Lesson Eighteen

Passive Voice Practice

Now that you’ve learned how to use the passive voice in several different tenses, you should practice its use. This is an area where many students make mistakes in their English.

Active or Passive?

Do you know the difference? This exercise might help you. Just remember that when you first learn English, you are taught to use the active voice. There is a very big difference between the two.

Determine if the sentence is active or passive.

Also, what is the verb tense for each sentence?

She was scared by the spider.

What verb tense is this?

spider

The spider scared her.

This is the past tense.

spider

He uses chopsticks to eat his rice.

What verb tense is this?

eating rice

Chopsticks are often used in Chinese restaurants to eat rice.

This is in the present tense.

eating rice

He‘s making cloth on a loom.

What verb tense is this?

working at loom

Cloth is being made on a loom.

This is in the present continuous tense.

working

The woman was helped by the man.

past tense

woman

The man helped the woman.

past tense

woman

The woman’s teeth are being cleaned by a dental hygienist.

present continous tense

clearning teeth

A dental hygienist is cleaning the woman’s teeth.

present continous tense

cleaning teeth

The corn will be harvested in the fall by farmers.

future tense

corn

Farmers will harvest the corn in the fall.

future tense

corn

 Are you ready for a quiz?

Next: Lesson Nineteen