The Passive Voice

בס"ד

Name______________________________ Date___________________________

The Passive Voice

Form of Passive

Subject + finite form of to be + V3 (3rd column of irregular verbs) or V2 if verb is regular

Example: A letter was written.

When rewriting active sentences in passive voice, note the following:

• the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence
• the finite form of the verb is changed (to be + V3 If verb is regular V2)
• the subject of the active sentence becomes the object of the passive sentence (or is dropped)

Examples of Passive

Tense		Subject	Verb	Object
Simple Present	Active:	Rita	writes	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	is written	by Rita.
Simple Past	Active:	Rita	wrote	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	was written	by Rita.

Exercises:

A. Write A or P in the blank before the sentence.

A if the sentence is Active P is if the sentence is passive.

_______ 1. The bus was late.

_______2. She waits for the bus every day.

_______3. They were dissapointed by the food at the hotel.

_______4. I didn't find the right Chanuka gift for my best friend.

_______5. My mother was washing the dishes when the phone rang.

_______6. This story, Sheltering Wings was probably written in 1898.

_______7. Yair and Shlomi's suitcases were lost in Wangpoo, China.

_______8. This bag was recovered from the thief.

_______9. The Kiddush was given in honor of the Bar Mitzvah.

______10. The students were happy because of their good grades.

B. Find all the passive verbs in the sentences above and circle them.

Change these sentences from active to passive:

1. The thief stole the wallet. _________________________________________________________

2. The teacher gave us a book report to do. _____________________________________________

3. Sammy plays the flute. ____________________________________________________________

4.The Rabbi gave a wonderful lesson yesterday. __________________________________________

5.The owner showed the apartment to the prospective buyer. ________________________________

100. Write your own passive sentences using these words. You can change the tense of the verbs.

bicycle / ride/ little boy ______________________________________________________

trash/ take out/Tami ________________________________________________________

fish /feed/children__________________________________________________________

cake/buy/father ____________________________________________________________

shoes/wear/all day__________________________________________________________

chars/move/men ___________________________________________________________

room/'set up/boys ___________________________________________________________

coffee/make/mother__________________________________________________________

pen/put/on the table __________________________________________________________

bus/drive/bus driver___________________________________________________________

500. Write your own Passive sentences:

1. ____________________________________________________________________________

2. ____________________________________________________________________________