PASSIVE VOICE - We use the passive form when we are more interested in the action or the result of the

action
rather than who did it. The passive form is often used in more formal texts. We form the passive by making the
object of the active sentence, the subject of the passive sentence. 

Some students made a really good short film.

A really good short film was made

Tenses in the passive

• Present simple passive (e.g., is/are + past participle).

The best technological devices are made in China.

• Present continuous passive (e.g., is/are + being + past participle).

Prices are being dramatically reduced during the sales.

• Past simple passive (e.g., was/were + past participle).

The hotel was built in the 1990s.

• Past continuous passive (e.g., was/were + being + past participle).

The local stray cats were being chased by a large dog.

• Present perfect passive (e.g., has/have + been + past participle).

She has been awarded a medal for her work with children in need.

• Past perfect passive (e.g., had + been + past participle).

The block of flats had been constructed on an old bridge.

• Future (e.g., will/won't + be + past participle).

The agreement won't be signed until next year.

• Modal verbs + passive (e.g., modal, e.g. could, should, must, etc. + be + past participle).

You might be asked to speak at the next meeting.

• Passive infinitive (e.g., to be + past participle).

Trish hopes to be voted in as class president.

• Passive -ing form (e.g., being + past participle),

Jon was not happy about being criticised.

*We use by if we want to show who is doing the action.

The money was raised by three boys in my class.

*We do not need to use by when the person doing the action is obvious, unknown or unimportant.

The photos of the concert were put up on social media.

informal use of the passive with get

This form of the passive often occurs in everyday speech, usually for undesired things.

She got knocked down by a car as she was crossing the road.

I got stung by a bee in the garden. Some students got told off for wearing the wrong shoes to school.

They got stopped at passport control for attempting to enter the country illegally.
Choose the correct answers.

1 Few people work in this factory now that the cars are put together _ robots.
a by
b from
c with
2 We haven’t _how to use this device yet.
a be shown
b been shown
c being shown
3 A new means of transport by the end of this century.
a will design
b will have been designed
c is designed
4 I can’t imagine __breakfast by a robot.
a serving
b to be served
c being served
5 The blood samples __in the laboratory at the moment.
a have been tested
b will have been tested
c are being tested
6 Does this research have ____this week?
a been finished
b to be finished
c be finished
7 The bottles in the lab are filled ____ dangerous chemicals.
a with
b of
c by
8 Most people don’t want______by security cameras.
a being recorded
b to record
c to be recorded
9 The manager decided the report should by email.
a not being sent
b to not be sent
c not be sent
10 The price of personal computers down in recent years.
a has been brought
b had brought
c is being brought
11 The scientist doesn’t like that he may be wrong.
a being told
b been told
c to tell
Complete the sentences with the correct passive form of these verbs.

Fill in the gap with just one word.

Complete
For questions 1- 8 , complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence,
using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between two and five words,
including the word given.

1 The emergency services evacuated all the residents after the hurricane. BY

After the hurricane, all the residents ……………………………………………………………….the emergency services.

2 They are going to demolish the old shoe factory next month. PULLED

The old shoe factory is ……………………………………………………………………. next month.

3 The police officer questioned the burglar after robbery. WAS

The burglar…………………………………………………………………. The police officer after the robbery.

4 They are engraving numbers on the tortoise’s shell. IS

The tortoise ………………………………………………………………… on its shell.

5 The jury reached a verdict of not guilty for the accused. FOUND

The accused ……………………………………………………………….. the jury.

6 He is getting out of prison tomorrow. FROM

He …………………………………………………………………………………. prison tomorrow.

7 I didn’t realise you were a bank robber! OF

I ……………………………………………………………………………….. the fact you were a bank robber!

8 Someone stole my car last night. HAD

I……………………………………………………………………………….last night.

9 I think it would be a good idea to cancel the match. BE

I think the match ………………………………………………………..

10 Sharon moved schools because some kids were bullying her. WAS

Sharon moved school because she ________________________________ some kids.


Reported structures with the passive
We can use verbs like believe, claim, know, report,
say, suppose, think to talk about what people say or
believe generally:
• It is said/believed, etc. + that + clause.
It is said that young people today are experts in
technology!
have - get something done and other related forms
We use have something done when someone else
completes an action for us. We would not normally say
who did the action, we can add by to emphasise who
did it for a particular reason.
We had the house painted last month.
I had my house painted by a young man
The school is going to have a new theatre built.
I might have all my work finished by Friday.
We didn't have all the photos printed - it was too
expensive
We can also use this structure when describing
something bad that had happened to us.
He had his car stolen.
*Some verbs that take two objects,(e.g., give, show can
have two different forms of the passive).
The book was given to me./ I was given the book.
*Make requires to in the passive.
We were all made to help.
*There is no passive form of let somebody do
something. Use allowed to instead.
The students weren't allowed to have an outdoor
concert.
• He is said/thought/known + to + infinitive.
She is said to be an expert photographer.
• They are said/believed + to + have + past participle
OR + to + be +-ing.
The students are reported to have protested about
college fees.
The art gallery is believed to be expanding its area of
interest.
Other related forms include:
• get something done (get + object + past participle
Lynn got her bike fixed really quickly.
• have somebody do something (for you) (have +
infinitive without to).
I had Dad put up some shelves in my room.
• get somebody to do something (for you) (get +
infinitive).
My friends got me to design the invitations for to the
party.
• something needs doing (need + -ing) / needs to + to be
+ past participle).
I know my handwriting needs improving so I'm going to
work on that.
Rewrite the sentences beginning with the words given.

1 The guide gave us a tour of the museum.

We were ___________________________________________________________________.

2 I need to do this homework before I go out.

This homework ______________________________________________________________ .

3 They’re surveying all the shoppers about the new shopping mall.

All the shoppers ______________________________________________________________ .

4 You ought to back up your files regularly.

Your files ___________________________________________________________________ .

5 My dad paid someone to service his car last weekend.

My dad had _________________________________________________________________ .

6 My parents made me sit in the back seat of the car when I was very young.

I __________________________________________________________________________
Choose the correct words. 5 I was tired of being criticised / to be criticised all the time,
so I told her how I felt.
1 I was sent / was sent to me a text message yesterday, but
I couldn’t read it. 6 We were made do / were made to do all our own cooking
and washing.
2 Our house is behind some trees, so it can’t see it / can’t
be seen from the road. 7 These clothes gave me / were given to me by my cousin.
3 This problem should be dealt with / have been dealt with 8 I am owed / am owed to me a lot of money.
a long time ago.
9 My bike was here half an hour ago – it must have be
4 You could phone me, but I’d prefer to be contacted / be stolen / have been stolen!
contacted by email.
10 He hates being not taken / not being taken seriously.

Complete the second sentence so it has a similar meaning
to the first. Use a passive structure.
1 People say there are many opportunities here.
There ___________________________ many
opportunities here.
2 The army think the enemy is planning an attack.
The enemy ____________________________ an attack.
3 They expect the number of infected people to decrease
over time.
The number of infected people
____________________________ over time.
4 People generally understand that the solution is only
temporary.
6 Biologists believe there are only around ten specimens of
this species left alive.
There ____________________________ only around ten
specimens of this species left alive.
7 We think that the custom started 200 years ago.
The custom ____________________________ 200 years
ago.
8 You could argue that maths is the most important school
subject.
It ____________________________ maths is the most
important school subject.

It ____________________________ the solution is only
temporary.
5 We know that a balanced diet is important.
A balanced diet ____________________________
important.
9 People believe that he invented the first calculator.
He ____________________________ the first calculator.
10 We think that Benjamin Franklin discovered electricity.
Electricity ____________________________ Benjamin
Franklin.

1 I must ask someone to clean the fans on my computer. have

I must ________________________________ my computer cleaned.

2 The teacher gave us a book to read over the holidays. were

We ________________________________ to read over the holidays by our teacher.

3 The teacher let us have our lesson outside yesterday. to

We ________________________________ our lesson outside yesterday.

4 Jack will play the role of the king in our performance. be

The role of the king ________________________________ in our performance.

5 I think it would be a good idea to cancel the match. be

I think the match _________________________________.

6 People sent me fifty emails yesterday. sent

I ________________________________ yesterday.

7 It’s important that you pay off this debt as soon as possible. needs

This debt ________________________________ as soon as possible.

8 They forced the kids to work hard. made

The kids ________________________________ hard.

9 It’s important to protect every house with a burglar alarm. must

Every house ________________________________ with a burglar alarm.

10 It would have been better if they had told Jack the truth. should

Jack ________________________________ the truth.

Passive reporting structures

1 Choose the correct answer, A or B.

1 The Arabic numeral system _____ in India. 6 Ancient Egyptians are considered _____ to the

A is thought to have evolved development of mathematics.

B is thought to evolve A to contribute

2 The term ‘mathematics’ _____ by Pythagorus. B to have contributed

A is known to have been invented 7 Greek mathematics _____ with Thales of Miletus.

B has been known to be invented A is thought to have begun

3 _____ that the idea of numbers evolved gradually B has been thought to begin
over time.
8 _____ both these theories are true.
A There’s thought
A We may believe that
B It is thought
B It has believed that
4 It _____ that mathematics contains the answers to
9 They weren’t _____ in this case.
all questions.
A thought to be involved
A could argue
B thinking to have been involved
B could be argued
10 You are _____ for your exams in the summer.
5 _____ early civilisations developed different ways of
A expecting to have studied
writing down numbers.
B expected to be studying
A It has known that

B We know that
Word formation suffixes

My teacher always has to deal with ____________ issues in the classroom. BEHAVIOUR

The cobra is a _____________ snake. POISON

He is so happy all the time! I love his _____________ ENTHUSE

I love my new dress. It makes me feel ________________ CONFIDENCE

They’re building houses on the old_______________ estate. INDUSTRY

My city has a great _______________ of restaurants. VARY

She hadn´t passed her driving test. She felt like a ______________ FAIL

I am ________________ about art and culture. PASSION

I ________________ disagree with my friends, but most of the time we share same opinions. OCCASION

The new book I am reading is very __________________ EXCITEMENT

The number of students going to university has __________________ risen recently. DRAMA

It hasn’t rained for a year and now there is a water _________________ . SHORT

Are you sure it’s safe to jump into the sea here? It doesn’t look very _______________ ! DEPTH

Complete the definitions with the missing word or phrase.

perspective neutralise sequence blur survival strategies miniature struggle target narrative

Something that you cannot see clearly ________
Very small ___________
Relating to a description of events ________
Stop from having a bad effect __________
A particular way of seeing something _______
A series of relating things _______
A difficult task that needs a lot of effort _________
Ways of coping with a difficult situation __________
Something that is aimed at _________

Choose the correct word

Living on a tiny desert island was a _______ This ________ island was her whole world.
struggle target narrative miniature powerful greedy
Jane’s ________ was to find enough food every day A _____ of events , one after the other …
monster target blur target exploits sequence
She had to _____ any danger from the wildlife. Her first novel had an excellent _____ structure.
neutralise survival strategies race struggle narrative perspective
I saw the ______ of the cars as they passed quickly in
Luckily, she had a range of____ to help her. front of me.
exploits race survival strategies greedy target blur
Her ________ on life has shrunk over the years.
Narrative perspective exploits