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Joy English · Level B1 · Passive voicejoy-english.com

The passive: present and past

Name:Date:

Use the passive when the action or result is more important than the person who does it.

Choose the correct form

Choose the correct option to complete each sentence.

  1. Paper ___ from wood.
    • a) makes
    • b) is made
    • c) is making
  2. The first bicycles ___ in the 19th century.
    • a) were built
    • b) built
    • c) are built
  3. Our flight ___ last night, so we took the train today.
    • a) cancelled
    • b) is cancelled
    • c) was cancelled
  4. ___ the tickets checked at the door yesterday?
    • a) Did
    • b) Were
    • c) Are
  5. Spanish ___ in more than twenty countries.
    • a) is spoken
    • b) speaks
    • c) is speaking
  6. The new library ___ by a young architect from Lima.
    • a) designed
    • b) was designing
    • c) was designed
  7. Credit cards ___ in this shop. You have to pay in cash.
    • a) don't accept
    • b) aren't accepted
    • c) weren't accept
  8. These photos were taken ___ my sister.
    • a) by
    • b) from
    • c) with

Write the passive

Type the passive form of the verb in brackets. Use the present simple or the past simple.

  1. The windows ___ (wash) every spring.
  2. This castle ___ (build) more than 600 years ago.
  3. Dogs ___ (not / allow) in this park.
  4. The winners ___ (announce) yesterday evening.
  5. Our order ___ (not / deliver) until Tuesday, so we waited all weekend.
  6. A lot of coffee ___ (produce) in Colombia every year.
  7. The letter ___ (write) by hand, so it was hard to read.
  8. At our school, all meals ___ (cook) fresh every day.

Answer key

Choose the correct form

  1. b) is madePaper doesn't make anything. It receives the action, so we use the passive: is made.
  2. a) were builtThe bicycles received the action at a finished past time, so we use the past simple passive: were built.
  3. c) was cancelledSomeone cancelled the flight at a past time, so we use the past simple passive: was cancelled.
  4. b) WerePast simple passive questions start with was or were. Yesterday shows past time, and tickets is plural.
  5. a) is spokenPeople speak the language, so the language takes the passive: is spoken.
  6. c) was designedThe library received the action, and by tells us who did it. We need the passive: was designed.
  7. b) aren't acceptedThe shop doesn't accept cards, so cards take the present passive negative: aren't accepted.
  8. a) byWe use by to say who did the action in a passive sentence.

Write the passive

  1. are washedEvery spring shows a regular action, so we use the present simple passive. Windows is plural: are washed.
  2. was builtAgo shows a finished past time, so we use the past simple passive: was built.
  3. aren't allowed / are not allowedThis is a present rule, so we use the present simple passive negative: aren't allowed.
  4. were announcedYesterday evening is a finished time and winners is plural, so we use were announced.
  5. wasn't delivered / was not deliveredThis happened in the past, so we use the past simple passive negative: wasn't delivered.
  6. is producedEvery year shows a regular fact, so we use the present simple passive: is produced.
  7. was writtenThe story is in the past, so we use was + the past participle written.
  8. are cookedEvery day shows a regular action and meals is plural, so we use are cooked.

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