The Passive Voice

Use of The Passive Voice:

1. Passive voice is used when the focus is on the action. It is not important or not
known, however, who or what is performing the action.
Example: "A letter was written."
The focus, here, is on the fact that a letter was written. We don't know, however, who
wrote it.
2. Sometimes a statement in passive is more polite than active voice, as the following
example shows:
Example: A vase was broken.
Focus, here, is on the fact that a vase was broken, but we don't blame anyone.
Compare this to: "You broke the vase."

Form of The Passive Voice

Object + helping verb + past participle verb + by + subject

When rewriting active sentences in passive voice, note the following:

 The object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence.
 The form of the verb is the appropriate form of to be (the tense of the active voice
main verb) + the past participle.
 The subject of the active sentence becomes the object of the passive sentence (or is
dropped.)

Nancy makes tea

Active
subject verb object
Tea is (by Nancy)
made
Passive
object becoming subject becoming object
verb
subject or is dropped
1. The simple Present Passive Voice

Sentence structure

Turn the following sentences into passive voice.

1. The principal supervises their work………………………………………………………..

2. They see me daily………………………………………………………………………….

3. the girls sweep the room every day. ………………………………………………………

4. They manufacture cars in Japan. ………………………………………………………….

5. His uncle supports him……………………………………………………………………..

6. The man sells flowers at the roadside. …………………………………………………….

7. Mother prepares meals early morning. ……………………………………………………

8. He repairs computers in this shop………………………………………………………….

9. The kind woman looks after the puppy…………………………………………………….

10. Ramya writes poems for the monthly magazine………………………………………….

2. The Present Continuous Passive Voice

Sentence structure

Turn the following sentences into passive voice.

1. They are repairing the bridge…………………………………………………………………

2. Dr. Perera is treating the patients…………………………………………………………….

3. They are arranging the hall………………………………………………….………………..

4. We are helping the old woman……………………………………………….………………

5. They are holding the meeting now………………………………………………….………..

6. mother is preparing lunch………………………………………………………….…………

7. The pupils are cleaning the school premises……………………………………….………..

8. The driver is driving the car fast. …………………………………………………………….

9. We are using this computer now…………………………………………………………….

10. The wild elephants are destroying the crop………………………………………...………

3. The Present Perfect Passive Voice.

Sentence structure

Turn the following sentences into passive voice.

1. They have cleaned the floor…………………………………………………………………..

2. A famous author has translated the book into Sinhala.

…………………………………………………………………………………………..……….

3. They have closed the doors……………………………………………………...……………

4. The seller has sold all the cakes……………………………………………..………………..

5. The researcher has completed his study……………………………………...……………….

6. The cat has caught the rat……………………………………………………..………………

7. Malan has composed a new song…………………………………………………………….

8. Raveen has won the competition…………………………………………………………….

9. Mahesh has bought a new car………………………………………………………………..

10. Australia has won the tournament. …………………………………………………………

4. The simple Past Passive Voice

Sentence structure

Turn the following sentences into passive voice.

1. The people elected the president of the country. …………………………………………….

2. The villagers built a bridge over the river. …………………………………………………..

3. The police arrested the thief. …………………………………………………………………

4. Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone……………………………………………..

5. We collected some water into the pot………………………………………………………..

6. Father advised the children…………………………………………………………………..

7. The manager checked all the files…………………………………………………………..

8. The carpenters made a table………………………………………………………………….

9. I enjoyed a cup of coffee……………………………………………………………………..

10. We observed the night sky…………………………………………………………………..

5. The Past Continuous Passive Voice

Sentence structure

Turn the following sentences into passive voice.

1. The police were watching him………………………………………………………………

2. They were feeding the helpless dog…………………………………………………………

3. Her aunt was helping her. …………………………………………………………………..

4. An old lady was driving an old car in the road……………………………………………..

5. They were repairing the fence………………………………………………………………..

6. A young man was cutting grass in the garden………………………………………………..

7. I was using this phone las year……………………………………………………………….

8. A small girl was selling apples in the fair. ……………………..……………………………

9. The boys were making a Vesak lantern under the tree……………………………………….

10. The teacher was marking the register……………………………………………………….

6. The Past Perfect Passive Voice

Sentence structure

Turn the following sentences into passive voice.

1. They had sold all the tickets before the match………………………………………………..

2. Tom had drawn a picture on the wall…………………………………………………………

3. Lora had arranged her room………………………………………………………………….

4. She had collected information for the debate………………………………………………..

5. The director had delivered a speech in the meeting…………………………………………

6. The team had on the championship…………………………………………………………..

7. The children had created a nice presentation………………………………………………..

8. The children had completed their project……………………………………………………

9. I had received a call from my friend………………………………………………………..

10. The farmers had collected the paddy harvest……………………………………………….

7. The Simple Future Passive Voice

Sentence structure

Turn the following sentences into passive voice.

1. The president will give away the awards…………………………………………………….

2. The manager will promote him to the next position………………………………………….

3. They will repair the old building……………………………………………………………..

4. The guard will open the gate in the morning…………………………………………………

5. The police will the arrest the criminals………………………………………………………

6. The elephants will destroy the farm lands……………………………………………………

7. The servant will wash all the pots and pans………………………………………………….

8. Harsha will cook the evening meal………………………………………………………......

9. They will watch the movie tonight…………………………………………………………...

10.Doctors will examine the patients in the ward……………………………………………….

8. The Future Perfect Passive Voice

Sentence structure

Turn the following sentences into passive voice.

1. They will have completed the work…………………………………………………………

2. The farmers will have harvested by December………………………………………………

3. He will have bought a new car………………………………………………………………

4.They will have cancelled the meeting ………………………………………………………..

5. The minister will have opened the new road…………………………………………………

6. Thamara will have bought a saree for hr wedding…………………………………………

7. He will obtain a degree in December……………………………………………………….

8. The scientists will have discovered new planets in future……………………………………

9. The principal will have visited all the classrooms …………………………………………...

10. I will have completed this task by evening……………………………………………..

Examples of The Passive Voice:

Tense Subject Verb Object

Active: Nancy makes tea.
Simple Present
Passive: Tea is made by Nancy.

Present Active: Nancy is making tea.

Progressive Passive: Tea is being made by Nancy.
Active: Nancy made tea.
Simple Past
Passive: Tea was made by Nancy.
Active: Nancy was making tea.
Past Progressive
Passive: Tea was being made by Nancy.
Active: Nancy has made Tea.
Present Perfect
Passive: Tea has been made by Nancy.
Active: Nancy had made tea.
Past Perfect
Passive: Tea had been made by Nancy.

Future simple Active: Nancy will make tea.

Passive: Tea will be made by Nancy.
Active: Nancy will have made tea.
Future perfect
Passive: Tea will have been made by Nancy.

Passive voice sentences with two objects

Rewriting an active sentence with two objects in passive voice means that one of the two
objects becomes the subject, the other one remains an object. Which object to transform into a
subject depends on what you want to put the focus on.

Active/Passive Subject Verb Object 1 Object 2

Active: Nancy offered a flower to me.

Passive: A flower was offered to me by Nancy.

Passive: I was offered a flower by Nancy.

Active sentence 1

Subject Verb indirect Object direct Object

The professor gave the students the books.

Active sentence 2

Subject Verb direct Object indirect Object with to

The professor gave the books to the students.

Passive sentence 1

Subject Verb Object (by-agent)

The students were given the books. (by the professor).

Passive sentence 2

Subject Verb Object (by-agent)

The books were given to the students (by the professor).

Turn the following sentences into passive voice.
1. He promised us a better salary
………………………………………………………………………………………….………..
…………………………………………………………………………….......…………………
2. The police showed two photos to the suspect.
……………………………………………………………………………………………..…….
…………………………………………………………………………………………..……….
3. They will give 30 minutes to each contestant.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………...
………………………………………………………………………………...…………………
4. They have given the job to me.
………………………………………………………………………………….………………..
……………………………………………………………………………….…………………..
5. They bought him a jacket.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
6. They promised her a salary increase.
……………………………………………………………………….…………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………….

7. She gave her son some money.

………………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………………….
8. Mr. Perera teaches me English.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
9. She will tell a secret to me.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………...
…………………………………………………………………………………………………...
10. He has sent the best gift to me.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………...
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
 Fill in the blanks using the correct verb form of passive voice.

1. Statements ______ from all the witnesses at this moment. (take)

2. Whales ______ by an international ban on whaling. (must protect)
3. Tea _____ in China. (grow)
4. When we reached the airport, we found that all the flights____ due to the storm. (cancel)
5. The fax _____ until tomorrow morning. (not send)
6. The soundtrack of a movie _____ always _____ after the filming is finished. (is/add)
7. Penicillin ______ by Alexander Fleming in 1928. (discover)
8. Comfortable vehicles ______________ by Japan. (produce)
9. The best in the world _________________ in Sri Lanka .( grow)
10. The cricket match ___________________ due to the heavy rain. (cancel)

Turn the following sentences into passive voice.

1. They will complete the building next year.

………………………………………………………………………………………
2. He had posted the letter immediately.
………………………………………………………………………………………..
3. The manager is signing the letters.
………………………………………………………………………………………..
4. They are calling me for the interview.
………………………………………………………………………………………..
5. My neighbour’s dog bit me yesterday.
………………………………………………………………………………………….
6. They sold all the old newspapers last week.
………………………………………………………………………………………….
7. Thomas Alva Edison invented the light bulb.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
8. They staged the play last night.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
9. My father gave me a thousand rupee note.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………….
10. Malaysia produces rubber.
………………………………………………………………………………………………….
11. The post man delivered all the letters.
………………………………………………………………………………………………....
12. The doctor is examining the child.
………………………………………………………………………………………………….
13. The judge discharged the accuse.
………………………………………………………………………………………………….
14. The government recruits the fresh teachers.
………………………………………………………………………………………………….
15. The top management will accept my proposals.
………………………………………………………………………………………………….
16. The secretary will read the minutes in the meeting.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
17. The employees have called off the strike yesterday.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
18. She had brought a new hand bag from the store.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
19. The teacher was marking the attendance register in the first period.
………………………………………………………………………………………………….
20. Many tourists will visit the ancient cities in Sri Lanka.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Prepared by :
Anuradha Diyalagoda
Lecturer (Sri Lanka Teacher Educators’ Service)

Dip. in Teaching English, TKT, B.A (UOK), P.G.D.E. (OUSL), M.A in TESL (USJP),

B.Ed in TESL (reading) (Lincoln Uni.)