Changing Active Voice into Passive Voice

Attempt the quiz above first, then review every question with its correct answer and a short explanation below.

1. Q1.Change into passive voice: "She writes a letter."

   • A.A letter was written by her.
   • B.A letter writes by her.
   • C.A letter has written by her.
   • D.A letter is written by her.✓ Correct Answer

   Explanation: Simple present active becomes "is/am/are + past participle" in the passive.

2. Q2.Change into passive voice: "They are playing football."

   • A.Football is played by them.
   • B.Football is being played by them.✓ Correct Answer
   • C.Football was being played by them.
   • D.Football has been played by them.

   Explanation: Present continuous becomes "is/are being + past participle".

3. Q3.Change into passive voice: "He ate an apple."

   • A.An apple is eaten by him.
   • B.An apple has been eaten by him.
   • C.An apple was eaten by him.✓ Correct Answer
   • D.An apple eaten by him.

   Explanation: Simple past becomes "was/were + past participle".

4. Q4.Change into passive voice: "The teacher teaches the students."

   • A.The students were taught by the teacher.
   • B.The students is taught by the teacher.
   • C.The students are teaching by the teacher.
   • D.The students are taught by the teacher.✓ Correct Answer

   Explanation: The plural object "students" becomes the subject and takes "are taught".

5. Q5.Change into passive voice: "I have finished the work."

   • A.The work has been finished by me.✓ Correct Answer
   • B.The work is finished by me.
   • C.The work was finished by me.
   • D.The work had been finished by me.

   Explanation: Present perfect becomes "has/have been + past participle".

6. Q6.Change into passive voice: "She will sing a song."

   • A.A song will sung by her.
   • B.A song is sung by her.
   • C.A song will be sung by her.✓ Correct Answer
   • D.A song would be sung by her.

   Explanation: Simple future becomes "will be + past participle".

7. Q7.Change into passive voice: "Who wrote this book?"

   • A.By whom is this book written?
   • B.By whom was this book written?✓ Correct Answer
   • C.By whom has this book written?
   • D.Whom was this book written?

   Explanation: The past tense "wrote" becomes "was written", and the agent "by whom" comes first.

8. Q8.Change into passive voice: "Open the door."

   • A.The door is opened.
   • B.Let the door open.
   • C.Let the door was opened.
   • D.Let the door be opened.✓ Correct Answer

   Explanation: An imperative becomes "Let + object + be + past participle".

9. Q9.Change into passive voice: "The police arrested the thief."

   • A.The thief is arrested by the police.
   • B.The thief was arrested by the police.✓ Correct Answer
   • C.The thief has been arrested by the police.
   • D.The thief arrested by the police.

   Explanation: Simple past "arrested" becomes "was arrested".

10. Q10.Change into passive voice: "She is singing a song."

    • A.A song is sung by her.
    • B.A song was being sung by her.
    • C.A song is being sung by her.✓ Correct Answer
    • D.A song has been sung by her.

    Explanation: Present continuous becomes "is being + past participle".

11. Q11.Change into passive voice: "The cook was preparing dinner."

    • A.Dinner is being prepared by the cook.
    • B.Dinner was prepared by the cook.
    • C.Dinner had been prepared by the cook.
    • D.Dinner was being prepared by the cook.✓ Correct Answer

    Explanation: Past continuous becomes "was/were being + past participle".

12. Q12.Change into passive voice: "They had completed the project."

    • A.The project had been completed by them.✓ Correct Answer
    • B.The project has been completed by them.
    • C.The project was completed by them.
    • D.The project is completed by them.

    Explanation: Past perfect becomes "had been + past participle".

13. Q13.Change into passive voice: "People speak English all over the world."

    • A.English was spoken all over the world.
    • B.English speaks all over the world.
    • C.English is spoken all over the world.✓ Correct Answer
    • D.English has spoken all over the world.

    Explanation: Simple present "speak" becomes "is spoken".

14. Q14.Change into passive voice: "Nobody can solve this problem."

    • A.This problem can be solved by nobody.
    • B.This problem cannot be solved by anybody.✓ Correct Answer
    • C.This problem cannot solve by anybody.
    • D.This problem could not be solved by anybody.

    Explanation: A negative subject such as "nobody" becomes a negative verb with "anybody"; the modal "can" becomes "cannot be + participle".

15. Q15.Change into passive voice: "He gave me a gift."

    • A.A gift is given to me by him.
    • B.I was given by him a gift.
    • C.A gift was given to me by him.✓ Correct Answer
    • D.A gift gave to me by him.

    Explanation: Making the direct object the subject gives "A gift was given to me by him."

16. Q16.Change into passive voice: "The audience heard the speech with great attention."

    • A.The speech is heard by the audience with great attention.
    • B.The speech was heard by the audience with great attention.✓ Correct Answer
    • C.The speech has been heard by the audience with great attention.
    • D.The speech heard by the audience with great attention.

    Explanation: Simple past "heard" becomes "was heard".

17. Q17.Change into passive voice, keeping the same tense: "Someone has stolen my purse."

    • A.My purse was stolen.
    • B.My purse has stolen.
    • C.My purse is being stolen.
    • D.My purse has been stolen.✓ Correct Answer

    Explanation: Present perfect "has stolen" becomes "has been stolen"; the vague agent "someone" is dropped.

18. Q18.Change into passive voice: "You must obey the rules."

    • A.The rules must be obeyed.✓ Correct Answer
    • B.The rules must obeyed.
    • C.The rules must be obeying.
    • D.The rules are obeyed.

    Explanation: A modal verb in the passive is "modal + be + past participle".

19. Q19.Change into passive voice: "People believe that he is honest."

    • A.It is believed that he is honest.✓ Correct Answer
    • B.He is believed that honest.
    • C.It believed that he is honest.
    • D.It was believed that he is honest.

    Explanation: Verbs of opinion with a "that" clause use the impersonal passive "It is believed that ...".

20. Q20.Change into passive voice: "Why did they cancel the match?"

    • A.Why was the match cancelled by them?✓ Correct Answer
    • B.Why is the match cancelled by them?
    • C.Why the match was cancelled by them?
    • D.Why has the match been cancelled by them?

    Explanation: In the passive question, the auxiliary comes before the subject: "was the match cancelled".