ACTIVE TO PASSIVE

EXERCISES
1 Complete the sentences with the passive form of the verbs in brackets.
1 The tickets (sell) at the box office right now. Are being sold
2 The lights (dim) and then the show started. Were dimmed
3 The film (direct) by the famous Spanish director, Pedro Almodóvar. Was directed
4 The Oscar for best film director (win) by a woman only once. Has been won
5 If the actor doesn’t arrive soon, the show (cancel). Will be cancelled
6 24 Oscars (present) at the famous award ceremony every year. Are presented
7 The set (design) for last year’s school play, but we used it again. Was designed / had been designed
8 TV shows (not record) in this studio anymore. Aren’t going to be recorded

2 Complete the sentences with the passive voice. Only include by + noun when it is necessary.
1 The police arrested the photographer for invasion of privacy.
The photographer …was arrested for invasión of privacy.
2 They reminded the audience that photography was not permitted during the performance.
The audience …was/were reminded that photography was not permitted during the performance
3 The theatre staff had sold all the tickets just ten minutes after the sale opened online.
All the tickets …had been sold just ten minutes after the sale opened online.
4 There’s no doubt that the audience will give this performer a standing ovation.
There is no doubt that the performer …will be given a standing ovation.
5 Noel Coward wrote this play almost one hundred years ago.
This play …was written by Noel Coward almost one hundred years ago .
6 We use the wings as a waiting area by the cast.
The wings…are used as a waiting area by the cast.

DOUBLE OBJECT VERBS

EXERCISE
3. Turn from Active to Passive in two ways.
a. He gave me a present. A present was given to me. I was given a present.
b. The waiter will bring us the bill. The bill will be brought to us. We will be brought the bill.
c. Her mother bought Mary some sweets. Some sweets were bought to Mary by her mother. Mary was
bought some sweets by her mother.
d. Bob has sold Ted a second-hand car. A second-hand car has been sold to Ted by Bob. Ted has been
sold a second-hand car by Bob.
e. Larry is going to send a letter to Tom. A letter is going to be sent to Tom by Larry. Tom is going to be
sent a letter by Larry.
f. The mail-order company sent Mrs Green a parcel. A parcel was sent to Mrs Green by the mail-order
Company. Mrs Green was sent a parcel by the mail-order Company.
g. My friend sent me an invitation. An invitation was sent to me by my friends. I was sent an invitation by
my Friends.
h. The secretary has given Mrs Jones some letters. Some letters have been given to Mrs Jones by the
secretary. Mrs Jones has been given some letters by the secretary.
i. John gave Elizabeth that beautiful ring. That beautiful ring was given to Elizabeth by John. Elizabeth was
given that beautiful ring by John.
j. Her students have sent her flowers. Flowers have been sent to her by her students. She has been sent
flowers by her students.
k. He must give the message to the right person. The message must be given to the right person. The right
person must be given the message.
l. We teach our students English and French. English and French are taught to our students. Our
stsudents are taught English and French.
m. Someone bought flowers for the bride. Flowers were bought to the bride. The bride was bought flowers.
n. They showed the tourists the sights of Athens. The sights of Athens were shown to the tourists. The
tourists were shown the sights of Athens.
o. They pay her an excellent salary. An excellent salary is paid to her. She is paid an excellent salary.
p. They paid the artist £1,000 for his painting. £1,000 were paid to the artist for his painting. The artist was
paid £1,000 for his painting.

CAUSATIVE PASSIVE
EXERCISE
4. Rewrite these sentences using have or get.
1. The mechanic changed the oil in my car. I had/got the oil in my car changed.
2. The hairdresser cut my hair in a completely different style. I had/got my hair cut in a completely different
style.
3. A decorator has repainted our house. We have had/got our house repainted.
4. A friend of mine, who´s an electrician, is going to repair my DVD player next week. I’m going to
have/get my DVD repaired next week by a friend of mine, who is an electrician.
5. My jacket is being cleaned at a specialist cleaner´s. I’m having/getting my jacket cleaned at a specialist
cleaner’s.
6. The town hall has just been rebuilt for the council. The council has just had/got the Town Hall rebuilt.

IMPERSONAL PASSIVE
EXERCISE
5. Change the sentences into the Passive voice using an impersonal construction:
1. People know that she is a good swimmer. It is known that she is a good swimmer. She is known to be a
good swimmer.
2. They say that Francis is in hospital. It is said that Francis is in hospital. Francis is said to be in hospital.
3. They think that the children are in bed. It is thought that the children are in bed. The children are
thought to be in bed.
4. People believe that the robber has worked in the bank. It is believed that the robber has worked in the
bank. The robber is believed to have worked in the bank.
5. People believe that nuclear power stations are dangerous. It is believed that nuclear power stations are
dangerous. Nuclar power stations are believed to be dangerous.
6. His colleagues thought that he was on holiday. It was thought that he was on holiday by his colleagues,
He was thought to be on holiday.
7. People know that cars pollute the environment. It is known that cars pollute the environment. Cars are
known to pollute the environment.
8. They found that the mission was impossible. It was found that the mission was imposible. The mission
was found to be impossible.
9. They say hot lemon is one of the best remedies for sore throat. It is said that hot lemon is one of the
best remedies for sore throat. Hot lemon is said to be one of the best remedies for sore throat.
10. All the experts in the congress thought that our wine was the best. It was thought that our wine was the
best by all the experts. Our wine was thought to be the best by all the experts.

ACTIVE OR PASSIVE?
6. Decide whether the verbs in brackets should be active or passive. The put them in the correct
tense:
Conversational hypnosis is a technique that can ___be used_____________ (use) to persuade other
people when we _____are talking___________ (talk) to them. Unlike conventional hypnosis, in which the
patient openly agrees ______to be hypnotised__________ (hypnotise), conversational hypnosis ___is
hidden_____________ (hide). It usually consists of a conversation where one person ______doesn’t
detect__________ (not detect) that they _____are being put_/ have been put__________ (put) into a
hypnotic state by the other. Often, this type of hypnosis _____is used___________ (use) in business
situations to communicate with customers. However, the use of conversational hypnosis in one's personal
life ______is discouraged__________ (discourage) by professional associations because of the danger
that people might _____be manipulated___________ (manipulate)