G4: Passive I

G4: Verbs V - Passive Voice

by Tom Rohrbach

Multiple Choice Quiz

Do you know how to use "passive voice" in sentences?

We use passive for several reasons - maybe we don't know or don't care WHO

did something - we care more about the THING; maybe we are focusing on

the thing so we make it the subject, and we put "by ..." at the end to say who did it.

Sometimes the person who did it is secret, or none of your business!

To make the passive, first, we need an active verb and an object in the original active sentence -

if the verb is 'intransitive' (no object, like "happen" or "sleep"), we can't change it to passive.

Second, to make a passive verb, we use a form of the 'be' verb (many - such as "was", "is", "is being",

"will be", "had been", etc.) AND the past participle of the action verb. Most past participles are

regular (add "..ed", like "finished" or "locked"), but some are irregular (like "written", "done", or "taken").

Mark Twain wrote “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer”.
1. "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" written by Mark Twain.
2. "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" was written by Mark Twain.
3. "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" was written Mark Twain.
4. THIS SENTENCE CANNOT BE MADE PASSIVE.
They will finish the new bridge in 6 months.
1. The new bridge will be finish in 6 months.
2. The new bridge will finish in 6 months.
3. The new bridge will be finished in 6 months.
4. THIS SENTENCE CANNOT BE MADE PASSIVE.
Someone has already paid your group’s dinner tab.
1. Your group's dinner tab has already been paid.
2. Your group's dinner tab has already been payed.
3. Your group's dinner tab has already paid.
4. THIS SENTENCE CANNOT BE MADE PASSIVE.
They are correcting the network problem right now.
1. The network problem is correcting now.
2. The network problem is being correct now.
3. The network problem is being corrected now.
4. THIS SENTENCE CANNOT BE MADE PASSIVE.
Thieves were robbing the bank when the police officer walked in to cash a check.
1. The bank was being robbed when the police officer walked in to cash a check.
2. The bank was being robbing when the police officer walked in to cash a check.
3. The bank was robbing when the police officer walked in to cash a check.
4. THIS SENTENCE CANNOT BE MADE PASSIVE.
Something strange happened at the Halloween party last night.
1. Something strange was happened at the Halloween party last night.
2. Something strange was being happened at the Halloween party last night.
3. Something strange was be happened at the Halloween party last night.
4. THIS SENTENCE CANNOT BE MADE PASSIVE.
Mrs. Jefferson is going to plant some flowers soon.
1. Some flowers are going to be planting soon by Mrs. Jefferson.
2. Some flowers are going to being planted soon by Mrs. Jefferson.
3. Some flowers are going to be planted soon by Mrs. Jefferson.
4. THIS SENTENCE CANNOT BE MADE PASSIVE.
Someone had already patented a similar product before Mr. Edison submitted his.
1. A similar product had already being patented before Mr. Edison submitted his.
2. A similar product had already been patented before Mr. Edison submitted his.
3. A similar product had already been patenting before Mr. Edison submitted his.
4. THIS SENTENCE CANNOT BE MADE PASSIVE.
They encountered manufacturing problems, delaying the new Blackberry for 5 months.
1. Manufacturing problems were encountered, delaying the new Blackberry for 5 months.
2. Manufacturing problems were encountering, delaying the new Blackberry for 5 months.
3. Manufacturing problems were being encountered, delaying the new Blackberry for 5 months.
4. THIS SENTENCE CANNOT BE MADE PASSIVE.
Robert gave Pam a diamond necklace on Valentine’s Day.
1. BOTH answers "B" and "C" below are correct.
2. Pam was given a diamond necklace by Robert on Valentine's Day.
3. A diamond necklace was given to Pam by Robert on Valentine's Day.
4. THIS SENTENCE CANNOT BE MADE PASSIVE.
People often mistake Robert for George Clooney because they look so much alike.
1. Robert is often mistaking for George Clooney because they look so much alike.
2. Robert is often mistaken for George Clooney because they look so much alike.
3. Robert is often mistaked for George Clooney because they look so much alike.
4. THIS SENTENCE CANNOT BE MADE PASSIVE.
Nancy is nervous about speaking in front of a large group.
1. Nancy is nervous about being spoken in front of a large group.
2. Nancy is being nervoused about speaking in front of a large group.
3. Nancy is been nervoused about speaking in front of a large group.
4. THIS SENTENCE CANNOT BE MADE PASSIVE.
The first draft script of the new Star Wars movie pleased the movie studio bosses at Disney.
1. The movie studio bosses at Disney were pleased by the first draft script of the new Star Wars movie.
2. The movie studio bosses at Disney were pleasing by the first draft script of the new Star Wars movie.
3. The movie studio bosses at Disney be pleased by the first draft script of the new Star Wars movie.
4. THIS SENTENCE CANNOT BE MADE PASSIVE.
The ghost story Mr. Winters told the students scared them.
1. The ghost story of Mr. Winters was scared by the students.
2. The students were scaring by the ghost story Mr. Winters told them.
3. The students were scared by the ghost story Mr. Winters told them.
4. THIS SENTENCE CANNOT BE MADE PASSIVE.