Active and Passive Verbs

Gap-fill exercise

Fill in all the gaps, then press "Check" to check your answers. Use the "Hint" button to get a free letter if an answer is giving you trouble. You can also click on the "[?]" button to get a clue. Note that you will lose points if you ask for hints or clues!

Who did what to whom?

Last week I phoned the gas company and complained that I'd been charged more than twice what I should have been. I was told that 'mistakes had been made', and that the matter was being investigated. I tell you, I really felt fobbed off, no one took responsibility!

We call it the Active or Passive Voice, depending on whether the action is done by or to the subject of the sentence.
Here are two examples:
I push John. Active, the subject, I, does the action, push.
John was pushed. Passive, the subject, John, receives the action, is pushed.

The firemen manage to put the fire out in two hours. Active, the subject, the firemen, do the action, put out the fire.
The fire was put out in two hours. Passive, the subject, the fire, was acted on, was put out.


Fill the gaps for whether these sentences contain active or passive verbs.

Joe Grundy picks the cider apples.
The cider apples have been picked.

A thief stole my mobile phone.
My mobile phone was stolen.

My car was broken into.
Someone broke into my car. Active

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