Active and passive voice exercises with answers.
Active and passive sentences are types of sentences that are often used in everyday life, both spoken and written.
The active voice.
A sentence is in the Active Voice if the doer of the action comes before the action. In other words, the subject does the action expressed by the verb.
The passive voice.
A sentence is in the Passive Voice if the doer of the action comes after the action. In other words, the subject receives the action expressed by the verb.
How to change active to passive voice?
Step 1 : The doer of the action and the receiver of the action exchange places.
Step 2 : Change the verb into the Past Participle. (give – given)
Step 3 : Add an auxiliary verb to or the action verb. (give – is given)
Active and Passive Voice Exercises with Answers
Exercise 1
Change the following sentences into the passive voice
1. Mrs. Aisyah read the novel last Sunday.
2. We will consider your request to change the menu.
3. The men are setting up tents in the field.
4. The chef has marinated the three bowls of chicken.
5. The phyton has swallowed two dogs.
6. My sister was counting the coins from the coin box.
7. The teacher may suspect him of cheating in the examination.
8. You need to iron these shirts before you wear them.
9. The famous singer will sing five songs during the concert.
10. Barry bought the mobile phone at a sale.
11. Mr. Atkins sends the Alsatian to the vet’s for a check-up.
12. The runner set a world record for the 4 x 100 meters relay.
13. Someone saw me man breaking into the bungalow.
14. Sally is advising the playful girls to study hard.
15. The workers have to assemble one thousand television sets.
Exercise 2
Identify the active and passive voice sentences. Write ‘Active’ or ‘Passive in the brackets.
| 1. The suspect has been detained for questioning. | ( ) |
| 2. We may be allowed to leave the school early today. | ( ) |
| 3. They are blaming me for the accident. | ( ) |
| 4. Philip was fined for returning the book late. | ( ) |
| 5. He can see you from the tenth floor. | ( ) |
| 6. Three terrorists hijacked a jet liner. | ( ) |
| 7. You will be promoted to manager at the end of the year. | ( ) |
| 8. You must vacuum the floor at least once a week. | ( ) |
| 9. Why are they shooting at the harmless birds? | ( ) |
| 10. The seedlings are taken by Uncle Tony to the field. | ( ) |
| 11. My mother considers me an intelligent student. | ( ) |
| 12. The boy scouts will pluck only the young coconuts. | ( ) |
| 13. Miss Clint may be rewarded for her diligence. | ( ) |
| 14. Before the robber could rob me of my wallet, I screamed for help. | ( ) |
| 15. The water has to be boiled before you can drink it. | ( ) |
Exercise 3
Choose the grammatically correct answer from the four options.
1. We must … sufficient time to finish the work.
- give
- gave
- be given
- be giving
2. They will … to come for classes on Saturday.
- tell
- told
- be told
- be telling
3. Five masked men … the tourist bus and … the tourists to get down
- stop, ordering
- stops, order
- stopped, ordered
- stopping, ordered
4. The match … because of the heavy rain.
- has been postponed
- has postponed
- is postponing
- have to postpone
5. Dr. Mahathir … as the father of modern Malaysia.
- knew
- is known
- has known
- has been known
6. I … my lessons when someone knocked on the door.
- revise
- have revised
- was revising
- will be revising
7. The students … and the teachers … them.
- line up, are watching
- lining up, have watched
- have been lining up, have watches
- are lining up, are watching
8. You will … to come for tuition classes.
- require
- required
- be required
- have to require
9. The stubborn boy … on the spot by the librarian.
- fine
- fined
- was fined
- is fining
10. The flood … a lot of problems to the villagers.
- is caused
- is causing
- have to cause
- have been caused
11. All of us … to come on Sunday to paint the hall.
- have agreed
- have been agreed
- were agreed
- were agreeing
12. Is she … for her rudeness?
- punish
- punishing
- been punished
- being punished
13. The scouts … one hour to reach the peak of the hill.
- are takes
- was took
- were taking
- took
14. ‘Hurrah! Our school team … the opponent.’ we exclaimed.
- beaten
- has beaten
- was beaten
- are beaten
15. Ex-convicts … a second chance to start life anew.
- deserve
- deserves
- are deserved
- have deserved
Exercise 4
Change the following sentences from the passive to the active voice.
1. The waitress was praised by the customer for her politeness.
2. The class is given easy homework by Miss Mathew
3. The aquarium has to be cleaned once a week
4. Our school cadets are being trained how to survive in the jungle
5. Next week, my uncle will be discharged from the hospital.
6. The maid might be forced by the cruel man to work on Sundays.
7. All the balloons are being released by the guest of honor.
8. Free food will be distributed to the poor on Wesak Day.
9. Two boys have been stung by a swarm of bees.
10. Your long fingernails need to be trimmed.
11. We are told by the head prefect that the naughty boys will be punished by the headmaster.
12. Christina is being driven to school by her chauffeur.
13. The park can be seen from the top of the thirty-strayed building.
14. Only trained laborer are allowed by the manager to pluck the fruits.
15. Have the players been informed by the captain about the football practice?
Exercise 5
Every sentence below contains an error. Identify and correct the error.
1. He fined because he returned the book one week late.
2. Many people is think that I am intelligent.
3. My father will travelling to Singapore tomorrow
4. They are being train how to treat broken bones.
5. I am telling by my neighbor that tomorrow will be a public holiday.
6. Must they informed about the prefects’ meeting?
7. As a punishment, you have to arranged the tables and chairs neatly.
8. The book that you borrowed have to return by Monday.
9. I may be send by the boss for training overseas.
10. The coach was praising by the players.
11. Harris took the food and was gave it to the sick man.
12. He ordered to sweep the floor before going home.
13. Have you post the letters Mr. Jeremy handed to you?
14. These beautiful flowers were plant by form six students.
15. Martin may asked to cook for the girls.