Passive voice

I. Basic types of passive

1. A group of students have met their friend at the railway 53. Her father was planting different kinds of flowers
station. in the garden.
2. They didn’t allow Tom to take these books home. 54. I am translating an article from English into
3. The teacher won’t correct exercises tomorrow. Vietnamese.
4. How many trees did they cut down to build that fence? 55. The Prime Minister is making a speech at the
5. All students attended the meeting. moment.
6. He can’t repair my bike. 56. How many days did she spend finishing the work?
7. Mary has operated Tom since 10 o’clock. 57. Someone is following me.
8. Mr. Smith has taught us French for 2 years. 58. She read the letter again and again last night.
9. They didn’t look after the children properly. 59. The doctor pulled out one of my teeth yesterday
10. Nobody swept this street last week. morning.
11. People drink a great deal of tea in England. 60. The tailor has just made a new suit for me.
12. People speak English all over the world. 61. After he had told the story, we clapped our hands.
13. Tom was writing 2 poems. 62. They were continually asking questions.
14. She often takes her dog for a walk. 63. We have to pick fruit very early in the morning.
15. How many lessons are you going to learn next month? 64. The light went out while I was making a cup of tea.
16. She didn’t introduce me to her mother. 65. When she went to Barcelona, she learnt some
17. Someone had invented electric lights before I was born. Spanish.
18. Farmers usually milk cows twice a day. 66. The students of chemistry made many experiments
19. Workers were digging a large hole in the ground. last week.
20. Before they took exams they had revised their lessons. 67. When will you do the work?
21. The car knocked a woman down in the street. 68. He couldn’t find his key.
22. When he came home his father was reading a 69. She used to pull my hat over my eyes.
newspaper. 70. For the past years, I have done all my washing by
23. Cows were eating grass on the meadow. hand.
24. My cousin will meet you at the station. 71. The police haven’t found the murderer yet.
25. She is running her own company. 72. They sold one of her own paintings at $1,000.
26. Visitors must leave umbrellas and raincoats in the 73. I will put your gloves back in your drawer.
cloakroom. 74. Have you seen Philip lately?
27. My mother used to make us clean the house. 75. When did you receive my letter?
28. John hasn’t finished his homework. 76. Mr. Speed is dictating 3 letters to Ann.
29. I will shut the door if you like. 77. When I came back home, my mother was
30. We have just seen a horrible accident. preparing lunch.
31. What language do people speak in this country? 78. The house was dirty because we hadn’t cleaned it
32. At 7 p.m., Mrs. Smith was making cakes. for weeks.
33. He isn’t going to buy that house. 79. My parents encouraged me to apply for this job.
34. When I was 18 years old, my parents allowed me to go 80. The policeman allows all vehicles to go when
out in the evening. traffic lights are green.
35. This terrorist has kept 3 hostages for a week. 81. Everyone believes him right.
36. He hasn’t seen you for years. 82. They were carrying the injured player off the field.
37. The examiner will read the passage 3 times. 83. My classmates used to call me John.
38. An earthquake destroyed the town. 84. You should pay more attention to your study.
39. He didn’t type the letter last night. 85. Did anyone take English books away?
40. They will pick me up at my house. 86. Do people use milk for making butter and cheese?
41. When did you see him in that bank? 87. They didn’t invite me to the birthday party.
42. My father will take me to Ho Chi Minh City next week. 88. Did they build that house in 1972?
43. Mary will see her friends off at the station. 89. He won’t tell me the truth about the situation.
44. You were wearing your new hat when I met you 90. They can see the valley from the top of this hill.
yesterday. 91. You must wash your hands.
45. He is preparing everything for the presidential election. 92. My father hasn’t used this bicycle for 5 years.
46. Last Friday, when I came to Jane’s house, she had 93. The government is taking measures to attract
finished all exercises. foreign investment.
47. They have to pull down that building. 94. Someone broke into her house last night.
48. People used to steal a lot of goods from supermarkets. 95. How do you spend this amount of money?
49. He put the letter in the drawer, and then he locked it up. 96. Paul didn’t tell me the ending of the story.
50. She can sew 3 shirts a day. 97. Have you seen any good films so far?
51. By the end of this year, we will have learnt 2,000 98. They didn’t see you at the bus stop.
English words. 99. How did you break your leg?
52. Nobody has used this room for ages. 100. My dog is attacking the postman.
 II. Special passive
Exercise 1: Passive with verbs having two obje
1. The waiter brings me this dishes 10.The board awarded the reporter the first prize.
2.Our friends sent us these postcards. 11.Have you sent your family the christmas cards ?
3.Their grandmother told them this story when they 16.We gave Ann some bananas and some flowers.
visited her last week. 18.She brought the visitors in the next room some cups of tea..
4.Tim ordered his mother this train ticket. 19. My other bought me a nice dress on my birthday.
5.You didn’t show me the special cameras. 20. I lent them my car for a week.
6.She showed her the airline agent ticket . 21. His wife usually brings him sandwiches at lunch time.
7.He often lends his friend his new shoes. 22. My brother has sent me this interesting book.
8.She left her relatives five million pounds. 23. Mr. Nam gives lectures in universities everyday
9.The shop assistant handed the customer these boxes .
Exercise 2: Passive with verbs: advise, beg, order, demand,……
1. Peter advised me not to sell that flat. 6. I advise my sister to put her money box under the carpet.
2. He urged the Government to pass the law. 7. They ageed to buy the palace.
3. She decided to paint her house blue. 8. She is determined to earn much money.
4. The major ordered the soldiers to catch the man. 9. He begged me to look after his children.
5. The local council decided to rebuild the house opposite the 10. They recommended me to buy house.
college.
Exercise 3: Passive with bare infinitive
1. My sister often makes me do the washing up. 6. The police watched the man playing cards in th epub
2. He heard the bell ring. 7. I often see them buy rose flowers.
3. He made me do it all over again. 8. His mother made him stay in the room.
4. I heard the window open 9. I hear them singing an english song.
5. I saw them leaving the mouse 10. He watched her playing with the children
.Exercise 4: passive with have and get.
1.I had my nephew paint the gate last week. 9.She often gets the technician to maintain the heater.
2.She will have Peter wash her car tomorrow. 10.They had the police arrest the shoplifter.
3.They have her tell the story again. 11.Are you going to have the shoemaker repair your shoes?
4.John gets his sister to clean his shirt. 12.I must have the dentist check my teeth.
5.Anne had had a friend type her composition. 13.She will have a veterinary surgeon examine her dog.
6.Rick will have a barber cut his hair. 14. Miss Smith had me buy flowers for her.
7.I will get the dressmaker to make a new dress. 15. He got her to look after his children.
8.He had a mechanic repair his car.
Exercise 5: Passive with report verbs
1. People think he stole my car. 24. Everyone knows that the portrait was painted by
2. People say that he was a good doctor. Picasso.
3. People believe that 13 is an unlucky number. 25. They reported that the company went bankrupt.
4. They rumoured the man was still living. 26. It is said that she has lived there for ten years.
5. They declared that she won the conpetition. 27. The police think that the criminal is hiding in the
6. They declare that she won the conpetition. London area.
7. They know that English is an international language. 28. It is reported that the building has been badly
8. People think that Jack London’s life and writing represent damaged by fire.
the American love of adventure. 29. It is said that there is a secret tunnel between them.
9. They said that he was the brightest student in the class. 30. They believe that the thieves get in through the
10. They say that he was the brightest student in the class. kitchen window.
11. They reported that the president had suffered a heart 31. People say that he is a rich man.
attack. 32. They think that she is living there.
12. They think that he had died a natural death. 33. They said that Tom had left home before the
13. They found that the troops were coming. weekend.
14. People consider that he made many mistakes. 34. He thought that you had a new bike.
15. People considered that he made many mistakes. 35. People think that I am the best student in my class.
16. They suppose that we are spending too much time playing 36. They know that the Prime Minister is in favour of
games. the new law.
17. They know that she did all the work. 37. They say that many people are homeless after the
18. People find that I am right. tsunami.
19. They think he was one of the famous singers. 38. It is said that Lan went to Hanoi with her husband.
20. People knew that he came late. 39. They thought he was one of the famous singers.
21. People say that he works 16 hours aday. 40. People say that he is a good doctor.
22. It is believed that the boy is wearing a white T- shirt and
blue jeans.
23. People thought that Mike had paid too much.