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."
Done.
Score: 0/12
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)
