Form

The Passive of an
active verb is formed by
putting the auxiliary verb
TO BE into the same
tense as the active verb
and adding the Past
Participle of the main
verb.
The object of the active voice becomes the subject in the new sentence. The subject of the active voice becomes the
agent of the passive sentence. The agent can be omitted when it is unknown, unimportant or obvious from the context.
The active-passive correspondence can be seen in the diagram:

The hospital provides the best possible medical care.

(Active Subject) (Active Verb) (Active Object)

The best possible medical care is provided by the hospital.

(Passive Subject) (Passive Verb) (By-phrase - agent- Optional)

Verb Tenses Active Passive

Present Simple provide/provides am/is/are provided
Past Simple Provided was/were provided
Present Continuous am/is/are providing am/is/are being provided
Past Continuous was/were providing was/were being provided
Present Perfect have/has provided have/has been provided
Future Simple will provide will be provided
Conditional would provide would be provided
Modal Verbs can provide can be provided

 The subject form of the personal pronouns, used in active voice, turn into the object form in the passive voice.
I decorated this flat.
This flat was decorated by me.

PERSONAL PRONOUNS
Subject form Object form
I Me
You You
He Him
She Her
It It
We Us
They Them

-----------------------------------------------------------EXERCISES ----------------------------------------------------------
1. Complete the table:
Verb Tenses Active
Present Simple I interview the actor.
She doesn’t clean the car.
Past Simple We visited Paris.
They didn’t see the painting.
Present Continuous Mary is writing a book.
Past Continuous We were washing the car.
Present Perfect Electricity has improved life.
They haven’t bought a sofa.
Passive
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
 Future Simple They will help people. _______________________________________________
He won’t find a job. _______________________________________________
Conditional She would call the secretary.
Modal Verbs You should clean your room.

2. Rewrite the sentences starting as suggested.

a) The Egyptians built the Pyramids. (Past Simple)

The Pyramids ____________________________________________________.
b) Over 400 million people speak English.(Present Simple)
English _________________________________________________________.
c) They must read the messages.
The messages __________________________________________________________.
d) Edison invented the electric bulb.
The electric bulb_______________________________________________________.
e) America attacked Iraq some years ago.
Iraq _____________________________________________________________.
f) They didn’t take the jewels.
The jewels ____________________________________________________________.
g) Helen and Susan visited all these places.
All these places______________________________________________________.
h) A fisherman saved his life.
His life______________________________________________________________.
i) The teacher doesn’t punish the students.
The students _________________________________________________________.
j) The storm is causing a lot of damage
A lot of____________________________________________________________.
k) Someone has stolen Kate’s new car.
Kate’s new car_______________________________________________________.
l) He mustn’t answer the questions.
The questions___________________________________________________________.
m) The Parkers haven’t bought a video camera.
A video______________________________________________________________.
n) Anne is selling the house.
The house _____________________________________________________________.
o) They will wash the car.
The car_______________________________________________________________.
p) They can invite Sarah to the party.
Sarah________________________________________________________________.
q) I couldn’t write the letters yesterday.
The letters ____________________________________________________________.
r) The teacher collects all the exam papers.
All the exam papers_________________________________________________________.
s) They didn’t break the table.
The table______________________________________________________________.
t) A car ran over our dog.
Our dog______________________________________________________________.
u) She has answered my question.
My question____________________________________________________________.
v) The police won’t investigate the murder.
The murder_____________________________________________________________.
w) Volunteers would clean up the long beach.
The long beach______________________________________________________.
x) They were writing a book.
A book ____________________________________________________________.

Rewrite these sentences in the PASSIVE VOICE. Write QUESTIONS using the PASSIVE.
1 2
Some are Present some are Past. Omit the by phrase. Use these Question words: when, what ( for ),
where, how, how much, how often.