Skip to content
Zorg Space Open the app

English grammar

Passives that keep their preposition

C1 · Advanced Verbs and time Questions 10

The rule

When a verb comes with a fixed preposition or particle — look after, deal with, refer to, laugh at, rely on, look into, do away with, put up with, run over, speak to — the passive keeps it next to the verb: The children are well looked after; Your complaint is being dealt with; She hates being laughed at. Dropping the preposition is one of the commonest errors even at an advanced level, because in many languages the preposition disappears in the passive. Longer chunks stay together too: be taken advantage of, be taken care of, be made fun of, be got rid of, be talked down to. Formal writing uses these constantly (The matter has been looked into; Your request will be attended to), and phrasal verbs keep their particle beside the verb: The meeting was called off.

Pattern

be + past participle + its preposition: be looked after / dealt with / laughed at / relied on · be taken advantage of / made fun of / got rid of · phrasal verbs: be called off / put forward

Examples

  1. Your complaint is being dealt with by our customer team.

  2. The old rules have finally been done away with.

  3. Nobody likes being laughed at in public.

  4. The children were well looked after while we were away.

Common mistakes

  • Wrong: The problem is being dealt.

    Right: The problem is being dealt with.

    The preposition stays with the verb in the passive.

  • Wrong: She was laughed by everyone.

    Right: She was laughed at by everyone.

    laugh at keeps at in the passive.

  • Wrong: The match was called because of rain off.

    Right: The match was called off because of rain.

    The particle stays next to the verb.

Practice questions

Try each one yourself first, then open “Show answer” for the solution and the reason.

  1. 1Choose the correct sentence.

    1. The matter is being looked by the police.
    2. The matter is being looked into it by the police.
    3. The matter is looking into by the police.
    4. The matter is being looked into by the police.
    Show answer

    Answer: D The matter is being looked into by the police.

    look into keeps into in the passive.

  2. 2Fill in the gap.

    This issue must be dealt _____ immediately.

    1. by
    2. with
    3. on
    4. for
    Show answer

    Answer: B This issue must be dealt with immediately.

    deal with → be dealt with.

  3. 3Change the sentence.

    Put it in the passive.

    Nobody has ever spoken to me like that.

    1. I have never spoken to like that.
    2. I have never been spoken to like that.
    3. I have never been spoken like that.
    4. I have never been spoken to it like that.
    Show answer

    Answer: B I have never been spoken to like that.

    speak to → be spoken to.

  4. 4This sentence is wrong. Choose the fix.

    He hated being made fun in class.

    1. He hated be made fun of in class.
    2. He hated being made fun of in class.
    3. He hated being made fun of it in class.
    4. He hated making fun of in class.
    Show answer

    Answer: B He hated being made fun of in class.

    The whole chunk stays: be made fun of.

  5. 5Choose the correct sentence.

    What does the sentence mean?

    The wedding has been called off.

    1. Someone has announced the wedding.
    2. Someone phoned about the wedding.
    3. The wedding has been cancelled.
    4. The wedding has been moved to a new venue.
    Show answer

    Answer: C The wedding has been cancelled.

    call off = cancel.

  6. 6Choose the correct sentence.

    1. The elderly residents are well caring for.
    2. The elderly residents are cared well.
    3. The elderly residents are well cared for.
    4. The elderly residents are well cared.
    Show answer

    Answer: C The elderly residents are well cared for.

    care for → be cared for.

  7. 7Put the words in the right order.

    This problem should have been dealt with years ago

    Show answer

    Answer: This problem should have been dealt with years ago.

    Perfect passive with a modal, preposition kept.

  8. 8Fill in the gap.

    He was run _____ by a cyclist on the pavement.

    1. up
    2. off
    3. out
    4. over
    Show answer

    Answer: D He was run over by a cyclist on the pavement.

    run over keeps its particle in the passive.

  9. 9Choose the correct sentence.

    Which is right for a formal letter?

    Replying to a complaint.

    1. Your concerns got checked out, sort of.
    2. Your concerns have been carefully looked into.
    3. We looked your concerns into it.
    4. We have had a look at your moan.
    Show answer

    Answer: B Your concerns have been carefully looked into.

    Formal: perfect passive with look into.

  10. 10Change the sentence.

    Put it in the passive.

    We must get rid of these old files.

    1. These old files must get rid of.
    2. These old files must be got rid.
    3. These old files must be got rid of.
    4. These old files must be rid of it.
    Show answer

    Answer: C These old files must be got rid of.

    get rid of → be got rid of.

Practise this lesson in Zorg Space

In the app every rule becomes interactive practice: instant correction, reviews at the moment you are about to forget, and progress you can see from level to level — free.

Start for free

More in «Verbs and time»