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Class 10 English — The passive in every tense

Form the passive in any tense, and with a modal verb or an imperative.

Name: ________________________

  1. 1.Change to the passive: "Someone was following us."

    • a) We were followed.
    • b) We had been followed.
    • c) We were being followed.
    • d) We are being followed.

  2. 2.Complete the passive using "must", with three words: The report ____ before Friday. (verb: submit)

  3. 3.Sort each passive verb phrase by whether it carries a modal verb.

    Groups: Passive with a modal · Passive without a modal

    • should be washed
    • can be repaired
    • was washed
    • must be signed
    • has been signed
    • is repaired

  4. 4.Which sentence is the passive of the command "Close the gate"?

    • a) Let the gate be closed.
    • b) The gate closes.
    • c) The gate is closing.
    • d) The gate closed.

  5. 5.Match each active sentence to its passive form.

    • They clean the hall.
    • They are cleaning the hall.
    • They cleaned the hall.
    • They have cleaned the hall.
    • They will clean the hall.
    • They must clean the hall.
    • The hall was cleaned.
    • The hall is being cleaned.
    • The hall will be cleaned.
    • The hall is cleaned.
    • The hall has been cleaned.
    • The hall must be cleaned.

  6. 6.Complete the passive: The bridge ____ by next June. (verb: complete)

  7. 7.Change to the passive: "They have finished the work."

    • a) The work had been finished.
    • b) The work has finished.
    • c) The work is finished by them.
    • d) The work has been finished.

  8. 8.Why might a writer choose the passive in "The window was broken during the night"?

    • a) Because who broke it is unknown or does not matter.
    • b) To turn the sentence into a question.
    • c) To move the sentence into the future.
    • d) To say clearly who broke it.

Answer key — Class 10 English — The passive in every tense

  1. 1. c) We were being followed.
  2. 2. must be submitted
  3. 3. should be washed → Passive with a modal; was washed → Passive without a modal; must be signed → Passive with a modal; has been signed → Passive without a modal; can be repaired → Passive with a modal; is repaired → Passive without a modal
  4. 4. a) Let the gate be closed.
  5. 5. They clean the hall. → The hall is cleaned.; They are cleaning the hall. → The hall is being cleaned.; They cleaned the hall. → The hall was cleaned.; They have cleaned the hall. → The hall has been cleaned.; They will clean the hall. → The hall will be cleaned.; They must clean the hall. → The hall must be cleaned.
  6. 6.
    • will be completed
    • will have been completed
  7. 7. d) The work has been finished.
  8. 8. a) Because who broke it is unknown or does not matter.