ENGLISH GRAMMAR The Passive Voice

EXERCISES

1. Complete the sentences with the correct passive form of the verbs in brackets. Use the Present
Simple.
a. English is spoken (speak) in many countries.
b. The post is delivered (deliver) at about 7 o’clock every morning.
c. Is the building used (the building/use) any more?
d. How often are held the Olympic Games? (the Olympic Games(hold)?
e. How is spelled your name?(your name/spell)?
f. My salary is paid (pay) every month.
g. These cars are made (not make) in Japan.
h. The name of the people who committed the crime is not known (not know).
i. His travel expenses aren't paid (not pay) by his company.

2. Complete the sentences with the correct passive form of the verbs in brackets. Use the Past Simple.
a. My car was repaired (repair) last week.
b. This song was not written (not write) by John Lennon.
c. was the phone answered (the phone/answer) by a young girl?
d. The film made (make) ten years ago.
e. When was the tennis invented? (tennis/invent)?
f. The car was not damaged (not damaged) in the accident.
g. The original building _ was pulled (pull) down in 1965.
h. Where was this pot made?____(this pot/make)?
i. When was this bridge build? (this bridge/build)?
4
3. Choose the correct form of the verbs in brackets.
FIAT
Fiat 0 was started (started/was started) by a group of Italian businessmen in 1899. In 1903, Fiat,
1
produced (produced/was produced) 132 cars. Some of these cars
2
were exported (exported/were exported) by the company to the United States and Britain.
In 1920, Fiat 3 started (started/was started) making cars at a new factory at Lingotto, near
Turin. There was a track on the roof where the cars 4 were tested (tested/were tested) by
technicians. In 1936, Fiat launched the Fiat 500. This car 5 was called (called/was called)
the Topolino – the Italian name for Mickey Mouse. The company grew, and in 1963 Fiat
6 exported (exported/was exported) more than 300,000 vehicles. Today, Fiat is based in
7
Turin, and its cars are sold (sold/are sold) all over the world.

4. Change the following sentences into passive sentences using the words in brackets.
a. We sell tickets for all shows at the Box Office. (Tickets for all shows/sell/at the Box Office)
tickets for all shows are sold ate the box office
b. Thomas Edison invented the electric light bulb. (The electric light bulb/invent/by Thomas Edison)
The electric light bulb was invented by Tomas Edison.
c. Someone painted the office last week. (The office/paint/last week)
the office was painted last week.
d. Several people saw the accident. (The accident/see/by several people)
the accident was seen by several people.
e. Where do they make these video recorders? (Where/these video recorders/make)
where were these video recorders made?
 ENGLISH GRAMMAR The Passive Voice

5. Rewrite these sentences in the passive voice.

a. Someone built this house 200 years ago.
this house was built 200 years ago.
b. A thief stole my purse.
my purse was stole
c. The police will arrest the robbers.
the robbers will be arrested
d. They produce cars in this factory.
cars are produced in this factory.
e. They serve breakfast at eight o’clock every day.
breakfast is served at eight o'clock every day
f. People throw away tones of rubbish every day.
Tones of rubbish are thrown every day.
g. They make coffee in Brazil.
the coffee is made in Brazil
h. Someone stole Jim’s bike lat night.
the bike was stolen last night.

6. Rewrite these sentences in the passive voice.

a. They will build a new bridge next year.
new bridge will be built next year.
b. Brian Brody directed The Ultimate Space Adventure.
the ultimate was directed by Brian brody.
c. Pierre Matie will design her costume.
the costume will be designed by Pierre Mattie
d. Someone found my wallet.
my wallet was found.
5 e. One of the students broke the window.
the window was broken by one of the students.
f. They will deliver my computer on Monday.
My computer will be delivered on Monday bay then
g. Mary invited Paul to her birthday party.
Paul was invited her the birthday party by her
h. British astronomers discovered a new planet.
a new planet was discovered by British astronomers

7. Form the question.

a. Paper is made from wood. Is paper made from wood ?
b. The telephone was invented by Mr Bell. Was invented the telephone by Mr. bell ?
c. This picture was painted by Peter. Was painted this picture by peter ?
d. The thieves will be arrested by the police. Will the thieves be arrested by the police ?
e. Champagne is made in France. Is the champagne made in France ?
f. The letters will be sent next week. Will the be sent next week ?
g. The animals are fed three times a day. Are the animals fed three there times day ?
h. This article was written by Stanley. Was written this by Stanley ?
 i. CDs are made of plastic. Are CDs made plastic ?
j. The party was organised by Paul. Was organized the party by Paul ?

8. Read and complete. Use Past Simple.

a. The toothbrush / invent / in the 15th century.
In the 15th century was invented the toothbrush
b. The first public basketball game / play / in 1892.
In 1892nwas played the first public basketball game
c. The first eyeglasses / wear / in the 1200s.
In the 1200s was worn the first eyeglasses
d. The first bicycle / ride in 1791.
In 1791 was ridden the first bicycle
e. The first hot dog / eat / in the 1860s.
In the 1860s was eaten the first hot dog
f. The first CDs / sell / in the 1980s.
In the 1980 was sold the first CDs
g. The first electric guitar / play / in 1923.
in the 1923nwas sold played the first electric guitar
h. The first computer mouse / use / 1964.
in 1964 was used the first computer mouse

6 9. Complete with the passive. Use Present Simple.

a. This programme is watched (watch) by millions of people.
b. Paper is made (make) from wood.
c. Hundreds of people are killed (kill) in accidents every year.
d. London is visited (visit) by thousands of tourists every year.
e. The biology class is taught (teach) by Mr Green.
f. English is spoken (speak) all over the world.
g. Lunch is served (serve) at twelve o’clock.
h. Books are written (write) by authors.

10. Put the verbs in brackets into Past Simple Passive.

Two men was being seen (see) breaking into a house in my street last night. The police
Was called (call) and they arrived very quickly. One man was caught
(catch) immediately. The other escaped, but he was found (find) very soon. Both men
Was taken (take) to the police station where they was questioned
(question) separately by a police officer. The two men was charged (charge) with
burglary.

11. Rewrite the following passage in the Passive.

Somebody has stolen a bus from outside the school. Some children saw the thief. The police are
searching for the bus now. They will use the children’s descriptions to catch the thief.
 ENGLISH GRAMMAR The Passive Voice

12. Rewrite the following passage in the Passive.

Some people saw a UFO in the sky above London last night. They reported it to the police. The army
sent a helicopter to look at it more closer. The UFO shot the helicopter down and killed both men in it.
People have given photographs of the UFO to the police. Experts are looking at them now.

13. Rewrite the following passage in the Passive.

Someone broke into a local jewellery shop yesterday. The owner had just locked up the shop when a
robber with a gun threatened him. The robber told him to unlock the shop and give him all the
diamonds in the safe. Then the robber tied him up. The police have organized a search for the robber.
They hope they will find him in a few days. Doctors are treating the owner of the shop for shock.

14. Rewrite the following passage in the Passive.

My uncle painted this picture. Someone has offered him a lot of money for it. He will deliver the
painting tomorrow. When they give him the money, he will tell them the truth. He painted it one night
while he was sleepwalking!

15. Rewrite the following passage in the Passive.

Our school is organizing a contest. The teachers will choose the best project about the environment.
The students must include pictures and drawings in their projects. The students will also have to do all
the writing themselves. The school will give the winner a set of encyclopaedias.

16. Turn from Active to Passive in two ways.

a. He gave me a present.

b. The waiter will bring us the bill.

c. Her mother bought Mary some sweets.

d. Bob has sold Ted a second-hand car.

 e. Larry is going to send a letter to Tom.

17. Turn from Active to Passive.

a. Someone is helping her with the housework.
She is being helped wrih the housework by someone
b. The mail-order company sent Mrs Green a parcel.
A parcel was sent by the order company to MR Green
c. My friend sent me an invitation.
an invitation was sent by friend to me
d. The secretary has given Mrs Jones some letters.
Some letters was given MR Jones some letters
e. The traffic warden had already given him a ticket for illegal parking.
for illegal parking already had given a ticket by the warden
f. John gave Elizabeth that beautiful ring.
that beautiful ring was by john Elizabeth
g. Her students have sent her flowers.
that flowers has been sent by her students
h. He must give the message to the right person.
The message must was give the right person by him
i. We teach our students English and French.
English and French are teacher to our students by us
j. Someone bought flowers for the bride.
For the bide was bought flowers by someone
8
k. They showed the tourists the sights of Athens.
the sight of Athens was showed to the tourists by them
l. They pay her an excellent salary.
an excellent salary is paid by them
m. They paid the artist £1,000 for his painting.
£1,000 was paid to the artist for his painting by them

18. Rewrite these sentences in the passive voice.

1. They sell oysters in the shop next door.
The oysters are selled by them in the shop next door.
2. They haven’t delivered the food yet.
The food has not been delivered by them yet.
3. Shakespeare wrote King Lear.
King Lear was written by Shakespeare.
4. They have to answer the questions on this sheet.
The questions have to be answered on this sheet by them.
5. Has anybody put the cases upstairs?
The cases have been put upstairs by anybody
6. Someone should take this rubbish away.
This rubbish should be taken away by someone.
7. They’ll ask you a lot of questions.
You will be asked a lot of questions by them.
8. Someone’s going to send her some flowers.
Flowers are goind to be sent to her by someone.
 ENGLISH GRAMMAR The Passive Voice

9. They didn’t pay me much for that job.

I wasn't paid much by them for that job.
10. Have they offered him a better job?
He have been offered a better job by them?
11. They told us a secret.
A secret was told to us by them.
12. Would they lend me their car?
Their car would be lent to me by them.
13. People should send their complaints to the head office.
their complaints to the head office should be sent.
14. They had to postpone the meeting because of illness.
The meeting had been postponed by them because of illness.
15. They are going to hold next year’s congress in San Francisco.
Next year’s congress in San Francisco is going to be hold by them.
16. The bill includes service.
Service is included by the bill.
17. People don’t use this road very often.
This road isn't used by people.
18. They cancelled all the flights because of fog.
The flights was cancelled by them because of fog
19. Somebody accused me of stealing the money.
I was accused by somebody of stealing the money.
20. They are building a new ring-road round the city.
A new ring-road round the city is been built by them.
21. I didn’t realize that someone was recording our conversation.
Someone wasn't realized reckoning our conversation by me.
22. They have changed the date of the meeting.
The date of the meeting have been changed by them.
23. Brian told me that somebody had attacked and robbed him in the street.
9 I was told that somebody had attacked and robbed him in the street by Brian.
24. You should open the wine about three hours before you use it.
The wine should be openned about three hours before you use it.
25. Somebody had cleaned my shoes and brushed my suit.
My shoes and my suit had been cleaned by somebody.
26. We use this room only on special occasions.
This room is only used on special occasions by us.
27. In some districts farmers use pigs to find truffles.
Pigs are used to find truffles in some districts farmers.
28. John gave Elizabeth that beautiful ring.
Elizabeth was given that beautiful ring by John.
29. They have offered Sarah a very good job.
A very good job have been offered to Sarah by them.
30. The estate agent showed the house to the young people.
The house to the young people was showed by the state agent.
31. We will pay the gardener a lot of money.
A lot of money will be paid to the gardener by us.
32. Someone is going to repair the roof next week.
The roof is going to be repaired by someone next week.
 33. They can’t find Joanna.
Joanna can't be found by them.
34. They should decorate the room with flowers.
The room should be decorated with flowers by them.
35. Archaeologists have discovered an ancient temple.
An ancient temple have been discovered by archaeologists.
36. We will put all these things into boxes.
All these things will be put into boxes by us.
37. The firefighters rescued the teenagers from the burning building.
The teenagers were rescued from the burning building by the firefighters.
38. The youngest student in the class has written the best composition.
The best compositions has been written by the youngest students in the class.
39. The children send me messages every day.
Messages are sent to me by the children every day.
40. The villagers gave the travellers food and water.
The travellers were given food and water by the villagers.
41. A very talented young girl wrote the story.
The story was written by a very talented young girl.
42. They are going to finish the new road in a few days.
The new road is going to be finished in a few days by them.
43. They cancelled the match because of the rain.
The match was cancelled by them because of the rain.
44. You must not cross this line.
This line mustn't be cross by you.
45. They had picked the oranges before the storm.
The oranges had been picked by them before the storm.
10 46. Professor Smith should write the book.
The book should be written by Professor Smith.
47. Mr Elliot will pay the workers.
The workers will be paid by Mr. Elliot.
48. Two men were following Tom.
Tom was been followed by two men.
49. Millions of people use the Internet every day.
The Internet is used by millions of people every day.
50. They gave Bob a CD player for his birthday.
A CD player was given by them for his birthday.
51. The prime minister will give a medal to the winners.
A medal will be given to the winners by the prime minister.
52. She is telling the children a story.
A story is been told to the children by her.
53. They’ve offered Sally a job.
A job have been offered to Sally by them.
54. Poisonous chemicals have polluted the river.
The river have been polluted by the poisonous chemicals.
55. Doctor Simms is examining her.
She is been examining by doctor simms.
56. You must stop him now.
He must be stopped by you now.
57. Someone gave them free tickets for the concert.
Free tickets for the concert are given to them by someone.