The Passive

PRACTICE 1 -SELFSTUDY: Active vs. passive.

Directions: Circle ACTIVE if the given sentence is active; circle PASSIVE if it is passive. Underline
the VERB.
1. ACTIVE PASSIVE Farmers grow corn.
2. ACTIVE PASSIVE Corn is mown by farmers.
3. ACTIVE PASSIVE Sara wrote the letter.
4. ACTIVE PASSIVE The letter was written by Sara.
5. ACTIVE PASSIVE The teacher explained the lesson.
6. ACTIVE PASSIVE The lesson was explained by the teacher.
7. ACTIVE PASSIVE Bridges are designed by engineers.
8. ACTIVE PASSIVE Engineers design bridges.
9. ACTIVE PASSIVE The mouse ate the cheese.
10. ACTIVE PASSIVE The cheese was eaten by the mouse.

PRACTICE 2 -SELFSTUDY: Passive Forms

Form of the Passive : be +past participle

ACTIVE
Simple present
Mary helps
John.
Present progressive
Mary is helping John.
Present perfect
Mary has helped John.
Simple past
Mary helped
John.
Past progressive
Mary was helping John.
Past perfect
Mary had helped John.
Simple future
Mary will help
John.
Be going to
Mary is going to help John.
Future perfect
Mary will have help John.
Directions: change the active into the passive.

PASSIVE
John is helped by
Mary.
John is being helped by
Mary.
John has been helped by
Mary.
John was helped by
Mary.
John was being helped by Mary.
John had been helped by
Mary.
John will be helped by
Mary.
John is going to be helped by Mary.
John will have been helped by Mary.

1.

Shakespeare wrote that play.

________________________________________________________

2.

Bill will invite Ann to the party.

________________________________________________________

3.

Alex is preparing the report.

________________________________________________________

4.

Waitresses and waiters serve customers.

________________________________________________________

5.

The teacher is going to explain the lesson.

________________________________________________________

6.

Shirley had suggested a new idea.

________________________________________________________

7.

Two horses were pulling the farmers wagon.

________________________________________________________

Intermediate English Polinema

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8.

Kathy had returned her book.

________________________________________________________

9.

By this time tomorrow, the President will have made the announcement.
________________________________________________________

10. I didnt write that note. Jim wrote it.

________________________________________________________
11. Alice didnt make that pie. Did Mrs. French make it?
________________________________________________________
12. Does Prof. Jackson teach that course?
________________________________________________________
13. Mrs. Nadia hasnt signed those papers yet.
________________________________________________________
14. Is Mr. Brian painting your house?
________________________________________________________
15. His tricks wont fool me.
________________________________________________________

PRACTICE 3 - SELFSTUDY: Passive to active.

Directions: Change the passive sentences to ACTIVE. Keep the same verb tense.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Taxes are collected by the government. The government collects taxes.

Small fish are eaten by big fish.
The meaning of a smile is understood by everyone.
War and Peace was written by Leo Tolstoy.
The pyramids in Egypt have been visited by millions of tourists.
New information about the universe will be discovered by scientists.
The new highway will be completed next month.
The Washington monument is visited by hundreds people every day.
The door will have been opened by me.
My bike is being repaired by a mechanic today.

Intermediate English Polinema

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