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Passive Voice — Advanced

Passive Voice — Advanced

Reference

Rule Example
get + PPinformal passivegot promoted, got married
ReportingIt is said that / X is said to beIt is believed / X is believed to have
Complex tensesmodal/perfect/continuous + be/been + PPshould have been done / is being repaired
Inf/gerund passiveto be + PP / being + PPwants to be told / hates being told

Common mistakes

  1. She is thought to leave the country last year. → She is thought to have left the country last year.
    past event → to have + PP
  2. It should been done yesterday. → It should have been done yesterday.
    modal + have been + PP
  3. The road is repairing now. → The road is being repaired now.
    continuous passive = is being + PP

Passive Voice — Advanced — Exercises

Choose the passive

Circle the correct answer.

  1. The suspect is believed _____ the country last night. (to have left / to leave / leaving)
  2. It _____ that the treasure is buried here. (is said / says / is saying)
  3. The road _____ when I drove past. (was being repaired / was repaired being / repaired)
  4. The work should _____ yesterday. (have been done / be done / been done)
  5. Nobody likes _____. (being criticised / to criticise / criticising)
  6. She was lucky _____ for the team. (to have been chosen / to choose / having chosen)
  7. He _____ trying to climb over the wall. (got caught / got catch / was catching)
  8. The new rules are expected _____ next month. (to be introduced / to introduce / introducing)

Key word transformation

Complete the second sentence so it means the same as the first. Use the word in capitals.

  1. People say the castle is haunted. (SAID) → The castle   haunted.
  2. People believe he won the race. (BELIEVED) → He   the race.
  3. They are painting the house. (BEING) → The house  .
  4. They should have warned us. (BEEN) → We   warned.
  5. I hate it when people interrupt me. (BEING) → I hate  .
  6. They expect the match to be cancelled. (EXPECTED) → It   the match will be cancelled.

Passive Voice — Advanced — Answer Key

Choose the passive

  1. to have left — Past action → to have left.
  2. is said — It is said that…
  3. was being repaired — Past continuous passive → was being repaired.
  4. have been done — Modal + have been + PP → have been done.
  5. being criticised — Passive gerund → being criticised.
  6. to have been chosen — Perfect passive infinitive → to have been chosen.
  7. got caught — Informal get-passive → got caught.
  8. to be introduced — Passive infinitive → to be introduced.

Key word transformation

  1. is said to be
  2. is believed to have won
  3. is being painted
  4. should have been
  5. being interrupted
  6. is expected that