English Grammar Exercises – The passive

1. Complete the sentences using words from each box.

1   Greenland …was named by Eric the Red…… .

2   Hamlet ………………………………………… .

3   The Pyramids ………………………………………… .

4   The wireless ………………………………………… .

5   The Starry Night ………………………………………… .

6   The World Wide Web ………………………………………… .

7   The Statue of Liberty ………………………………………… .

8   The structure of DNA ………………………………………… .

9   Paper money ………………………………………… .

10   Radium ………………………………………… .

2. Put the verbs into the correct present perfect form, active or passive (has done or has been done).

3. Rewrite this article using passive forms of the underlined verbs.

DARING RAID AT LOCAL HOTEL

Thieves (1) held the manager of the Ridgeway Hotel hostage last night during a daring raid in which they (2) took nearly £50,000 from the hotel safe. They also (3) broke into several of the bedrooms and (4) removed articles of value.

The thieves made their escape through the kitchen, where they (5) damaged several pieces of equipment. They (6) tied up the chef when he tried to stop them and (7) left him locked in a cupboard. Police (8) arrested the thieves early this morning.

1   The manager of the Ridgeway Hotel was held hostage last night.

2   …………………………………………………

3   …………………………………………………

4   …………………………………………………

5   …………………………………………………

6   …………………………………………………

7   …………………………………………………

8   …………………………………………………

4. Put the verbs into the correct passive form.

1   I’ve collected all the documents that …are needed…… (need) for the house sale. Can you take them to the lawyer’s office …to be signed…… (sign)?

2   Look, this is a secret. Come into the garden where we ………………………………. (not / overhear).

3   If you hadn’t been so late for work, you ………………………………. (not / sack).

4   This office is very inefficient. The phone ………………………………. (never / answer) promptly, no proper records ………………………………. (keep), and, worst of all, no reports ………………………………. (written) since I started work here.

5   I was so worried about my garden while I was in hospital, but I have very good neighbours. When I got home, I could see that the vegetables ………………………………. (water) every day and the grass ………………………………. (cut) regularly.

6   Can you come to the police station? The man who ………………………………. (suspect) of stealing your wallet ………………………………. (arrest) and ………………………………. (question) at the moment. The police hope he ………………………………. (identify), either by you or another witness.

7   We had hoped to see several famous paintings, but the gallery ………………………………. (reorganised) at the time of our visit last month and most of the really valuable works ………………………………. (move) for safe keeping.

5. There are mistakes in eight of these sentences. Correct the sentences where necessary. Write ‘OK’ if the sentence is already correct.

1   My neighbour is proud of her grandson who born last week.

      …who was born…

2   I’m very fond of this old necklace because it was belonged to my grandmother.

      ………………………….

3   My family live in Dubai, but I was educated in Switzerland.

      ………………………….

4   I’m afraid I can’t lend you my car. It’s repairing this week.

      ………………………….

5   The bridge was collapsed during the floods, but fortunately no one was using it at the time.

      ………………………….

6   If you don’t watch the barbecue carefully, someone will get burn.

      ………………………….

7   The word ‘stupid’ was in my report, but it wasn’t referred to you.

      ………………………….

8   I’m sorry I’m late. I got held up in the traffic again.

      ………………………….

9   When did you realise that your bag had been disappeared?

      ………………………….

10   Children under the age of sixteen do not allow in the jacuzzi.

      ………………………….

6. Choose the correct alternative.

From: Max
To: Sara
Subject: Trip to Namibia

Hi Sara,

How are you? I’m having a great time in Namibia.

Our group is small and (1) we were looked after / we’re being looked after very well by our guide. (2) We’ve been shown / We were shown some amazing things already and (3) we’ve seen / we’ve been seen some fantastic landscapes.

Last weekend we went to a National Park. (4) We were driven / We were driving to a watering hole where an amazing range of animals (5) could be seeing / could be seen. We were told that the numbers (6) were risen / have risen since the National Park (7) founded / was founded.

(8) I’d been warned / I’d been warning that the accommodation there was quite basic, but it was fine. (9) We were given / We were giving a big tent each, and there are outdoor showers and so on, which (10) are kept / have kept very clean.

Our guide tells us lots of funny stories. He (11) was sent / sent to South Africa by his family to work in a bank, but he (12) hated / was hated it. So he (13) has behaved / behaved very badly in order to (14) lose / lost his job. He kept us laughing for hours.

Tomorrow (15) we’ll be joined / we’ll be joining another group and going to see some rock paintings. (16) They were discovered / They discovered quite recently, so we’re one of the first groups (17) to be shown / to have shown them.

I’ll email again when I can (18) get connected / have connected to the internet.

Love, Max

7. Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence. Do not use by unless it is important to the meaning.

1   The instructor has marked all the assignments.

      All the assignments …have been marked…… .

2   My hairdresser kept me waiting for half an hour.

     I …………………………………………………… .

3   The students must pay their own fees for this course.

     The fees for this course …………………………………………………… .

4   Do you suppose your brother could have sent that text?

     Do you suppose that text ……………………………………………………?

5   Solar panels supply all the power for this house.

     All the power for this house …………………………………………………… .

6   During the summer, the cafe was employing more waiters every week.

     During the summer, more waiters …………………………………………………… .

7   Nobody informed the police that there had been a mistake.

     The police …………………………………………………… .

8   Where will your company post you next year?

     Where will you ……………………………………………………?

9   The news about the war worried Josephine.

     Josephine …………………………………………………… .

10   I’ve still got the money because no one has claimed it.

       I’ve still got the money because it …………………………………………………… .

11   Has anyone ever asked you for your opinion?

        Have you ……………………………………………………?

12   People shouldn’t allow children to watch that kind of TV programme.

       Children …………………………………………………… .

13   All visitors must wear identity badges.

        Identity badges …………………………………………………… .

14   Someone must have changed the time of the meeting.

       The time of the meeting …………………………………………………… .

15   When will someone deliver the food for the party?

       When ……………………………………………………?

8. Put the verbs into the most suitable passive tense.

Alana has just met her boyfriend Grant in a coffee shop.

ALANA:   Hi! Sorry I’m late.

GRANT:   What kept you? Why didn’t you call?

ALANA:   I left my phone at home and I came on the bus. Then (1) …the bus was stuck…… (the bus / stick) in a traffic jam for forty minutes.

GRANT:   Why didn’t you just walk across the park as usual?

ALANA:   Because the park (2) …………………………………. (close) since last weekend.

GRANT:   Why’s that?

ALANA:   A celebrity tennis tournament (3) …………………………………. (hold) there.

GRANT:   Do you know who …………………………………. (4) (it / organise) by?

ALANA:   No, but I think the Williams sisters are competing in the tournament. Someone told me (5) …………………………………. (they / see) at the Royal Hotel at the weekend.

GRANT:   Really?

ALANA:   Yeah. My friend said (6) …………………………………. (they / fly) here in a private plane by the organisers.

GRANT:   Well, if it’s true, we’re not going to the disco at the Royal this Friday.

ALANA:   Why not?

GRANT:   If they’re there, the hotel (7) …………………………………. (surround) by fans and security guards.

ALANA:   But we might meet them if we go.

GRANT:   Don’t be silly. They won’t go to our local disco.

ALANA:   No?

GRANT:   No, and (8) …………………………………. (we / not invite) to their suite. In fact, the disco (9) …………………………………. (probably / cancel) if the hotel is full of celebrities.

ALANA:   I suppose so. But we can go to the entrance to the park now and see what’s happening. I heard that some local people (10) …………………………………. (recruit) yesterday, but I was too busy to go. Perhaps (11) …………………………………. (we / employ) to sell programmes or something.

GRANT:   OK, if you want to. But don’t expect (12) …………………………………. (allow) anywhere near the big stars.

9. Complete the sentences with the correct form of get where possible and a form of be in the others.

1   I never found that book we were looking for. It …got…… lost when we moved house.

2   After the way he behaved last time he went to their house, it’s unlikely he ………………… asked there again.

3   Naturally this vase is expensive. After all, it ………………… believed to be over three hundred years old.

4   I phoned to explain what had happened, but I ………………… cut off before I could finish.

5   There isn’t any cheese left, I’m afraid. It ………………… eaten by the children.

6   He is a well-known expert on animal diseases and his opinions ………………… greatly respected.

7   My sister will be thrilled if her design ………………… chosen.

8   The book ………………… torn when the cousins started fighting over who should read it first.

9   Please don’t touch anything on my desk. You ………………… supposed to answer the telephone, not tidy the office.

10   She was quite friendly at first, then she ………………… promoted and now she doesn’t care about us any more.

10. Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence.

1   It is said that house prices are too high.

     House prices …are said to be too high…… .

2   It is thought that the hospital is short of money.

     The hospital …………………………………………… .

3   It was alleged that the athlete had cheated.

     The athlete …………………………………………… .

4   It is reported that the prime minister is resigning.

     The prime minister …………………………………………… .

5   It is expected that the new sports stadium will be finished soon.

     The new sports stadium …………………………………………… .

6   It is generally considered that sixteen is too young to get married.

     Sixteen …………………………………………… .

7   It was thought that the book had been destroyed.

     The book …………………………………………… .

8   It is believed that the children had been hiding for two weeks.

     The children …………………………………………… .

11. Look at these notes made by a journalist. Then complete the article she wrote for her blog. Use verbs in the correct passive form.

EATING OUT with Eva Wolsey

It’s exactly midday and I’m sitting in the Beverly Restaurant. Today I’ve been finding out just how much work goes on in a restaurant before the first customers arrive.

The staff have already done six hours work. The day began with a visit to the market where vegetables and fruit (1) …were chosen…… . Back at the restaurant the menu (2) ……………………… and then the day’s delivery of meat (3) ……………………… . After that, breakfast (4) ……………………… for the staff. But they didn’t have long to eat it, because by 9.30 it was time for the desserts (5) ……………………… . After the vegetables (6) ………………………, the fish (7) ……………………… and the meat (8) ……………………… in the oven.

While this was happening in the kitchen, in the restaurant dining room the floor (9) ……………………… . Since then, the tables (10) ……………………… and the flowers (11) ………………………, so the dining room looks fresh and pretty.

In the last few minutes, salads (12) ……………………… in the kitchen and in a moment the doors (13) ……………………… .

In the next three hours, about 200 meals (14) ………………………!