The Passive: Present and Past

Reference

Common mistakes

1. Cheese is make from milk. → Cheese is made from milk.
   be + past participle
2. The bridge built in 1890. → The bridge was built in 1890.
   the passive needs be
3. The phones is made in Korea. → The phones are made in Korea.
   plural → are
4. The book was written from Rowling. → The book was written by Rowling.
   the person → by

The Passive: Present and Past — Exercises

Choose the correct form

Circle the correct answer.

1. Paper _____ from wood. (is made / made / is make)
2. This castle _____ 800 years ago. (was built / is built / built)
3. Spanish and English _____ in our school. (are taught / is taught / are teach)
4. My wallet _____ on the bus yesterday. (was stolen / was stole / is stolen)
5. The Mona Lisa was painted _____ Leonardo da Vinci. (by / from / of)
6. These shoes _____ in Italy. (are made / is made / make)
7. The letters _____ last week. (were sent / was sent / were send)
8. Coffee _____ in Brazil and Colombia. (is grown / grows by / is grew)

Write the passive

Write the verb in brackets in the present or past passive.

1. Rice   in many parts of Asia. (grow)
2. The first email   in 1971. (send)
3. These photos   by my grandfather. (take)
4. Chocolate   from cocoa beans. (make)
5. The window   by a football. (break)
6. Portuguese   in Brazil. (speak)

The Passive: Present and Past — Answer Key

Choose the correct form

1. is made — Present passive: is made.
2. was built — Past (800 years ago) → was built.
3. are taught — Plural subject, present → are taught.
4. was stolen — steal → stolen: was stolen.
5. by — The person who did it → by.
6. are made — Plural, present → are made.
7. were sent — Plural, past → were sent.
8. is grown — grow → grown: is grown.

Write the passive

1. is grown
2. was sent
3. were taken
4. is made
5. was broken
6. is spoken