Passive voice exercises

Decide whether the sentences are written in Active or Passive.

They listen to music.
She is reading an e-mail.
These cars are produced in Japan.
Alan teaches Geography.
German is spoken in Austria.
Lots of houses were destroyed by the earthquake.
Henry Ford invented the assembly line.
The bus driver was hurt.
You should open your workbooks.
Houses have been built.
Boys like to play soccer.
This room has been painted blue.
Cricket is played in Australia.
I am given a book.
We have lost our keys.
You might see dolphins here.
The report must be completed by next Friday.
They were singing a song.
The bike is being repaired.

Rewrite the sentences in Passive voice. Remember the punctuation.

Peter writes a letter.
……...……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………
Our uncle takes Susan to hospital.
……...……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………
We have cleaned the car.
……...……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………
They speak English.
……...……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………
The policemen help the children.
……...……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………
A robber broke the window of the shop.
……...……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………
My mother sends me to the butcher.
……...……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………
Peter will look after my little brother.
……...……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………
Mr Jones watches the film.
……...……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………
Somebody built the house last year.
……...……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………
They speak English in the shop.
……...……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………
The waiter brought me a big steak.
……...……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………
She gave me the box.
……...……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………
Max will look after him.
……...……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………
We saw her in Dresden last week.
……...……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………
No one has ever beaten me at chess.
……...……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………
He expected us to offer him the job.
……...……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………
An uneasy silence succeeded the shot.
……...……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………
The lawyer gave him the details of his uncle’s will.
……...……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………
An earthquake destroyed the town.
……...……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………
Visitors must leave umbrellas and sticks in the cloakroom.
……...……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………
She didn’t introduce me to her mother.
……...……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………
They didn’t pay me for the work I did.
……...……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………
They expected me to do it for nothing.
……...……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………
A machine could do this much more easily.
……...……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………
All the ministers will see him off at the airport.
……...……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………
A frightful crash wakened me at 4 a.m.
……...……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………
A Japanese firm makes these television sets.
……...……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………
They have tried other people’s schemes.
……...……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………
They threw away the rubbish.
……...……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………
Candidates may not use dictionaries.
……...……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………
We can’t repair your clock.
……...……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………
They handed around coffee and biscuits.
……...……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………
You should lock the documents up.
……...……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………
We shall have to tow the car in the garage.
……...……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………
You must keep dogs on leads in the gardens.
……...……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………
A client delayed Joanne when she was leaving the office.
……...……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………
The tennis club was holding a meeting at 6.30.
……...……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………
Joanne had to take Sheba to the vet.
……...……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………
Her condition worried the vet.
……...……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………
The vet told Joanne to get out of the house.
……...……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………
The telephone call confused Joanne.
……...……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………
The police captured the burglar.
……...……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………
The dog had bitten off his fingers.
……...……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………

Correct the mistakes in these sentences:

Unemployment must dealt with by the government.
……...……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………
This government could be bringing down by this scandal.
……...……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………
The task is braked down into smaller, manageable mini-tasks.
……...……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………
The road outside my house is being digged up.
……...……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………
The rebels will being called on to stop fighting.
……...……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………


Have a nice while

music is listened
an e-mail is bieng read
in Japan produce these cars
geography is taught by Alan
Austria speaks german
the earthquack destroyed lots of houses
the assembly line was invented by Henry Ford
hurt was been by the bus driver
your worbooks should be opened
they have built houses
soccer is liked to play by boys
blue has painted this room
in Astria plays cricket
a book gives by me
our keys have been lost
dolphins might be seen here
next Friday must complete the report
a song sang by them
he is repairing the bike

Hi Nermine

I think you didn't understand the exercise. The instruction says decide whether the sentences are Active or Passive. So you just have to write P or A near each sentence.

Do it again; I am sure you'll do it well.

Good luck.

active
active
passive
active
passive
passive
active
active
active
passive
active
passive
passive
passive
passive
active
passive
passive
passive

a letter is written by Peter
Susan is taken to hospital
the car has been cleaned
English is spoken
the children are helped by the police
the window of the shop was broken by a robber
I am sent to the butcher by my mother
my little brother will be looked by Peter
the house was built last year
English is spoken in the shop
a big steak was brought to me by the waiter
the box was given to me
he will be looked after by Max
she was seen in Dresden last week
I have never been beaten at chess
we were expected to offer him the job
the shot was succeeded
he was given the details of his uncle's will by the lawyer
the town was destroyed by an earthquacke
umbrellas and stickes must be left
I wasn't introduce to her mother
I wasn't paid for the work I did
I was expected to do it for nothing
this much easily could be done
he will be seen off the airport by all the minister
i was wakened at 4 a.m by a frightful crash
these television sets was made by a.....
other people's schemes have been tried
the rubbish were through away
dictionaries may not be used
your clock can't be repaired
coffe and biscuits were handed around
the document up should be locked
the car shall be had to tow in the garage
dogs must be kept on lead in the gardens
Joanne was delayed when she.......
a meeting at 6.30 was bieng held in the tennis club
Sheba had to be taken to the vet
the vet was worried her condition
Joanne was told to get out of the house
Joanne was confused the telephone call
the burglar was captured by the police
his fingers had been bitten off by the dog

Good morning Nermine,

Here is the final correction for this exercise.

They listen to music. active

She is reading an e-mail. active

These cars are produced in Japan. passive

Alan teaches Geography. active

German is spoken in Austria. passive

Lots of houses were destroyed by the earthquake. passive

Henry Ford invented the assembly line. active

The bus driver was hurt. active
It is passive

You should open your workbooks. active

Houses have been built. passive

Boys like to play soccer. active

This room has been painted blue. passive

Cricket is played in Australia. passive

I am given a book. passive

We have lost our keys. passive
It is active

You might see dolphins here. active

The report must be completed by next Friday. passive

They were singing a song. passive
It is active

The bike is being repaired. passive


Well done.

Hi again,

The correction of the exercise is:

Peter writes a letter.
a letter is written by Peter
Correct.
Our uncle takes Susan to hospital.
Susan is taken to hospital
Correct (you may add "by her uncle" at the end)
We have cleaned the car.
the car has been cleaned
Correct
They speak English.
English is spoken
Correct.
The policemen help the children.
the children are helped by the police
Correct
A robber broke the window of the shop.
the window of the shop was broken by a robber
Correct.
My mother sends me to the butcher.
I am sent to the butcher by my mother
Correct.
Peter will look after my little brother.
my little brother will be looked after by Peter
Correct
Mr Jones watches the film.
You forgot that one
Somebody built the house last year.
the house was built last year
Correct
They speak English in the shop.
English is spoken in the shop
Correct
The waiter brought me a big steak.
a big steak was brought to me by the waiter
Correct
She gave me the box.
the box was given to me
Correct
Max will look after him.
he will be looked after by Max
Correct
We saw her in Dresden last week.
she was seen in Dresden last week
Correct
No one has ever beaten me at chess.
I have never been beaten at chess
Correct
He expected us to offer him the job.
we were expected to offer him the job
Correct
An uneasy silence succeeded the shot.
the shot was succeeded by an uneasy silence
Correct
An earthquake destroyed the town.
the town was destroyed by an earthquacke
Correct
The lawyer gave him the details of his uncle’s will.
he was given the details of his uncle's will by the lawyer
Correct
Visitors must leave umbrellas and sticks in the cloakroom.
umbrellas and stickes must be left in the cloakroom
Correct
She didn’t introduce me to her mother.
I wasn't introduce to her mother
Correct
They didn’t pay me for the work I did.
I wasn't paid for the work I did
Correct
They expected me to do it for nothing.
I was expected to do it for nothing
Correct
A machine could do this much more easily.
this much easily could be done
Correct
All the ministers will see him off at the airport.
he will be seen off the airport by all the minister
Correct
A frightful crash wakened me at 4 a.m.
i was wakened at 4 a.m by a frightful crash
Correct
A Japanese firm makes these television sets.
these television sets was made by a Japanese Firm
Correct
They have tried other people’s schemes.
other people's schemes have been tried
Correct
They threw away the rubbish.
the rubbish were through away
Wrong (The rubbish was thrown away)
Candidates may not use dictionaries.
dictionaries may not be used by candidates
Correct
We can’t repair your clock.
your clock can't be repaired
Correct
They handed around coffee and biscuits.
coffee and biscuits were handed around
Correct
You should lock the documents up.
the documents should be locked up
Correct
We shall have to tow the car in the garage.
the car shall be had to tow in the garage
Wrong. (The car will have to be towed in the garage)
You must keep dogs on leads in the gardens.
dogs must be kept on lead in the gardens
Correct
A client delayed Joanne when she was leaving the office.
Joanne was delayed by a client when she was leaving the office.
Correct
The tennis club was holding a meeting at 6.30.
a meeting at 6.30 was being held in the tennis club
Correct
Joanne had to take Sheba to the vet.
Sheba had to be taken to the vet by Joanne
Correct
Her condition worried the vet.
the vet was worried by her condition
Correct
The vet told Joanne to get out of the house.
Joanne was told to get out of the house.
Correct
The telephone call confused Joanne.
Joanne was confused the telephone call
Correct
The police captured the burglar.
the burglar was captured by the police
Correct
The dog had bitten off his fingers.
his fingers had been bitten off by the dog.
Correct


Well done Nermine.