Passive Voice: Texts, Proverbs and Quotations.

Passive Voice Examples in Texts, Proverbs and Quotations

Texts

Concentrate on the use of the verbs in the Passive Voice.

Text 1. 

How Towns Have Arisen

Most villages and towns on the British Isles came into being because of their favourable situation for trade.
Rather more than a hundred years ago, a great change came over the land. Many machines were invented about that time. Spinning and weaving, for example, which had previously been done by hand, were done by machinery that were driven by water or steam-power.
The work which usually was done in the houses of the people began to be carried on in large mills or factories, and workers found it convenient to live near them.
More and more factories were built and men and women left the country districts in great numbers and crowded into towns.
Since then the movement of people into towns has been going on until now. England is dotted with great cities.
All over Britain, and especially in those parts were the coal needed for power is to be found, there are mining and manufacturing areas, such as the Lancashire cotton district, the Black county of Midland, and others. A great many towns are found close together in those districts, and a great many people live within a small area, so that the population is very dense.

(After “The British Isles, Their Life and Work” by S. Bryson and Maxton)

Passive Voice Worksheets

This page contains 8 free passive voice worksheets with answer keys.  

Exercise 1.

Define the tense forms of the verbs in the following sentences. Change the sentences into interrogative form (use general questions).

Example: A man is known by the company he keeps.
Answer: Is a man known by the company he keeps? (Present Indefinite, Passive)

1. Many new buildings have been built in London.
2. A passenger was shown his seat. 
3. A review of the performance will be written after the first night. 
4. A new play is being staged at our theatre. 
5. The contract will be signed on Tuesday. 
6. The contract will have been signed by Tuesday. 
7. My dog was stung by bees. 
8. He had been introduced to me before I met you. 
9. The factory was still being built when we came to that place. 
10. Theatres are attended by thousands in our country. 
11. After the table had been cleared the children began to sing and dance.
12. His new collection of poems has just been published. 
13. I was told yesterday that their plan hadn’t been accepted.