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Level: B1

Active or Passive — Practice

Look at the highlighted verb phrase: is the subject doing the action (active) or receiving it (passive: be + past participle)? 40 click-to-hear ESL sentences across the main tenses.

📝 Passive Voice unit · lesson 2 of 3 ⏱ about 10 minutes 🔊 every example has audio

Builds on Passive Voice — the guide Next in unit Passive Forms →

  • Active voice — the subject does the action
  • My aunt baked this cake. – Active
  • The police arrested the suspect. – Active
  • A famous architect designed this bridge. – Active
  • The kids are watching a movie. – Active
  • Our teacher explains every rule clearly. – Active
  • The company will launch the product in May. – Active
  • Somebody has taken my umbrella. – Active
  • The chef prepares fresh pasta daily. – Active
  • Volunteers cleaned the beach on Saturday. – Active
  • The mechanic is fixing my car today. – Active
  • Farmers grow rice in this valley. – Active
  • The committee has approved the plan. – Active
  • A young reporter wrote the story. – Active
  • The movers will deliver the sofa tomorrow. – Active
  • My grandmother knitted this sweater. – Active
  • The city built a new library last year. – Active
  • Passive voice — the subject receives the action
  • This cake was baked by my aunt. – Passive
  • The suspect was arrested last night. – Passive
  • This bridge was designed by a famous architect. – Passive
  • A movie is being watched in the living room. – Passive
  • Every rule is explained clearly in the guide. – Passive
  • The product will be launched in May. – Passive
  • My umbrella has been taken. – Passive
  • Fresh pasta is prepared daily. – Passive
  • The beach was cleaned by volunteers. – Passive
  • My car is being fixed today. – Passive
  • Rice is grown in this valley. – Passive
  • The plan has been approved. – Passive
  • The story was written by a young reporter. – Passive
  • The sofa will be delivered tomorrow. – Passive
  • This sweater was knitted by my grandmother. – Passive
  • A new library was built last year. – Passive
  • Mixed practice — same actions, both voices
  • The gardener waters the plants every morning. – Active
  • The plants are watered every morning. – Passive
  • Someone broke the window. – Active
  • The window was broken. – Passive
  • They speak English in this office. – Active
  • English is spoken in this office. – Passive
  • The judges announced the winner. – Active
  • The winner was announced. – Passive