Passive voice – revision

1 Circle the correct option: active or passive voice?

a. Gillian was raised by her mum and grandma after her dad died.
1. active 2. passive

b. I was told the meeting would take place in room 5. Where is

everybody?
1. active 2. passive

c. Can you pick me up at school after drama club?

1. active 2. passive

d. I’m going to give Diana a golden bracelet and matching earrings for
our 15th anniversary.
1. active 2. passive

e. The turkey was stuffed and the desserts prepared just in time for Christmas Eve.
1. active 2. passive

2 Match the inventions/writings/masterpieces/albums below with their inventors/writers/painters/

bands and then write sentences in the passive!

HERE’S AN EXAMPLE: The light-bulb was invented by Thomas Edison.

a. The Four Gospels 1. Leonardo Da Vinci
b. Mona Lisa 2. Steve Jobs
c. In Utero 3. Picasso
d. Les Demoiselles D’ Avignon 4. Matthew, Mark, Luke and
e. The Mac brand John
5. Nirvana

Now go around the classroom quizzing EXAMPLE: Q: Who wrote the song “November
your classmates. Ask questions about Rain”?
books, films, songs, inventions, etc. A: “November Rain” was written by Guns ‘n’
and always answer using the passive. Roses.

Indirect passive
3 Rewrite the sentences below in the passive voice beginning as indicated.

a. It is estimated that 200 000 protesters will march on the streets on June 5th.
200 000 protesters _____________________________________________________________________
b. It is expected that the volcano will stop erupting sometime during the night.
The volcano __________________________________________________________________________
c. Nowadays it is known that teens sometimes spend quite a bit of time checking Facebook and texting
one another during class.
Nowadays teens _______________________________________________________________________
d. It is believed that the reporter is alive and well and on her way back to England.
The reporter __________________________________________________________________________
e. It is said that the University of Leeds is one of the best in the UK.
The University of Leeds _________________________________________________________________