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Passive Voice Exercises and Practice

This document provides examples and exercises to practice using the passive voice in English. It includes 15 examples of rewriting sentences from the active to the passive voice or vice versa. It also includes exercises using the passive voice with causative verbs like "have something done." The goal is to help learners understand when and how to use the passive voice properly in English sentences.

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Abdel Zahir
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
59 views3 pages

Passive Voice Exercises and Practice

This document provides examples and exercises to practice using the passive voice in English. It includes 15 examples of rewriting sentences from the active to the passive voice or vice versa. It also includes exercises using the passive voice with causative verbs like "have something done." The goal is to help learners understand when and how to use the passive voice properly in English sentences.

Uploaded by

Abdel Zahir
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as ODT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

THE PASSIVE VOICE

1. Complete the sentences with the correct passive form of the verbs in brackets.
1. The moving picture camera was invented (invent) in 1888.
2. Are the students sometimes given(give) a discount at this cinema?
3. An actor was  while the film was being shooted (shoot)
4. Has Amenábar's new film been dubbed (dub) into other languages yet?
5. James Cameron's new film won't be released (not release) before next summer
6. Don't go into the studio. It is being cleaned (clean) now.
7. This film should not be missed(shouldn't miss)
8. We arrived after the tickets have been sold (sell)
9. A new cinema is being built (build) near my flat right now.
10. Since the program began in April, hundreds of free laptops have been given (give) to
schoolchildren in poor parts of Africa.
11. Before that day, such a strange creature had never been seen (never / see) in our town.

2. Complete the sentences. Use the correct active or passive form of the verbs in brackets.
1. I'm going on the bus this week because my car is being repaired (repair)
2. Beethoven  composed (compose) beautiful symphonies.
3. The police havent found (not find) the missing child yet.
4. The baby should have been (should / put) to bed an hour ago.
5. _Have the invitations been sent (send) yet?
6. The museum's new painting Will be shown (show) to the public next month.
7. Did the police  catch(catch) the thief yesterday?
8. Many theories have been inventes  (invent) about the moon landing since it took place.
9. The doctor is examining (examine) Sue at the moment.
10. I can't find my bag. It might have been stolen (might / steal) at the restaurant but I'm not
certain.
11. We had discovered (discover) Jim's financial problems before he told us.
12. At this moment our dogs are being walked (walk) by our neighbour.

3. Rewrite the sentences in the passive. Omit the agent when possible. Some of them have two
objects.
1.  The entire party had been organised by My sister .
2. The job could have been finished yesterday.
3. Two pens were given to students
4. The secret Will be good to only two people.
5. Was thia articule writted by a famous journalist?
6. A job has been ofdered to Tom by a parte company.
7. Thousands of letters are sent to the celebrity every week by fans.  
8. We were being followed
9. Are the residente going to be Warned about storm?
10.  The cake shouldn't be eaten before dinner.
11. The new flat wasn't shown to us.
12. . A new laptop is being sent to ver by the boss.
13. John had not signed the paper when we arrived.
14. A Tour Of The University was Given To The Students By THe Guide
15. Should we send the invitations today?
16. Free samples wontb be given to THe customers 
17. He has being watched by the policeman
4. Complete the sentences with the correct form of the words in brackets. Use the causative.
1. Dave has his bike repaired (repair). Now he can ride to school.
2. Tell me about your wedding plans! Where are you going to have your dress get maded
(make)?
3. My parents are having the flat getting the flat painted (paint) tomorrow.
4. Did you get the oil and water checked (check) at the garage last week?
5. I can't talk now. I m having my hair cut (cut)
6. The school is going to have a gym builded (build) next summer.
7. The town hall has parks cleaned  (clean) every week.
8. The dress Olivia wore yesterday was beautiful. She had it got designed(design) by a
famous designer.

5. Write a sentence to logically follow each first sentence. Use the words in brackets. Use the
verb in the causative form.
1. My throat hurts me. (check / later today) Im getting It Checked LaterToday
_________________________________________________________________________
2. I’m sorry, but you can’t use the pool until  10 o’clock. (clean / at the moment) Im getting
It cleaned At THe Moment

3. His bicycle is broken. (not repair / yet)


THe bicycle is not been repaired.
4. The school gym looked awful last year. (they / finally paint)
THey are going to final THe Paint.
5. My pilates teacher wrote an excellent book about exercise. (should try / publish)
He should try to have a promo and get It published
6. We can’t bring the exercise bike home in the car. It’s too big. (deliver)
We are going to delivery THe bike

6. Rewrite the sentences using the words in brackets. Do not change the original meaning.
1. Are zumba classes offered at wekends? (they)
Do THey offer zumba classes at THe weekend.
2. Last year, hey weren't accepting new patients at that clinic (accepted)
Last year,new patients were not being acepted
3. This medicine shoud have been taken before meals (you)
You should take THe medicine after THe meal 
4. I haven't been given an answer to my question by the teacher yet (meI)
THe teacher hasnt given me an amswer.
5. Have you sold many copies of this book? (been)
Have many copies beem sold?
6. My glasses are being repaired now (the optician)
THe optical is repairing my glasses now
7. You still haven't given me an answer to my question (hasn't)
An answer to my question hasnt still been given to me.

7. Rewrite the sentences using the words in brackets. Do not change the original meaning.
1. I don't listen to rap music at all (never) I have never listen to rap.
2. What is your opinion about this school? (think) What do you think about thia school ?
3. What are your plans tonight? ) What are you going to Do Tonight?
4. I saved a lot of money. Then I bought a new mobile. (aft bought a new mobil after I Had
Saved A Lot Of Money.
5. Sam fell during the football match. (while)
6. The last time I saw Nathan was in 2012. (since)
7. I will finish the project before August. (by)
8. I'm sure they were in a hurry. (must)
9. It was a bad idea for us to bring a dog here. (shouldn't)
10. It's possible that Brian is upset. (might)
11. I would like to buy these shoes, but they haven't got them in my size. (if)
12. Studying will help you get good marks. (if)
13. She never makes an effort, so she doesn't succeed. (unless)
14. I didn't come to the party because you didn't invite me. (if)
15. I think that you should get some rest. (if)

Common questions

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Using passive constructions without specifying an agent can be strategic when the agent is unknown, unimportant, or implied, thus shifting focus to the action or its recipient. For example, "The secret will be known to only two people" centers on the control of information dissemination rather than who reveals it . Similarly, "The invitations haven't been sent yet" stresses the current status rather than who is responsible . This technique enhances objectivity, reduces blame or credit, and can create suspense or neutrality in narratives.

The active voice places emphasis on the subject performing the action, thus making sentences clearer and more direct. For example, "Beethoven composed beautiful symphonies" clearly identifies Beethoven as the composer . In contrast, the passive voice shifts the focus to the action itself or the object affected by the action, often omitting the agent if irrelevant or assumed. For example, "A tour of the university was given to the students by the guide" focuses on the tour rather than who performed the action of giving . The choice between voices depends on the intended emphasis and clarity.

The passive voice is advantageous in formal and scientific writing as it allows the emphasis to be placed on the process or result rather than the researcher or subject, fostering a tone of objectivity and impartiality. For example, "Hundreds of free laptops have been given to schoolchildren" highlights the distribution result rather than the donors . This can also help in depersonalizing statements when the actor is irrelevant or assumed, such as "James Cameron's new film won't be released before next summer" . Using passive constructions uniformly emphasizes research outcomes and procedural focus over individual contributions, aligning with the conventions of the genre for clarity and neutrality.

Different verb forms and tenses are crucial in English grammar as they convey the time of an action and aspect, which communicates the completeness, duration, or repetition of the action. For instance, the present continuous tense in "The doctor is examining Sue at the moment" indicates an ongoing action . The past perfect, such as in "We had discovered Jim's financial problems before he told us," shows a past action completed before another past action . Moreover, the future perfect in "James Cameron's new film won't be released before next summer" predicts a future event completion . Proper use of these forms helps maintain temporal clarity and narrative coherence.

Using the passive voice in sentences emphasizes the action being performed and the object being acted upon rather than the subject who performs the action. This is particularly useful in formal writing where the focus is on the results or when the doer is unknown or unimportant. For example, "The moving picture camera was invented in 1888" focuses on the invention itself rather than the inventor . Another example is, "The new painting will be shown to the public next month," which highlights the event of showing rather than who will show it . Moreover, in cases like "Thousands of letters are sent to the celebrity every week," the emphasis is on the letters and their frequency, rather than who sends them .

The causative form is useful in English when someone causes another person to do something, or when an action is done on behalf of someone. It is structured using verbs like 'have' or 'get' followed by the past participle of the main verb. For instance, "Dave has his bike repaired" indicates that Dave causes the repairing by someone else . Similarly, "My parents are having the flat painted tomorrow" suggests the action of painting will be done for them by others . The causative form allows conveying actions indirectly, especially in hiring contexts or scheduled services.

Using modals with perfect tenses adds nuances of necessity, possibility, or probability to past actions. For instance, "The baby should have been put to bed an hour ago" implies that there was an expectation or requirement that the action would be completed by now, but it perhaps hasn't been followed . Similarly, "It might have been stolen at the restaurant" introduces a possibility about a past event without certainty . These structures allow speakers to express judgement or speculation about past actions, thereby enriching the meaning and intention conveyed.

The causative form can either indicate direct action by someone for another or influence someone to perform an action. In "Dave has his bike repaired," the use indicates action carried out by another (e.g., a mechanic) on Dave's behalf . Conversely, "He should try to have it published" suggests influencing or arranging for the action by encouraging efforts towards publication . These distinctions highlight intention as well as direct or indirect control over actions conveyed through the causative form.

Transforming active sentences into passive ones alters the hierarchy of information by shifting the focus onto the object or action. This is achieved by making the object of the active sentence the subject of the passive sentence. For instance, the active sentence "They offered a job to Tom" changes to "A job was offered to Tom by the company," placing emphasis on the offer, not the offerer . In some cases, the agent is omitted entirely in passive constructions to focus solely on the action, such as "Free samples won't be given to the customers," where who gives or doesn’t give is irrelevant . This restructuring highlights particular pieces of information while adjusting the narrative weight and reader perception.

Auxiliary verbs in passive sentences provide necessary grammatical support to form the tense while keeping the focus on the object of the action rather than the doer. They precede the main verb's past participle to indicate the time frame of the action. For example, "The moving picture camera was invented in 1888" uses 'was' to set the past tense . In "It is being cleaned now," 'is being' denotes an ongoing action . These components are essential in framing the temporal context and action status in passive voice constructions.

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