17- ] Grammar American & British .
Verbs
( Voice )
Active
And Passive Voice .
What is Voice?
The voice of a verb tells whether the subject of the sentence
performs or receives the action.
i) Birds build nests.
ii) Nests are built by birds.
Types of Voice:
Active Voice: the subject performs the action expressed by the
verb.
Usage: when more clarity and straightforward relation is required
between verb and subject.
Passive Voice: the subject receives the action expressed by the
verb.
Usage: when the action is the focus, not the subject or when the
doer is unknown.
Rules of Conversion from Active to Passive Voice:
1. Identify the subject,
the verb and the object: S+V+O
2. Change the object into
subject
3. Put the suitable
helping verb or auxiliary verb
4. Change the verb into
past participle of the verb
5. Add the preposition
"by“
6. Change the subject
into object
Example:
Active Voice: Sameer wrote a letter. (Subject) + (verb) + (object).
Passive Voice: A letter was written by Sameer. (Object) + (auxiliary
verb) + (past participle) + (by subject).
USING THE AUXILIARY VERB “BE”
The passive voice is formed by using a form of the auxiliary verb
“be” (be, am, is, are, was,
were, being, been) followed by the past participle of the main
verb.
Active Passive
He loves me. I am loved.
We took our children to the circus. The children were taken to the
circus.
A thief stole my money. My money was stolen.
Notice how the “be” auxiliaries change the meaning of the verbs
from action to condition or
from “doing” to “being.”
He remembers his grandmother. (“he” is doing an action:
remembering)
His grandmother is remembered. (“she” is in a condition: being
remembered)
In this way, the past participle functions very much like an
adjective; it describes the subject.
The woman is pretty. She is a pretty woman
The woman is married. She is a married woman.
VERB TENSES USED IN ACTIVE AND PASSIVE VOICE
The following is a summary of active and passive forms of all verb
tenses. Remember that in
active forms the subject of the sentence is the person or thing
that does the action. In passive
constructions, the verb is performed by someone or something other
than the subject; often, the
action is done to the subject by someone else.
Passive Voice for all tenses:
The rules for using Auxiliary verb for Passive Voice is different
for each tense.
Present Time
1.Simple Present Tense:
Use the simple present tense to make a generalization, to present a
state of being, or to
indicate a habitual or repeated action.
Active Passive
base form or “-s/-es” form am/is/are + past participle
Professor Brown teaches at Hunter.
All humans are equal.
Sonia is taught by Professor Brown.
All humans are created equal.
Maria eats in the cafeteria. The cafeteria is cleaned
Active Voice: She writes a letter.
Passive Voice: A letter is written by her.
2.Present Progressive Tense:
Use the present progressive to describe an ongoing activity or a
temporary action.
Active Passive
am/is/are + -ing am/is/are + being + -ed/-en
The students are learning Spanish. Classes are being conducted in
Spanish.
He is being hired to work at McDonald’s.
I am working at McDonald’s until I finish school.
Active Voice: They are eating oranges.
Passive Voice: Oranges are being eaten by them.
3.Present Perfect Tense:
Use the present perfect to describe an action occurring in the past
but relevant to the
present, or extending to the present.
Active Passive
has/have + -ed/-en has/have + been + -ed/-en
Hunter has opened a language institute in East Harlem.
The language institute has been opened to relocate students off the
main campus.
Active Voice: Has she completed the work?
Passive Voice: Has the work been completed by her?
• Present Perfect Progressive
Use the present perfect progressive to describe an ongoing action
beginning before now and
is still relevant to the present.
Active Passive
has/have + been + -ing has/have + been + being + -ed/-en
Hunter has been awarding BA and MA diplomas for over one hundred
years.
Note: Because of awkward construction, the perfect progressive form
is not used in the passive
voice. Instead, an adverb may be used to show continuing action:
“We have been repeatedly
scolded for being late.”
Past Time
4.Simple Past Tense:
Active Voice: He did not buy a book.
Passive Voice: A book was not bought by him.
Use the simple past to indicate a general or habitual action
occurring in the past or at a
specific time in the past.
Active Passive
base + -ed or irregular form was/were + -ed/-en
Our family bought all our clothes at Sears when I was young.
The clothes were bought by my mother
On my fifteenth birthday, my uncle gave me one hundred dollars
The money was given to me to buy new clothes.
When I was in high school, my friends and I drove to the mall on
weekends.
We were always driven to the mall by my friend's older brother.
In informal conversation, speakers of English often express
habitual behavior in the past using
the modal “would.”
Active
would + base
Passive
would + be + -ed/-en
We would usually eat burgers in the food court.
Most of the French fries would be eaten before we got to the table.
5.Past Progressive Tense:
Use the past progressive to indicate an ongoing action in the past
or an action continuing
through a specific past time.
Active Passive
was/were + -ing was/were + being + -ed/-en
Mary and Paul were dating in those days. One afternoon, Mary was
being kissed by
Paul when her mother passed by.
Active Voice: She was washing a shirt.
Passive Voice: A shirt was being washed by her.
• Past Progressive
Use the past progressive to indicate an ongoing action in the past
or an action continuing
through a specific past time.
Active Passive
was/were + -ing was/were + being + -ed/-en
Mary and Paul were dating in those days.
One afternoon, Mary was being kissed by Paul when her mother passed
by.
6.Past Perfect Tense:
Active Voice: They had won the match.
Passive Voice: The match had been won by them.
Use the past perfect to indicate an action completed prior to a
particular time or before
another action in the past.
Active Passive
had + -ed/-en had + been + -ed/-en
Completed:
Mary's mother was shocked because she had forbidden her daughter to
date.
Mary had been kissed many times before that day.
• Past Perfect Progressive
Use the past perfect progressive to indicate a continuing action
that began before a past
action or time.
Active Passive
had + been + -ing had + been + being + -ed/-en
Mary had been trying to tell her mother about Paul for a long time.
Future Time
7.Simple Future Tense:
Active Voice: She will write a poem.
Passive Voice: A poem will be written by her.
Use the future to indicate an action that is expected to take place
at a future time.
Active Passive
will + base will + be + -ed/-en
Paul and Mary will marry in June. They will be married by a priest
and a rabbi.
or
am/is/are going to + base am/is/are + going to be + -ed/-en
Mary is going to wear her grandmother's gown.
The gown is going to be adjusted to fit Mary.
.Future Perfect Tense:
Active Voice: He will have received the letter.
Passive Voice: The letter will have been received by him.
Use the future perfect to indicate a future action expected to be
completed before another
future action or time.
Active Passive
will + have + -ed/-en will + have + been + -ed/en
By their wedding date, they will have saved enough money to buy a
house.
Note: Not used in the passive voice.
• Future Progressive
Use the future progressive to indicate an action in future with
emphasis on continuing
action.
Active Passive
will + base + -ing will + be + being + -ed/en
Mary and Paul will be spending lots of
time on the beach.
Note: Not used in the passive voice.
• Future Perfect Progressive
Use the future perfect progressive to indicate an action projected
to have been going on for
a while before a time in the future.
Active Passive
will + have + been + -ing will + have + been + being + -ed/-en
When they celebrate their first anniversary, they will have been
living together for a full year.
Note: Not used in the passive voice.
[Note: Passive voice cannot be formed for active voice sentences in
the Present Perfect Continuous, Past Perfect Continuous, Future Continuous or
Future Perfect Continuous.]
Tips on using Voice:
1- ] Let
If the given sentence in the active voice is in the imperative
form, to get the passive voice use ‘Let’.
Formation of Passive Voice = Let + Object + be + Past Participle
Examples:
Active: Help me.
Passive: Let me be helped.
Active: Open the door.
Passive: Let the door be opened.
2- ] Helping verbs like am, is, are, was, were, will, have, should,
could, will
If the question in the Active Voice begins with a Helping verb the
Passive voice must also begin with a suitable helping verb.
Active: Are you writing a letter?
Passive: Is a letter being written by you?
Active: Will you write a letter?
Passive: Will a letter be written by you?
What, When, Who, Why, How:
If the question begins with ‘Wh’ or How’ form (what, when, how,
etc.) the Passive Voice must begin with the same. Only ‘who’ gets replaced by
‘By whom’.
Active: Why did you break the box?
Passive: Why was the box broken by you?
Active: Who broke the window?
Passive: By whom was the window broken?
3- ] Gerund, Infinitive
When used in passive form, gerund and Infinitive are formed
differently.
Infinitive: passive is formed as ‘to be + past participle’
Active: I want to shoot the tiger.
Passive: I want the tiger to be shot.
Gerund: passive is formed as ‘being + past participle’
Active: I remember my father taking me to the theatre.
Passive: I remember being taken to the theatre by my father.
4- ]Direct and Indirect Object
If a sentence contains two objects namely Indirect Object and
Direct Object in the Active Voice, two forms of Passive Voice can be formed.
Active: She brought me a cup of coffee.
Passive: (I) I was brought a cup of coffee by her.
Passive: (II) A cup of coffee was brought to me by her.
Object Complement: When made passive, these objects complements
become subject complements; they come after the verb.
Active: They elected him their leader.
Passive: He was elected their leader.
5- ]Cases where ‘by’ is not used
With: use with in place of ‘by’ to talk about an instrument used by
the agent/subject.
Active: Somebody hit the dog with a stick.
Passive: (I) The dog was hit by with a stick.
Passive: (II) The dog was hit by a boy.
Impersonal Passive: In scientific / technical / business writing,
the emphasis is usually on the action or process. So the ‘by’ phrase is
generally omitted.
Active: One finds mosquitoes everywhere.
Passive: Mosquitoes are found everywhere.
6- ]Cases where no
passive form exists
Present perfect Continuous: She has been writing a letter.
Past perfect Continuous: He had been cleaning the house.
Future Continuous: I will be filing all the documents tomorrow.
Future Perfect Continuous: I will have been serving tea for
customers at this hotel for twenty years by then.
Intransitive verb which do not take objects:
· I eat.
· I am living here.
· I have travelled by
train.
· I went there.
· I waited for a long
time.
WHEN TO USE PASSIVE VOICE
Although active voice is generally preferred in academic writing,
passive voice is acceptable
under certain conditions.
Use passive voice
1- ] to emphasize the
receiver of the action instead of the doer
Quizzes are given regularly.
Grades for all students are averaged.
Questions are encouraged.
2- ] to keep the focus on the same subject through several
sentences or paragraphs
My sister and I grew up and went to school in Jamaica. We were
educated according to the British system. In 1997 we were given
the opportunity to come to the United States. We decided to finish
high school before leaving our own country. We were concerned
that the education in this country might not be as good as the one
we had there, and we wanted to improve our English too.
3- ] when we do not know who
performed the action:
Ray's calculator was made in Germany.
The answers have been filled in.
4- ] when we do not wish to mention the doer of the action:
Many problems have been
ignored for too long.
I was given some bad advice.
Note: This use often reveals an unwillingness to take
responsibility (or place it on someone else).
Substitute: For:
“A mistake was made.” “I made a mistake.”
“Not enough has been done to
end homelessness.”
“We have not done enough to end
homelessness.”
“You have been misinformed.” “You are wrong.”
5- ] when we want to sound
objective or avoid using the subject “I”
Studies have shown . . .
It is well-known . . .
Hamlet is considered . . .
It can be assumed . . .
It has been established . . .
Spot
the Errors:
‘Each of the following sentences will contain a mistake in the
Passive Voice form of the sentence. See if you can spot that mistake.’
Active: They sell books.
Passive: Books are being sold by them. (Incorrect)
Passive: Books are sold by them. (Correct)
Active: You are disturbing me.
Passive: I have been disturbed by you. (Incorrect)
Passive: I am being disturbed by you. (Correct)
Active: She has written two books.
Passive: Two books are written by her. (Incorrect)
Passive: Two books have been written by her. (Correct)
Active: Did he buy a car?
Passive: Had a car bought by him? (Incorrect)
Passive: Was a car bought by him? (Correct)
Active: Boys were singing songs.
Passive: Songs were sung by boys. (Incorrect)
Passive: Songs were being sung by boys. (Correct)
Active: He had collected stamps.
Passive: Stamps were being collected by him. (Incorrect)
Passive: Stamps had been collected by him. (Correct)
Active: They will arrange the party.
Passive: The party can be arranged by them. (Incorrect)
Passive: The party will be arranged by them. (Correct)
Active: She cleaned the table with a feather duster.
Passive: The table was cleaned by a feather duster. (Incorrect)
Passive: The table was cleaned with a feather duster by her.
(Correct)
Active: Sing a song.
Passive: Let a song be sing. (Incorrect)
Passive: Let a song be sung. (Correct)
Active: Where can you hide this box?
Passive: How can this box be hidden by you? (Incorrect)
Passive: Where can this box be hidden by you? (Correct)
Rewrite the sentences in Active voice.
This book was written by an Irishman.
.
The exercise is completed by the teacher.
.
The telephone was invented by Alexander Graham Bell.
.
Football is played by the children.
.
Coffee is sold by Marie.
.
Rewrite the sentences in Passive voice.
People said that the President is ill.
.
We must write to her.
.
Snow covered the mountains.
.
The lady gave me the keys.
.
Who said it?
Rewrite the sentences and questions in the Passive
They have opened a new shop.
.
Rick has interviewed the lady.
.
I have bought the tickets.
.
We have not sold the bike.
.
Tim has forgotten the sandwiches.
.
He has not cleaned the kitchen yet.
.
Joe and Gerry have never played rugby.
.
Somebody has stolen Peter's car.
.
She has not used the tablet for days.
.
Have they found the keys?
Change the sentences into the passive. Keep the same tense. Type
the sentences into the box.
The supermarket has replaced the old shelves.
My parents made a shopping list.
Chileans were growing grapes over a thousand years ago.
People would exchange goods for food.
Mandy won't use their products again.
The assistants have packed your shopping.
Practice: Should active or passive voice be used? Why?
You are telling someone about the dog liking walks.
Active: The dog enjoys walks.
Passive: Walks are enjoyed by the dog.
You are telling someone
about John being rescued by a lifeguard.
Active: The lifeguard rescued John.
Passive: John was rescued by a lifeguard.
You are telling someone about a mistake that was made on a group
project.
Active: Sarah made a mistake on the group project.
Passive: A mistake was made on the group project.
You are writing a thesis statement about why everyone should adopt
pets from animal shelters.
Active: Everyone should adopt pets from animal shelters because it
will save money and reduce overcrowding in shelters.
Passive: Pets should be adopted from animal shelters by everyone
because it will save money and reduce overcrowding in the shelters.
Answer Key:
Active is better in this instance because it is more clear and concise.
Active is better in this instance if the lifeguard is more
important than John.
Passive is better in this instance if John’s rescue is more
important than the lifeguard.
Active is better in this instance if it is necessary to know who
made the mistake.
Passive is better in this instance if you want to strategically
avoid the subject, Sarah.
Active voice is better in this instance because it is academic
writing, and it is more clear and concise than the passive voice.
Rewrite the given sentences in Passive voice. Sometimes there are
two possible answers (two objects in the active sentence).
Do not use contracted/short forms.
Show example
Do you need help?
Active sentences with two objects in Passive
They don't speak English in this shop.
.
Kevin asked Dennis a question.
.
Somebody built the house last year.
.
She gives him a box.
.
Max will look after him.
.
The waiter brought Fred a big steak.
.
Somebody broke into our bungalow last Friday.
.
The teacher told us a joke.
.
They will meet Doris at the station.
.
Michael has not sent me the file.
Change the active sentence into the passive. There are two answers
for each question.
1) John gave a bar of chocolate to Jill (start with 'Jill').
[ . ]
2) John gave a bar of chocolate to Jill (start with 'a bar of
chocolate').
[ . ]
3) I lent a pencil to Graham (start with 'Graham').
[ . ]
4) I lent a pencil to Graham (start with 'a pencil').
[ . ]
5) Fiona told the truth to Julian (start with 'Julian').
[ . ]
6) Fiona told the truth to Julian (start with 'the truth').
[ . ]
7) They offered the job to Simon (start with 'Simon').
[ . ]
8) They offered the job to Simon (start with 'the job').
[ . ]
9) The boss showed the new computer to Anna (start with 'Anna').
[ . ]
10) The boss showed the new computer to Anna (start with 'the new
computer').
[ . ]
11) Julie taught the grammar to the students (start with 'the
students').
[ . ]
12) Julie taught the grammar to the students (start with 'the
grammar').
[ . ]
13) I sent the email to John (start with 'John').
[ . ]
14) I sent the email to John (start with 'the email').
[ . ]
15) Lucy threw the ball to the child (start with 'the child').
[ . ]
16) Lucy threw the ball to the child (start with 'the ball').
[ . ]
17) Sophia sold the car to a doctor (start with 'a doctor').
[ . ]
18) Sophia sold the car to a doctor (start with 'the car').
[ . ]
19) I asked the question to David (start with 'David').
[ . ]
20) I asked the question to David (start with 'the question').
[ . ]
The Passive in
Subordinate Clauses
Exercise 1
Passive with subordinate clauses
Make the subordinate clauses passive.
1) I want someone to love me.
[ . ]
2) It seems that someone cleaned the office on Tuesday.
[ . ]
3) Amy thinks that someone is reading to her son.
[ . ]
4) I don't like people seeing me in my pyjamas.
[ . ]
5) My little niece loves people chasing her.
[ . ]
6) I understand that someone hit Greg.
[ . ]
7) Is it the case that someone sent the report on time?
[ . ]
8) We avoided people seeing us.
[ . ]
9) I think that someone built the house in 1814.
[ . ]
10) I understand that someone fired John.
[ . ]
11) I like someone looking after me when I'm ill.
[ . ]
12) She hates people laughing at her.
[ . ]
13) It seems that someone lost the papers.
[ . ]
14) He thinks that someone is teasing Lucy.
[ . ]
15) I hope someone will examine me soon.
[ . ]
16) John would like someone to promote him.
[ . ]
17) The cat enjoys someone tickling him.
[ . ]
18) They claim that someone stole the money.
[ . ]
19) We imagined that the storm damaged the car.
[ . ]
20) I believe that someone is preparing food.
[ . ]
Write the correct response, changing the SIMPLE PAST sentences into
PASSIVE CAUSATIVE FORM sentences:
EX: Jim sent the letter. --> Jim had the letter sent.
1. My mother changed the curtains. --> My mom had the curtains
.
2. Thomas washed the car. --> Thomas had the car
.
3. Maria redesigned the web site. --> Maria had the web site
.
4. Kelly took Mr. Brown to the beach. --> Kelly had Mr. Brown
to the beach.
5. John brought the cat to the vet. --> John had the cat
to the vet.
6. Jane put the vase on the table. --> Jane had the vase
on the table.
7. We drove Mr. Jones to the airport. --> We had Mr. Jones
to the airport.
8. We fed the dog. --> We had the dog
.
9. We gave the money to the homeless shelter. --> We had the
money
to the homeless shelter.
10. Thomas cut his hair. --> Thomas had his hair
Passive
Using "Get"
In English, the passive can always be made using the verb "to
be". In informal English, "get" is also often used to construct
passive sentences. But it's not always possible.
We use "get" in a passive sentence when we talk about
something that happened or something that changed, so it is NOT used for verbs
such as 'like', 'believe' or 'say'.
Examples:
That tree was/got blown over in the storm last night.
This criminal is known to police in five different countries. (gets
known isn't possible here.)
(clean) every morning.
2. The murder suspect told the police a complicated alibi but it
(believe) by them and he was
charged with the murder.
3. "Whose is that computer in the corner of the office?"
"I don't know - it
(never use) by anyone."
4. When foreign films are dubbed into English, usually a lot of the
original meaning
(lose) in the translation.
5. Humans
(think) to have originated
in the east of Africa.
6. If my car
(damage) by you, you will
pay for the repairs.
7. Glenn Miller
(kill) in an air crash in
England in the 1940s.
8. When I am older, I
(know) as a famous
scientist.
9. The films of Charlie Chaplin
(love) all over the world.
10. The new factory will open next July and the company says that
over 250 employees
(need) initially.
11. Did you hear that Jane (promote) to a management
position at work! What great news.
12. (pay) for a job you enjoy
doing must be the definition of a happy life!
. Change the sentences so that they use the structure 'have someone
do something' or 'get someone to do something'. Start with 'I'.
1) The cleaner cleaned the house. (have)
[ . ]
2) The taxi driver collected us. (have)
[ . ]
3) John arrived on time. (get)
[ . ]
4) The mechanic fixed the brakes. (have)
[ . ]
5) The teacher explained the lesson. (have)
[ . ]
6) My husband looked after our children. (get)
[ . ]
7) The waiter brought some water. (have)
[ . ]
8) The nurse took your temperature. (have)
[ . ]
9) The students stopped sleeping in class. (get)
[ . ]
10) The teenagers went to bed early. (get)
[ . ]
11) The dentist cleaned my teeth. (have)
[ . ]
12) My friend took her car. (get)
[ . ]
13) The window cleaner washed the windows. (have)
[ . ]
14) The toddler ate her vegetables. (get)
[ . ]
15) The teacher checked my writing. (get)
[ . ]
16) The secretary typed the report. (have)
[ . ]
17) The shop assistant gave me a discount. (get)
[ . ]
18) The shop delivered the food. (have)
[ . ]
19) The children did their homework. (get)
[ . ]
20) My colleague helped me write the report. (get)
[ . ]
Change the sentences so they use the structure 'have something
done' or 'get something done'.
1) I washed my car. (have)
[ . ]
2) I cut my hair. (get)
[ . ]
3) I typed the documents. (have)
[ . ]
4) I fixed the washing machine. (get)
[ . ]
5) I cut the grass. (have)
[ . ]
6) I painted my bedroom. (get)
[ . ]
7) I repaired my fridge. (have)
[ . ]
8) I tidied my garden. (get)
[ . ]
9) I edited the article. (have)
[ . ]
10) I cleaned the carpets. (get)
[ . ]
11) I cleaned the windows. (have)
[ . ]
12) I checked my teeth. (get)
[ . ]
13) I printed the photo. (have)
[ . ]
14) I made the necklace. (get)
[ . ]
15) I delivered the furniture. (have)
[ . ]
16) I wrote the report. (have)
[ . ]
17) I repaired the roof. (get)
[ . ]
18) I built the shed. (get)
[ . ]
19) I dyed my hair. (get)
[ . ]
20) I sent the money. (have)
[ . ]
Causatives 2
Change the sentences so that they use the structure 'have someone
do something' or 'get someone to do something'. Start with 'I'.
1) The cleaner cleaned the house. (have)
[ . ]
2) The taxi driver collected us. (have)
[ . ]
3) John arrived on time. (get)
[ . ]
4) The mechanic fixed the brakes. (have)
[ . ]
5) The teacher explained the lesson. (have)
[ . ]
6) My husband looked after our children. (get)
[ . ]
7) The waiter brought some water. (have)
[ . ]
8) The nurse took your temperature. (have)
[ . ]
9) The students stopped sleeping in class. (get)
[ . ]
10) The teenagers went to bed early. (get)
[ . ]
11) The dentist cleaned my teeth. (have)
[ . ]
12) My friend took her car. (get)
[ . ]
13) The window cleaner washed the windows. (have)
[ . ]
14) The toddler ate her vegetables. (get)
[ . ]
15) The teacher checked my writing. (get)
[ . ]
16) The secretary typed the report. (have)
[ . ]
17) The shop assistant gave me a discount. (get)
[ . ]
18) The shop delivered the food. (have)
[ . ]
19) The children did their homework. (get)
[ . ]
20) My colleague helped me write the report. (get)
[ . ]
Choose the appropriate options to complete the sentences.
1. Most of the patient visits ---- to physician assistants in the
recent years all around the world.
have been made
was made
will have been made
have made
make
2. These differences between two photographs ---- with the help of
Photoshop.
should remove
must have removed
have to remove
could have been removed
were able to remove
3. No clinical studies ---- in this child disease research so far.
had completed
will be completed
have completed
had to complete
have been completed
4. The government ---- that the tasks ---- with great success.
is confirming / maintained
confirms / have been maintained
was confirmed / have maintained
will confirm / had been maintained
confirmed / are maintaining
5. With this comprehensive international report, the country's
position in the regional and global arena ---- with measurable criteria.
is to identify
identifies
will be identified
identified
is going to identify
6. The critics ---- that the review ---- as a book in English and
in many other languages.
are said / could be published
say / can be published
will say / had been published
said / may be published
have said / should publish
7. New legislation ---- in congress but it ---- by many.
was introduced / wasn't accepted
introduced / didn't accept
will be introduced / isn't accepted
introduced / hadn't been accepted
is introduced / won't accept
8. If you would like to know what ---- in the project so far, you
---- the full report at our website.
has been completed / may be visited
completed / will be found
will be completed / should be found
was completed / had been found
has been completed / can find
9. These clothes ---- for daily use so you ---- them wherever you
want.
design / should be worn
will be designed / must wear
are designed / can wear
were designed / could be worn
designed / might be worn
10. A more developed model of this car ---- in the showroom soon.
is going to show
will be shown
was shown
has been shown
had shown
Choose the appropriate options to complete the sentences in passive
or active form.
1. Camera footage shows that illegal goods ---- into the warehouse
last week.
are being smuggled
smuggled
are smuggled
were smuggled
2. Millions of tons of coal ---- every day to produce energy.
are burning
are burnt
burnt
will burn
aren't carried
don't carry
weren't carried
didn't carry
4. The taste of the coffee ---- by how and where the coffee bean is
grown.
should have affected
has to be affected
can be affected
could affect
5. Many teachers agree that one's language skills ---- by listening
to others.
could have improved
can improve
used to improved
can be improved
6. The board ---- to consider a range of options by many, including
Microsoft raising its offer in an attempt to break the stalemate between the
companies.
was expected
is expecting
will expect
has expected
7. New methods of dating ancient footprints show that the first
Americans --- there at least 25,000 years earlier than thought.
must be settled
should be settled
can settle
may have settled
8. The CSU team today ---- an updated forecast that predicts eight
hurricanes - four of them with winds exceeding 110 miles.
has released
may be released
had released
is released
9. There are many factors behind the sharp increase in the oil
price, which ---- most of the time.
had been overlooked
have been overlooked
are overlooking
will overlook
10. The hundreds of millions of people who live on the border of
poverty ---- with the threat of starvation now.
are faced
had faced
had bee faced
faced
11. When I ---- him two weeks ago, he told me that he had returned from
the South of France.
met
have met
will be met
may be met
got
get
getting
to get
13. When he heard the accusations against him, the man ---- that he
himself was the actual victim of the crime.
alleged
was alleged
has alleged
will be alleged
14. As I have put on weight recently, I have to get the tailor ----
my suit before my graduation ceremony.
fix
fixed
to fixing
to fix
15. The best thing that you can do to extend the life of your car
is to have your car ---- on a routine basis.
to service
to be serviced
service
serviced
Quiz
on the Passive
Fill in the spaces with active-passive structures (Tense + passive
/ modal + passive)
1. The accounts of this company (check) regularly twice a month by a strict tax
expert.
2. We have to appoint someone to the exports branch, and this
(do) as soon as possible.
3. Admittedly, little progress (make) in grammar till now, but by the middle of the
next year all of the grammar points (deal) with.
4. No one can find an explanation over why Mr. Nader (kill) last
Monday.
5. The fridge isn't working. It (damage) during our move.
6. We were late for the conference. I think that we (inform) well
in advance.
7. The tires are quite muddy, and you can't drive a meeting like
that. You (clean) them first.
8. All the goods we purchased yesterday have defects, so they
(send) back to the manufacturer right
now.
9. Sam is claimed to (falsify)
the accounts of the previous year.
10. Ted (award) a
scholarship recently thanks to his success at school.
11. Zainab was very anxious at the cafe for fear that someone
(see) her there.
12. The movie (finish) by
the time Bill remembers to turn on the TV.
13. The rival team (beat)
easily, but we were just unlucky.
14. The web site Test Your English. Net (receive) a high percentage of impressions every day
for the last three months.
15. I (follow) the diet my
doctor has prescribed for me, or I will weigh a little heavier.
Exercise
on Passive Voice - Conditional I
Rewrite the sentences in passive voice.
Jenny would congratulate you. -
You would be congratulated by Jenny.
We would pick you up. -
She would order a pizza. -
He would build a new house. -
They would take the opportunity. -
You would not recognize Jim. -
I would not do that kind of job. -
Would they decorate the room? -
Would the DJ play this song? -
Would Simon open the window? -
Exercise
on Passive Voice - Conditional II
Rewrite the sentences in passive voice.
They would have told you. -
You would have been told by them.
We would have spoken English. -
Mario would have bought a paper. -
She would have called the police. -
We would have painted the walls green. -
She would not have noticed the mistake. -
I would not have given this book away. -
Would my mum have packed the bag? -
Would you have accepted that offer? -
Would they have given the right answer? –
Fill in the gaps with a form of the passive. The tense could be
past, present or future.
1. Many rock stars say the real thrill is that they enjoy (watch) by thousands of adoring fans.
2. Your car is a death trap. It
(should/send) to the scrap yard years ago!
3. I'm sorry this office is so dirty but it can't (clean) until tomorrow morning at the
earliest.
4. Any teacher who hits a student should (sack) immediately.
5. John's big dream is that he wants (discover) by a big time music producer.
6. (rob) in the street is a
terrifying experience indeed.
7. The factory is losing a lot of money every week and (shut) next Thursday.
8. But it might (save) if we make an appeal to the local bank.
9. Before (recycle), glass
bottles are thoroughly washed and the labels removed.
10. Jack was fired from the local car wash because, even though he
hadn't paid, he let his friend's car
(wash).
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