1. Page 426, Exercise 10
Using the passive voice when you are
telling who did it.

2. 1. Active voice: Employees use cell
phones.
Passive voice: Cell phones are used
by employees.

3. 2. Active voice: The driver hit a
pedestrian.
Passive voice: The pedestrian was
hit by the driver.

4. 3. Active voice: The court threw out
the case.
Passive voice: The case was thrown
out by the court.

5. 4. Active voice: Distracted drivers
cause accidents.
Passive voice: Accidents are caused
by distracted drivers.

6. 5. Active voice: Congress makes the
laws.
Passive voice: The laws are made
by congress.

7. 6. Active voice: Should the
government control cell phone
use?
Passive voice: Should cell phone
use be controlled by the
government?

8. 7. Active voice: The president signs
new laws.
Passive voice: New laws are signed
by the president.

9. 8. Active voice: The court has
decided the case.
Passive voice: The case has been
decided by the court.

10. 9. Active voice: The judge will make
a decision.
Passive voice: A decision will be
made by the judge.

11. 10. Active voice: Fast-food
restaurants sell hamburgers and
fries.
Passive voice: Hamburgers and fries
are sold by fast-food restaurants.

12. In these sentences, active and
passive voice are both OK. It
depends on which noun or noun
phrase you want to emphasize.

13. The meaning is the same. The
choice of active or passive just
changes the meaning a little bit.

14. Pages 426-427, Exercises 11

15. In these sentences, it’s better to
use the passive voice because who
did it is unknown or unimportant or
obvious.
I don’t use “by” at the end.

16. 1. I was sent a questionnaire.
(Somebody sent it to me—it’s not
important who sent it.)

17. 2. We have been taken to a
separate room.
(I’m not saying who has taken us.)

18. 3. We were told not to discuss the
case.
(Probably the judge told us not to
discuss the case. It’s obvious—
everybody knows it’s the judge
who tells the jurors things like
that.)

19. 4. 12 people will be chosen.
(The lawyers choose them,
probably. But it’s not important in
the sentence.)

20. 5. Has your name been selected?
(I’m not talking about who has
selected it.)

21. 6. We were not permitted to read
any newspapers.

22. 7. He will not be selected again for
jury duty.
OR He will not be selected for jury
duty again.

23. 8. Will you be paid?

24. 9. We aren’t allowed to eat in the
courtroom.

25. 10. My name has been called.

26. Pages 427-428, Exercise 12
These sentences should really be
active and not passive because who
it is important.
Change passive to active:

27. 1. The driver had a cell phone.

28. 2. The driver spilled hot coffee.

29. 3. Do you use a cell phone?

30. 4. I have driven the car.

31. 5. Lawyers make a lot of money.

32. 6. Drivers with cell phones should
use an earpiece.

33. 7. I conduct business from my car.

34. 8. We watch the news every night.

35. 9. Teenagers eat a lot of fast food.

36. 10. They will report the accident.