the same day, but they don’t know yet whether she’s definitely coming.
Neil: A lot of money will be wasted if she doesn’t come.
Mary: Why’s that?
Neil: Haven’t you seen all those rose bushes that have been planted round the hospital?
Mary: So? They’ll be lovely for the patients.
Neil: But the patients won’t be able to see them because they are round the entrance, and the wards look out in the other direction. A lot of people protested about it, but all their complaints were ignored until it was too late.
Mary: If they had money to spare, it should be spent on facilities for patients, not on making the front look pretty for the Minister.
Neil: Absolutely. It’s typical of this local council. They were elected to save money, but they do just the opposite.
Mary: Perhaps they will be thrown out at the next election.
Neil: I hope so. Now, are you ready for supper?
Explanation:
1. "I had to use the ring road and I was stuck in a traffic jam for forty minutes."
- The verb "stick" should be in the past tense because it refers to a completed action in the past. Therefore, it is changed to "was stuck."
2. "Because the road was closed until work on the access road to the new hospital is complete."
- The verb "close" should be in the past tense because it refers to a completed action in the past. Therefore, it is changed to "was closed."
- The verb "complete" should be in the present simple tense because it refers to a future event that is scheduled to happen. Therefore, it is left unchanged.
3. "Well, the access road will be opened by the Mayor next week, according to the newspaper, and the Health Minister has been invited to open the hospital on the same day, but they don’t know yet whether she’s definitely coming."
- The verb "finish" should be in the present simple tense because it refers to a future event that is scheduled to happen. Therefore, it is changed to "will be opened."
- The verb "invite" should be in the past participle form because it is used in the present perfect passive tense. Therefore, it is changed to "has been invited."
4. "A lot of money will be wasted if she doesn’t come."
- The verb "waste" should be in the present simple tense because it refers to a general, possible consequence in the future. Therefore, it is changed to "will be wasted."
5. "Haven’t you seen all those rose bushes that have been planted round the hospital?"
- The verb "plant" should be in the past participle form because it is used in the present perfect passive tense. Therefore, it is changed to "have been planted."
6. "But the patients won’t be able to see them because they are round the entrance, and the wards look out in the other direction. A lot of people protested about it, but all their complaints were ignored until it was too late."
- The verb "ignore" should be in the past tense because it refers to a completed action in the past. Therefore, it is changed to "were ignored."
7. "If they had money to spare, it should be spent on facilities for patients, not on making the front look pretty for the Minister."
- The verb "spend" should be in the past simple tense because it refers to a hypothetical situation in the present. Therefore, it is changed to "should be spent."
8. "It’s typical of this local council. They were elected to save money, but they do just the opposite."
- The verb "elect" should be in the past simple tense because it refers to a completed action in the past. Therefore, it is changed to "were elected."
9. "Perhaps they will be thrown out at the next election."
- The verb "throw" should be in the present simple tense because it refers to a future possibility. Therefore, it is changed to "will be thrown."