Passive Voice

I. Put the following sentences into the Passive Voice:

a)

I am often invited to their parties.

English is spoken in different parts of the world.

Milk is used for making butter.

The Passive Voice is formed with the help of the auxiliary verb "to be".

A lot of new houses are built in this district every year.

b)

This house was built in 1950.

The front door was locked by somebody.

My pen was broken last night by someone.

The boy was punished for that.

Their work was finished in time.

c)

It will be forgotten very soon by people.

The book will be translated next year by them.

You will be told when you come by them.

Where will a new library be built?

He will be asked about it by someone.

II. Put the following sentences into the Passive Voice:

He has not been seen anywhere this week by anyone.

She has been invited to the party by somebody.

All the exercises have been done in written form by them.

Everything had been done before we came by them.

It was thought that the letter had already been sent by them.

Evidently he had been informed of the news before they announced it by somebody.

Some new metro lines are being constructed now.

Wait a little. The last student is being examined there by them.

This question is being discussed now by them.

We couldn't use the car because it was being repaired by them.

When I switched on the radio, a very interesting program was being broadcast by them.

He has not been told about it yet by them.

Her face was hidden by the branches of the tree.

I know her family. I have been taken there more than once by her brother Charles.

I am sure they will be pleased by your presents.

I was informed that you had been seen in Oxford Street by them.

III. Put the following sentences into the Passive Voice making the indirect object the subject of the
passive construction:

A chair was offered to me by him.

All the money was given to him by us.

A new magazine has just been shown to me by them.

The boy was promised a new toy by mother.

The news has not been told to me yet by anybody.

The invitation was sent to you last week by them.

A very interesting job will be offered to you by them, I am sure.

Several articles on that problem were recommended to me by them.

French was taught to him and a dictionary was bought for him by someone.

We were asked to be there at eight o'clock by them.

Some books on this problem have been promised to me by them.

The way to Trafalgar Square was shown to us by a passer-by.

IV. Put the following sentences into the Passive Voice:

He is spoken of by people.

The children will be looked after well by them.

You will be laughed at by people if it is said by you.

The doctor was sent for immediately by them.

She was listened to attentively by everybody.

I am always waited for after the lessons by them.

This little boy was not taken notice of by anybody.

The boat was lost sight of by everybody in the fog.

Why is she being laughed at by them?

Whether she will be listened to by them is wondered by me.

These books are often referred to by students.

I have never been spoken to in such a way by anybody.

If you are sent for, don’t refuse to come by them.

That incident has not been referred to since then by them.

V. Turn the following sentences into the Passive:

A cure for cancer must be discovered by scientists.

The old woman should be helped across the street by someone.

The escaped prisoner might have been arrested by them.

More food should have been provided at the reception by them.

The public ought to be warned about him by them.

More libraries should be built by them.

Dinner could have been cooked before by her.

VI. Turn the following sentences from the Passive into the Active:

A falling brick hit him.

An international company employed her.

Sandra wrote this essay.

They might have arrested the burglar.

Someone has sent him a parcel.

The pilot delayed the flight because of bad weather.

Martin is writing the company report this year.

The mayor will open the exhibition.

The bomb destroyed the building.

They put fresh flowers in the hotel rooms every day.