Passive Voice: Write the following sentences in the PASSIVE Voice

1. Bad weather has delayed the trains. The trains have been delayed.

2. Someone had informed the police about the planned robbery. The police had been
informed about the planned robbery.

3. Charles Dickens wrote Bleak House. Bleak House was written (by Charles Dickens).

4. Someone has stolen my watch. My watch has been stolen.

5. A piece of string held up his trousers. His trousers were held up (by a piece of string).

6. He broke his leg in a skiing accident. His leg was broken (in a skiing accident).

7. Jack is taking Sandra out for a ride in his new car. Sandra is being taken out for a ride (in
Jack’s new car).

8. While we are away, the neighbours will water our plants. Our plants will be watered by the
neighbours while we are away. OR While we are away, our plants will be watered (by the
neighbours).

9. People play football in most countries of the world. Football is played in most countries of
the world.

10. We clean the garages every day. The garages are cleaned every day.

11. Someone has given him a lot of money. He has been given a lot of money.

12. The police arrested two hundred people. Two hundred people were arrested (by the
police).

13. We check every car engine thoroughly. Every car engine is checked thoroughly.

14. We export this computer to seventy different countries. This computer is exported to
seventy different countries.

15. They have cancelled the meeting. The meeting has been cancelled.

16. We opened the factory at nine o’clock. The factory was opened at nine o’ clock.

17. They send two million books to America every year. Two million books are sent to America
every year.

18. We have invited all the students in the school. All the students in the school have been
invited.

19. We have told him not to be late again. He has been told not to be late again.

20. They posted all the letters yesterday. All the letters were posted yesterday.

21. The machine wraps the bread automatically. The bread is wrapped automatically.

22. Fortunately, they didn’t damage the machinery. Fortunately, the machinery wasn’t
damaged.

23. We send the newspaper to Scotland by train. The newspaper is sent to Scotland by train.

24. Someone took all the money from the cashier’s desk. All the money was taken from the
cashier’s desk.

25. The company has decided to close the office on Thursday. It has been decided that the
office will be closed on Thursday.

26. Mr. Johnson will give a speech at the meeting. A speech will be given at the meeting.
27. Someone is meeting Janet at the airport. Janet will be met at the airport.

28. We know nothing about the missing jewellery. Nothing is known about the missing
jewellery.

29. You usually sign a cheque with a pen, not with a pencil. A cheque is usually signed with a
pen, not with a pencil.

30. They recorded her singing live at a night-club. Her singing was recorded live at a night-
club.

31. We have to organise our party. Our party has to be organized.

32. We should invite the guests this week. The guests should be invited this week.

33. We will have to telephone some of them. Some of them will have to be telephoned.

34. We have to buy all the food. All the food will have to be bought.

35. We have to put up the decorations. The decorations have to be put up.

36. We have to wrap the presents. The presents have to be wrapped.

37. We have to find a baby-sitter. A baby-sitter has to be found.

38. We have to cook a turkey for a long time. A turkey has to be cooked for a long time.

39. People should send their complaints to the head office. Complaints should be sent to the
head office.

40. They had to postpone the meeting because of illness. The meeting had to be postponed
because of illness.

41. Somebody might have stolen your car if you had left the keys in it. Your car might have
been stolen if you had left the keys in it.

42. An electrical fault could have caused the fire. The fire could have been caused by an
electrical fault.

43. They are going to hold next year’s congress in San Francisco. Next year’s congress is
going to be held in San Francisco.

44. They shouldn’t have played the football match in such bad weather. The football match
shouldn’t have been played in such bad weather.

45. The milkman brings the milk to my door but the postman leaves the letters in the hall.
The milk is brought to my door but the letters are left in the hall.

46. In future, perhaps, they won’t bring letters to the houses, and we shall have to collect
them from the Post Office In the future, perhaps, letters won’t be brought to the houses, and
they will have to be collected from the post office.

47. People steal things from supermarkets every day; someone stole twenty bottles of whisky
from this one last week. Things are stolen from supermarkets every day; twenty bottles were
stolen from this one last week.

48. The postman clears this box three times a week. This box is cleared three times a week.

49. Someone turned on a light in the hall and opened the door. A light was turned on in the
hall and the door was opened.

50. Women clean this office in the evening after the staffs have left. This office is cleaned in
the evening after the staff have left.

51. We never saw him in the dining-room. He was never seen in the dining-room.
52. Passengers leave all sorts of things in buses. The conductors collect them and send them
to the Lost Property Office. All sorts of things are left in buses. They are collected and sent to
the Lost Property Office.

53. An ambulance took the sick man to hospital. The sick man was taken to hospital.

54. We kill and injure people on the roads every day. Can’t we do something about this?
People are killed and injured on the roads every day. Can’t something be done about this?

55. Dogs guard the warehouse. The warehouse is guarded (by dogs).

56. The watchman called the police. The police arrested the man. The police were called (by
the watchman). The man was arrested (by the police).

57. Tom had only a slight injury and they helped him off the field. Tom had only a slight injury
and he was helped off the field.

58. You can’t wash this dress; you must dry-clean it. This dress can’t be washed; it must be
dry-cleaned.

59. They are demolishing the entire block. The entire block is being demolished.

60. He recommends fitting new tyres. (Use SHOULD) New tires should be fitted.

61. Men with slide rules used to do these calculations; now a computer does them. These
calculations used to be done by men with slide rules. Now they are done by a computer.

62. The court tried the man, found him guilty and sent him to prison. He was tried, found
guilty, and sent to prison.

63. The hall porter polishes the knockers of all the flats every day. The knockers of all the
flats are polished every day.

64. They are repairing my piano at the moment. My piano is being repaired at the moment.

65. They invited Jack, but they didn’t invite John. Jack was invited, but John wasn’t.

66. The guests ate all the sandwiches and drank all the beer. They left nothing. All the
sandwiches were eaten and all the beer was drunk. Nothing was left.

67. Why did no one inform me of the change of plan? Why wasn’t I informed of the change of
plan?

68. Newspapers never tell the complete truth. The complete truth is never told by
newspapers.

69. My friend lent me a hundred pounds. I was lent a hundred pounds.

70. They accepted our offer before Friday. Our offer was accepted before Friday.

71. You never put on your coat. Your coat was never put on.

72. The cook roasted the meat in the oven. The meat was roasted in the oven.

73. They have dinner at home. Dinner is had at home.

74. My mother bought several things. Several things were bought by my mother.

75. My friends always tell me the truth. The truth is always told by my friend.

76. She can’t run a kilometer. A kilometer can’t be run by her.

77. Joe Cocker recorded a new álbum. A new álbum was recorded by Joe Cocker.

78. Hooligans always make trouble. Trouble is always made by hooligans.

79. You must pay more attention in the classroom. More attention must be paid in the
classroom.

80. The bus ran over an unfortunate pedestrian. An unfortunate pedestrian was run over by
the bus.

81. My mother learned French many years ago. French was learned by my mother many
years ago.

82. They sell vegetables in the market. Vegetables are sold in the market.

83. The tourists appreciate your help. Your help is appreciated.

84. They broke all the glasses in the kitchen. All the glasses in the kitchen were broken.

85. The German army invaded Poland in 1939. Poland was invaded in 1939.

86. Somebody asked several questions at the meeting. Several questions were asked at the
meeting.

87. You must keep the butter in the fridge. Butter must be kept in the fridge.

88. They make good wine in Bordeaux. Good wine is made in Bordeaux.

89. The doctor is looking after my mother. My mother is being looked after.

90. Mr. Jones has paid her. She has been paid.

91. People will remember his name for many years. His name will be remembered for many
years.

92. Harry offered me a glass of champagne. A glass of champagne was offered to me.

93. The owners have completely refurnished the house. The house has been completely
refurnished.

94. Christopher Columbus discovered America. America was discovered by Christopher

Columbus.

95. Somebody stole my car last night. My car was stolen last night.

96. My chauffeur drives me to the airport. I am driven to the airport by my chauffeur.

97. Someone might steal the bicycle. The bicycle might be stolen.

98. Someone will clean the bedroom. The bedroom will be cleaned.

99. They had to cut down that pine tree. The pine tree had to be cut down.

100. Someone should tell Alice what happened. Alice should be told what happened.

PASSIVE WITH MODALS

Someone must finish the work.

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You can make some delicious meals with cheese and eggs.
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You have to see it to believe it.
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You must do this exercise very carefully.
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You needn’t have done this.
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It is impossible to do this. (Use CAN’T)
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You have to see it to believe it.
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They shouldn’t have told him.
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They might ask you to do a written test.
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We must look for the key.
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The police shouldn’t allow people to park there.
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Candidates may not use dictionaries.
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You need not type this letter.
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You mustn’t move this man: he is too ill. You’ll have to leave him here.
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You must keep dogs on leads in the gardens.
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We shall have to tow the car to the garage.
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We had to give the books back; they did not allow us to take them home.
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You shouldn’t leave these documents on the desk. You should lock them up.
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Passengers shouldn’t throw away their tickets as inspectors may check these during the
journey.
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You should have taken those books back to the library.
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Titian couldn’t have painted it as people didn’t wear that style of dress till after his death.
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Passengers shouldn’t throw away their tickets.
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We must look for the key.
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Nobody can repair this broken chair.
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You must shut the doors.
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You ought to open that window.
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We must write to him.
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You should open the wine about three hours before you use it.
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You must not hammer nails into the walls without permission.
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People must not leave bicycles in the hall.
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Members may keep books for three weeks. After that they must return them.
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Where can you buy the tickets?
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A machine could do this much more easily.
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We had to give the books back; they didn’t allow us to take them home.
......................................................................................................................
We have to organise our party.
.......................................................................................................................
We should invite the guests this week.
.......................................................................................................................
We will have to telephone some of them.
.......................................................................................................................
We have to buy all the food.
.......................................................................................................................
We have to put up the decorations.
.......................................................................................................................
We have to wrap the presents.
.......................................................................................................................
We have to find a baby-sitter.
.......................................................................................................................
We have to cook a turkey for a long time.
.......................................................................................................................
People should send their complaints to the head office.
.......................................................................................................................
They had to postpone the meeting because of illness.
.......................................................................................................................
Somebody might have stolen your car if you had left the keys in it.
.......................................................................................................................
An electrical fault could have caused the fire.
.......................................................................................................................
They shouldn’t have played the football match in such bad weather.
.......................................................................................................................
In future, perhaps, they won’t bring letters to the houses, and we shall have to collect them
from the Post Office
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You can’t wash this dress; you must dry-clean it.
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He recommends fitting new tyres. (Use SHOULD)
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She can’t run a kilometre.
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You must pay more attention in the classroom.