Passives

Exercises

1) Underline the correct answer:

a) English speaks / spoken / is spoken in Australia.

b) I studied / was studied French for three years at school.

c) We spent / was spent too much money on holiday.

d) This window broke / was broken by your little boy.

e) Her clothes made / are made in Paris.

f) This book written / was written by my mother.

g) The new university will open / will opened / will be opened by the Prime
Minister.

h) Ann was driving / was driven much too fast, and she stopped / was
stopped by the police.

2) Put simple present passive verbs into these sentences:

a) A lot of olive oil _______________ in Greek cooking. (use)

b) Arabic _______________ from right to left. (write)

c) Those programmes _______________ by millions of people every week.

(watch)

d) Stamps _______________ in most newsagents in Britain. (sell)

e) The police say that nothing _______________ about the child’s family.
(know)

f) In English, ‘ough’ _______________ in a lot of different ways. (pronounce)

g) Spanish _______________ in Peru. (speak)

h) Cricket _______________ by two teams of eleven players. (play)

i) Our windows _______________ once a month. (clean)

3) Make simple present negatives and questions:

a) ‘Jaguar cars _______________ in America.’ (not make)

 ‘Where _______________?’ (make) ‘In the UK.’

b) ‘My name _______________ with a Y.’ (not spell)

‘How _______________?’ (spell) ‘L-E-S-L-I-E.’

c) ‘That kind of bird _______________ around here.’ (not usually see)

‘Where _______________?’ (see) ‘In warmer countries.’

d) Where _______________ like were.’ (not pronounce)

How _______________?’ (pronounce) ‘Like wear.’

e) ‘Diamonds _______________ in Scotland.’ (not find)

‘Where _______________?’ (find) ‘In South Africa for example.’

f) ‘My sister _______________ very well.’ (not pay)

‘How much _______________?’ (pay) ‘I don’t remember.’

4) Make future passive sentences with the verbs from the box:

clean / close / finish / open / send / speak

a) The motorway _______________ for three days.

b) The museum _______________ by the Queen.

c) One day, English _______________ everywhere.

d) This job _______________ in a few days.

e) Your room _______________ while you’re out.

f) Your tickets _______________ to you next week.

5) Make future passive negatives and questions:

a) ‘The football match _______________ on Saturday.’ (not play)

‘When _______________?’ (play) ‘On Sunday.’

b) ‘The visitors _______________ to the hotel by bus.’ (not take)

‘How _______________?’ (take) ‘By taxi.’

c) ‘The new library _______________ in the Central Square.’ (not build)

‘Where _______________?’ (build) ‘Behind the police station.’

d) English _______________ at the conference.’ (not speak)

‘What language _______________?’ (speak) ‘Chinese.’

6) Make five future passive sentences from the table.

Next year A small man

in a raincoat
bed Clean
A black cat
Tomorrow bike Cook
Two old
breakfast Do ladies
Next week food Eat A beautiful
clothes Make by woman

Tonight dinner Send to People from

Canada another
glasses world
Steal
One day house The President
Wash
room A big dog
Take away
In 20 years work Your old
friend Peter

A machine

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

7) Put simple past passive verbs into these sentences:

a) Our passports _______________ by a tall woman in a uniform. (take)

b) These books _______________ in the classroom yesterday. (leave)

c) I don’t think this room _______________ yesterday. (clean)

d) We _______________ at the airport by a driver from the university. (meet)

e) Nobody _______________ what was happening. (tell)

f) He _______________ away to school when he was twelve. (send)

8) Make simple past passive negatives and questions:

a) ‘We _______________ when we finished the work.’ (not pay)

‘When _______________?’ (pay) ‘Two months later.’

b) ‘My father _______________ in England.’ (not educate)

‘Where _______________?’ (educate) ‘In Germany.’

c) ‘The letters _______________ on Tuesday.’ (not post)

‘When _______________?’ (post) ‘On Thursday.’

d) ‘This _______________ in butter.’ (not cook)

‘How _______________?’ (cook) ‘In margarine.’

e) ‘My suit _______________ in England.’ (not make)

‘Where _______________?’ (make) ‘In Hong Kong.’

f) ‘The restaurant bill _______________ in cash.’ (not pay)

How _______________?’ (pay) ‘With a credit card.’

9) Questions and answers. Use the words in the box to complete answers to
the questions. Use the present continuous passive.

Grass/cut - I/send – It/clean – My hair/cut – She/interview – Watch/repair

Example: Can we play on the football pitch? No, the grass is being cut.

a) Can’t you wear your blue suit tonight? No, _______________.

b) Did Alice get that new job? Not yet, _______________ today.

c) What time is it? Sorry, I don’t know. _______________.

d) Why the big smile? _______________ to Hawaii for a week.

e) I usually read a magazine while _______________.

10) Put the verbs into the present perfect passive:

a) A new university _______________ in Kew today by the Prince of Wales.
(open)

b) Lord Retlaw _______________ for drunk driving. (arrest)

c) An old painting from a school in Wales _______________ for $250,000 by an

American museum. (buy)

d) An 18-year-old soldier _______________ in an accident in Devon. (kill)

e) The two lost children _______________ alive and well in a London park.
(find)

f) An unknown actor _______________ to star in the new film of Macbeth.

(choose)

11) Put the beginnings and ends together:

1) Jack has been promised a trip to a) to finish our English homework.

Mexico

2) Ann has been shown several b) while mine is being repaired.

houses

3) We’ve been given three days c) but she hasn’t seen one she likes.

4) I was sent an invitation to Alex’s d) if he passes his exams.

party

5) I’m being lent a new car e) but I don’t think I’ll go.

12) Make two sentences with each set of words. Use the simple past
passive:

Example: lend / everyone / skis / for the day – Everyone was lent skis for the
day. / Skis were lent to everyone for the day.

a) give / the younger children / picture books -

b) lend / Anna and Joe / a car / by the Watsons -

c) promise / Nathan / a new computer -

d) send / some people / two invitations / by mistake -

e) show / most of us / a film about Wales -

13) Make simple past passive negatives and questions:

Example: My class / not give / a test – My class wasn’t given a test.

Who was given a test? / Was anybody given a test?

a) Cathy / not promise / a place –

b) We / not give / enough time –

c) John / not show / the hall –

d) I / not give / an explanation –

14) Complete each sentence with by… and the best expression from the
box:

A farmer / a tree / loud music / my granddaughter / a committee / the

government

a) The name of the new school is being decided _______________ of parents

and governors.

b) Most of the cost of university education is paid _______________.

c) All the neighbors were woken up _______________ coming from the flat.

d) I’m being taught how to use a computer _______________.

e) A big box of Roman jewellery has been found in a field _______________ in

Kent.

f) The window was broken _______________ that fell over in the storm.

15) Ask past questions with Who … by?

Example: Look at this beautiful photo. (take) – Who was it taken by?

a) Dune is my favorite science fiction movie. (write) -

b) Do you remember that song ‘Over the Rainbow’? (sing) -

c) That’s a wonderful picture. (paint) -

d) Casablanca is the greatest film of all time. (direct) -

e) Our village school is a beautiful building. (build) -

f) I really like the name of the new school. (choose) -

16) We only use by… if it is really necessary. 80% of passive sentences are
made without by…. Cross out the expression in italics if you feel it gives no
useful information:

a) A 54-year-old accountant was arrested for drunk driving last night by the
police.

b) ‘Romeo and Juliet’ was written by Shakespeare.

c) All of these birds have been seen in Britain by people who watch birds.

d) Everest was first climbed in 1953 by mountain climbers.

e) This house was built by Frank Lloyd Wight.

f) My sister’s books have been translated into thirty languages by

translators.

g) Sugar is made from sugar cane and sugar beet by sugar companies.

h) This letter wasn’t written by an English person.

17) Make active and passive sentences:

Example: Shakespeare / ‘Hamlet’ / 1601 / write

Write about Shakespeare: Shakespeare wrote ‘Hamlet’ in 1601.

Write about ‘Hamlet’: ‘Hamlet’ was written by Shakespeare in

1601.

a) this sweater / Ann’s mother / make.

Write about Ann’s mother:

Write about this sweater:

b) Janet / the electricity bill / last week / pay

Write about Janet:

Write about the electricity bill:

c) the first television / J.L.Baird / 1924 / build

Write about the first television:

Write about J.L. Baird:

18) Underline the best way to continue:

a) This ice cream has a very unusual taste. I think someone makes it with
coconut milk. / I think it’s made with coconut milk.

b) Rice is important in Cajun cooking. People serve it with every meal. / It’s
served with every meal.

c) Barry is very good to his parents. He visits them 2 or 3 times a week. /

They are visited by him 2 or 3 times a week.

d) Carlo Vane is very popular at the moment. They play his songs on the
radio every day. / His songs are played on the radio every day.

e) Alice is a very good poet. She won a national poetry prize last year. / A
national poetry prize was won by her last year.

19) Put each verb into the simple present passive or active:

Gorillas (find) __________ in several countries in Central Africa. They are

about 1.60 meters tall, and they (cover) __________ with black or brown hair.

Gorillas’ lives (spend) __________ in groups. Each group (have) __________ 5 to

10 gorillas in it. The gorillas in a group (walk) __________ about 0.5 to 1.0 km
per day, looking for food. They (not eat) __________ all the eaves in one part
of the forest before moving on; some leaves (leave) __________ on the trees
and plants. At night gorillas (sleep) __________ in nests; these nests (make)
__________ of branches and leaves.

The number of gorillas living in Africa today (not know) __________ but it is
certain that this number is getting smaller. Why? Because in the countries
where the gorillas (live) __________, more and more trees (cut down)
__________ every year.