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) anymore?
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 every month (pay) every month.
g. These cars are not made (not make) in Japan.
h. The name of the people who committed the crime are not known (not know).
i. His travel expenses Is not 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 was made (make) ten years ago.
e. When was tennis invented (tennis/invent)?
f. The car was not damaged (not damaged) in the accident.
g. The original building was pulled down (pull) down in 1965.
h. Where was this pot made (this pot/make)?
4 i. When was this bridge built (this bridge/build)?
3. FIAT
Fiat 0Was 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 1.920, 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 4were tested (tested/ were tested) by technicians.
In 1.936, Fiat launched the Fiat 500. This car 5was called (called/ was called) the Topolino- the
Italian name
for Mickey Mouse. The company grew, and in 1.963 Fiat 6exported (exported/was exported)
more than 300,000 vehicles. Today, Fiat is based in Turin. And its cars 7are 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 at the box office by us

b. Thomas Edison invented the electric light bulb. (The electric light bulb/invent/by Thomas
Edison)
The electric light bulb was invented by Thomas Edison

c. Someone painted the office last week. (The office/paint/last week)

The office was painted last week

Several people saw the accident. (The accident/see/by several people)

The accident was seen by several people

Where do they make these video recorders? (Where/these video recorders/make)

 Where are these video recorders made?

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 stolen

c. The police will arrest the robbers.

The robbers will be arrested by the police

d. They produce cars in this factory

Cars are produced in this factory by them

e. They serve breakfast at eight o’clock every day.

Breakfast is served at eight o’clock every day by them

f. People throw away tones of rubbish every day

Tones of rubbish are thrown every day

g. They make coffee in Brazil.

Coffe is made in Brazil by them

h. Someone stole Jim’s bike last night.

Jim’s bike was stolen last night

6. Rewrite these sentences in the passive voice.

a. They will build a new bridge next year.
A new bridge will be built next year by them

b. Brian Brody directed The Ultimate Space Adventure.

The Ultimate Space Adventure was directed by him

c. Pierre Matie will design her costume.

Her costume will be designed by Pierre Matie

d. Someone found my wallet.

My wallet was found

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

g. Mary invited Paul to her birthday party.

Paul was invited to the Mary’s party

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 The telephone invented by Mr. BELL ?
c. This picture was painted by Peter. Was this picture painted 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 champagne made in France ?
f. The letters will be sent next week. Will the letters be sent next week ?
g. The animals are fed three times a day. are the animals fed three times a day ?
h. This article was written by Stanley. Was this article written by Stanley ?
i. CDs are made of plastic. Are CDs Made of plastic ?
j. The party was organized by Paul. Was the party organized by Paul ?

8. Read and complete. Use Past Simple.

a. The toothbrush / invent / in the 15th century.
The toothbrush was invented in the 15th century.

b. The first public basketball game / play / in 1892.

The first public game was played in 1.982

c. The first eyeglasses / wear / in the 1200s.

The first eyeglasses were worn in the 1200s.

d. The first bicycle / ride in 1791.

The first bicycle was ridden in 1791

e. The first hot dog / eat / in the 1860s.

The first hot dog was eaten in the 1860s.

f. The first CDs / sell / in the 1980s

The first CDs was sold in the 1980s

g. The first electric guitar / play / in 1923.

The first electric guitar was played in 1923

h. The first computer mouse / use / 1964.

The first computer mouse was used in 1.964

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

a. This program 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 were seen (see) breaking into a house in my street last night. The police
Were 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
Were taken (take) to the police station where they were questioned (question)
separately by a police officer. The two men were 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.

A bus has been stolen from outside the school. The thief was seen by some children. The bus is now
being searched by the police.

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 .

UFO was seen in the sky above London last night. The police were reported. A helicopter was sent to
look at it more closer. The helicopter was shoot down and killed both men in it by UFO Photographs
of the UFO have been given to the police. They are being looked now by experts

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.

A local jewellery was broken into yesterday. The shop had been just locked up by the owner, when
he was threatened with a gun. The owner was warned by the robber to unlock the shop and give him
all the diamonds in the safe. Then he was tied up by the robber. A search for the robber has been
organized by the police. They ate hopeful, he will be found in a few days by them. The owner is being
treated by the doctor for the 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!
This picture was painted by my uncle. A lot of money has been offered him for it. The painting wiil be
7
delivered tomorrow by him. When the money is being given to him, the truth will be told by him. It
was painted 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 encyclopedias.
 A contest is being organized by our school. The best project about environment will be chosen by the
teachers. Pictures and drawings must be included by the students. All the writing will have also to be
done by themselves. A set of encyclopedias will be given to the winner by the school.

16. Turn from Active to Passive in two ways.

a. He gave me a present.
A present was given to me by him
I was given a present by him

b. The waiter will bring us the bill.

The bill will be brought us by the waiter
We will be brought the bill by the waiter

c. Her mother bought Mary some sweets.

d. Some sweets were bought to Mary by her mother
Mary was bought some sweets by her mother

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

A second hand-car has been sold to Ted by Bob
Ted has been sold a second hand-car by Bob

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

A letter is going to be sent to Tom by Larry
Tom is going to be delivered a letter by Larry

17. Turn from Active to Passive.

a. Someone is helping her with the housework.
She is being helped with the housework

b. The mail-order company sent Mrs Green a parcel.

A parcel was sent to Mrs Green by the mail- order company

c. My friend sent me an invitation.

An invitation was sent to me by my friend

d. The secretary has given Mrs Jones some letters.

Some letters have been given to Mrs Jones by the secretary

e. The traffic warden had already given him a ticket for illegal parking.
A ticket for illegal parking had already been given to him by the traffic garden

f. John gave Elizabeth that beautiful ring.

That beautiful ring was given to Elizabeth by John

g. Her students have sent her flowers.

Her flowers have been sent by her students

h. He must give the message to the right person.

The message must be given to the right person

i. We teach our students English and French.

 English and French are taught to our students

j. Someone bought flowers for the bride.

Flowers were bought for the bride

k. They showed the tourists the sights of Athens.

The sights of Athens were showed to them

l. They pay her an excellent salary.

An excellent salary was paid to her by them

m. They paid the artist £1,000 for his painting.

The artist was paid £1,000 for his painting

18. Rewrite these sentences in the passive voice.

1. They sell oysters in the shop next door.
Oysters are sold in the shop next door by them

2. They haven’t delivered the food yet.

The foot hasn’t been delivered yet by them

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?

Have the cases been put upstairs?

9 6. Someone should take this rubbish away.

This rubbish should be taken away

7. They’ll ask you a lot of questions.

A lot of questions will be asked you by them

8. Someone’s going to send her some flowers.

Some flowers are going to be sent her

ENGLISH GRAMMAR The Passive Voice

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

I wasn’t paid much for that Job by them

10. Have they offered him a better job?

Has a better job been offered him by them?

11. They told us a secret.

A secret was told us

12. Would they lend me their car?

Would their car lend me ?
13.

14. People should send their complaints to the head office.

15. They had to postpone the meeting because of illness.

16. They are going to hold next year’s congress in San Francisco.

17. The bill includes service.

18. People don’t use this road very often.

19. They cancelled all the flights because of fog.

20. Somebody accused me of stealing the money.

21. They are building a new ring-road round the city.

22. I didn’t realize that someone was recording our conversation.

23. They have changed the date of the meeting.

24. Brian told me that somebody had attacked and robbed him in the street.

25. You should open the wine about three hours before you use it.

26. Somebody had cleaned my shoes and brushed my suit.

27. We use this room only on special occasions.

28. In some districts farmers use pigs to find truffles.

29. John gave Elizabeth that beautiful ring.

30. They have offered Sarah a very good job.

31. The estate agent showed the house to the young people.

32. We will pay the gardener a lot of money.

33. Someone is going to repair the roof next week.

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

19. Turn from Active to Passive.

a. Someone is helping her with the housework.

b. The mail-order company sent Mrs Green a parcel.

c. My friend sent me an invitation.

d. The secretary has given Mrs Jones some letters.

e. The traffic warden had already given him a ticket for illegal parking.

f. John gave Elizabeth that beautiful ring.

g. Her students have sent her flowers.

h. He must give the message to the right person.

i. We teach our students English and French.

8 j. Someone bought flowers for the bride.

k. They showed the tourists the sights of Athens.

l. They pay her an excellent salary.

9
m. They paid the artist £1,000 for his painting.

20. Rewrite these sentences in the passive voice.

34. They sell oysters in the shop next door.

35. They haven’t delivered the food yet.

36. Shakespeare wrote King Lear.

37. They have to answer the questions on this sheet.

38. Has anybody put the cases upstairs?

39. Someone should take this rubbish away.

40. They’ll ask you a lot of questions.

41. Someone’s going to send her some flowers.

ENGLISH GRAMMAR The Passive Voice

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

43. Have they offered him a better job?

44. They told us a secret.

45. Would they lend me their car?

46. People should send their complaints to the head office.

47. They had to postpone the meeting because of illness.

48. They are going to hold next year’s congress in San Francisco.

49. The bill includes service.

50. People don’t use this road very often.

51. They cancelled all the flights because of fog.

52. Somebody accused me of stealing the money.

53. They are building a new ring-road round the city.

54. I didn’t realize that someone was recording our conversation.

55. They have changed the date of the meeting.

56. Brian told me that somebody had attacked and robbed him in the street.

57. You should open the wine about three hours before you use it.

58. Somebody had cleaned my shoes and brushed my suit.

59. We use this room only on special occasions.

60. In some districts farmers use pigs to find truffles.

61. John gave Elizabeth that beautiful ring.

62. They have offered Sarah a very good job.

63. The estate agent showed the house to the young people.

64. We will pay the gardener a lot of money.

65. Someone is going to repair the roof next week.

.