[English] Passive Voice Exercises

As you are already know that, there are many rules that are followed in the English Language, especially grammar. Right from the sentence structure, tenses, voice, usage of prepositions, nouns, etc., there are many things that have to be followed while reading, speaking and writing.

In many competitive exams such as Entrance Tests, UPSC, SSC etc, you will come across many questions from English Grammar. Among these, there are questions related to active and passive voice.

An action of a subject, in relation to an object, is expressed in two ways. These two ways of expressing the action of a subject are known as Voices.

Active Voice
Passive Voice

Example:

Alex buys a camera. (Active Voice)
A camera is bought by Alex. (Passive Voice)

The structure of the same sentence changes when expressed as Active Voice or Passive Voice. The meaning of a sentence either expressed as Active Voice or Passive Voice, remains the same.

Exercise – 1

1. Quite a number of houses in Molec Garden ______ recently.

(A) broke into
(B) broken into
(C) was broken into
(D) were broken into

2. The marsh was drained before it ______ for cultivation.

(A) is used
(B) was used
(C) has used
(D) has been used

3. A fence ______ around the compound to keep out stray dogs.

(A) erect
(B) erected
(C) were erected
(D) has been erected

4. The goods ______ by lorry.

(A) is delivered
(B) was delivered
(C) were delivered
(D) has been delivered

5. The bus fares ______ three times this year.

(A) have raised
(B) have been raised
(C) were raised
(D) had raised

6. Every application ______ carefully by the selection committee.

(A) is examined
(B) was examined
(C) were examined
(D) has been examined

7. Many enquiries ______ from interested candidates.

(A) is received
(B) was received
(C) were received
(D) have received

8. The advertisement states that no working experience ______ .

(A) is required
(B) was required
(C) has required
(D) has been required

9. The guests ______ by four masked men.

(A) are held up
(B) were held up
(C) have held up
(D) had held up

10. The visitors ______ by a guide during the tour of the museum.

(A) accompanied
(B) is accompanied
(C) was accompanied
(D) were accompanied

Answers:

Exercise – 2

1. A party ______ to celebrate their victory.

(A) had held
(B) holds
(C) was held
(D) was to hold

2. What questions _____ you _____ at the interview ?

(A) were … asking
(B) were … asked
(C) are … being asked
(D) have … ask

3. A book on archaeology _____ by the famous professor.

(A) wrote
(B) has written
(C) was written
(D) writes

4. You ______ to the manager’s office.

(A) have taken
(B) will take
(C) will be taking
(D) will be taken

5. I _____ an invitation to a party.

(A) am giving
(B) have been given
(C) have given
(D) will give

6. _____ the room _____ yet ?

(A) Is … cleaning
(B) Has … cleaned
(C) Has … been cleaned
(D) Was … cleans

7. These curtains and cushion covers ______ by my mother.

(A) have sewn
(B) is sewing
(C) had been sewn
(D) can sew

8. All the figures and calculations ______ thoroughly.

(A) should check
(B) should be checking
(C) should have checked
(D) should be checked

9. A joke ______ seriously.

(A) is not taken
(B) is not to take
(C) is not to be taken
(D) is not taking

10. These books ______ to us by the teacher.

(A) recommended
(B) were recommended
(C) have recommended
(D) was being recommended

Answers:

Exercise – 3

Change the Voices of the Verbs in the following Sentences :

The boy feeds his dogs twice a day
The counselor advised the drug addict to change his ways.
The naughty kids broke several windows in the fight.
Suseela was selling her paintings at the exhibition.
The villagers had built a house for the poor family.
They will make every effort to raise funds for the orphanage.
He wanted to sell his bicycle to help pay his school fees.
The teacher has scolded her pupils for being disobedient.
The volunteers rearranged the tables neatly.
Someone had take the postman’s bag by mistake.
People think of his behavior as very strange.
The lady was sleeping when they broke into the house.

Answers:

His dogs are fed twice a day.
The drug addict was advised by the counselor to change his ways.
Several windows were broken by the naughty kids in the fight.
Suseela’s paintings were being sold at the exhibition.
A house had been built by the villagers for the poor family.
Every effort will be made to raise funds for the orphanage.
His bicycle was to be sold to help pay his school fees.
Her pupils have been scolded for being disobedient.
The tables were rearranged neatly by the volunteers.
The postman’s bag had been taken by mistake.
His behavior is thought of as very strange.
The lady was sleeping when the house was broken into.

Exercise – 4

Change the following sentences into the active voice.

Our neighbor’s car had been vandalized by thugs.
Kamala was told the bad news as soon as she arrived.
A Shakespearean play will be staged by Plus One Productions in a month’s time.
They were shown to the table by the restaurant manager himself.
She is thought of as the most popular actress nowadays.
The boy was asked to carry twenty kilograms of rice.
The painting would have been stolen if he hadn’t helped.
Ravind was ordered out of the classroom for disrupting the class.
He was caught for littering in the streets and fined.
Many types of fish were being sold at the market every day.
The book is to be given to my sister after this.
Please see that the room is swept and mopped before I return.

Answers:

Thugs vandalized our neighbor’s car.
Someone told Kamala the bad news as soon as she arrived.
Plus One Productions will stage a Shakespearean play in a month’s time.
The restaurant manager showed them to the table himself.
People think she is the most popular actress nowadays.
Someone asked the boy to carry twenty kilograms of rice.
Someone would have stolen the painting if he hadn’t helped.
The teacher ordered Ravind out of the classroom for disrupting the class.
The police caught him littering in the streets and fined him.
They sell many types of fish at the market every day.
You are to give the book to my sister after this.
Please see that somebody sweeps and mops the room before I return.

Exercise – 5

1. Active : The ants are biting me.
Passive : ____________

(A) I am being bitten by the ants.
(B) I am being bit by the ants.
(C) I am bitten by the ants.
(D) I was being bitten by the ants.

2. Active : They are bringing in the luggage.
Passive : ____________

(A) The luggage are bringing in.
(B) The luggage is brought in.
(C) The luggage are brought in.
(D) The luggage is being brought in.

3. Active : She rears ducks on the farm.
Passive : ____________

(A) On the farm are reared ducks.
(B) Ducks will be reared on the farm.
(C) Ducks is reared on the farm.
(D) Ducks are reared on the farm.

4. Active : He broke all the equipment.
Passive : ____________

(A) All the equipment broke.
(B) All the equipment was broken.
(C) All the equipment were broken.
(D) All the equipment was broke.

5. Active : Farah was tearing the old newspapers.
Passive : ____________

(A) The old newspapers was tearing.
(B) The old newspapers were torn.
(C) The old newspapers were being torn.
(D) The old newspapers was being torn.

6. Active : I will meet my friend at the airport.
Passive : ____________

(A) My friend will be meet at the airport.
(B) My friend will be met at the airport.
(C) My friend will being met at the airport.
(D) My friend will have been met at the airport.

7. Active : The laborers have cut down the tree.
Passive : ____________

(A) The tree has been cut down.
(B) The tree has cut down.
(C) The tree have been cut down.
(D) The tree has been cutting down.

8. Active : Someone had sung the song before.
Passive : ____________

(A) The song had sung before.
(B) The song had been sang before.
(C) The song had been sung before.
(D) The song had being sung before.

9. Active : I will have sold the video game to Harris.
Passive : ____________

(A) Harris will have sold the video game.
(B) I will have sold to Harris the video game.
(C) The video game will have sold to Harris.
(D) The video game will have been sold to Harris.

10. Active : We should choose a monitor quickly.
Passive : ____________

(A) A monitor should be chose quickly
(B) A monitor should be quickly chosen.
(C) A monitor should choose quickly.
(D) A monitor should quickly chosen.

Answers:

Exercise – 6

Change the following sentences into the passive voice.

Add bacteria to milk to make yoghurt.
The farmers split the cacao pods open and scoop out the cacao beans.
The machine stretches and twists the wires.
The workers dry the fish in the sun.
Years ago, people churned butter by hand.
The roller mill crushed the grains.
The machine sealed the bottle with a bottle cap.
The robot is fixing the tyres to the body of the car.
The technique turns acetylsalicyclic acid into powder form.
The machine cuts the adhesive bandage into the correct sizes.

Answers:

Bacteria is added to milk to make yoghurt.
The cacao pods are split open and the cacao beans are scooped out.
The wires are stretched and twisted.
The fish are dried in the sun.
Butter was churned by hand years ago.
The grains were crushed by the roller mill.
The bottle was sealed with a bottle cap.
The tyres are being fixed to the body of the car.
Acetysalicylic acid is turned into powder form.
The adhesive bandage is cut into the correct sizes.

Exercise – 7

Change the Voices of the Verbs in the following Sentences :

Who did the job ?
Can you break the door ?
Will she sing a song ?
Is he speaking English ?
Are you eating a banana ?
Why are you washing the car ?
When will he give the money ?
Where will he meet you ?
How do you make a cake ?
Whom did you tell the story ?
He was truck by lightning.

Answers:

By whom was the job done ?
Can the door be broken by you ?
Will a song be sung by her ?
Is English being spoken by him ?
Is a banana being eaten by you ?
Why is the car being washed by you ?
When will the money be given by him ?
Where will you be met by him ?
How is a cake made by you ?
To whom was the story told by you ?
Lightning struck him.

Exercise – 8

Change the Voices of the Verbs in the following Sentences

I was quite shocked by the language that he used.
We were both filled with horror by the sight of that event.
I was much hurt by is voice and manner.
Should I be found at home by him he would not be received by me.
They were welcomed back by the city on their return.
He was punished by the master for speaking in class.
Many objections were raised by us to the plan that was proposed by him.
Will he not be persuaded to work harder by a sense of duty ?
I was called upon by the meeting to give my reasons.
He was known by me by his voice, when I was spoken to by him in the dark.
His return was not expected by us.

Answers:

The language that he used quite shocked me.
The sight of that event filled us both with horror.
His voice and manner hurt me much.
Should he find me at home, I would not receive him.
The city welcomed them back on their return.
The master punished him for speaking in class.
We raised many objections to the plan that he proposed.
Will not a sense of duty persuade him to work harder ?
The meeting called upon me to give my reasons.
I knew him by his voice when he spoke to me in the dark.
We did not expect his return.

Exercise – 9

Change the following into the Passive Voice.

He is catching fish.
She was cooking vegetables.
They are drinking water.
We have seen the accident.
They buy fish every day.
She gave us the news.
He wrote me a letter.
She made us some tea.
Do you know the answer ?
Can you speak Japanese ?
I see her every day ?
Ask him to leave.
Do this at once.
Bring it to me this instant.
I have nothing say.

Answers:

Fish is being caught by him.
Vegetables are being cooked by her.
Water is being drunk by them.
The accident has been seen by us.
Fish is bought by them every day.
The news was given us by her.
A letter was written me by him.
Some tea was made us by her.
Is the answer known by you ?
Can Japanese be spoken by you ?
She is seen by me every day.
Let him be asked to leave.
Let his be done at once.
Let it be bought to me this instant.
Nothing is had by me to say. OR Nothing to say is had by me

Exercise – 10

Complete the sentences using one of these verbs in the correct form caused hold invite overtake translate damage include make show write

Many accidents ______ by dangerous driving.
Cheese ______ from milk.
The roof of the building ______ in a storm a few days ago.
There’s no need to leave a tip. Service ______ in the bill.
You ______ to the wedding. Why didn’t you go ?
A cinema is a place where films ______.
In the United States, elections for President ______ every four years.
Originally the book ______ in Spanish and a few years ago it ______ into English.
We were driving along quite fast but we ______ by lots of other cars.

Answers:

Many accidents are caused by dangerous driving.
Cheese is made from milk.
The roof of the building was damaged in a storm a few days ago.
There’s no need to leave a tip. Service is included in the bill.
You were invited to the wedding. Why didn’t you go ?
A cinema is a place where films are shown.
In the United States, elections for President are held every four years.
Originally the book was written in Spanish and a few years ago it was translated into English.
We were driving along quite fast but we were overtaken by lots of other cars.

Exercise – 11

Put the verb into the correct form, present simple or past simple, active or passive.

It’s a big factory. Five hundred people ______ ( employ ) there.
Water ______ ( cover ) most of the Earth’s surface.
Most of the Earth’s surface ______ ( cover ) by water.
The park gates ______ ( lock ) at 6.30 p.m. every evening.
The letter ______ ( post ) a week ago and it ______ ( arrive ) yesterday.
The boat ______ ( sink ) quickly but fortunately everybody ______ ( rescue ).
Ron’s parents ______ ( die ) when he was very young. He and his sister ______ ( bring ) up by their grandparents.
I was born in London but I ______ ( grow ) up in the north of England.
While I was on holiday, my camera ______ ( steal ) from my hotel room.
While I was on holiday, my camera ______ ( disappear ) from my hotel room.
Why ______ ( Sue/resign ) from her job ? Didn’t she enjoy it ?
Why ______ ( Bill/sack ) from his job ? What did he do wrong ?
The company is not independent. It ______ ( own ) by a much larger company.
I saw an accident last night. Somebody ______ ( call ) an ambulance but nobody ______ ( injure ) so the ambulance ______ ( not/need ).
Where ______ ( these photographs/take ) ? In London ? ______ ( you/take ) them ?

Answers:

It’s a big factory. Five hundred people are employed there.
Water covers most of the Earth’s surface.
Most of the Earth’s surface is covered by water.
The park gates are locked at 6.30 p.m. every evening.
The letter was posted a week ago and it arrived yesterday.
The boat sank quickly but fortunately everybody was rescued.
Ron’s parents died when he was very young. He and his sister were brought up by their grandparents.
I was born in London but I grew up in the north of England.
While I was on holiday, my camera was stolen from my hotel room.
While I was on holiday, my camera disappeared from my hotel room.
Why did Sue resign from her job ? Didn’t she enjoy it ?
Why was Bill sacked from his job ? What did he do wrong ?
The company is not independent. It is owned by a much larger company.
I saw an accident last night. Somebody called an ambulance but nobody was injured so the ambulance wasn’t needed.
Where were these photographs taken ? In London ? Did you take them ?

Exercise – 12

Complete these sentences with one of the following verbs ( in the correct form ) carry do repair spend cause make send wake up

The situation is serious. Something must ______ before it’s too late.
I haven’t received the letter. It might ______ to the wrong address.
A decision will not ______ until the next meeting.
I told the hotel receptionist that I wanted to ______ at 6.30 the next morning.
Do you think that less money should ______ on armaments ?
This road is in very bad condition. It should ______ a long time ago.
The injured man couldn’t walk and had to ______.
It’s not certain how the fire started but it might ______ by an electrical fault.

Answers:

The situation is serious. Something must be done before it’s too late.
I haven’t received the letter. It might have been sent to the wrong address.
A decision will not be made until the next meeting.
I told the hotel receptionist that I wanted to be woken up at 6.30 the next morning.
Do you think that less money should be spent on armaments ?
This road is in very bad condition. It should have been repaired a long time ago.
The injured man couldn’t walk and had to be carried.
It’s not certain how the fire started but it might have been caused by an electrical fault.

Exercise – 13

Rewrite these sentences. Instead of using ‘somebody’ or ‘they’, write a passive sentence.

Somebody has cleaned the room.
They have postponed the concert.
Somebody is using the computer at the moment.
I didn’t realize that somebody was recording our conversation.
When we got to the stadium we found that they had canceled the game.
They are building a new ring road round the city.
They have built a new hospital near the airport.

Answers:

The room has been cleaned.
The concert has been postponed.
The computer is being used at the moment.
I didn’t realize that our conversation was being recorded.
When we got to the stadium we found that the game had been canceled.
A new ring road is being built round the city
A new hospital has been built near the airport.

Exercise – 14

Make sentences from the words in brackets. Sometimes the verb is active, sometimes passive.

There’s somebody behind us. ( I think / we / follow )
This room looks different. ( you / paint ? )
My car has disappeared. ( it / steal ! )
My umbrella has disappeared. ( somebody / take )
Tom gets a higher salary now. ( he / promote )
Ann can’t use her office at the moment. ( it / redecorate )
The photocopier broke down yesterday, but now it’s OK. ( it /work / again ; it / repair )
The police have found the people they were looking for . ( two people / arrest / last night )
A tree was lying across the road. ( it /blow down / in the storm )
The man next door disappeared six months ago. ( nobody / see / since then )
I was mugged on my way home a few nights ago. ( you / ever / mug ?)

Answers:

I think we’re being followed.
Have you painted it ?
It has been stolen !
Somebody has taken it.
He has been promoted.
It is being redecorated.
It is working again … It has been repaired.
Two people were arrested last night.
It had been blown down n the storm.
Nobody has seen him since then.
Have you ever been mugged ?

Exercise – 15

Put the verb into the most suitable passive form.

There’s somebody behind us. I think we ______ ( follow ).
A mystery is something that ______ ( can’t/explain ).
We didn’t play football yesterday. The match ______ ( cancel ).
The television ______ ( repair ). It’s working again now.
The church tower ______ ( restore ). The work is almost finished.
‘How old is the tower ?’ ‘It ______ ( believe ) to be over 600 years old.’
If I didn’t do my job properly, I ______ ( would/sack ).
A : I left some papers on the desk last night and I can’t find them now.
B : They ______ ( might/throw ) away.
I learnt to swim when I was very young. I ______ ( teach ) by my mother.
After ______ ( arrest ), I was taken tot he police station.
‘ ______ ( you/ever/arrest ) ?’ ‘No, never.’
12. Two people ______ ( report ) to ______ ( injure ) in an explosion at a factory in Birmingham early this morning.

Answers:

are being followed
can’t be explained
was canceled
has been repaired
is being restored
is believed
would be sacked
might have been thrown
was taught
being arrested
Have you ever been arrested
are reported … have been injured

Exercise – 16

Put the verb into the correct form, active or passive

This house is quite old. It ______ ( build ) over 100 years ago.
My grandfather was a builder. He ______ ( build ) this house many years ago.
‘Is your car still for sale ?’ ‘No, I ______ ( sell ) it.’
‘Is the house at the end of the street still for sale ?’ ‘No, it ______ ( sell ).’
Sometimes mistakes ______ ( make ). It’s inevitable.
I wouldn’t leave your car unlocked. It ______ ( might/steal ).
My bag has disappeared. It ______ ( must/steal ).
I can’t find my hat. Somebody ______ ( must/take ) it by mistake.
It’s a serious problem. I don’t know how it ______ ( can/solve ).
We didn’t leave early enough. We ______ ( should/leave ) earlier.
Every time I travel by plane, my flight ______ ( delay ).
A new bridge ______ ( build ) across the river. Work started last year and the bridge ______ ( expect ) to open next year.

Answers:

was built
built
have sold
has been sold
are made
might be stolen
must have been stolen
must have taken
can be solved
should have left
is delayed
is being built … is expected

Exercise – 17

1. We ______ by a loud noise during the night.

(A) woke up
(B) are woken up
(C) were woken up
(D) were waking up

2. There’s somebody walking behind us. I think ______.

(A) we are following
(B) we are being followed
(C) we are followed
(D) we are being following

3. ‘Where ______ ?’ ‘In London.’

(A) were you born
(B) are you born
(C) have you been born
(D) did you born

4. The train ______ arrive at 11.30 but it was an hour late.

(A) supposed to
(B) is supposed to
(C) was supposed to
(D) were supposed to

5. Where ______ ? Which hairdresser did you go to ?

(A) did you cut your hair
(B) have you cut your hair
(C) did you have cut your hair
(D) did you have your hair cut

6. Active : They scattered the books carelessly on the floor.
Passive : ____________________________________

(A) The books were scattered on the floor
(B) The books were scattered on the floor carelessly.
(C) The books were carelessly scattered on the floor.
(D) The books had been carelessly scattered on the floor.

7. Active : People generally assume that fat and lazy.
Passive : ______________________________

(A) People are generally assumed to be fat and lazy.
(B) It is assumed that fat people are lazy.
(C) Fat people are generally assumed to be lazy.
(D) Fat people have generally been assumed to be lazy

Answers:

Exercise – 18

Change the following sentences into the Active Voice

The ball was kicked by him.
An orange is being eaten by her.
The work was done by them.
The money has been stolen by him.
It will be done by us.
They were given some food by her.
He was written a letter by me.
We were laughed at by them.
A song was being sung by her.
The story has been told by me.

Answers:

He kicked the ball.
She is eating an orange.
They did the work.
He has stolen the money.
We shall do it.
She gave them some food.
I wrote him a letter.
They laughed at us.
She was sing a song.
I have told the story.

Exercise – 19

Complete the definitions. Put in an active or passive participle of these verbs.

add
arrive
block
own
play
smuggle
take
tell
watch
wear

Cricket is a game ______ in English-speaking countries.
A wrist watch is a watch ______ on your wrist.
A latecomer is a person ______ late.
An instruction is a statement ______ you what to do.
A spectator is someone ______ a game or a play.
An extension is a new part ______ to a building.
An obstacle is something ______ your way.
Contraband is something _______ into a country.
A competitor is someone ______ part in a competition.
Your property is everything ______ by you.

Answers:

Cricket is a game played in English-speaking countries.
A wrist watch is a watch worn on your wrist.
A latecomer is a person arriving late.
An instruction is a statement telling you what to do.
A spectator is someone watching a game or a play.
An extension is a new part added to a building.
An obstacle is something blocking your way.
Contraband is something smuggled into a country.
A competitor is someone taking part in a competition.
Your property is everything owned by you.

Exercise – 20

Rewrite these sentences in the passive voice.

Example : He kept me waiting. I was kept waiting.

I have sold my old books.
Someone has broken my ruler.
Anybody can borrow books from this library.
They sell books here.
She told me to come early.
People will soon forget that incident.
The company will provide more buses.
People will hate you.
Somebody has bought that house.
They opened the supermarket last week.

Answers:

My old books have been sold.
My ruler has been broken.
Books can be borrowed from this library.
Books are sold here.
I was told to come early.
That incident will be forgotten soon.
More buses will be provided.
You will be hated.
That house has been bought.
The supermarket was opened last week.

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