Passive Voice Revision

1. Are the sentences written in Active or Passive?

1) Steven likes to play baseball. 6) They often read e-mails.

a) Active b) Passive a) Active b) Passive

2) Bingo is played in Britain. 7) These cars are produced in Italy.

a) Active b) Passive a) Active b) Passive

3) He lost his keys yesterday. 8) French is spoken in Niger.

a) Active b) Passive a) Active b) Passive

4) A letter was written. 9) Lots of houses were destroyed.

a) Active b) Passive a) Active b) Passive

5) They are listening to their music. 10) The bus driver was hurt.

a) Active b) Passive a) Active b) Passive

2. Complete the passive sentences using the underlined parts of the text to help you

The History of Sunglasses

People have worn sunglasses since the 12th century or possibly earlier. People made the first sunglasses out of flat
pieces of smoky quartz. They protected the eyes from bright lights but they didn’t help people to see better or protect
them from the sun. Judges in Chinese courts used these sunglasses to hide their expressions when they interviewed
witnesses.

In the early 1900s, Hollywood film stars wore sunglasses but it wasn’t until 1929, when Sam Foster introduced
sunglasses to America that people made sunglasses in large quantities for the public. People used these sunglasses to
protect their eyes from the sun’s rays.

Traditionally people have made the frames of sunglasses out of plastic or metal but today people use other materials
like bamboo or rosewood. What is certain is that sunglasses will always be considered fashionable.

1 Sunglasses ________________ since the 12th century.

2 The first sunglasses ________________ out of flat pieces of smoky quartz.

3 The eyes ________________ from bright lights.

4 These sunglasses ________________ Chinese judges to hide their expressions when interviewing
witnesses.

5 Sunglasses ________________ Hollywood film stars in the early 1900s.

6 It was only when they ________________ Sam Foster in 1929 that …

7 … sunglasses ________________ in large quantities for the public for the first time.

8 These sunglasses ________________ to protect people’s eyes from the sun’s rays.

9 Traditionally, the frames ________________ out of plastic or metal …

 10 … but today other materials like bamboo or rosewood ________________.

3. Rewrite the Passive sentences into Active

1. Mr Brown is loved by everybody.

2. A new stadium is being built near the station.

3. The princess was eaten by the wolf.

4. At six o’clock a story was being told.

5. All the milk has been drunk!

6. All the windows had been cleaned by me before the storm.

7. The computer will be repaired tomorrow.

8. By next year the passive will have been studied by the students.

9. Dinner might be cooked by James.

10.My wallet must have been taken.