PASSIVE VOICE

EXERCISE 1. Elementary

Note: Simple construction: appropriate tense of verb "to be" with the past participle.
No agents with "by" are required in the following exercise.

Turn the following sentences into the Passive voice:

1. People always admire this picture.

2. He hurt his leg in an accident
3. Some people dress their children very badly. Some children ... *
4. No one has opened that box for the last hundred years.
5. People formerly used the Tower of London as a prison.
6. Someone has broken two of my dinner-plates.
7. They fought a big battle here two hundred years ago.
8. Somebody has invited you to lunch tomorrow.
9. People will forget this play in a few years' time.
10. Somebody built this bridge last year.
11. No one has ever beaten my brother at tennis.
12. People speak English all over the world.
13. Did anybody ask any questions about me?
14. You must write the answers on one side of the paper only
15. People mustn't take these books away.
16. They punished me for something I didn't do.
17. One uses milk for making butter and cheese.
18. Someone wants you to he1p lay the table.
19. One praises a pupil when he works hard.
20. Somebody left the dog in the garden.

* In the passive voice it is more usual to put an adverb of manner immediately in front of the
past participle it qualifies: viz.-This chair is very well made.
EXERCISE 2. Elementary and Pre-Intermediate

Note: When the verb in the active voice takes two objects, it is more usual in English to make the
personal object the subject of the passive voice.
Example:Someone gave me a book.
I was given a book.
The form "a book was given (to) me" would be used when we need to stress this new subject.

Put the following sentences into the passive voice with a personal subject:

1. They gave my little sister a ticket, too.

2. People will show the visitors the new buildings.
3. Someone has already paid the electrician for his work.
4. They promise us higher wages.
5. Somebody will tell you what time the train leaves.
6. Someone ordered the prisoners to stand up.
7. Somebody recommended me another doctor.
8. Someone taught him French and gave him a dictionary.
9. They will allow each boy a second plate of ice-cream.
10. The authorities refused my boy-friend Cyril a passport.
11. They will ask us all several questions.
12. When we first met, they had a1ready offered me a job at the bank.
13. Someone will read you another chapter next time.
14. They requested the stranger to leave the meeting.
15. This is the third time they have written to us about this.
16. They still deny women the right to vote in some countries.
17. They have made my uncle a captain.
18. They asked the rest of us to be there at eight o'c1ock.
19. The others told the new students where to sit.
20. Someone is showing my girl-friend Maisie how to bath a baby.
EXERCISE 3. Elementary

-Prepositions. Prepositions or adverb particles must not be left out with verbs requiring them;
there is a tendency to forget them.
Example: They will look after you well.
You will be well looked after. (Note position of adverb of manner.)

Put the following sentences into the Passive voice:

1. She showed the visitors the new baby.

2. Someone asked the student a very difficult question.
3. We must look into this matter.
4. People speak well of my boy-friend Cyril
5. They told her to be quick.
6. Someone reads to the old lady every evening.
7. Somebody told the students to wait outside.
8. Someone promised me a bicycle if I passed my examination.
9. You must work for success.
10. Somebody gave her a box of chocolates for her birthday.
11. I told my boy-friend Cyril never to come here again.
12. They gave me two shillings change at the shop.
13. She promised him a book.
14. It is time they brought the cows in.
15. They told me to go away.
16. Nobody has slept in that room for years.
17. She will look after the little girl well.
18. A car ran over our dog (agent).
19. The teacher promised Mary a prize if she worked well.
20. A friend told me the news this morning (agent.)