EXERCISES

1. Complete the sentences with the correct passive form of the verbs in brackets. Use the Present Simple.

a. English ____________________ (speak) in many countries.

b. The post ______________________ (deliver) at about 7 o’clock every morning.

c. ______________________________ (the building/use) any more?

d. How often ______________________________ (the Olympic Games(hold)?

e. How _______________________ (your name/spell)?

f. My salary _____________________ (pay) every month.

g. These cars _________________________ (not make) in Japan.

h. The name of the people who committed the crime _____________________ (not know).

i. His travel expenses ________________________ (not pay) by his company.

2. Complete the sentences with the correct passive form of the verbs in brackets. Use the Past Simple.

a. My car ______________________ (repair) last week.

b. This song ________________________ (not write) by John Lennon.

c. ________________________________ (the phone/answer) by a young girl?

d. The film ________________________ (make) ten years ago.

e. When ______________________________ (tennis/invent)?

f. The car ________________________ (not damaged) in the accident.

g. The original building _________________________ (pull) down in 1965.

h. Where ______________________________ (this pot/make)?

i. When _______________________________ (this bridge/build)?

3. Choose the correct form of the verbs in brackets.

FIAT

Fiat 0 was started (started/was started) by a group of Italian businessmen in 1899. In 1903, Fiat, 1_________________ (produced/was produced) 132 cars. Some of these cars 2_____________________ (exported/were exported) by the company to the United States and Britain. In 1920, Fiat 3_________________ (started/was started) making cars at a new factory at Lingotto, near Turin. There was a track on the roof where the cars 4____________________ (tested/were tested) by technicians. In 1936, Fiat launched the Fiat 500. This car 5____________________ (called/was called) the Topolino – the Italian name for Mickey Mouse. The company grew, and in 1963 Fiat 6_____________________ (exported/was exported) more than 300,000 vehicles. Today, Fiat is based in Turin, and its cars 7_________________ (sold/are sold) all over the world.

4. Change the following sentences into passive sentences using the words in brackets.

a. We sell tickets for all shows at the Box Office. (Tickets for all shows/sell/at the Box Office) _________________________________________________________________________________

b. Thomas Edison invented the electric light bulb. (The electric light bulb/invent/by Thomas Edison)

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c. Someone painted the office last week. (The office/paint/last week)

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d. Several people saw the accident. (The accident/see/by several people)

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e. Where do they make these video recorders? (Where/these video recorders/make)

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5. Rewrite these sentences in the passive voice.

a. Someone built this house 200 years ago.

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b. A thief stole my purse.

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c. The police will arrest the robbers.

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d. They produce cars in this factory.

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e. They serve breakfast at eight o’clock every day.

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f. People throw away tones of rubbish every day.

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g. They make coffee in Brazil.

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h. Someone stole Jim’s bike lat night.

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6. Rewrite these sentences in the passive voice.

a. They will build a new bridge next year.

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b. Brian Brody directed The Ultimate Space Adventure.

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c. Pierre Matie will design her costume.

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d. Someone found my wallet.

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e. One of the students broke the window.

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f. They will deliver my computer on Monday.

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g. Mary invited Paul to her birthday party.

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h. British astronomers discovered a new planet.

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7. Form the question.

a. Paper is made from wood. Is paper made from wood ?

b. The telephone was invented by Mr Bell. ___________________________________________?

c. This picture was painted by Peter. ___________________________________________?

d. The thieves will be arrested by the police. ___________________________________________?

e. Champagne is made in France. ___________________________________________?

f. The letters will be sent next week. ___________________________________________?

g. The animals are fed three times a day. ___________________________________________?

h. This article was written by Stanley. ___________________________________________?

i. CDs are made of plastic. ___________________________________________?

j. The party was organised by Paul. ___________________________________________?

8. Read and complete. Use Past Simple.

a. The toothbrush / invent / in the 15th century.

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b. The first public basketball game / play / in 1892.

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c. The first eyeglasses / wear / in the 1200s.

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d. The first bicycle / ride in 1791.

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e. The first hot dog / eat / in the 1860s.

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f. The first CDs / sell / in the 1980s.

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g. The first electric guitar / play / in 1923.

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h. The first computer mouse / use / 1964.

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9. Complete with the passive. Use Present Simple.

a. This programme _______________________ (watch) by millions of people.

b. Paper __________________________ (make) from wood.

c. Hundreds of people _______________________ (kill) in accidents every year.

d. London __________________________ (visit) by thousands of tourists every year.

e. The biology class _________________________ (teach) by Mr Green.

f. English _____________________ (speak) all over the world.

g. Lunch _____________________ (serve) at twelve o’clock.

h. Books _____________________ (write) by authors.

10. Put the verbs in brackets into Past Simple Passive.

Two men _________________________ (see) breaking into a house in my street last night. The police _____________________ (call) and they arrived very quickly. One man _____________________ (catch) immediately. The other escaped, but he ______________________ (find) very soon. Both men _____________________ (take) to the police station where they _________________________ (question) separately by a police officer. The two men ________________________ (charge) with burglary.

11. Rewrite the following passage in the Passive.

Somebody has stolen a bus from outside the school. Some children saw the thief. The police are searching for the bus now. They will use the children’s descriptions to catch the thief.

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17. Turn from Active to Passive.

a. Someone is helping her with the housework.

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b. The mail-order company sent Mrs Green a parcel.

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c. My friend sent me an invitation.

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d. The secretary has given Mrs Jones some letters.

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e. The traffic warden had already given him a ticket for illegal parking.

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f. John gave Elizabeth that beautiful ring.

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g. Her students have sent her flowers.

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h. He must give the message to the right person.

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i. We teach our students English and French.

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j. Someone bought flowers for the bride.

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k. They showed the tourists the sights of Athens.

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l. They pay her an excellent salary.

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m. They paid the artist £1,000 for his painting.

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18. Rewrite these sentences in the passive voice.

1. They sell oysters in the shop next door.

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2. They haven’t delivered the food yet.

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3. Shakespeare wrote King Lear.

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4. They have to answer the questions on this sheet.

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5. Has anybody put the cases upstairs?

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6. Someone should take this rubbish away.

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7. They’ll ask you a lot of questions.

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8. Someone’s going to send her some flowers.

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