Passive

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo, vwo
• Leerjaar 3-6

What is the subject in this sentence?

The lion bit the man.

(Onderwerp)

The lion bit the man.

What is the object in this sentence?

(Leidend voorwerp)

The lion bit the man.

The cat bites the man.

The man is bitten (by the cat)

Passive

How to recognize a passive sentence...

- check if there is a form of 'to be' used (am, are, is, was, were, been)

- is it followed by a participle (voltooid deelwoord)?

- is it followed by 'by + noun or pronoun? If not, can it be followed by 'by zombies'?

Are all answers 'yes'? Congratulations, you have a passive sentence.

I was told what to do by zombies

The dog was fed by zombies

This pizza is made by zombies

You are invited to the party by zombies

Passive exercises

Decide whether the sentence is active or passive.

The Government is planning a new road near my house.

1. passive
2. active

They often listen to music

1. passive
2. active

She is reading the newspaper now.

1. passive
2. active

These cars are produced in Japan.

1. passive
2. active

Cricket is played in Australia.

1. passive
2. active

The friends have been looking forward to meeting her.

1. passive
2. active

The search will be stopped because of the storm.

1. passive
2. active

This room has been painted blue.

1. passive
2. active

Passive exercises

Fill in the correct form of the verb.

Geography __________ in school.

1. teaches
2. have taught
3. were taught
4. is taught

German __________ in Austria.

1. speaks
2. is spoken
3. is speaked
4. speaketh

A lot of houses ___________ by the earthquake in 1906.

1. were destroying
2. destroy
3. have destroyed
4. were destroyed

Henry Ford ________ the assembly line.

1. invented
2. was invented
3. is invented
4. were invented

The bus driver ________ yesterday.

1. hurts
2. were hurt
3. was hurt
4. is hurting

You should ________ your workbooks to study more.

1. is open
2. was open
3. open
4. opened

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