Passive Voice- Discuss and Agree

Passive Voice- Discuss and Agree
Including verbs which aren’t used in the passive

Work in pairs or small groups. Choose sentences from below and try to write sentences
that you both/ all agree with. If you disagree, keep discussing until you agree, change
topic or change sentence. Whenever you agree, write the sentence down, then switch to
another sentence.

Possible topics
alcohol
architecture
art
business
drugs
the economy
education
the elderly
elections
the environment
families
fuel
globalisation
government policy
health
housing
international organisations
international relations
manufacturing
media
migration
nature
news coverage
politics
population
power
religion
smoking
social problems
taxation
technology
urban planning
violence
work

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2018

1

Sentences to discuss and complete

 ________________________

can

be

achieved

by

____________________________
 _______________ will be affected by _____________________ in the next few
years
 ____________________ should be allowed/ permitted/ legalised (for
_____________)
 Problems with ________________ will arise in the future if
_____________________
 ____________________

should

be

arrested

for

______________________________
 ___________________ should be banned/ forbidden/ prohibited (for
_____________)
 It used to be believed that ____________ but no one should hold that belief
nowadays
 (The

last) ___________________ was (mainly) caused by

______________________
 _____________________

needs

to

be

changed

(to

___________________________)
 __________________________________________________ need to be
constructed
 _______________________

should

be

cut

(by/

to/

for

_________________________)
 ___________________ will be damaged by _____________ (unless
_____________)
 Help

for

unemployed

people

should

depend

on

_______________________________
 Fewer

people would die from _____________________ if

______________________
 ______________________

will

disappear

unless

_____________________________
 More

research

needs

to

be

done

on

________________________________________
 The main reason that ___________________ (still) exists is
____________________
 _________ are being (unfairly/ excessively) exploited at the moment (by
__________)
 _______________________________

would

grow

if

__________________________
 ________________________________________________ must be halted/
scrapped
 ____________________

happens/

occurs

because

___________________________
 Too

much

________________________

is

imported

(from

_____________________)
 _________________________

could

be

improved

by

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2018

2

_________________________
 ____________________________

could

lead

to

_____________________________
 ___________________

has

to

be

limited

(by/

to

_____________________________)
 The

best ____________________ is located/ is situated

_______________________
 _______________________

are opposed by (many/ most)

_____________________
 ___________________ should be (mainly/ only) powered by
____________________
 _____________________

should

be

protected

from

___________________________
 _______________________

could

be

prevented

by

___________________________
 ________________ hasn’t been (conclusively/ convincingly) proven/ determined
(yet)
 _____________________

should

be

raised

(by/

to

___________________________)
 Not

enough ___________________________ is recycled (by

___________________)
 ______________________

needs to be reformed (by/ to

______________________)
 _________________ will have been totally replaced by _______ within _______
years
 More

________________________ are required (by/ to/ for

____________________)
 __________________________

would

result

in

______________________________
 ______________ is (often) said to be _______________ but this is probably
incorrect
 _________________________________________ will never be solved by
technology.
 ________________________

should(n’t)

be

subsidised

(by

____________________)
 ___________________________ is supported by _________________________
 ___________________ should take part in _____________________________
 _________________ is thought to be ________________ and this is probably
correct
 Too

much

____________________________

is

used

(to_______________________)
 _______________________________ won’t be used in the year
________________

Ask about any sentences above that you can’t understand or couldn’t complete.
Passive voice presentation
Put the verbs below into the correct form, in the passive if possible. Some can’t be passive

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2018

3

and so should be written in the correct active form. Most sentences are about the present,
but read the whole sentence to check if each should past, present or future.

 A cut in CO2 can _________________________________ (achieve) by fusion
power.
 Employment _______________________________ (affect) by AI in the next few
years
 Marihuana should ________________ (allow/ permit/ legalise) for medical
purposes.
 Problems with elderly care ______ (arise) in the future if immigration isn’t made
easier.
 It used to ___________________________________________________ (believe)
that slavery is natural but no one should hold that belief nowadays
 The last financial crisis ______________ (mainly cause) by a lack of controls on
banks
 More social housing needs to ____________________________________
(construct)
 The price of education should ________________________ (cut) for poorer
families.
 Help for unemployed people should ___________________________ (depend on)
how likely they are to get work.
 Fewer people _______________ (die) from pollution if we used more nuclear
power.
 Many species ___________________ (disappear) unless we preserve them in
zoos.
 More research needs to ______________________ (do) on genetic reasons for
crime.
 The main reason that poverty still ____________________________________
(exist) is that voters believe they too might join the rich
 Foreign trainees ________________________ (exploit) at the moment by
employers.
 The economy ____________________________________________________
(grow) if the government invested more in renewable energy.
 The building of large dams must ________________________________ (halt/
scrap).
 Domestic violence _________________________________________ (happen/
occur) because it isn’t punished harshly enough.
 Too much oil _________________________________ (import) from the Middle
East.
 The environment could __________________________________________
(improve) by architects putting plants on buildings.
 Donald Trump’s tweets could __________________________________ (lead to)
war.
 Smoking has to __________________________________________________
(limit) by new legislation to only the older generations who have already got the habit.
 Deforestation could _____________________________ (prevent) by more
recycling.

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2018

4

 The need for more inflation ___________________________ (conclusively prove)
yet.
 Not enough packaging ____________________________ (recycle) by
supermarkets.
 ______________________ needs to be reformed (by/ to
______________________)
 Gasoline cars ___________ (totally replace) by non-polluting vehicles within 30
years.
 More investment ________________________________ (require) for public
transport.
 A major nuclear war ____________________ (result in) the end of the human
species.
 Teenage rebellion ___________ (often say) to be natural but this is probably
incorrect
 Mental disease ________________________________ (never solve) by
technology.
 Lower government spending _________________________ (support) by most
voters
 16 year olds should ________________________ (take part in) national
referendums.
 Most depression __________________________________________________
(think) to be connected to your genes and this is probably correct

Check above. Other forms are sometimes possible, so check with your teacher if you
wrote something different. Then discuss if you agree with these completed sentences.

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2018

5