Name: ……………………………………………

Date: ……………………………………………

A verb is said to be in the active voice when the subject does the action.

A verb is said to be in the passive voice when the sentence shows what is done to the subject.

A. Write the past participle of the following verbs:

1. want …………………………

2. buy …………………………

3. decide …………………………

4. marry …………………………

5. choose …………………………

6. drop

Forms of verb “Be”:(present) = am, is , are(past) = was, were(present participle) = being(past participle) = beenThe past participle of a verb is:verb + ed (regular verbs):

paint painted3rd column in the list of irregular verbs:

break broken

The passive is used:when the agent (the person who does the action) is

unknown, unimportant or obvious from the context.The president was shot.The criminal was arrested. (by police)

when the action is more important than the agent as in instructions, processes or headlines.Thirty people were injured in the explosion.

to make more polite or formal statements.The car hasn’t been cleaned.

to put emphasis on the agent.The new library will be opened by the president.

We form the passive with the verb to be and the past participle of the main verb: to be + past participle (PP)The passive forms are:Present simple: am/is/are + PP

Jim’s car is serviced twice a year.Present continuous: am/is/are being + PP

Dinner is being prepared now.Past simple: was/were + PP

Jim’s car was serviced last week.Past continuous: was/were being + PP

Dinner was being prepared at 7 last night.Present perfect: has/have been + PP

Lunch has already been eaten.Past perfect: had been + PP

Trees had been cut.Future simple: will be + PP or am/is/are going to be + PP

Dinner will be prepared soon.Dinner is going to be prepared at seven.

Future perfect: will have been + PPChecks will have been paid by Tuesday.

Infinitives: (to) be + PP The dishes need to be cleaned now.

Modals: modal + be + PPThe dishes should be cleaned.

Change the underlined active verbs into the passive form:

Adam hit the ball.The ball was hit by Adams.

Someone is ringing the bell.The bell

…………………………………….Mom washes the carpet.

The carpet ………………… by Mom.

Children should drink milk.Milk ……………………… by

children.I have paid my checks.

Checks …………………………… by me.

Tim will write a story.A story ………………………… by Tim.

Tom needs to do this work.This work needs ……………………….

Dina may invite some friends.Some friends …………………………… by Dina.

C. Change the following sentences from active into passive:

1. The lawyer will give you some advice. 2. Sue asked the policeman for directions. 3. The pirates had found the treasure. 4. Peter is going to take the package

later.

5. Someone has already stopped the machine.

6. The coach always encourages the trainees.

7. Meg needs to wipe the floor right now. 8. The employees might suggest new

D. Change the following negative sentences from active into passive:

1. We didn’t notice the new changes. 2. The store won’t deliver the furniture. 3. They haven’t collected the taxes yet. 4. The students didn’t study the poem

well.

5. We don’t accept credit cards here. 6. Tim wasn’t planting trees at seven. 7. You shouldn’t water this plant daily. 8. They are not interviewing the

applicants.

Changing from active into passive:subjectverbobjectcomplimentTake this sentence as an example:Alanhas drawn

Maryseveral times.Make the object of the active verb the subject in the new sentence.Mary ………

Change the active verb into the passive form. Use (be + past participle of the main verb):

Mary has been drawn …………Make sure the new passive verb agrees in number with the new subject.

Alanhas drawnMary and Tina.Mary and Tinahave been drawn.singularsingular verbpluralpluralplural verb

ActivePassiveThey don’t call the office.The office isn’t called.They don’t ring the officers.The officers aren’t called.They didn’t call the officer.The officer wasn’t called.They didn’t call the officers.The officers weren’t called.Did they call me?Was I called?Do they know me?Am I known?Add the rest f the sentence.

Mary has been drawn several times.

Make the subject of the active sentence the agent of the passive sentence. The agent is introduced with by.

Mary has been drawn several times by Alan.Note: If there is a preposition with the verb, do not forget it.

Sue looks after the children.

The children are looked after by Sue.

REMEMBER: DO NOT CHANGE TENSE.

Note: If the verb is a pronoun, make sure to change it to a subject pronoun.

me Ihim heher shethem theyus weAlan has drawn her

several times. She ………

Note: Never use (do, does, or did) with the passive voice. See the examples:

Note: Don’t write the agent if it is not specific (people, someone, somebody, etc...). It is preferable not to mention the subject if it is a pronoun (I, you, we, he, she, it, they).

E. Change the following questions from active into passive:

1. Did the driver hit the boy yesterday? 2. Will the police question all the

suspects?

3. Have you signed the house contract? 4. Do people speak English in Spain? 5. Who broke the vase in the sitting

room?

6. Are you roasting chestnuts now? 7. Can you reach the top of this

mountain?

8. Was Jim playing the piano very loudly?

Active and passive in sentences that take two objects; a direct and indirect

object:Mariesentme a funny email. subjectverbindirect objectdirect object

Passive (1): I was sent a funny email.Passive (2): A funny email was sent to me.

Either an indirect object or a direct object may become the subject of a passive sentence.

If the direct object becomes the subject, use “to” before the indirect object.

F. Change the following sentences with two objects from active into passive:

1. The secretary gave Martin some letters.

2. My friend has sent me an invitation. 3. Mike is showing Laura some pictures. 4. Kevin will buy Jane a new car next

week.

5. Joe always lends Tom some money. 6. The company will pay him a lot of

money.

7. Will the college award Dan a scholarship?

G. Fill in “by” or “with”.1. The fox was hunted ………………… a gun.

2. Mat will be trained …………… a good

teacher.

3. The book is written …………… a famous

author.

4. He was hit on his head ……………… a

stone.

5. Passports are checked ……………… the

Note: Use by when it is important to mention the agent or the person who performed the action.

The little boy was rescued by a

stranger.Use with for objects which perform actions.Backgammon is played with dice.

A Chart for changing verbs from active to passive with all tenses.

H. Change the following mixed sentences from active into passive:

1. People eat a lot of fast food these days.………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

2. The company will advertise the new product on TV next month.………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

3. The teacher shouted at Jill at school today.………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

4. People make salads from different kinds of vegetables.………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

5. They won’t have completed building the bridge by the end of the month.………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

6. Had Mira checked the mail before she went to school?………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

7. Hundreds of dissidents are seeking refuge in the US embassy.………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

8. Millions of tourists visit Rome every year.………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

9. Do you usually feed your chickens corn?………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

10.Wind and rain have eroded the statues into shapeless stones.………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

11.When did they show the news of the earthquake on TV?………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

12.Adam hadn’t expected Kate to come on time by the time he got home.………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

13. Can you tell me the way to the park?………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

14.You need to polish the shoes regularly to protect the leather.

Note that all the passive verbs are formed with BE + Past Participle (main verb)

Tense Active Passive

Present Simple

The crime shocks me.

The crime shocks Jake.

The crime shocks us.

I am shocked by the crime.

Jake is shocked by the crime.

We are shocked by the crime.

Present Continuous

The crime is shocking me.

The crime is shocking us.

I am being shocked by the crime.

We are being shocked by the crime.

Past Simple The crime shocked me.

The crime shocked

I was shocked by the crime.

We were shocked by the crime.

Past Continuous

The crime was shocking me.

The crime was shocking us.

I was being shocked by the murder.

We are being shocked by the murder.

Present Perfect

Jake has mailed the letter.

Jake has mailed the letters.

The letter has been mailed by Jake.

The letters have been mailed by Jake.

Past Perfect Jake had mailed the letter.

Jake had mailed the letters.

The letter had been mailed by Jake.

The letters had been mailed by Jake.

Future Simple

Jake will mail the letter.

Jake is going to mail the letter.

Jake is going to mail the letters.

The letter will be mailed by Jake.

The letter is going to be mailed by Jake.

The letters are going to be mailed by Jake

Future Perfect

Jake will have mailed the letter.

Jake will have mailed the letters

The letter will have been mailed by Jake.

The letters will have been mailed by Jake.

Infinitives Jack needs to mail the letter. Jack needs to mail the letters.

The letter needs to be mailed. The letters need to be mailed.

Modals

Jake can mail the letter.

Jake could mail the letters.

Jake may mail the letter.

Jake might mail the letters.

Jake should mail the letter.

Jake must mail the letters.

Jake would mail the letter.

Jake has to mail the letter.

Jake has to mail the letters.

Jake ought to mail the letter.

The letter can be mailed by Jake.

The letters could be mailed by Jake.

The letter may be mailed by Jake.

The letters might be mailed by Jake.

The letter should be mailed by Jake.

The letters must be mailed by Jake.

The letter would be mailed by Jake.

The letter has to be mailed by Jake.

The letters have to be mailed by Jake.

The letter ought to be mailed by Jake.

Answer key:

Activity A:1. wanted2. bought3. decided4. married5. chosen6. dropped7. made8. drawn

Activity B:1. The ball was hit by Adams.2. is being rung3. is washed4. should be drunk 5. have been paid 6. will be written7. to be done8. may be invited

Activity C:1. You will be given some advice by the lawyer.2. The policeman was asked for directions.3. The treasure had been found by the pirates.4. The package is going to be taken later by Peter.5. The machine has already been stopped.6. The trainees are always encouraged by the coach.7. The floor needs to be wiped right now.8. New rules might be suggested by the employees.

Activity D:1. The new changes weren’t noticed.2. The furniture won’t be delivered.3. The taxes haven’t been collected yet.4. This poem wasn’t studied well by the students.5. Credit cards are not accepted here.6. Trees were not being planted at seven.7. This plant shouldn’t be watered daily.8. The applicants are not being interviewed.

Activity E:1. Was the boy hit by the driver yesterday?2. Will all the suspects be questioned by the police?3. Has the house contract been signed?4. Is English spoken in Spain?5. Who was the vase in the sitting room broken by?6. Are chestnuts being roasted now?7. Can the top of this mountain be reached?8. Was the piano being played very loudly?

Activity F:

1. Martin was given some letters by the secretary. / Some letters were given to Martin by the secretary.2. I was sent an invitation by my friend. / An invitation was sent to me by my friend.3. Laura is being shown some pictures by Mike. / Some pictures are being shown to Laura by Mike.4. Jane will be bought a new car by Kevin next week. / A new car will be bought to Jane by Kevin next week.5. Tom is always lent some money by Joe. / Some money is always lent to Tom by Joe.6. He will be paid a lot of money by the company. / A lot of money will be paid to him by the company.7. Will Dan be awarded a scholarship be the college?/ Will a scholarship be awarded to Dan by the college?8. The criminal is denied some rights by the court. / Some rights are denied to criminal by the court.

Activity G:1. The fox was hunted with a gun.

2. Mat will be trained by a good teacher.

3. The book is written by a famous author.

4. He was hit on his head with a stone.

5. Passports are checked by the police.

6. The island is surrounded with water.

Activity H:1. A lot of fast food is eaten these days.2. The new product will be advertised on TV next month.3. Jill was shouted at by the teacher today.4. Salads are made from different kinds of vegetables.5. Building the bridge won’t have been completed by the end of the month.6. Was the mail checked by Mira before she went to school?7. Refuge in the US embassy is being sought by hundreds of dissidents.8. Rome is visited by millions of tourists every year.9. Is your chicken usually fed corn?10.The statues were eroded into shapeless stones with wind and rain.11.When was the news of the earthquake shown on TV?12.Kate hadn’t been expected to come on time by the time Adam got home.13. Can I be told the way to the park?14.The shoes need to be polished regularly to protect the leather.15.The children were taken care of by Sally during the interview with the press.16.A new dress is being chosen by Dianne right now.