PASSIVE VOICE EXERCISES BACHILLERATO

1. Write in the passive.

1. Peter bought the house
2. Mary will bring the wine
3. My friends are repairing the car
4. Most students speak English in this class
5. An elderly couple sheltered her
6. A policeman helped him
7. She finished her work by nine o'clock
8. Nobody can repair this broken chair
9. They carried him into the hospital
10.Are they typing the letters?
11.They have not taken the car into the garage
12.Someone has spilt some milk on the carpet
13.Did anyone answer your question?
14.They showed me the cathedral
15.They told the children to leave the room
16.They allowed her to go to the dining room
17.They didn't tell me the truth
18.Someone will give you a new notebook
19.Someone is teaching him English
20.They had offered me a job
21.Someone has read her the letter
22.Nobody has slept in this bed
23.They looked after the baby
24.They have been looking at her for hours
25.They smiled at the girl as she walked by
26.People speak well of your friend
27.We must look for the key
28.People say that the president will arrive on Monday
29.People think that money is the most important thing in life
30.They thought that he was an artist
31.They think I come from Italy
32.People feared that the criminals would escape
33.People hope that prices won't go up this year
34.People generally assume that the USA is the richest country in the world

2. Write in the active:

1. We are taught grammar by Ms Sullivan.
2. He was praised by the teacher.
3. The injured were taken to the hospital by the firemen.
4. The town was destroyed by an earthquake.
5. The teacher was pleased with the boy’s work.
6. The building was damaged by the fire.
7. By whom were you taught French?
8. You will be given a ticket by the manager.
9. The streets were thronged with spectators.
10. We will be blamed by everyone.
11. The trees were blown down by the wind.
12. The thieves were caught by the police.
13. The letter was posted by Alice.
14. We were received by the hostess.
15. The snake was killed with a stick.
16. The minister was welcomed by the people.
17. He was found guilty of murder.
18. This house was built by John Mathews in 1991.

3. Complete the sentences with a passive construction, using the verbs given in the
form suggested.

1. Much of London (destroy) _________ by fire in the seventeenth century. (Past Simple)
2. The man who (bite)____________________ by a snake was given a serum. (Past
Perfect)
3. A leader should be a man who can (respect)____________________. (Infinitive)
4. Many slums (demolish) ___________ to make way for new buildings. (Present
Continuous.)
5. The police (instruct) ___________ to take firm action against hooligans. (Present
Perfect)
6. He (save)______________ from bankruptcy by the kindness of a friend. (Past Simple)
7. A cease-fire (expect) ____________________ (declare) ____________________ later
this week. (Present Simple, Infinitive)
8. A great deal of research (do)__ ____ into possible causes of cancer (Present Perfect)
9. The worker claimed that he (victimize)___________ by his employers. (Past
Continuous)
10. The tenant (evict)____________________ for not paying his rent. (Past Simple)
11. It (think) ____________ that the Government would do something to help. (Past
Perfect)
12. Three hundred new houses (build) _________ by the end of next year. (Future Perfect)
13. Because of a strike, work on the building had to (discontinue)___ ________. (Infinitive)
14. The witness strongly objected to (cross-examine)____________________. (Gerund)
15. (Threaten)____________________ by a blackmailer, he immediately informed the
police.
(Perfect Participle)
16. I am not accustomed to (treat)____________________ in that way. (Gerund)
17. The passengers ought (inform) ____________________ the train (withdraw)
____________________ from service. (Perfect Infinitive. Past Perfect)
18. Customers (ask) ____________________ to ensure that they (give)
____________________ the correct change before leaving the shop, as mistakes cannot
afterwards (rectify)____________________. (Present Simple, Present Perfect, Infinitive)
19. Was he very upset at (not offer)____________________ the job? (Gerund)
20. The man was sent to prison for six months, (find) ____________________ guilty of
fraud. (Perfect Participle)

4. Complete the sentences with a passive construction after deciding the tense,
using the verbs given
1. In 1987, an emergency decisión ___________________after the oilspill. (take)
2. This morning, aerosol sprays __________from the perfume department. (remove)
3. Next month this river ___________________. (clean up)
4. The 'hole' in the ozone layer___________________by scientists for 30 years. ( notice)
5. If cars ___________________from the area, we will soon suffer from respiratory
illnesses. (not ban)
6. If a nuclear bomb exploded, the earth___________________. (destroy)
7. Scientists say that the ozone layer___________________by chemicals. (destroy)
5. Rewrite the sentences in the passive, making the words in italics the subject of
the sentence or clause in which they appear.
1. They gave the oldest councilor the freedom of the city.
2. They denied access to the secret documents to all but a few.
3. Someone showed the child how to use the telephone.
4. They declared him persona non grata and allowed him only forty-eight hours to leave
the
country.
5. They gave him artificial respiration.
6. Why didn't they offer him the job?
7. Didn't they promise you a rise in salary at the beginning of the year?
8. Someone left him a legacy of 10.000.
9. When he looked at the stamps, he found they had sold him forgeries.
10. What did they pay you for doing the job?
11. Someone should tell him never to do that again.
12. They asked you to meet me here at 11 o'clock, not half past.
13. Will someone send me the details?
14. We shall send you the godos as soon as they are available.
15. Someone must teach that boy a lesson!
6. Make questions to which the underlined words are the answers:
1. Peter was accused of murder
2. No, it hasn't been answered
3. He was arrested because he hit a man.
4. Few of the girls have been invited.
5. George has been taken to hospital.
6. It will be done next month.
7. The first experiment was made in 1950.
8. It has been tried three times.
9. She was punished by Mr West.
10. He has been asked to leave the house.
11. It was meant for Helen.
12. I was invited by John.
13. Yes , it has already been completed.
14. This book has been translated into 5 languages.
15. It must be written in ink.
16. It was written by Jean.
17. The book was found under the table.
18. They have been told to come.
19. It was signed yesterday
20. It was beautifully written.

7. Rewrite these sentences in an alternative passive form, beginning your sentences

with the words in italics.

1. It is said that he is an honest, hard-working man.

2. It is considered that this surgeon is a brilliant practitioner.
3. It is now thought that some redundancy in the Midlands is inevitable.
4. It was proved that the statements he had made were false.
5. It was understood that Mr Smith was willing to meet the British Prime Minister.
6. It is believed that the Chancellor is thinking of imposing special taxes to raise extra
revenue.
7. It is expected that the electricity supply industry will be running into surplus capacity by
next year.
8. It is reported that several American motor manufacturers are planning to set up
assembly
plants overseas.
9. It is expected that the brewers will raise the price of beer in the near future.
10. It was claimed that the drug produced no undesirable side-effects.
11. It is said that the police acted with great restraint, despite provocation.
12. It was alleged that the Prime Minister had misled the House
13. It is believed that the Government has had second thoughts on this problem.
14. It was believed that the explosion had been caused by a mine.
15. It is presumed that the ship's radio equipment was put out of the action during the fire.
16. It was later admitted that the information had been obtained from unreliable sources.

Causative Passive exercises

1. Complete the sentences and make clear that the people don't / didn't do it
themselves. (The first sentence is given as an example.)

Yesterday, (I / cut / my hair) I had my hair cut

1. Every Friday, (Joe / wash / his car) _____________________

2. Tomorrow, (she / repair / her shower) ____________

3. Each Saturday, (we / deliver / a pizza)__________________to our home.

4. Last year, (Bob / clean / his house)__________________ by a charwoman.

5. As Phil had a broken arm, (he / type / his texts) ___________________by his
secretary.

6. (I / pick up / the goods) ________________________tomorrow in the afternoon.

7. (we / redecorate / our walls) ___________________last summer.

8. Whenever Clara is staying at this hotel, (she / carry / her bags)_________ into her
room.

9. (we / organize / our last party) _____________________by professionals.

2. Complete the sentences with the correct form of have and the verb in brackets.
1. My hair's getting far too long. I need to _______ it _______ . (cut)
2. Noah hates _______ his photo _______ . (take)
3. I've lost my key so I'd better _______ another one _______ . (make)
4. My watch isn't working properly. I ought to _______ it _______ . (repair)
5. I'm going to _______ my suit _______ as there's a coffee stain on the sleeve.
(dryclean)
6. It's time we _______ our car ______ . (service)
7. Katie can't find a wedding dress she likes so she's considering _______ one _______ .
(make)
8. As this summer is expected to be really hot we're planning on _______ air-conditioning
_______. (instal)
9. Jenny's worried she may have a high cholesterol level so she wants to _______ it
_______. (check out)
10. The police suspected the fugitive was hiding somewhere in the building so they
_______ it _______. (search)

3. Fill the gaps with have and the verb in brackets in their correct forms.

1 We ___________ the roof ___________ last year. It cost us a packet. (repair)

2 Anne ___________ her hair ___________ every Friday afternoon. (do)
3 I ___________ the brakes ___________ three times a year. (check)
4 The government ___________ the whole town ___________ yesterday. (evacuate)
5 I ___________ my hard drive ___________ for a bigger one last week. (change)
6 When did you last ___________ the airconditioning ___________ ? (service)
7 You don't think Liv Tyler's beautiful?! You should ___________ your eyes
___________ . (test)
8 After the plague of fleas, the boss ___________ the office ___________ . (disinfect)
9 Your cat's coughing. You need to ___________ him ___________ for parasites.
(treat)
10 Daphne ___________ her legs ___________ once a fortnight. (do)
11 I normally ___________ my suit dry ___________ before a wedding. (clean)
12 The headmaster ___________ all the lockers ___________ for the missing footballs
yesterday. (search)
13 Have you ___________ your house ___________ ? (double-glaze)
14 Have you ___________ that poster I bought you ___________ yet? (frame)
15 The house is in chaos. We're ___________ a new kitchen ___________ in. (put)

4. Rewrite these sentences using have or get.

26.Your friend is wll spoken of
27.The key must be looked for
28.The president is said to arrive on Monday /It is said (that) the president will arrive on
Monday
29.Money is thought to be the most important thing in life / It is thought that money is the
most important thing in life
30.It is thought that he was an artist / He is thought to be an artist
31.It is thought I come from Italy / I am thought to come from Italy
32.It is feared that the criminals would escape /The criminals are feared to escape
33.It is hoped that prices won't go up this year / Prices are hoped not to go up this year
34.It is generally assume that the USA is the richest country in the world / The USA is
generally assumed to be the richest country in the world

2. Write in the active:

1. Ms Sullivan teaches us grammar.
2. The teacher praised him.
3. The firemen took the injured to the hospital.
4. An earthquake destroyed the town.
5. The boy’s work pleased the teacher.
6. The fire damaged the building.
7. Who taught you French?
8. The manager will give you a ticket.
9. Spectators thronged the streets.
10. Everyone will blame us.
11. The wind blew down the trees.
12. The police caught the thieves.
13. Alice posted the letter.
14. The hostess received us.
15. They/somebody killed the snake with a stick.
16. The people welcomed the minister.
17. They found him guilty of murder.
18. John Mathews built this house in 1991.

3. Complete the sentences with a passive construction, using the verbs given in the
form suggested.

1. Much of London (destroy) __was destroyed__ by fire in the seventeenth century.

(Past Simple)
2. The man who (bite)___had been bitten__ by a snake was given a serum. (Past
Perfect)
3. A leader should be a man who can (respect)___be respected__. (Infinitive)
4. Many slums (demolish) _are being demolished_ to make way for new buildings.
(Present
Continuous.)
5. The police (instruct) __has been instructed__ to take firm action against hooligans.
(Present Perfect)
6. He (save)__was saved__ from bankruptcy by the kindness of a friend. (Past
Simple)
7. A cease-fire (expect) __is expected__ (declare) __to be declared__ later this
week. (Present Simple, Infinitive)
8. A great deal of research (do)__has been done___ into possible causes of cancer