We use the passive voice when the action is more important than who does it, or when we don’t know who did it: My bike was stolen. To make the passive, use the right form of be + past participle. The table shows the passive in each tense. Then practise below, with an explanation after every answer.
| Tense | Passive form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Present simple | am / is / are + participle | English is spoken here. |
| Present continuous | am / is / are being + participle | The road is being repaired. |
| Past simple | was / were + participle | The house was built in 1920. |
| Past continuous | was / were being + participle | Dinner was being prepared. |
| Present perfect | has / have been + participle | My car has been repaired. |
| Past perfect | had been + participle | The tickets had been sold. |
| Future / modals | will / must / can + be + participle | It will be delivered. It must be signed. |
Passive voice exercises
Four sets of 20 questions: present and past simple (A2–B1), all tenses (B1–B2), advanced structures like It is said that and have something done (C1), and an At work set. Prefer to check everything at the end? Switch to Exam mode.
-
English in many countries.
-
This house in 1920.
-
Cheese (make) from milk.
-
The Mona Lisa was painted Leonardo da Vinci.
-
My bike last night.
-
These cars (produce) in Germany.
-
Millions of emails every day.
-
The windows every week.
-
The letter (write) by my grandmother in 1950.
-
Where your phone made?
-
The thief by the police yesterday.
-
Tickets (not / sell) at the door. You have to buy them online.
-
Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling.
-
Somebody cleaned the room. → The room .
-
(breakfast / include) in the price?
-
The first iPhone in 2007.
-
A lot of people in the accident.
-
The parcel (deliver) yesterday morning.
-
Football all over the world.
-
I to the party, so I didn’t go.
Teachers: download these questions as a printable worksheet with an answer key. It’s free to use in class.
-
The road at the moment, so we have to take a different route.
-
My car . It’s ready to collect.
-
The results (announce) next week.
-
This form must in black ink.
-
When I arrived, the room .
-
Over 1,000 trees (plant) in the park since 2020.
-
The meeting until next Monday.
-
Your order within three days.
-
The bridge (build) when I visited the town last year.
-
By the time we arrived, all the tickets .
-
Mobile phones be switched off during the exam.
-
The new hospital (open) by the president next month.
-
Has the problem yet?
-
I think we . That man has been behind us for ten minutes.
-
The documents can (download) from our website.
-
Two people in the fire, but nobody was killed.
-
The castle by thousands of tourists every year.
-
My wallet (steal)! I can’t find it anywhere.
-
Dinner when the guests arrived.
-
The winner tomorrow.
Teachers: download these questions as a printable worksheet with an answer key. It’s free to use in class.
-
It that the company is losing money.
-
He is believed the country.
-
I (have / my hair / cut) yesterday.
-
She is thought the best player in the team.
-
I hate what to do.
-
We’re getting our kitchen next week.
-
The suspect is reported (escape) from prison last night.
-
She a prize for her research.
-
The work needs by Friday.
-
You should (have / your car / check) before the long trip.
-
There to be over 3,000 languages in danger.
-
He got his phone on the train.
-
The film is expected (be) a huge success.
-
I don’t like photographed.
-
It that the meeting had been cancelled.
-
The students were told their phones away.
-
The new law is due (introduce) next year.
-
We had the documents into Spanish.
-
She to have been very rich.
-
The letter should last week.
Teachers: download these questions as a printable worksheet with an answer key. It’s free to use in class.
-
All invoices within 30 days.
-
The contract last Friday.
-
Our products (sell) in over 40 countries.
-
The meeting room at the moment. Please use room 3.
-
You an email with the details tomorrow.
-
The report (not / finish) yet.
-
Three new managers this year.
-
We’re having our website by an agency.
-
Candidates (interview) next week.
-
It that the company will be sold.
-
The project by the end of the year.
-
The CEO is expected (announce) the results tomorrow.
-
Our team for the best customer service award.
-
The data every night.
-
All staff (require) to attend the meeting.
-
When I joined the company, the new system .
-
The order should yesterday, but it was delayed.
-
We (give) a 10% discount by the supplier.
-
I need to get my laptop .
-
Our profits by the new tax rules.
Teachers: download these questions as a printable worksheet with an answer key. It’s free to use in class.
Beyond the basic passive
- Reporting verbs: It is said that he’s rich. = He is said to be rich. For an earlier action: He is believed to have left the country.
- Have / get something done: someone does it for you: I had my hair cut. We’re getting the kitchen redecorated.
- Two objects: They gave me a prize → I was given a prize (more common than A prize was given to me).
- Infinitive and -ing: It needs to be done. I hate being told what to do.
Common mistakes
- ❌ The house was build in 1920. → ✅ …was built… (past participle)
- ❌ The form must completed. → ✅ The form must be completed.
- ❌ I cut my hair at the hairdresser’s. (if someone else did it) → ✅ I had my hair cut.
FAQ
When should I use the passive?
Use it when the person doing the action is unknown (My phone was stolen), obvious (He was arrested, obviously by the police), or less important than the action itself (The bridge was opened in 1998). It’s very common in news, science and business writing.
Do I always need “by”?
No. Most passive sentences don’t have it. Add by only when the agent is new or important information: The Mona Lisa was painted by Leonardo da Vinci. Sentences like The windows are cleaned by people every week sound unnatural.
What’s the difference between “be” and “get” passive?
Get is more informal and often describes something that happens suddenly or unexpectedly: He got fired. My bag got stolen. In formal writing, use be.