Forming Passive Sentences

Normal sentences in English are in the active voice.

In active sentences, the subject of the sentence is the actor of the verb or the doer of the
action. In the above sentence, the subject Bill is the actor of the verb or the one who kicked
the ball. The direct object the ball is the receiver of the verb action.

 Bill kicked the ball.

In passive sentences, the subject of the sentence is the receiver of the action.

 The ball was kicked by Bill.

In the above sentence, the ball is the receiver of the action and is the subject of the sentence.
Bill, the actor of the verb is the object of the preposition by.

Steps to Form a Passive Sentence

To form a passive sentence from an active sentence:

1. Move the receiver of the action from the direct object position of the sentence to the
subject position of the sentence.
2. Insert the verb BE in agreement in number with the new subject and in the
appropriate tense.
3. Change the verb to its past participle form.
4. Optionally place the actor of the verb in the object position after the preposition by.
 The boys ate the pie.
 The pie was eaten (by the boys).

Tense Active Voice Passive Voice

Present The boys eat the pie. The pie is eaten by the boys .
Present
The boys are eating the pie. The pie is being eaten by the boys.
progressive
Present perfect The boys have eaten the pie. The pie has been eaten by the boys.
Past The boys ate the pie. The pie was eaten by the boys.
Past progressive The boys were eating the pie. The pie was being eaten by the boys.
Past perfect The boys had eaten the pie. The pie had been eaten by the boys.
Future The boys will eat the pie. The pie will be eaten by the boys.
The boys are going to eat the The pie is going to be eaten by the
Future
pie. boys.
The boys will have eaten the The pie will have been eaten by the
Future perfect
pie. boys.

1
Passive voice

Change into the passive voice using the person as a subject, without the agent.
Example: - He gave me a book ...I was given a book.

1. He told me a strange story.

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2. He has shown us his new car.

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3. He will promise Jane a big diamond ring.

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4. I paid him €200 for his job.

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5. We gave them plenty of work.

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6. Somebody will send you a Valentine card.

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7. I told him the whole story.

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8. The doctor had spared them no details.

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9. They are telling him the whole thing.

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2
PASSIVE VOICE

Put in the correct form of the verb in Passive into the gaps. Use the verb and the tense given in
brackets.

Example:
A letter __________ by Peter. (to write - Simple Present)

Answer:
A letter is written by Peter.

1) The words ___________________________ by the teacher today. (to explain - Simple

Present)

2) We ___________________________a letter the day before yesterday. (to send - Simple

Past)

3) This car ___________________. It's too old. (not/to steal - will-future)

4) This street __________________________ because of snow. (already/to close - Present

Perfect)

5) A new restaurant _______________________________ next week. (to open - will-future)

6) He _______________________________ to the party yesterday. (to invite - Simple Past)

7) The blue box ______________________________ . (can/not/to see - Simple Present)

8) I ___________________________________ the book by my friend last Sunday. (to give -

Simple Past)

9) The dishes ________________________________ by my little brother. (not/to wash -

Present Perfect)

10) I ________________________________by Robert. (not/to ask - will-future)

3
Rewrite the sentences using Passive voice.
Example: Answer:
Peter writes a letter. A letter is written. or
_________________ A letter is written by Peter.

1) Julia rescued three cats.

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2) The students handed in the reports.

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3) Maria crashed into the blue car.

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4) Alex learned the poem.

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5) Steven has forgotten the book.

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6) The mechanic has not repaired the DVD recorder.

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7) They play handball.

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8) Sue puts the rucksack on the floor.

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9) The girls had lost the match.

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10) The teacher is not going to open the window.

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4
Transform the following sentences into the active form:

1. I'm told (by John) that you're thinking of leaving.

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2. I was told (by John) that you were leaving.

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3. I have been told (by John) that you were leaving.

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4. I had already been told (by John) that you were leaving

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5. I am always being told (by John) that you are leaving.

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6. I was always being told (by John) that you were leaving.

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7. John will be told (by me) that you are leaving.

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8. By tomorrow, John will have been told that you are leaving.

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9. Paula was called on to explain her reasons for the proposed changes (by the committee).

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10. When I was young, I was looked after by my aunt and uncle.
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11. He was operated on for nearly 12 hours.

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12. His decision was approved by all his relatives.

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