Active to passive worksheet - Free Printable

Let's solve the task of converting each sentence from active voice to passive voice. The passive voice focuses on the action or the object receiving the action, rather than who is performing it.

🔁 General Rule for Passive Voice:

> Subject + be + past participle + (by + agent)

We often omit the agent (the doer) if it's not important or unknown.

---

Now let’s go through each sentence:

---

1. Active: People speak Portuguese in Brazil.
→ Passive: Portuguese is spoken in Brazil.
*(The subject "Portuguese" becomes the focus; "people" is omitted because it's general.)*

2. Active: My grandfather built this house in 1943.
→ Passive: This house was built by my grandfather in 1943.
*(“This house” becomes the subject; “built” → “was built”; “by my grandfather” shows the doer.)*

3. Active: The cleaner has cleaned the office.
→ Passive: The office has been cleaned by the cleaner.
*(Present perfect → "has been cleaned"; “the office” is now the subject.)*

4. Active: John will phone her later.
→ Passive: She will be phoned by John later.
*(Future tense: "will be phoned"; “her” becomes “she” as the subject.)*

5. Active: Somebody should do the work.
→ Passive: The work should be done (by somebody).
*(Modal verb "should" stays; "be done" is the passive form; “somebody” can be omitted.)*

6. Active: Everybody loves Mr Brown.
→ Passive: Mr Brown is loved by everybody.
*(“Mr Brown” becomes the subject; “is loved” = present simple passive.)*

7. Active: The wolf ate the princess.
→ Passive: The princess was eaten by the wolf.
*(Past simple → “was eaten”; “princess” is now the subject.)*

8. Active: Somebody has drunk all the milk!
→ Passive: All the milk has been drunk (by somebody)!
*(Present perfect → “has been drunk”; “milk” is the subject.)*

9. Active: A workman will repair the computer tomorrow.
→ Passive: The computer will be repaired by a workman tomorrow.
*(Future tense → “will be repaired”; “computer” is the subject.)*

10. Active: People must wear masks these days.
→ Passive: Masks must be worn (by people) these days.
*(Modal “must” stays; “be worn” is passive; “masks” is now the subject.)*

---

✔ Final Answers:

1. Portuguese is spoken in Brazil.
2. This house was built by my grandfather in 1943.
3. The office has been cleaned by the cleaner.
4. She will be phoned by John later.
5. The work should be done (by somebody).
6. Mr Brown is loved by everybody.
7. The princess was eaten by the wolf.
8. All the milk has been drunk (by somebody)!
9. The computer will be repaired by a workman tomorrow.
10. Masks must be worn (by people) these days.

---

💡 Tips:

- Always identify the object of the active sentence — that becomes the subject in passive.
- Use be + past participle and adjust the tense accordingly.
- Include "by..." only if the doer is known or relevant.

Let me know if you'd like an explanation with diagrams or more examples! 😊