Passive voice – Exercise with answers

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Exercise

Complete the following sentences by putting the verb in brackets in the past participle:

Ex: The pen was _____ by Paul. (take) → The pen was taken by Paul.

1. The video was ______ on Facebook by Alex. (post) → 

2. The house was ______  in 1869. (build) → 

3. ‘Born in the USA’ was ______  by Bruce Springsteen. (write) → 

4. The civilian was ______ . (shoot) → 

5. All his credit cards were ______  last week. (steal) → 

6. Some flowers were ______  to Tina. (give) → 

7. English is ______  by a lot of people. (understand) → 

8. A secret was ______  to me. (tell) → 

9. A song was ______  by the student. (write) → 

10. The Mona Lisa was ______  by Leonardo Da Vinci. (paint) → 

 

 

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ANSWERS

1. The video was posted on Facebook by Alex. 
2. The house was built in 1869.
3. ‘Born in the USA’ was written by Bruce Springsteen. 
4. The civilian was shot. 
5. All his credit cards were stolen last week.
6. Some flowers were given to Tina.
7. English is understood by a lot of people. 
8. A secret was told to me. 
9. A song was written by the student.
10. The Mona Lisa was painted by Leonardo Da Vinci. 

Active and Passive voice | Exercises with answers

Click here to download this printable exercise in PDF. Answers are at the bottom of the page.

Exercise 8

Rewrite the following sentences in a passive voice:

Ex:   Everybody admired your last book. → Your last book was admired. (by everybody)

1. They must have left the keys behind.
→ 

2. The spider scared her.
→ 

3. A jellyfish stung her while she was swimming.
→ 

4. Do not leave your bicycle in the hall.
→ 

5. Our neighbors have invited us to dinner.
→ 

6. They gave her a nice present.
→ 

7. Dad promised me a new console.
→ 

8. James will repair the car.
→ 

9. An unknown author wrote the book.
→ 

10. The headmaster will contact you.
→ 

 

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ANSWERS

1. The keys must have been left behind.
2. She was scared by the spider.
3. She was stung by a jellyfish while she was swimming.
4. Bicycles must not be left in the hall.
5. We have been invited to dinner (by our neighbors)
6. She was given a nice present.
7. I was promised a new console.
8. The car will be repaired by James.
9. The book was written by an unknown author.
10. You will be contacted by the headmaster.

Active and Passive voice | Exercises with answers

Click here to download this printable exercise in PDF. Answers are at the bottom of the page.

Exercise 7

Rewrite the following sentences in a passive voice:

Ex:  They are still preparing the food. → The food is still being prepared.

1. We have produced shoes here since 1988.
→ 

2. All students will read the memo.
→ 

3. They haven’t decided anything yet.
→ 

4. The waitress will bring you your drinks in a minute
→ 

5. Someone is knocking at the door.
→ 

6. Dad used a spoon to open the window.
→ 

7. Zidane scored the goal in the 46th minute.
→ 

8. They will launch the new ship next week.
→ 

9. Dad is going to prepare the food.
→ 

10. They could have kicked him out of the nightclub.
→ 

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ANSWERS

1. Shoes have been produced here since 1988.
2. The memo will be read by all students.
3. Nothing has been decided yet.
4. Your drinks will be brought in a minute.
5. The door is being knocked at.
6. A spoon was used to open the window.
7. The goal was scored by Zidane in the 46th minute.
8. The new ship will be launched next week.
9. The food is going to be prepared by dad.
10. He could have been kicked out of the nightclub.

Active and Passive voice | Exercises with answers

Click here to download this printable exercise in PDF. Answers are at the bottom of the page.

Exercise 6

Rewrite the following sentences in a passive voice:

Ex:    Everybody loves him. → He is loved by everybody.

1. The hunter shot the tiger.

→ 

2. Who taught you Japanese?

→ 

3. My boss will send you the email.

→ 

4. She has not cheated anybody.

→ 

5. Have you written the letter?

→ 

6. They have cleaned the room.

→ 

7. The zookeepers have captured the bear in the forest.

→ 

8. He made an incredible discovery.

→ 

9. He wrote an interesting book.

→ 

10. Ms Kamigawa teaches us Japanese.

→ 

11. The teacher helped her.

→ 

12. The police took the thieves to jail.

→ 

13. Sarah rescued two cats.

→ 

14. Have the police caught the man?

→ 

15. The earthquake damaged the building.

→ 

 

---

ANSWERS

1. The tiger was shot by the hunter.
2. By whom were you taught Japanese?
3. You will be sent the email by my boss.
4. Nobody has been cheated by her.
5. Has the letter been written by you?
6. The room has been cleaned by them.
7. The bear has been captured by the zookeepers in the forest.
8. An incredible discovery was made by him.
9. An interesting book was written by him.
10. We are taught Japanese by Ms Kamigawa.
11. She was helped by the teacher.
12. The thieves were taken to jail by the police.
13. Two cats were rescued by Sarah.
14. Has the man been caught by the police?
15. The building was damaged by the earthquake.

Active and Passive voice | Exercises with answers

Click here to download this printable exercise in PDF. Answers are at the bottom of the page.

Exercise 5

Make passive sentences as in the following example:

Ex: Sam lock the door. → The door is locked by Sam.

1. You do not write the letter.
→ 

2. They don’t help you.
→ 

3. He doesn’t open the book.
→ 

4. Does your mum pick you up?
→ 

5. Does the police officer catch the thief?
→ 

6. We set the table.
→ 

7. She pays a lot of money.
→ 

8. I draw a picture.
→ 

9. He opens the door.
→ 

10. They wear green shoes.
→ 

---

ANSWERS

1. The letter is not written by you.
2. You are not helped by them.
3. The book is not opened by him.
4. Are you picked up by your mum?
5. Is the thief caught by the police officer?
6. The table is set by us.
7. A lot of money is paid by her.
8. A picture is drawn by me.
9. The door is opened by him.
10. Green shoes are worn by them.

Active and Passive voice | Exercises with answers

Click here to download this printable exercise in PDF. Answers are at the bottom of the page.

Exercise 4

Rewrite the following sentences in passive voice using the progressive/continuous present tense:

Ex: The workers are repairing the bridge. → The bridge is being repaired by the workers.

1. Tina is drinking a cup of coffee.

→ 

2. My father is washing the car.

→ 

3. Is she preparing the wedding?

→ 

4. Sam is milking the cows.

→ 

5. She is taking a picture of him.

→ 

6. I am writing a poem.

→ 

7. Are they talking about the party?

→ 

8. We are not playing baseball.

→ 

9. He is not wearing a hat.

→ 

10. Is she following the neighbours?

→ 

---

ANSWERS

1. A cup of coffee is being drunk by Tina.
2. The car is being washed by my father.
3. Is the wedding being prepared by her?
4. The cows are being milked by Sam.
5. A picture of him is being taken by her.
6. A poem is being written by me.
7. Is the party being talked about by them?
8. Baseball is not being played by us.
9. A hat is not being worn by him
10. Are the neighbours being followed by her?

Active and Passive voice | Exercises with answers

Click here to download this printable exercise in PDF. Answers are at the bottom of the page.

Exercise 3

Make passive sentences in the present perfect:

Ex: the camera / sell → The camera has been sold.

1. the rent / pay / not
→ 

2. the money / spend
→ 

3. the room / book / not
→ 

4. the people / inform / not
→ 

5. the postcard / send
→ 

6. the pencils / count
→ 

7. the door / close
→ 

8. the trees / plant
→ 

9. the beds / make
→ 

10. the mail / write
→ 

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ANSWERS

1. The rent has not been paid
2. The money has been spent
3. The room has not been booked.
4. The people have not been informed
5. The postcard has been sent
6. The pencils have been counted
7. The door has been closed
8. The trees have been planted
9. The beds have been made
10. The mail has been written

Active and Passive voice | Exercises with answers

Click here to download this printable exercise in PDF. Answers are at the bottom of the page.

Exercise 2

Make passive sentences as in the following example:

Ex: The pig / feed → The pig is fed.

1. the letter / send
→ 

2. the songs / sing / not
→ 

3. the window / open
→ 

4. the food / eat / not
→ 

5. the shop / close / not
→ 

6. the documents / print
→ 

7. the shoes / buy
→ 

8. the car / wash
→ 

9. the litter / throw away
→ 

10. the book / read / not
→ 

---

ANSWERS

1. The letter is sent.
2. The songs are not sung.
3. The window is opened.
4. The food is not eaten.
5. The shop is not closed.
6. The documents are printed.
7. The shoes are bought.
8. The car is washed.
9. The litter is thrown away.
10. The book is not read.

Active and Passive voice | Exercises with answers

Click here to download this printable exercise in PDF. Answers are at the bottom of the page.

Exercise 1

Form passive voice sentences at the appropriate time:

Ex : This Museum / build / in 1886 → This museum was built (ou has been built) in 1886 

1. Sake / make / in Japan
→ 

2. The Euro / use / in France
→ 

3. The butter / keep / in the fridge
→ 

4. The murderer / arrest / policemen / yesterday
→ 

5. The injured / take to a hospital / now
→ 

6. Workers / soon / replace / robots
→ 

7. The emails / send / last week
→ 

8. The soccer match / cancel / yesterday
→ 

9. German / speak / in Switzerland?
→ 

10. My car / repair / at the moment
→ 

ANSWERS

1. Sake is made in Japan.
2. The Euro is used in France.
3. The butter is kept in the fridge.
4. The murderer was arrested (= has been arrested) by policemen yesterday.
5. The injured are being taken to a hospital now.
6. Workers will soon be replaced by robots.
7. The emails were sent (= have been sent) last week.
8. The soccer match was canceled (=has been canceled) yesterday.
9. Is German spoken in Switzerland?
10. My car is being repaired at the moment.

Change active voice to passive voice | Exercises

Click here to download this printable exercise in PDF. Answers are at the bottom of the page.

Put these sentences from active to passive form at the appropriate time:

Ex: Tina took the pen. → The pen was taken by Tina.

1. I have seen a movie.

→ 

2. Sam opens the door.

→ 

3. A thief stole my camera.

→ 

4. Will the mechanic repair the car?

→ 

5. They have not read the message.

→ 

6. Somebody hit me.

→ 

7. You do not write the letter.

→ 

8. Did Paul send the letter?

→ 

9. Kevin will buy a new phone.

→ 

10. You have not sent this email.

→ 

11. Millions of tourists will visit the park.

→ 

12. Your parents don’t help you.

→ 

13. We stopped the train.

→ 

14. My partner will sign the contract.

→ 

15. I have opened the box.

→ 

 

 

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ANSWERS

1. A movie has been seen by me.
2. The door is opened by Sam.
3. My camera was stolen by a thief.
4. Will the car be repaired by the mechanic?
5. The message has not been read by them.
6. I was hit by somebody.
7. The letter is not written by you.
8. Was the letter sent by Paul?
9. A new phone will be bought by Kevin.
10. This email has not been sent by you.
11. The park will be visited by millions of tourists.
12. You are not helped by your parents.
13. The train was stopped by us.
14. The contract will be signed by my partner.
15. The box has been opened by me.