The Passive Voice in Every Tense: B1 Exercises

Every answer with the reason behind it. Read the explanation for the ones you got right as well — that is where you find out whether you were right for the right reason.

Multiple choice questions — answers

1. My bicycle ___ last night from outside the library. → was stolen

The past simple passive is was or were plus the past participle.

2. The bridge ___ at the moment, so use the ferry. → is being repaired

The present continuous passive is is being plus the past participle.

3. This form must ___ in black ink. → be completed

After a modal the passive is be plus the past participle, with no tense marking of its own.

4. Why is the passive preferred in 'The samples were heated to 200°C'? → The person who did it is irrelevant

Scientific writing uses the passive because the procedure matters and the technician does not.

5. The results ___ by the end of the week. → will be announced

The future passive is will be plus the past participle.

6. Which verb cannot be made passive? → arrive

Arrive takes no object, and only a verb with an object can have a passive form.

7. The parcel ___ already ___ when I got home. → had / been delivered

The past perfect passive is had been plus the past participle.

8. In which sentence should the by phrase be kept? → Hamlet was written by Shakespeare.

Keep by when the agent adds real information. Somebody, a thief and a person add none.

9. English ___ in more than fifty countries. → is spoken

The present simple passive states a general fact where the doer is everybody.

10. The road ___ since March and is still closed. → has been resurfaced

The present perfect passive is has or have been plus the past participle.

11. Your application ___ carefully before a decision is made. → will be considered

The applicant is not doing the considering, so the future passive is required.

12. Which sentence is in the active voice? → Someone ate the cake.

Only the third names the doer as the grammatical subject.

13. Visitors ___ to leave their bags at reception. → are asked

Official notices use the passive because the institution issuing the instruction is obvious.

14. The film ___ in New Zealand over two years. → was filmed

The past simple passive describes a completed production process.

15. Nothing ___ about the problem so far. → has been done

So far calls for the present perfect, and the passive removes the unnamed people responsible.

16. The machine ___ serviced every six months. → should be

Modal plus be plus the past participle is the standard modal passive.

17. 'Mistakes were made' is often criticised because it ___. → hides who is responsible

The passive lets a speaker admit an error while leaving out the person who made it, which is precisely why the phrase is notorious.

18. This building ___ in 1887 by a local architect. → was designed

A specific past date takes the past simple passive, and by adds genuine information here.

19. The documents ___ scanned at the moment. → are being

An action in progress right now takes the present continuous passive: are being plus the participle.

20. We ___ that the delay was caused by a signal failure. → are told

Be told is the passive of a reporting verb, used when the source of the information is unimportant.

Fill-in-the-blank questions — answers

1. The office ___ cleaned every evening after six. → is

The present simple passive uses is or are plus the past participle for a routine.

2. These photographs ___ taken during the war. → were

A plural subject in the past simple passive takes were plus the past participle.

3. The report must ___ submitted before Friday. → be

After a modal, the passive is always be plus the past participle.

4. A new hospital ___ being built on the edge of town. → is

The present continuous passive describes construction currently under way.

5. The letters ___ already been posted when she changed her mind. → had

The past perfect passive is had been plus the past participle.

6. Breakfast ___ served between seven and ten. → is

Hotel notices use the present simple passive because the staff are understood.

7. The winners ___ be announced at the ceremony tonight. → will

The future passive is will be plus the past participle.

8. Nothing has ___ decided about the merger yet. → been

The present perfect passive needs been between has and the past participle.

9. This novel ___ translated into thirty languages. → has been

A result that still holds takes the present perfect passive.

10. The suspect ___ questioned for six hours yesterday. → was

A completed past action with an unnamed police force: past simple passive.

11. All bags ___ be searched at the entrance. → must

A modal before be plus the participle expresses an obligation impersonally.

12. The roof ___ being repaired when the storm hit. → was

The past continuous passive describes work in progress at a past moment.

13. Tickets can ___ purchased online or at the door. → be

Can be plus the past participle is the modal passive of possibility.

14. Our flight ___ cancelled without any explanation. → was

The airline is not named, which is exactly what the passive allows.

15. The results ___ not been published yet. → have

The present perfect passive in the negative: have not been plus the participle.

16. Guests ___ requested to vacate rooms by eleven. → are

Formal notices favour the present simple passive over a direct instruction.

17. The painting ___ discovered in an attic in 1994. → was

A specific past year takes the past simple passive.

18. This road ___ be closed for resurfacing next month. → will

A scheduled future event with an unnamed authority: will be plus the participle.

19. The email should ___ sent to the whole department. → have been

Should have been plus the participle criticises something that did not happen.

20. Every application ___ reviewed by two assessors. → is

A standard procedure takes the present simple passive, and here by adds real information.

Sentence structure: word ordering — answers

1. Report damage without naming a cause. → The window was broken during the storm.

Report damage without naming a cause.

2. Describe work currently in progress, passively. → This bridge is being repaired at present.

Describe work currently in progress, passively.

3. Give an impersonal official instruction. → All forms must be signed in ink.

Give an impersonal official instruction.

4. Announce a future event with no named agent. → The results will be published on Monday.

Announce a future event with no named agent.

5. Keep the by phrase because it matters. → Hamlet was written by William Shakespeare.

Keep the by phrase because it matters.

6. Report a lack of progress impersonally. → Nothing has been decided so far.

Report a lack of progress impersonally.

7. Place a passive event before another past event. → The parcel had been delivered before noon.

Place a passive event before another past event.

8. State a general fact about a language. → English is spoken all over the world.

State a general fact about a language.

9. Express possibility in the passive. → Tickets can be bought at the station.

Express possibility in the passive.

10. Give a historical opening date. → The museum was opened in nineteen sixty.

Give a historical opening date.

11. Describe something happening to you at this moment. → Our luggage is being searched right now.

Describe something happening to you at this moment.

12. Announce a change with a present result. → The meeting has been postponed until March.

Announce a change with a present result.

13. Word a polite public request. → Visitors are asked to remain seated.

Word a polite public request.

14. Criticise a maintenance failure. → The car should have been serviced months ago.

Criticise a maintenance failure.

15. State past employment figures. → Two hundred people were employed at the factory.

State past employment figures.

16. Describe a routine automated process. → The software is updated automatically each night.

Describe a routine automated process.

17. Promise a future outcome without a decider. → A decision will be made after the review.

Promise a future outcome without a decider.

18. Predict a passive future from a known plan. → The old cinema is going to be demolished.

Predict a passive future from a known plan.

19. Complain about being kept in the dark. → We were told nothing about the changes.

Complain about being kept in the dark.

20. Describe a culinary convention. → This dish is traditionally served with rice.

Describe a culinary convention.