English Practice exercises: active-passive present tense P4-01G

To find what you need: type the subject you are looking for into the ’search’ box > then click
A. Passive to active

Change these sentences from passive to active. Rewrite the sentence in the space provided. Remember, if there is no agent – a person or thing identified by the word ‘by’ – you will have to create a subject for the active sentence: they, you, we, people, someone etc.

Examples

At some airports, explosives are now detected by sniffer dogs.

At some airports, sniffer dogs now detect explosives

These saucepans are guaranteed to last a lifetime.

We guarantee these saucepans to last a lifetime.

Now try these

1.    Fossils are found in certain types of rocks only.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

2.    Ernest Hemingway is best known for his novel ‘A farewell to Arms’.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

3.    The cake decoration is usually done by my sister Jean.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

4.    In our school, English is always spoken in the classroom.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

5.    The painting is signed by Vincent Van Gogh, but it is probably a forgery.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

6.    Our language school is advertised on the internet.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

7.    Each year, the opening speech is given by our principal, Miss Smart.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

8.    The gold bracelet is believed by archaeologists to date from the eighth century.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

9.    All our juice is made from freshly-squeezed oranges ………………………………………………………………………………………………..

10. The news is read today by Alice Archer. ………………………………………………………………………………………………..

B. Active to passive

Now do the opposite. These sentences in the active must be put into the passive.

Examples

Guide dogs help many blind people

Many blind people are helped by guide dogs.

We require a waitress for weekends and some evenings

A waitress is required for weekends and some evenings.

Now try these

11. The Queen opens each new session of parliament.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

12. Experts check all our goods before they leave the factory.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

13. They expect Amy Winehouse to bring out a new album soon.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………..

14. They make Hyundai cars in Korea.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………..

15. Our friendly staff deal with all your enquiries.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

16. Over fifteen thousand people read the local paper.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

17. We buy these bananas from small, independent farmers.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

18. Dogs often bite postmen.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………..

19. People remember John Lennon especially for the song ‘Imagine’.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….

20. We remind you not to leave rubbish in the park.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….