Grade 8 · Grammar

The Passive Voice

Revision v5

Quick Recap

Formula 9 Tenses Special Forms Uses
Subject  +  be (correct tense)  +  Past Participle  [ + by + agent ]
Simple Present
is / are + p.p.
The car is washed.
Simple Past
was / were + p.p.
The car was washed.
Simple Future
will be + p.p.
The car will be washed.
Present Continuous
is/are being + p.p.
The car is being washed.
Past Continuous
was/were being + p.p.
The car was being washed.
Present Perfect
has/have been + p.p.
The car has been washed.
Past Perfect
had been + p.p.
The car had been washed.
Modal
modal + be + p.p.
The car must be washed.
Modal Perfect
modal + have been + p.p.
The car should have been washed.
Double Object
Two possible passive forms
Active: They gave her a prize.
→ She was given a prize. ✓
→ A prize was given to her. ✓
Reporting Verbs
It is said / believed / thought…
Active: People say he is wealthy.
→ It is said that he is wealthy.
→ He is said to be wealthy.
Unknown agent
My bike was stolen.
Agent obvious / unimportant
The suspect was arrested.
Formal / scientific
The samples were heated to 100°C.
Emphasise the receiver
The record was broken by Bolt.
A

Active → Passive

Write your answer in the box, then click Show Answer to check. Keep the same tense unless told otherwise.

1. Simple past
The manager approved the proposal.
The proposal was approved (by the manager).
object → subject | approved → was approved
Present Perfect
2.
Someone has hacked the school's database.
The school's database has been hacked.
Agent "someone" is unknown — omit it.
Past Continuous
3.
Workers were repairing the road all night.
The road was being repaired all night (by workers).
were repairing → was being repaired
Modal
4.
Students must hand in their projects by Friday.
Projects must be handed in by Friday.
must hand in → must be handed in | agent "students" omitted — obvious.
⚑ Double Object
5. Give both possible passive forms.
The school awarded Maria a scholarship.
Maria was awarded a scholarship (by the school). A scholarship was awarded to Maria (by the school).
Both are correct. The first (person as subject) is more natural in English.
6. Simple future
The government will build three new hospitals.
Three new hospitals will be built (by the government).
Past Perfect
7.
The firefighters had already extinguished the fire when we arrived.
The fire had already been extinguished (by the firefighters) when we arrived.
had extinguished → had been extinguished
Reporting Verb
8. Transform using a reporting verb. Give both structures.
People believe that the treasure is buried on the island.
It is believed that the treasure is buried on the island. The treasure is believed to be buried on the island.
Structure 1: It + passive reporting verb + that-clause.  Structure 2: Subject + passive reporting verb + to-infinitive.
B

Passive → Active

Rewrite each sentence in the active voice. If no agent is given, use a suitable general subject.

1.
The novel was written by Jane Austen in 1813.
Jane Austen wrote the novel in 1813.
2.
The results will be announced by the committee tomorrow.
The committee will announce the results tomorrow.
3. No agent given — use a general subject.
The package had been delivered before we arrived.
Someone had delivered the package before we arrived.
No "by" phrase → use "someone / they" as subject.
Continuous
4.
The suspect was being questioned by the detectives for hours.
The detectives were questioning the suspect for hours.
Modal Perfect
5.
The error should have been caught by the editor.
The editor should have caught the error.
C

Common Mistakes

Wrong "be" form for the tense
The cake is baked yesterday.
The cake was baked yesterday.
"Yesterday" signals past → use was/were.
Missing "been" in perfect forms
The file has sent already.
The file has been sent already.
Present perfect passive = has/have + been + p.p.
Past simple instead of past participle
The door was broke by the wind.
The door was broken by the wind.
"Broke" = simple past active. Passive needs the p.p.: broken.
Missing "being" in continuous passive
The bridge is repaired at the moment.
The bridge is being repaired at the moment.
Present continuous passive = is/are + being + p.p.
Using "been" in future passive
The winners will been announced soon.
The winners will be announced soon.
Future passive = will + be (not "been") + p.p.
Intransitive verbs cannot be passive
The accident was happened on the highway.
The accident happened on the highway.
Verbs like happen, arrive, die, sleep have no object — no passive possible.
D

Spot & Correct the Error

Each sentence has exactly one passive voice error. Write the corrected sentence, then check.

1. The email has send to all parents this morning.
The email has been sent to all parents this morning.
Present perfect passive = has + been + p.p.
2. Three goals were score in the first half.
Three goals were scored in the first half.
Past participle of "score" = scored.
3. The new policy will been announced next week.
The new policy will be announced next week.
Future passive = will + be (not "been") + p.p.
4. The injured player is being treated by the doctors at the hospital since Monday.
The injured player has been treated by the doctors since Monday.
"Since Monday" → present perfect, not present continuous.
5. It is said that the missing painting has been stole from a private collection.
It is said that the missing painting has been stolen from a private collection.
Past participle of "steal" = stolen, not "stole".
6. The children were gave a medal by the mayor at the ceremony.
The children were given a medal by the mayor at the ceremony.
Past participle of "give" = given, not "gave".
E

Quiz — 8 Questions

Questions progress from easier to harder. Choose the best answer.

Easy
1. Which is the correct simple past passive of "They built the bridge in 1920"?
Easy
2. Which verb cannot be made passive?
Medium
3. Choose the correct present continuous passive:
Medium
4. "You should return all library books by Friday." → Best passive form:
Medium
5. Why is the passive preferred in: "Three people were killed in the explosion."
Hard
6. "They gave Maria a prize." — Which passive transformation is incorrect?
Hard
7. "People think that she stole the money." → Which reporting-verb passive is correct?
Hard
8. Which sentence uses the past perfect passive correctly in context?