Can you use the passive voice correctly? Take a moment to do this exercise.
Fill in the blanks with an appropriate passive verb form.
1They are painting the walls. (Active) / The walls ................ (Passive)
Wrong!
The present continuous passive form is "are being painted" for a plural subject.
2He closed the door. (Active) / The door ............... by him. (Passive)
Wrong!
The simple past passive form is "was closed" for the singular subject "the door."
3The loan recovery officials sealed the house. (Active) / The house ............... by the loan recovery officials. (Passive)
Wrong!
The simple past passive form is "was sealed" for the singular subject "the house."
4I have cleaned the carpets. (Active) / The carpets ................ (Passive)
Wrong!
The present perfect passive form is "have been cleaned" for the plural subject "the carpets."
5I had sent the parcel in the morning. (Active) / The parcel ............... in the morning. (Passive)
Wrong!
The past perfect passive form is "had been sent."
6You should post this letter. (Active) / This letter ................ (Passive)
Wrong!
The passive form after a modal is "should be posted."
7They will announce the results tomorrow. (Active) / The results ............... tomorrow. (Passive)
Wrong!
The simple future passive form is "will be announced."
8I have fed the dog. (Active) / The dog ................ (Passive)
Wrong!
The present perfect passive form is "has been fed" for the singular subject "the dog."
9We will have finished the work by Monday. (Active) / The work ............... by Monday. (Passive)
Wrong!
The future perfect passive form is "will have been finished."
10The reporter is announcing the news. (Active) / The news ................ (Passive)
Wrong!
The present continuous passive form is "is being announced" for the singular subject "the news."
11They took the patient to the hospital in an ambulance. (Active) / The patient ............... to the hospital in an ambulance. (Passive)
Wrong!
The simple past passive form is "was taken."
12I bought food at the restaurant. (Active) / Food ............... at the restaurant. (Passive)
Wrong!
The simple past passive form is "was bought" for the uncountable noun "food."
Answers
- They are painting the walls. (Active) / The walls are being painted . (Passive)
- He closed the door. (Active) / The door was closed by him. (Passive)
- The loan recovery officials sealed the house. (Active) / The house was sealed by the loan recovery officials. (Passive)
- I have cleaned the carpets. (Active) / The carpets have been cleaned . (Passive)
- I had sent the parcel in the morning. (Active) / The parcel had been sent in the morning. (Passive)
- You should post this letter. (Active) / This letter should be posted . (Passive)
- They will announce the results tomorrow. (Active) / The results will be announced tomorrow. (Passive)
- I have fed the dog. (Active) / The dog has been fed . (Passive)
- We will have finished the work by Monday. (Active) / The work will have been finished by Monday. (Passive)
- The reporter is announcing the news. (Active) / The news is being announced . (Passive)
- They took the patient to the hospital in an ambulance. (Active) / The patient was taken to the hospital in an ambulance. (Passive)
- I bought food at the restaurant. (Active) / Food was bought at the restaurant. (Passive)