Active And Passive Voice Exercise

Fill in the blanks with an appropriate tense form.

1. Rabid dogs ………………………… by forest rangers in Maine last year.

destroyed
were destroying
were destroyed
We need a passive verb here because the subject is not the doer of the action. Something is
done to it.

2. His racy lifestyle ……………………….. many women.

fascinated
were fascinated
had been fascinated
We need an active verb here because the subject is the doer of the action.

3. The defeated candidate ………………………….. up and down in a rage.

was stamped
stamped
has stamped
We need an active verb here because the subject is the doer of the action.

4. All those in favor should ………………………….. their hands.

raise
rise
Either could be used here
To raise is to lift something.

5. We all ……………………….. when the judge entered the court.

rose
raised

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 Active And Passive Voice Exercise

Either could be used here

To rise is to get up on one’s own accord.

6. We …………………………. to stroll around the neighorhood on sunny

afternoons.
like
likes
were liked
are liked
We use the simple present tense to talk about likes and preferences.

7. The company ……………………….. a large range of products.

produce
produces
produced
Since there is no reference to past time, we use the simple present tense here.

8. Buying a boat ……………………….. low on my list of priorities.

rank
ranks
have ranked
Here the subject is the –ing form buying. When a gerund is the subject, the verb is usually
singular.

9. His rapacious ways ………………………… him wealthy but friendless.

made
was made
has been made
We use the simple past tense to simply state that something happened.

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 Active And Passive Voice Exercise

10. He rarely …………………………, yet he passed every exam.

study
studied
was studied
When one verb is in the past tense, the other verb will most probably also be in the past
tense.

11. I rate that performance one of the best I ……………………………

ever saw
have ever seen
The present perfect tense is more common with indefinite time expressions like ever and
never.

12. Each flood victim ………………………….. with a daily ration.

provided
was provided
has provided
We need a passive verb here because the subject is not the doer of the action.

PLAY AGAIN !
Answers
1. Rabid dogs were destroyed by forest rangers in Maine last year.
2. His racy lifestyle fascinated many women.
3. The defeated candidate stamped up and down in a rage.
4. All those in favor should raise their hands.
5. We all rose when the judge entered the court.
6. We like to stroll around the neighborhood on sunny afternoons.
7. The company produces a large range of products.
8. Buying a boat ranks low on my list of priorities.
9. His rapacious ways made him wealthy but friendless.

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 Active And Passive Voice Exercise

10. He rarely studied, yet he passed every exam.

11. I rate that performance one of the best I have ever seen.
12. Each flood victim was provided with a daily ration.

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