PASSIVE VOICE EXERCISES

Rewrite the sentences into the passive voice.

1. John collects money. -

2. Anna opened the window. -
3. We have done our homework. -
4. I will ask a question. -
5. He can cut out the picture. -
6. The sheep ate a lot. -
7. We do not clean our rooms. -
8. William will not repair the car. -
9. Did Sue draw this circle? -
10. Could you feed the dog? -

1) People speak French .

2) The Government is planning a new road near my house .

3) My grandfather built this house in 1943 .

4) Picasso was painting Guernica at that time.

5) The cleaner has cleaned the office .

6) He had written three books before 1867 .

7) John will tell you later .

8) By this time tomorrow we will have signed the deal .

9) Somebody should do the work .

10) The traffic might have delayed Jimmy .

11) Everybody loves Mr Brown .

12) They are building a new stadium near the station .

13) The wolf ate the princess .

14) At six o’clock someone was telling a story.

15) Somebody has drunk all the milk! .

16) I had cleaned all the windows before the storm .

17) A workman will repair the computer tomorrow .

18) By next year the students will have studied the passive .
19) James might cook dinner .
20) Somebody must have taken my wallet

Turn the sentences into Passive, if possible

1. Scientists observed the tigers for six days.

2. Esther is investigating a new theory.
3. When we walked into the classroom, the teacher had already given the assignment.
4. Some teachers cleaned up the teachers’ room.
5. I think Su and Tin will finish all the food.
6. Maggy made the som tum.
7. Juju’s cat ate the fish.
8. Our discovery will surprise the world.
9. Someone will tell us by this time next week.
10. Many people visit Dreamworld every year.
11. Wanida and Jaruwan have washed the dishes.
12. Someone has poisoned Marlise’s dinner.
13. What happened to you last night?
14. The girls rented some movies.
15. Rinbi will complete her degree in two years’ time.
16. Ekapoom could not fall asleep.
17. A lot of beautiful girls followed Po.
18. Argentina will win the next World Cup!!
19. Tonya ate Wichai’s lunch.
20. The police dragged Miss Doris away.
21. Pray was making all the pictures.
22. Sirinda gave the whole class some presents.
23. Derald is organizing the trip.
24. Paola wears this dress.

1. Buses take the commuters home each evening.

2. They put the saddles on their horses and went for a ride.
3. Parents don’t make their children work very hard at home nowadays.
4. You can admire the beautiful scenery from our house.
5. He will send his car abroad.
6. Smoke filled the dinning-room.
7. The headmaster has sent the students to the library.
8. Someone has stolen my purse.
9. A van will bring the milk to your hotel.
10. The Manager wrote the reply letters.
11. They make shoes in that factory.
12. People must not leave bicycles in the driveway.
13. They built that skyscraper in 1934.
14. The students will finish the course by July.
15. They are repairing the streets this month.
16. They make these tools of plastic.
17. They have finished the new product design.
18. They were cooking dinner when I arrived.
19. Smithers painted 'Red Sunset' in 1986.
20. Did the plan interest you?

I. Put the verbs in brackets into the passive:

The Harbour in Ringkobing
The harbour and pier …(1)(construct)… in 1904-1905 when the lighthouse Mr. Lyngvig Fyr was
under planning, for the materials had to …(2)(ship)… across the fjord to the building site.
For some years, the new harbour improved conditions for the fishermen. A boat- builder’s yard …(3)
(establish)… , and several fish exporters opened businesses in Ringkobing.
Today the harbour …(4) (use)… mainly by pleasure craft and fjord fishing boats. Occasionally, a
smallish freighter or cutter may moor at the pier. If a coaster …(5) (sight)…, it will be one of the North Sea
shipyard. Several ships …(5) (build)… there every year.
Every day at 9:30 a.m. an auction …(6) (hold)… at the new red wooden building at the harbour’s edge.
There is no shortage of fish. Everything …(7) (catch)…. The fish …(8) (sell)… to the highest bidder and
everybody is welcome to bid. The fish auction is a lively affair and …(9) (attend)… every day by both local
people and visitors.

II. Choose the most suitable tense:

Mickey Mouse (1) is born/was born on Walt Disney’s sketchpad in March 1928. The first cartoon,
“Plane Crazy”, (2) was premiered/premiered two month later on Sunset Boulevard. It was on November 1928
that Mickey Mouse (3) has officially born/was officially born. He (4) is featured/was featured/had been
featured in “Steamboat Willie”, a film that (5) had been screened/is being screened/was screened at the Colony
Theatre in New York and (6) was first animated/had been first animated/will be first animated movie to use
syncronised sound. Minnie Mouse, Mickey’s girlfriend, (7) was also featured/will be also featured/is being
also featured. The now familiar falsetto voice of Mickey (8) has been provided/is provided/was provided by
Walt Disney himself.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs nearly bankrupted the company and (9) will be finally/was finally
released/is finally released in December 1937.

IV. Underline the correct form of the verbs:

It was a hot summer day in a large industrial city. The temperature had soared into the 90’s and the humidity
was just as high. It soft, gentle breeze (1) would have been welcome/was welcome, but never came. Instead the
air (2) was felt/feeling heavy, and people reacted strongly. Their eyes teared, their throats (3) were
hurned/hurning and their lungs (4) became congested/congesting. Some (5) had to be rushed/having rushed to
hospitals, others (6) were forced/were being forced to stay inside.
The same scenario began repeating itself in city after city throughout the country. Air pollution which (7) was
brought about/was been brought by increased industrial development, was affecting people’s health. They
became angry that air pollution was ruining their lives and felt that the government should do something about
it. People from various states claimed that pollution (8) should be controlled/will be controlled.

V. Match the two columns:

1. Baker was a home builder
2. He was hired
3. Material worth 7,311 dollars had been purchased
4. A suit
5.The homeowners claimed the Statue of Frands as a defence, judgement for whom and why?
a). who also engaged in home remodeling.
b). when the homeowners went bankrupt.
c). proving that no written contract had ever been made or signed by the parties.
d). to reconstruct a portion of a home.
e). was brought on the contract.

VII. Identify the errors and correct them. Tick the correct lines.
A third trend indirectly affecting school order is the increasing sensitivity of public schools to the rights of
children. A generation ago it was possible for principals to rules schools autocratically, to suspend or expel
students without much regard for procedural niceties. Injustices occurred; children are “pushed out” of
schools because they antagonized teachers and principals. But this arbitrariness enabled school
administrators to control the situation when serious misbehaviour was occured. Students assaults on teachers
punished so suiftly that such assaults were almost unthinkable. Even disrespectful language was unusual.
Today, as a result of greater concern for the rights of children, school officials required to observe due process
in handing student discipline.

VIII. Turn into the passive voice. Pay attention to the preposition following the verbs:
1. Grannie was ill so they send for the doctor.
2. All the members of the board objected to the chairman’s suggestion.
3. Finally the opponents have arrived at an agreement.
4. The morning newspaper will comment upon the terrorist attack.
5. The audience were carefully listening to the professor’s interesting lecture.
6. Her parents insisted on her applying for a nurse job.
7. Parents must look after their babies all the time.
8. The jury awarded the prize to the best student.
9. The strong wind blew that woman’s hat off.
10. He is shutting up his house at the seaside for the winter.

IX. Causative verbs – Match the two columns to make up sentences:

Model: My blouse was washed yesterday.
I had my blouse washed yesterday.

1. car a). painted

2. blouse b). cleaned
3. tooth c). repaired, washed, checked
1. walls d).altered, washed, mended
2. watch e).pulled checked
3. carpet f). fixed
4. shoes g). mended
5. hair h).cut, brushed, combed
6. dress i).shortened, lengthened, washed
7. laundry j). washed
8. photos k).developed
9. suits l).made, ironed

X. Rephrase the following sentences.

1. The teacher is calling the roll.
The roll………………………
2. Susie lost her money on a side road.
Money……………………………..
3. Father gave the order to the waiter.
The waiter………………………..
4. The police have investigated the case for two months.
The case……………………………………………..
5. The secretary types the letters and sends them by morning post.
The letters………………………………………………………
6. The journalists often interview political leaders.
Political leaders………………………………..
7. They say that famous people wear very expensive clothes.
Famous people…………………………………………….
8. They are building a new town hall this year.
A new town hall……………………………
9. The dentist pulled his tooth out.
His tooth………………………
10. The old woman fed crumbs to the pigeon.
The pigeons…………………………….
11. The guide is showing exhibits to the tourists.
The tourists………………………………..
12. They will give the result to the applicants waiting outside for the building.
The applicants……………………………………………………
13. Mr. Brown always gives flowers to his wife on their wedding anniversary.
Mrs. Brown……………………………………………………..
14. The manager promised a salary rise to his employees.
A salary rise………………………………………………
15. She handed her application form to the deputy manager.
Her application form…………………………………….
16. They read carefully the instructions before using the equipment.
The instructions…………………………………………………

XI. You have been asked to prepare a short biography of Ilie Nastase for a movie magazine. Read the
notes below and write sentences using the Passive voice. Make all the necessary changes:
1. Ilie Nastase- called “Nasty” for his flamboyand and on – court behaviour.
2. born july, 19, 1946
3. The 1972 U.S. Open and the 1973 French open- win
4. He was No. 1 twice (1972-73)- consider the best Romanian tennis player.
5. Active presence in the senior tour- many singles and doubles titles- win
6. His tennis- based thrillers- write- in French include “Break Point” and “The Wet”
7. In 1996 – make- unsuccessful run for mayo of Bucharest
8. Thanks to Ion Tiriac and Ilie Nastase- tennis- become very popular among the Romanious - be played-
both teenagers and adults.
XII. Rewrite these sentences in the Passive.
1. They make shoes in that factory.
2. People must not leave bicycles in the driveway.
3. They built that skyscraper in 1934.
4. The students will finish the course by July.
5. They are repairing the streets this month.
6. They make these tools of plastic.
7. They have finished the new product design.
8. They were cooking dinner when I arrived.
9. Smithers painted 'Red Sunset' in 1986.
10. Did the plan interest you?
11. They had finished the preparations by the time the guests arrived.
12. You should take care when working on electrical equipment.
13. They are going to perform Beethoven's Fifth Symphony next weekend.
14. Someone will speak Japanese at the meeting.
15. Karen is going to prepare the refreshments.

XIII. Make this sentences negative.

1. Football is played in winter.
2. The paper is being written carefully.
3. This bicycle was made in China.
4. David and his friend have been invited to work in the company.
5. These rooms will be cleaned next week.
6. The drunken driver was stopped by the police at the traffic-lights.
7. Susan has been sent to bed by a physicist as she was ill.
8. A French chef has been hired at the restaurant.
9. Oranges are sold at the chemist’s.
10. He was given some medicine by the doctor.

XIV. Choose the best way to complete these passive voice sentences.
1. An idea _____ for discussion.
put forward was put forward was putted forward was putting forward were put forward
2. My bank loan _____ in five years time.
will paid off will be being paid off will be paying off will be paid off will be payed off
3. A story _____.
will be making up will being made up will be made up will been made up will be maked up
4. The candle _____ by the draught.
was being blown out was blewed out was blow out was blowed out was blown out
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5. The inconvenience _____ by this money.
will be mad up for will be made up for will been made up for will being made up for will made up for
6. The old cinema _____.
being pulled down is been pulled down is being pull down is being pulled down is being pulling down
7. 3000 employees _____.
were lied off were laying off were layed off were lain off were laid off
8. She _____ with a fine.
were let off were let off was letting off was letted off was let off
9. _____ to you yet?
 Has the book been given back Have the book been gave back Have the book been give back Have
the book being given back Have the books been given back
10. Our allies _____ support.
will being lent will been lent will be lent will be lended will be lend
11. The road _____.
was been blocked off was block off was blocked off was blocking off was blocking off
12. The criminal _____.
was lock up was locked up was locking up were locked up were locked up
13. The keys _____.
must been left behind must have be left behind must have been leaving behind must have been left
behind must having been left behind
14. Thirty more people _____ last week.
were laid off were layed off were laying off were lie off were lied off

15. The flood water _____ by barriers.

was be kept back was been kept back was being keep back was being keept back was being
kept back
16. The protesters _____ by the police.
are holding back are being holding back are being hold back are being held back are being hald
back
17. Nothing _____ me.
can held against can be holding against can be held against can be hold against can be hald
against
18. She _____ by a bus.
was been knocking down was being knocked down was knock down was knocked down was
knocking down
19. She _____.
has never be heard of has never been heard of has never been heared of has never been hearing of
have never been heard of
20. Your jacket _____ over there.
can be hang up can be heng up can be hung up can be hunged up can hung up
Passive – Key

I.
1. were constructed
2. be shipped
3. was established
4. is used
5. is sighted
6. are built
7. is held
8. is caught
9. are sold
10. is attended

II.
1. was born
2. was premiered
3. was officially born
4. was featured
5. was screened
6. was first animated
7. was also featured
8. was provided
9. was finally released

III.
1. A; 2.B; 3.A; 4.B; 5.B; 6.A; 7.B; 8.C

IV.
1. would have been
2. was felt
3. were horned
4. became congested
5. had to be rushed
6. were forced
7. was brought about
8. should be controlled

V.
1. a
2. d
3. b
4. e
5. c

VI.
1. loading
2. set
3. forgot
4. was picked up
5. was taken
6. was returned
7. was gone
8. should have been locked

VII.
1. –
2. –
3. –
4. –
5. –
6. -
7. to rule
8. –
9. –
10. -
11. –
12. -
13. were
14. pulled
15. –
16. –
17. –
18. –
19. –
20. -
21. occurred
22. were punished
23. –
24. –
25. –
26. –
27. -
28. are required
29. –
30. -
VIII.
1. As Grannie was ill a doctor was sent for.
2. The chairman’s suggestion was objected to by all the members of the board.
3. An agreement was finally arrived at.
4. The terrorist attack will be commented by the morning newspaper.
5. The professor’s interesting lecture was carefully listened to by the audience.
6. Her applying for a nurse job was insisted on by her parents.
7. Babies must be looked after all the time.
8. The best student was awarded the prize.
9. That woman’s hat was blown off by the strong wind.
10. His house at the seaside is being shut up for the winter.

IX.
1. c
2. d
3. e
4. a
5. f
6. b
7. g
8. h
9. I
10. j
11. k
12. l

X.
1. The roll is being called.
2. Money was lost in a side road.
3. The waiter was given the order.
4. The case has been investigated by the police.
5. The letters are typed and sent by morning post.
6. Political leaders are often interviewed by journalists.
7. Famous people are said to wear expensive clothes.
8. A new town hall is being built this year.
9. His tooth was pulled out.
10. The pigeons were fed crumbs by the old woman.
11. The tourists are being shown the exhibits by the guide.
12. The applicants waiting outside the building will be given the results.
13. Mrs. Brown is always given flowers by his husband on their wedding anniversary.
14. A salary rise has been promised to employees by the manager.
His employees have been promised a salary rise.
15. Her application form was handed to the deputy manager.
16. The instructions are read carefully before using the equipment.