Passive Voice 5

Passive Voice
Exercises on Passive
Use of Passive
Passive voice is used when the focus is on the action. It is not important
or not known, however, who or what is performing the action.
Example: My bike was stolen.
In the example above, the focus is on the fact that my bike was stolen. I do not
know, however, who did it.
Sometimes a statement in passive is more polite than active voice, as the following
example shows:
Example: A mistake was made.
In this case, I focus on the fact that a mistake was made, but I do not blame anyone
(e.g. You have made a mistake.).
Form of Passive
Subject + finite form of to be + Past Participle (3rd column of irregular verbs)
Example: A letter was written.
When rewriting active sentences in passive voice, note the following:
the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence
the finite form of the verb is changed (to be + past participle)
the subject of the active sentence becomes the object of the passive sentence
(or is dropped)
Examples of Passive
Tense
Simple
Active
Present
:
Passiv
e:
Simple
Active
Past
:
Passiv
e:
Present
Active
Perfect
:
Passiv
e:
Future I
Active
:
Passiv
e:
HGFSFDJDJ Active
:
Passiv
e:
Examples of Passive
Tense
Present
Progressive
Active:
Passiv
e:
Subject
Rita
Verb
writes
Object
a letter.
A letter
is written
by Rita.
Rita
wrote
a letter.
A letter
was written
by Rita.
Rita
has written
a letter.
A letter
has been written
by Rita.
Rita
will write
a letter.
A letter
will be written
by Rita.
Rita
can write
a letter.
A letter
can be written
by Rita.
Verb
Object
is writing
is being written
a letter.
by Rita.
Subjec
t
Rita
A letter
Past
Progressive
Active:
Passiv
e:
Past Perfect Active:
Passiv
e:
Future II
Active:
Passiv
e:
Conditional Active:
I
Passiv
e:
Conditional Active:
II
Passiv
e:
Rita
A letter
was writing
was being written
a letter.
by Rita.
Rita
A letter
had written
had been written
a letter.
by Rita.
Rita
A letter
will have written

will have been
written
would write
would be written
a letter.
by Rita.
would have written

would have been
written
a letter.
by Rita.
Rita
A letter
Rita
A letter
a letter.
by Rita.
Passive Sentences with Two Objects

Rewriting an active sentence with two objects in passive voice means that one of
the two objects becomes the subject, the other one remains an object. Which object
to transform into a subject depends on what you want to put the focus on.
Active:
Passiv
e:
Passiv
e:
Subject
Rita
A letter
Verb
wrote
was written
Object 1
a letter
to me
Object 2
to me.
by Rita.
was written
a letter
by Rita.
As you can see in the examples, adding by Rita does not sound very elegant. Thats
why it is usually dropped.
Passive Voice - Exercises on Form
Write passive sentences in Simple Present.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
the
the
the
the
the
the
the
the
the
the
documents / print
window / open
shoes / buy
car / wash
litter / throw away
letter / send
book / read / not
songs / sing / not
food / eat / not
shop / close / not

Write passive sentences in Simple Past.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
the test / write

the table / set
the cat / feed
the lights / switch on
the house / build
dinner / serve
this computer / sell / not
2
8.
9.
10.
the car / stop / not

the tables / clean / not
the children / pick up / not

Write passive sentences in Present Perfect.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
the
the
the
the
the
the
the
the
the
the
postcard / send
pencils / count
door / close
beds / make
mail / write
trees / plant
money / spend
room / book / not
rent / pay / not
people / inform / not

Write passive sentences in Future I.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
the exhibition / visit

the windows / clean
the message / read
the thief / arrest
the photo / take
these songs / sing
the sign / see / not
a dictionary / use / not
credit cards / accept / not
the ring / find / not
Mixed Exercise on Passive Voice

Rewrite the sentences in passive voice.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
John collects money. Anna opened the window. We have done our homework. I will ask a question. He can cut out the picture. The sheep ate a lot. We do not clean our rooms. William will not repair the car. Did Sue draw this circle? Could you feed the dog? -
Exercise on Passive Voice - Present Progressive

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Sheila is drinking a cup of tea. My father is washing the car. Farmer Joe is milking the cows. She is taking a picture of him. I am writing a poem. We are not playing football. He is not wearing a tie. Is she preparing the party? 3
9.
10.
Are they talking about the meeting? Is she watering the flowers? -
Exercise on Passive Voice - Past Progressive

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
We were talking about Francis. He was playing the guitar. She was watching a film. I was repairing their bikes. They were not eating dinner. We were not painting the gate. You were not driving him home. He was not feeding the dogs. Was she reading these lines? Were they carrying bags? -
Exercise on Passive Voice - Past Perfect

1.
I had worn blue shoes. 2.
Joe had cleaned the tables. 3.
We had lost the key. 4.
They had started a fight. 5.
I had been reading an article. 6.
I had not closed the window. 7.
They had not bought the paper. 8.
She had not noticed me. 9.
Had she solved the problem? 10. Had he recorded that song? Exercise on Passive Voice - Future II
1.
Frank will have ordered the drinks. 2.
You will have spent all the money. 3.
I will have taken the dog for a walk. 4.
She will have sold the car. 5.
They will have solved the problem. 6.
She will not have read the book. 7.
They will not have trusted him. 8.
He won't have rung Barbara. 9.
Will they have paid the bill? 10. Will you have washed my socks? Exercise on Passive Voice - Conditional I
1.
Jenny would congratulate you. 2.
We would pick you up. 3.
She would order a pizza. 4.
He would build a new house. 5.
They would take the opportunity. 6.
You would not recognize Jim. 7.
I would not do that kind of job. 8.
Would they decorate the room? 9.
Would the DJ play this song? 10. Would Simon open the window? Exercise on Passive Voice - Conditional II
4

1.
They would have told you. 2.
We would have spoken English. 3.
Mario would have bought a paper. 4.
She would have called the police. 5.
We would have painted the walls green. 6.
She would not have noticed the mistake. 7.
I would not have given this book away. 8.
Would my mum have packed the bag? 9.
Would you have accepted that offer? 10. Would they have given the right answer? Grammar Tenses Mix
Test your knowledge on grammar English tenses (active and passive voice). After
submitting your answers, you will see how well you have done in the test.
Hadrian's Wall
Fill the gaps with the correct tenses (active or passive voice).
1. In the year 122 AD, the Roman Emperor Hadrian (visit)
his provinces
in Britain.
2. On his visit, the Roman soldiers (tell)
him that Pictish tribes from
Britain's north (attack)
them.
3. So Hadrian (give)
the order to build a protective wall across one
of the
narrowest parts of the country.
4. After 6 years of hard work, the Wall (finish)
in 128.
5. It (be)
117 kilometres long and about 4 metres high.
6. The Wall (guard)
by 15,000 Roman soldiers.
7. Every 8 kilometres there (be)
a large fort in which up to
1,000 soldiers
(find)
shelter.
8. The soldiers (watch)
over the frontier to the north and
(check)
the people who (want)
to enter or leave Roman
Britain.
9. In order to pass through the Wall, people (must go)
to
one
of the small forts that (serve)
as gateways.
10. Those forts (call)
milecastles because the distance from one fort
to
another (be)
one Roman mile (about 1,500 metres).
11. Between the milecastles there (be)
two turrets from which the
soldiers
(guard)
the Wall.
12. If the Wall (attack)
by enemies, the soldiers at the turrets (run)
to
the nearest milecastle for help or (light)
a fire that (can / see)
by
the soldiers in the milecastle.
13. In 383 Hadrian's Wall (abandon)
.
14. Today Hadrian's Wall (be)
the most popular tourist attraction
in northern England.
15. In 1987, it (become)
a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Passive Voice 5

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Passive Voice 5

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Passive Voice

the finite form of the verb is changed (to be + past participle)

has been written

will have written

would have written

Passive Sentences with Two Objects

Passive Voice - Exercises on Form

the test / write

the car / stop / not

Passive Voice - Exercises on Form

Passive Voice - Exercises on Form

the exhibition / visit

Mixed Exercise on Passive Voice

Exercise on Passive Voice - Present Progressive

Exercise on Passive Voice - Past Progressive

Exercise on Passive Voice - Past Perfect

Rewrite the sentences in passive voice.

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