THE PASSIVE VOICE:

 

 

*We have to use the verb “TO BE” in the same tense as the lexic verb of the active sentence. And the past participle of the lexic verb.

 

*The subject of the active sentence will be the agent complement in the passive sentence; the complement of the active sentence will be the subject in the passive sentence.

 

For example; Cervantes wrote Don Quixote.

 

Don Quixote was written by Cervantes.

 

-wrote = past simple.

To be in the past simple: was.

Past participle of write: written.

-agent complement:

it´s always introduced by the preposition “by”, followed by the

complement.

If the complement is a pronoun, it will be: me /you /him /her /us

them.

 

*There are some sentences with two complements (also called objects). They are usually a complement of person and a thing, animal,… In this case it is more common to use the complement of person as the subject of the passive and the other complement after the verb.

 

For example: David gave me three tickets for a concert.

 

I was given three tickets for a concert by David.

 

It could also be: three tickets for a concert were given me by David.

 

PASSIVE FORMS:

 

1. Present simple: am / is / are + participle
2. Present continuous: am / is / are + being + participle
3. Past simple: was /were + participle.
4. Past continuous: was /were + being + participle.
5. Present perfect: have / has + been + participle.
6. Present perfect continuous: have / has + been + being + participle. —not very used.
7. Past perfect: had been + participle.
8. Past perfect continuous: had been + being + participle.—not very used.
9. Future simple: will be + participle.
10. Future continuous: will be + being + participle.
11. Future perfect: will have been + participle.
12. Future perfect continuous: will have been + being + participle. —-not very used.
13. Conditional simple: would be + participle.
14. Conditional continuous: would be + being + participle.
15. Conditional perfect: would have been + participle. — not very used.
16. Conditional perfect continuous: would have been + being + participle.—-not very used.

 

EXERCISES:

 

 

*Put the verb in passive, in the tense shown in brackets:

 

1. My car __________ (damage) last night.(past simple)
2. This computer _________ (make) in the U.S.A.(present simple)
3. The machine ___________ (make) in Scotland.(present simple)
4. The president ____________ (kill) last night.(past simple)
5. The money ______________ (change) into dollars at the bank.(present simple)
6. The house _____________ (paint) every year. (present simple)
7. Several people _____________ (hurt) in an accident last night. (past simple)
8. The children ___________ (give) some food. (present simple)
9. The cars _____________ (take) to Australia.(future simple)
10. She ___________ (give) a present.(past simple)
11. Cheese ___________ (make) from milk.(present simple)

 

 

*Rewrite these sentences, active into passive. Some of them have two complements, so they have two solutions:

 

1. I clean the garages every day.

The garages…….

2. Someone has given him a lot of money.

He …………

3. The police arrested two hundred students.

Two hundred students ………..

4. We export this computer to seven countries.

This computer ………..

5. They have invited all the students in the school.

All ………

6. They send two million books to America every year.
7. We had told him not to be late again.
8. Her father gave her a doll for her birthday.
9. They were painting the outside of the ship when the accident happened.
10. You should keep the flowers in a warm sunny place.
11. You mustn’t use the machine after 3.oo p.m.

 

*Rewrite these sentences, passive into active:

 

1. “Romeo and Juliet” was written by Shakespeare.
2. Mr. Douglas was questioned by the police.
3. They were brought a new house.
4. Two hundred people were being invited to my wedding.
5. The bomb was being carried to a safe place when it exploded.
6. The children had been told about the party.
7. Students are expected not to talk during the examination.

 

 

*Put the verbs in brackets into the correct form of the passive:

 

1. I can´t lend you my jacket because it __________________ (clean)
2. You ______________ (not allow) to park here.
3. The letter seemed ________________ (write) by a child.
4. The house _____________ (not sell) yet.
5. When the teacher arrived, the class ______________ (use) by other students.

 

 

*Write the following into passive:

 

1. Bad weather has delayed the trains.
2. Charles Dickens wrote Bleak House.
3. Someone has stolen my watch.
4. He broke his leg in a skiing accident.
5. While we are away, the neighbours will water our plants.

 

 

*Complete the following passive voice sentences in the tenses suggested:

 

1. This picture ____________ (admire).Present simple.
2. His leg ___________ (hurt) in an accident.Past simple.
3. This exercise _____________ (do) very carefully.Present continuous.
4. The box _____________ (not open) for the last hundred years.Present perfect.
5. The Tower of London ______________ (formerly use) as a prison.Past simple.
6. Two of my dinner plates _____________ (break).Present perfect .
7. A big battle ____________ (fight) here 200 years ago.Past simple.
8. You _____________ (invite) to lunch tomorrow.Present perfect.
9. This play _____________ (forget) in a few years´ time.Future simple.
10. This bridge _____________ (build) last year.Past simple.
11. My brother ____________ (never beat) at tennis.Present perfect.
12. English ___________ (speak) all over the world.Present simple.
13. ______ any questions _______ (ask) about me?
14. The answers must ___________ (write) on one side of the paper only.Infinitive.
15. These books must _______________ (not take away).Infinitive.
16. I __________ (punish) for something I didn´t do.Past simple.
17. Milk ____________ (use) to make butter and cheese.Present simple.
18. You ____________ (want) to help lay the table.Present simple.
19. A pupil __________(praise) when he works hard.Present simple.
20. The stolen car ___________ (find) in another town.Present perfect.
21. Hats and coats must ____________ (leave) in the cloakroom. Infinitive.
22. The piano ___________ (play) far too loudly.Past continuous.
23. The matter ____________ (discuss) tomorrow.Future simple.
24. Progress ____________ (make) everyday in the world of science.Present simple.
25. The chickens ____________ (not feed) this morning.Past simple.
26. Some ink ___________ (spill) on the carpet.Present perfect.
27. She said that some ink ______________ (spill) on her carpet.Past perfect.
28. Not a sound __________ (hear).Past simple.
29. This door can ___________ (easily mend).Infinitive.
30. What ___________ (do) about this?Present perfect.
31. The door _____________ (already shut).Present perfect.
32. ________ your question ___________ (answer)?Present perfect.
33. The book __________ (finish) next month.Future simple.
34. He saw that the table ___________ (push) into the corner.Past perfect.
35. The article _____________ (beautifully write).Present perfect.

 

HIGHER LEVELS (COMPOUND SENTENCES)  INTERMEDIATE:

 

*Put the following sentences into the PASSIVE VOICE. Some of them may have 2 objects:

 

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 to another doctor.
8. Somebody taught him French and gave him a dictionary.
9. They will allow each boy a second plate of ice-cream.
10. The authorities refused Cyril a passport.
11. They will ask us all several questions.
12. When we first met, they had already 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´clock.
19. The others told the new students where to sit.
20. Somebody is showing Maisie how to bath a baby.
21. She showed the visitors the new baby.
22. Someone asked the student a very difficult question.
23. We must look into this matter.
24. People speak well of my friend Cyril.
25. They told her to be quick.
26. Someone reads to the old lady every evening.
27. Somebody told the students to wait outside.
28. Somebody promised me a bicycle if I passed my examination.
29. You must work for success.
30. Somebody gave her a box of chocolates for her birthday.
31. I told Cyril never to come here again.
32. They gave me 10 p. change at the shop.
33. She promised him a book.
34. It is time they brought the cows in.
35. They told me to go away.
36. Nobody has slept in that room for years.
37. She will look after the little girl well.
38. A car ran over our dog.
39. The teacher promised Mary a prize if she worked well.
40. A friend told me the news this morning.
41. Unkind remarks easily upset Maisie.
42. Somebody must finish the work.
43. Nobody can repair this broken vase.
44. We ought to do something about this.
45. The examiner set different questions.
46. People play football all over the world.
47. Nobody has made any mistakes.
48. Beethoven composed this piece.
49. A guide pointed out the Pyramids to me.
50. Somebody has left the gate open, and so the horses have run away.
51. Somebody must do something for these poor men.
52. She fell into the water because somebody pushed her.
53. People will simply laugh at you for your trouble.
54. They carried her into the house.
55. They showed me a beautiful drawing.
56. Nobody has answered my question properly.
57. They left the wounded behind.
58. Somebody has brought this child up very badly.
59. They didn´t tell me the truth about the situation.
60. They asked Mo why she went about with a silly person like me!
61. Have you bought a dictionary of Russian?

 

 

 

INTERMEDIATE / ADVANCED

 

 

1. Somebody has found the boy the people wanted.
2. People ought not to speak about such things in public.
3. The wind blew his hat down the street.
4. They will take her to hospital tomorrow.
5. The police gave me 5 pounds reward.
6. An unseen hand opened the window.
7. They will send Joe to prison.
8. People should make lessons more interesting for children.
9. They had eaten all the dinner before they finished the conversation.
10. Somebody left the light on all night.
11. We shall lock the house up for the summer and the old gardener will look after it.
12. No one can answer your question.
13. Somebody has spilt the milk I prepared for the cat.