A verb is said to be in the active voice when the subject does the action.

A verb is said to be in the passive voice when the sentence shows what is
done to the subject.
To change the active verb into passive, (1) use the verb be in the right
tense (as the tense of the active verb) and the past participle of the main
verb.
!ample" #t ate cheese. $heese was eaten.
Forms of verb Be:
(present) % am, is , are
(past) % was, were
(present participle) % being
(past participle) % been
Write the past participle of
the verbs:
paint" &&&&&&&&&&&&&&
write" &&&&&&&&&&&&&&
bu'" &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
tr'" &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
create" &&&&&&&&&&&&&
drive" &&&&&&&&&&&&&&
draw" &&&&&&&&&&&&&&
wash" &&&&&&&&&&&&&&
catch" &&&&&&&&&&&&&&
b) Practice changing the underlined active verbs into passive.
(ames sent a letter. A letter was sent b' (ames.
(oe washes the car. The car &&&&&&&&&&&&&&& b' (oe.
)omeone called the doctor. The doctor &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&.
*ana is watching a movie. A movie &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&.
+r. Adams will do the job. The job &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&.
The students have written a test. A test &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&.
The child was reading a stor'. A stor' &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&.
# returned the boo,s. The boo,s &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&.
-e must ,eep fruit fresh. .ruit &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& fresh.
The flood destro'ed the dam. The dam &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&.
/im can pla' the guitar. The guitar &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&.
)arah collects stamps. )tamps &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&.
0ad alwa's fi!es the car. The car &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&.
+at threw the garbage. The garbage &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&.
subjectverbobjectcomplimentTa,e this sentence as an e!ample"The huntershotthe birdsyesterday.1se
the object of the active verb as the subject of the passive sentence.
The birds
2ote" #f the verb is a pronoun, ma,e sure to change it to a subject pronoun.
me #him heher shethem the'us we+a,e the active verb passive. 1se verb to be with the
past participle of the main verb.
3++43" 05 25T $6A27 T2).
The birds were shot
The new passive verb must agree in number with the new subject.
The huntershotthe birds 8The birdswere shot8singularsingular verbpluralpluralplural verb2otice
how the verb agrees with its subject.
The past participle of a verb is"
verb 9 ed (regular verbs)
decide decided
:
rd
column in the list of
irregular verbs
eat eaten
Name:
______________________________
Date:
_______________________________
2ote" 2ever use (do, does, or did) with the passive voice. )ee the e!amples"
ctivePassiveThe' didn;t ring the bell.The bell wasn;t rung.The' didn;t ring the bells.The bells
weren;t rung.The' don;t ring the bell.The bell isn;t rung.The' don;t ring the bells.The bells aren;t
rung.0id the' call me<-as # called<0o the' ,now me<Am # ,nown<
Add the rest of the sentence.
The birds were shot yesterday.
+a,e the subject of the active sentence, the agent of the passive sentence b' adding b' followed b' the
subject.
The birds were shot yesterday by the hunter.
2ote" 0on;t write the subject if it is not specific (people, someone, somebod', etc...). #t is preferable
not to mention the subject if it is a pronoun (#, 'ou, we, he, she, it, the').
c) !hange the follo"ing sentences from active into passive.
Active =assive1. The students could solve the problem.>. )ha,espeare wrote
6amlet.:. A sna,e has never bitten me.?. The policeman arrested the thief.@. The postman
is going to deliver the letters.A. +ar' bu's man' shoes ever' 'ear.B. The students need two
buses toda'.C. The' will close the shop.D. The' should have planned the e!pedition.1E. 6e
will be preparing food for the visitors.11. 4raille had developed a reading s'stem.1>. Fou
should see a doctor.1:. The pirates found a treasure.1?. *ara and (oe are chec,ing the
mail.1@. )omeone will ta,e the pac,age tomorrow.1A. )am is going to leave the case
here.1B. (ud' has been decorating the office.1C. The mechanic hasn;t repaired the car.1D. A
maid alwa's cleans the rooms.
d) !hange the negative sentences and the #uestions from active to passive.
Active =assive1. 0id And' coo, the dinner<-as the dinner coo,ed b' And'<>. 0o
'ou spea, .rench here<:. -e haven;t seen the missing child again.?. #s Tim trimming the
grass<@. -ill (ohn put the mone' in the ban,<A. 0oes (ac, set the table ever' da'<B. 0id
the child ,iss her on the chec,<C. The' won;t wipe the floor.D. The )miths don;t invite us to
their parties.1E. $an 'ou drive truc,s easil'<11. The' didn;t evacuate the building.1>. 6e
won;t be seeing her an'more.1:. -ould 'ou ta,e the ,ids to the cinema<1?. )all' hadn;t
designed this model.1@. 6e couldn;t remember the accident.
ctive and passive in sentences that ta$e t"o ob%ects& a direct and indirect ob%ect:
'omeonegaveme an a"ard.(ither an indirect ob%ect or a direct ob%ect may become the sub%ect of a
passive sentence. subjectverbindirect objectdirect object=assive (1)" # was given an award.
=assive (>)" An award was given to me.When the direct ob%ect becomes the sub%ect) use to before
the indirect ob%ect.
e) *o" practice changing the sentences "ith t"o ob%ects from active to passive.
Active =assive1. The teacher handed me the report.>. +' friend alwa's sends me
emails.:. The compan' paid (a,e si! hundred dollars.?. -ill =eter give *ana a present<@.
The universit' awarded Tim a scholarship.A. )omeone is teaching her )panish.B. The court
had denied the criminal his rights.C. The salesman showed him some samples.D. 7randpa
sends us presents all the time.1E. +r. Adams ma' teach us biolog'.
!hart for changing verbs from active to passive "ith all tenses.
*ote that all the passive verbs are formed "ith BE + Past Participle (main verb)
Tense ctive Passive
Present
'imple
The crime shoc,s me.
The crime shoc,s (a,e.
The crime shoc,s us.
# am shocked b' the crime.
(a,e is shocked b' the crime.
-e are shocked b' the crime.
Present
!ontinuous
The crime is shoc,ing me.
The crime is shoc,ing us.
# am bein shocked b' the crime.
-e are bein shocked b' the crime.
Past 'imple
The crime shoc,ed me.
The crime shoc,ed
# was shocked b' the crime.
-e were shocked b' the crime.
Past
!ontinuous
The crime was shoc,ing me.
The crime was shoc,ing us.
# was bein shocked b' the murder.
-e are bein shocked b' the murder.
Present
Perfect
(a,e has mailed the letter.
(a,e has mailed the letters.
The letter has been mailed b' (a,e.
The letters have been mailed b' (a,e.
Past Perfect
(a,e had mailed the letter.
(a,e had mailed the letters.
The letter had been mailed b' (a,e.
The letters had been mailed b' (a,e.
Future
'imple
(a,e will mail the letter.
(a,e is going to mail the letter.
(a,e is going to mail the letters.
The letter will be mailed b' (a,e.
The letter is oin to be mailed b' (a,e.
The letters are oin to be mailed b' (a,e.
Future
Perfect
(a,e will have mailed the letter.
(a,e will have mailed the letters.
The letter will have been mailed b' (a,e.
The letters will have been mailed b' (a,e.
+odals
(a,e can mail the letter.
(a,e could mail the letters.
(a,e ma' mail the letter.
(a,e might mail the letters.
(a,e should mail the letter.
(a,e must mail the letters.
(a,e would mail the letter.
(a,e has to mail the letter.
(a,e has to mail the letters.
(a,e ought to mail the letter.
The letter can be mailed b' (a,e.
The letters could be mailed b' (a,e.
The letter may be mailed b' (a,e.
The letters miht be mailed b' (a,e.
The letter should be mailed b' (a,e.
The letters must be mailed b' (a,e.
The letter would be mailed b' (a,e.
The letter has to be mailed b' (a,e.
The letters have to be mailed b' (a,e.
The letter ouht to be mailed b' (a,e.
Answer ,e'"
!ercise a" !ercise b"
1. painted
>. written
:. bought
?. tried
@. created
A. driven
1. A letter was sent b' (ames.
>. was washed
:. was called
?. is being watched
@. will be done
B. drawn
C. washed
D. caught
A. has been written
B. was being read
C. were returned
D. must be ,ept
1E. was destro'ed.
11. can be pla'ed
1>. are collected
1:. is fi!ed
1?. was thrown
!ercise $" !ercise d"
1. The problem could be solved b' the students.
>. 6amlet was written b' )ha,espeare.
:. # have never been bitten b' a sna,e.
?. The thief was arrested b' the policeman
@. The letters are going to be delivered b' the
postman.
A. +an' shoes are bought ever' 'ear b' +ar'.
B. Two buses are needed toda'.
C. The shop will be closed.
D. The e!pedition should have been planned.
1E. .ood will be prepared for the visitors.
11. A reading s'stem had been developed b'
4raille.
1>. A doctor should be seen.
1:. A treasure was found b' the pirates.
1?. The mail is being chec,ed b' *ara and (oe.
1@. The pac,age will be ta,en tomorrow.
1A. The case is going to be left here b' )am.
1B. The office has been decorated (ud'.
1C. The car hasn;t been repaired b' the
mechanic.
1D. The rooms are alwa's cleaned b' a maid.
1. -as the dinner coo,ed b' And'<
>. #s .rench spo,en here<
:. The missing child hasn;t been seen again.
?. #s the grass being trimmed b' Tim<
@. -ill the mone' be put in the ban, b' (ohn<
A. #s the table set ever' da' b' (a,e<
B. -as she ,issed on the chee, b' the child<
C. The floor won;t be wiped.
D. -e aren;t invited to their parties.
1E. $an truc,s be driven easil'<
11. The building wasn;t evacuated.
1>. )he won;t be seen an'more.
1:. -ould the ,ids be ta,en to the cinema<
1?. This model hadn;t been designed b' )all'.
1@. The accident couldn;t be remembered.
!ercise " Answers for
1. The teacher handed me the report. The report was handed to me b' the teacher.
# was handed the report b' the teacher.
>. +' friend alwa's sends me emails. # am alwa's sent emails b' m' friends.
mails are alwa's sent to me b' m' friends.
:. The compan' paid (a,e si! hundred dollars. (a,e was paid si! hundred dollars b' the compan'.
)i! hundred dollars was paid to (a,e b' the
compan'.
?. -ill =eter give *ana a present< -ill *ana be given a present b' =eter<
-ill a present be given to *ana b' =eter<
@. The universit' awarded Tim a scholarship. Tim was awarded a scholarship b' the universit'.
A scholarship was awarded to Tim b' the universit'.
A. )omeone is teaching her )panish. )he is being taught )panish.
)panish is being taught to her.
B. The court had denied the criminal his rights. The criminal had been denied his rights b' the
court.
The criminal;s rights were denied to him b' the
court.
C. The salesman showed him some samples. 6e was showed some samples b' the salesman.
)ome samples were showed to him b' the salesman.
D. 7randpa sends us presents all the time. -e are sent presents all the time b' grandpa.
=resents are sent to us all the time b' grandpa.
1E. +r. Adams ma' teach us biolog'. -e are taught biolog' b' +r. Adams.
4iolog' is taught to us b' +r. Adams.
Have a nice time