Active and Passive Voice Quiz

We use active voice when the subject performs the action. We use the passive voice when we
don’t want to say who performs the action.

Test your understanding of active and passive verb forms with this interactive grammar
exercise.

1. His command .................................

promptly obeyed
was promptly obeyed
has promptly obeyed
We use the passive voice when we want to talk about an action, but are not interested in
saying who/what does/did it.

2. That portrait ................................. by my grandmother.

painted
has painted
was painted
Passive voice is used when the subject is not the doer of the action.

3. They .................................... to the party.

have invited
have been invited
have been inviting
We use the passive voice, when the subject is not the doer of the action.

4. You ............................... when the time comes.

will be told
told
will told

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 Active and Passive Voice Quiz

5. Everybody ............................ with me.

agrees
is agrees
is agreed
Active voice is used when the subject is the doer of the action.

6. I was very ................................ in the lesson.

interest
interesting
interested

7. The dog ............................... the man.

bit
was bit
was bitten
Use the active voice when the subject performs the action.

8. He ............................ a very remarkable discovery.

is made
made
was made
The active voice is used when the subject performs the action mentioned in the sentence.

9. The accused ........................... to a tree.

bind
bound
was bound
The accused did not perform the action. Something was done to him so we need a passive
voice here.

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 Active and Passive Voice Quiz

10. She ................................ the first prize in the competition.

won
has won
was won
Since there is no time reference, both simple past and present perfect tense are possible
here.

11. The ocean .................................... dry.

cannot pump
cannot be pumped
cannot have pumped
The ocean does not perform any action here so a passive verb is required.

12. I ..................................... to leave the room.

told
have told
was told
When the verb 'tell' is used in the active voice, it is followed by an object. Since there is no
object in this sentence, it is evident that the structure is passive.

PLAY AGAIN !
Answers
1. His command was promptly obeyed.
2. That portrait was painted by my grandmother.
3. They have been invited to the party.
4. You will be told when the time comes.
5. Everybody agrees with me.
6. I was very interested in the lesson.
7. The dog bit the man.
8. He made a very remarkable discovery.

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 Active and Passive Voice Quiz

9. The accused was bound to a tree.

10. She won / has won the first prize in the competition.
11. The ocean cannot be pumped dry.
12. I was told to leave the room.

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