Name: ______________________________

Date: _______________________________

A verb is said to be in the active voice when the subject does the action. Forms of verb “Be”:
A verb is said to be in the passive voice when the sentence shows what is (present) = am, is , are
done to the subject. (past) = was, were
To change the active verb into passive, (1) use the verb “be” in the right (present participle) = being
tense (as the tense of the active verb) and the past participle of the main (past participle) = been
verb.
Example: It ate cheese.  Cheese was eaten. The past participle of a verb is:
verb + ed (regular verbs)
decide  decided
b) Practice changing the underlined active verbs into passive. 3 column in the list of
rd

James sent a letter.  A letter was sent by James. irregular verbs

eat  eaten
Joe washes the car.  The car _______________ by Joe.
Someone called the doctor.  The doctor __________________.
Write the past participle of
Lana is watching a movie. A movie _____________________.
the verbs:
Mr. Adams will do the job.  The job _____________________. paint: ______________
The students have written a test.  A test ___________________. write: ______________
The child was reading a story.  A story ___________________. buy: _______________
I returned the books.  The books ________________________. try: ________________
create: _____________
We must keep fruit fresh.  Fruit ____________________ fresh.
drive: ______________
The flood destroyed the dam.  The dam _________________.
draw: ______________
Kim can play the guitar.  The guitar ____________________. wash: ______________
Sarah collects stamps.  Stamps ________________________. catch: ______________
Dad always fixes the car.  The car ______________________.
Mat threw the garbage.  The garbage ___________________.

subjectverbobjectcomplimentTake this sentence as an example:The huntershotthe birdsyesterday.Use

the object of the active verb as the subject of the passive sentence.
The birds …
Note: If the verb is a pronoun, make sure to change it to a subject pronoun.
me  Ihim  heher  shethem  theyus  weMake the active verb passive. Use verb “to be” with the
past participle of the main verb.
REMEMBER: DO NOT CHANGE TENSE.
The birds were shot …
The new passive verb must agree in number with the new subject.
The huntershotthe birds …The birdswere shot…singularsingular verbpluralpluralplural verbNotice
how the verb agrees with its subject.
 Note: Never use (do, does, or did) with the passive voice. See the examples:
ActivePassiveThey didn’t ring the bell.The bell wasn’t rung.They didn’t ring the bells.The bells
weren’t rung.They don’t ring the bell.The bell isn’t rung.They don’t ring the bells.The bells aren’t
rung.Did they call me?Was I called?Do they know me?Am I known?
Add the rest of the sentence.

The birds were shot yesterday.

Make the subject of the active sentence, the agent of the passive sentence by adding “by” followed by the
subject.
The birds were shot yesterday by the hunter.
Note: Don’t write the subject 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).

c) Change the following sentences from active into passive.

Active Passive1. The students could solve the problem.2. Shakespeare wrote
“Hamlet”.3. A snake has never bitten me.4. The policeman arrested the thief.5. The postman
is going to deliver the letters.6. Mary buys many shoes every year.7. The students need two
buses today.8. They will close the shop.9. They should have planned the expedition.10. He
will be preparing food for the visitors.11. Braille had developed a reading system.12. You
should see a doctor.13. The pirates found a treasure.14. Lara and Joe are checking the
mail.15. Someone will take the package tomorrow.16. Sam is going to leave the case
here.17. Judy has been decorating the office.18. The mechanic hasn’t repaired the car.19. A
maid always cleans the rooms.
d) Change the negative sentences and the questions from active to passive.
Active Passive1. Did Andy cook the dinner?Was the dinner cooked by Andy?2. Do
you speak French here?3. We haven’t seen the missing child again.4. Is Tim trimming the
grass?5. Will John put the money in the bank?6. Does Jack set the table every day?7. Did
the child kiss her on the check?8. They won’t wipe the floor.9. The Smiths don’t invite us to
their parties.10. Can you drive trucks easily?11. They didn’t evacuate the building.12. He
won’t be seeing her anymore.13. Would you take the kids to the cinema?14. Sally hadn’t
designed this model.15. He couldn’t remember the accident.

Active and passive in sentences that take two objects; a direct and indirect object:
Someonegaveme an award.Either an indirect object or a direct object may become the subject of a
passive sentence. subjectverbindirect objectdirect objectPassive (1): I was given an award.
Passive (2): An award was given to me.When the direct object becomes the subject, use “to” before
the indirect object.
e) Now practice changing the sentences with two objects from active to passive.
Active Passive1. The teacher handed me the report.2. My friend always sends me
emails.3. The company paid Jake six hundred dollars.4. Will Peter give Lana a present?5.
The university awarded Tim a scholarship.6. Someone is teaching her Spanish.7. The court
had denied the criminal his rights.8. The salesman showed him some samples.9. Grandpa
sends us presents all the time.10. Mr. Adams may teach us biology.
A Chart for changing verbs from active to passive with all tenses.
Note that all the passive verbs are formed with BE + Past Participle (main verb)
Tense Active Passive
 The crime shocks me.  I am shocked by the crime.
Present
 The crime shocks Jake.  Jake is shocked by the crime.
Simple
 The crime shocks us.  We are shocked by the crime.

Present  The crime is shocking me.  I am being shocked by the crime.

Continuous  The crime is shocking us.  We are being shocked by the crime.
 The crime shocked me.  I was shocked by the crime.
Past Simple
 The crime shocked  We were shocked by the crime.

Past  The crime was shocking me.  I was being shocked by the murder.
Continuous  The crime was shocking us.  We are being shocked by the murder.

Present  Jake has mailed the letter.  The letter has been mailed by Jake.
Perfect  Jake has mailed the letters.  The letters have been mailed by Jake.
 Jake had mailed the letter.  The letter had been mailed by Jake.
Past Perfect
 Jake had mailed the letters.  The letters had been mailed by Jake.
 Jake will mail the letter.  The letter will be mailed by Jake.
Future
 Jake is going to mail the letter.  The letter is going to be mailed by Jake.
Simple
 Jake is going to mail the letters.  The letters are going to be mailed by Jake.

Future  Jake will have mailed the letter.  The letter will have been mailed by Jake.
Perfect  Jake will have mailed the letters.  The letters will have been mailed by Jake.
 Jake can mail the letter.  The letter can be mailed by Jake.
 Jake could mail the letters.  The letters could be mailed by Jake.
 Jake may mail the letter.  The letter may be mailed by Jake.
 Jake might mail the letters.  The letters might be mailed by Jake.
 Jake should mail the letter.  The letter should be mailed by Jake.
Modals
 Jake must mail the letters.  The letters must be mailed by Jake.
 Jake would mail the letter.  The letter would be mailed by Jake.
 Jake has to mail the letter.  The letter has to be mailed by Jake.
 Jake has to mail the letters.  The letters have to be mailed by Jake.
 Jake ought to mail the letter.  The letter ought to be mailed by Jake.