Complete the following sentences using appropriate active or passive verb forms. Choose your answers from the given options.
1The problem ............... to the children.
Wrong!
Use the passive past simple because the problem received the action: "was explained".
2Those pyramids ............... around 400 AD.
Wrong!
Use the passive past simple with the plural subject "pyramids": "were built".
3All the trouble ............... by your mother.
Wrong!
Use the passive past simple before the agent phrase "by your mother": "was caused".
4The visitors ............... a collection of old manuscripts.
Wrong!
Use the passive past simple because the visitors received the action: "were shown".
5I ............... him ten thousand pounds last year.
Wrong!
Use the active past simple with the time expression "last year": "lent".
6She ............... of spiders.
Wrong!
Use the passive adjective phrase to describe her feeling: "is frightened".
7That picture ............... by my grandmother.
Wrong!
Use the passive past simple before the agent phrase "by my grandmother": "was painted".
8I ............... by his attitude.
Wrong!
Use the passive past simple to describe how the attitude affected the speaker: "was shocked".
9Excuse the mess. The house ...............
Wrong!
Use the present continuous passive for an action happening now: "is being painted".
10I knew why I ...............
Wrong!
Use the past perfect passive because the speaker received the choice before the knowing: "had been chosen".
Answers
- The problem was explained to the children.
- Those pyramids were built around 400 AD.
- All the trouble was caused by your mother.
- The visitors were shown a collection of old manuscripts.
- I lent him ten thousand pounds last year.
- She is frightened of spiders.
- That picture was painted by my grandmother.
- I was shocked by his attitude.
- Excuse the mess. The house is being painted.
- I knew why I had been chosen.
