THE PASSIVE VOICE

Practice

I. 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 three and seven
words, including the word given.

Example:
0. The Government is planning a new road near my house.
close
A new road is being planned close to my house.

1. They built this house in 1943.

was
This house WAS BUILT the forties.

2. Picasso was painting Guernica at that time.

by
At that time, Guernica WAS BEEN PAINTED BY Picasso.

3. The cleaner has cleaned the office for our meeting.

been
Due to our meeting, THE OFFICE HAS BEEN cleaned.

4. According to history, he had written those three books before 1867.

been
As history says, those three books HAD BEEN WRITTEN before 1867.

5. John will tell you later.

by
You WILL BE TOLD BY John.
6. By this time tomorrow, we will have signed the deal.
by
The deal WILL HAVE BEEN SIGNED BY this time tomorrow.

7. Somebody should do this work now.

be
This WORK SHOULD BE DONE now.

8. The traffic might have delayed Jimmy.

been
Jimmy MIGHT HAVE BEEN DELAYED BY the traffic.

9. People speak Portuguese in Brazil.

spoken
Portuguese IS SPOKEN IN Brazil.

10. Everybody loves Mr. Brown.

is
Mr. Brown IS LOVED BY everybody.

11. They are building a new stadium near the station.

close
A new stadium IS BEING BUILT CLOSE to the station.

12. The wolf ate the princess.

by
The princess WAS EATEN BY the wolf.

13. At six o'clock someone was telling a story in the library.

told
A story WAS BEEN TOLD at six o'clock in the library.
14. Somebody has drunk all the milk!
been
All the MILK HAS BEEN drunk!

15. I had just cleaned all the windows before the storm.
right
All the windows HAD BEEN CLEANED RIGHT before the storm.