Advanced Passive – English Grammar Exercises for B2

1  (c) had my wallet stolen

• Why it’s correct: The structure have + object + V3/ed is used to express a negative experience or an accident that happened to the subject (being pickpocketed).
• Error Analysis: (a) Common Mistake: This forms the past perfect active, meaning “I had stolen my own wallet.” (b) Strong Distractor: Incorrect meaning (“I made the wallet steal”). (d) Structural Error: Wrong verb form (requires the past participle “stolen,” not the bare infinitive “steal”).

2  (b) It is well known

• Why it’s correct: The impersonal passive structure It is + V3/ed + that… is used to express a general consensus (people know well that…).
• Error Analysis: (a) Strong Distractor: Grammatically incorrect (V-ing cannot be used here). (c) Structural Error: Missing the “to be” verb required for the passive voice. (d) Common Mistake: Using “They” as a dummy subject is incorrect; only “It” can precede a “that” clause in this context.

3  (b) had her bag

• Why it’s correct: Combined with the word “snatched” later in the sentence, it forms the complete structure she had her bag snatched (she experienced her bag being snatched).
• Error Analysis: (a) Strong Distractor: Unnecessary use of “to be”. (c) Common Mistake: Learners often add “been” to this structure, confusing it with standard passive voice. (d) Structural Error: Severe word order error.

4  (b) are said to work

• Why it’s correct: Personal passive construction Subject + be + said + to V (The pickpockets are said to operate…).
• Error Analysis: (a) Structural Error: Missing the passive auxiliary “are”. (c) Common Mistake: “Pickpockets” is plural, so “is” is incorrect. (d) Strong Distractor: Incorrect structure (requires “to + infinitive” after “said,” not a gerund/V-ing).

5  (a) get new passports issued

• Why it’s correct: The causative structure get + object + V3/ed means to arrange for someone else to do something for you.
• Error Analysis: (b) Strong Distractor: “Make” is not used in this passive causative structure. (c) Common Mistake: Incorrect word order (this translates to you issuing the passports yourself). (d) Structural Error: Missing the -ed suffix on the verb “issue.”

6  (a) had had my phone taken

• Why it’s correct: The event of “having the phone taken” happened BEFORE the realization in the past (“realize”), so the causative structure have sth done must be shifted to the Past Perfect tense (had had).
• Error Analysis: (b) Strong Distractor: Incorrect meaning (telling the phone to take something). (c) Common Mistake: Active voice, meaning “I had taken my own phone.” (d) Tense Error: “had my phone taken” is only Past Simple, failing to show the correct sequence of past events.

7  (b) are believed to have escaped

• Why it’s correct: The action of escaping happened in the past, before the current belief (“are believed” – present), so a Perfect Infinitive (to have V3/ed) is required.
• Error Analysis: (a) Common Mistake: Using “to escape” implies the escape is happening now or in the future. (c) Structural Error: Missing the passive “are”. (d) Strong Distractor: Incorrect grammar structure (you cannot use Subject + are believed + that clause).

8  (d) get it opened

• Why it’s correct: The structure get sth V3/ed indicates a negative event happening to the subject (someone else will open your backpack).
• Error Analysis: (a) Common Mistake: “Open” lacks the -ed needed to form the past participle. (b) Structural Error: Incorrect word order. (c) Strong Distractor: Incorrect meaning (you cause it to open itself).

9  (d) it was reported

• Why it’s correct: Impersonal passive describing a past event: It + was + V3/ed + that…
• Error Analysis: (a) Strong Distractor: Incorrect dummy subject (cannot use “there”). (b) Structural Error: Missing the subject “It”. (c) Common Mistake: Missing the passive verb “was”.

10  (b) had all my accounts frozen

• Why it’s correct: The structure have sth done indicates asking someone else (the bank) to freeze the accounts for you.
• Error Analysis: (a) Common Mistake: Written this way, it means “I froze them myself” (Past Perfect Active). (c) Strong Distractor: Incorrect meaning (making the accounts freeze something). (d) Structural Error: Missing the past participle form of “freeze” (which is “frozen”).

11  (b) It has been claimed

• Why it’s correct: Impersonal passive in the Present Perfect tense: It has been V3/ed that…
• Error Analysis: (a) Structural Error: Missing the subject “It”. (c) Common Mistake: Missing the passive auxiliary “been”. (d) Strong Distractor: Incorrect dummy subject; “They” cannot precede the “that” clause here.

12  (a) was having her minor injuries checked

• Why it’s correct: The structure have sth done is taking place over a specific period in the past (Past Continuous tense).
• Error Analysis: (b) Strong Distractor: “Make” is not used in this causative structure. (c) Structural Error: Incorrect word order. (d) Common Mistake: The verb “check” is not in the past participle form (V3/ed).

13  (d) are reported to be targeting

• Why it’s correct: The personal passive structure emphasizes an action happening right at the moment of speaking (“right now”), requiring a Continuous Infinitive (to be V-ing).
• Error Analysis: (a) Common Mistake: “To target” fails to convey the continuous, ongoing nature of the action. (b) Structural Error: Missing the passive “are”. (c) Strong Distractor: Must have “to” after “reported”; you cannot follow it directly with a gerund.

14  (a) have a temporary visa arranged

• Why it’s correct: Using the causative passive have sth done (having someone arrange the visa for you).
• Error Analysis: (b) Strong Distractor: Incorrect meaning. (c) Structural Error: The verb “arrange” is missing the -d suffix. (d) Common Mistake: This creates the Present Perfect Active tense (meaning you arranged it yourself).

15  (a) was alleged to have stolen

• Why it’s correct: The “stealing” occurred BEFORE the “allegation” (was alleged), requiring a Perfect Infinitive (to have V3/ed).
• Error Analysis: (b) Strong Distractor: Incorrect structure (cannot use Subject + was alleged + that). (c) Structural Error: Missing “was”. (d) Common Mistake: “To steal” does not depict an action that was completed prior to the allegation.

16  (d) have had it stolen

• Why it’s correct: The have sth done structure is placed inside a Third Conditional sentence (wouldn’t have + V3). The V3 of “have” is “had”, resulting in wouldn’t have had it stolen.
• Error Analysis: (a) Structural Error: Incorrect word order. (b) Common Mistake: Learners often forget to convert the main verb “have” into its V3 form (had) in conditional sentences. (c) Strong Distractor: Missing the auxiliary “have” required by the conditional structure.

17  (b) There is said

• Why it’s correct: A variation of the impersonal passive using “There” (There is said to be… = People say that there is…).
• Error Analysis: (a) Common Mistake: “It is said to be a surge” is less natural and grammatically appropriate here than “There is” (which indicates existence). (c) Structural Error: Lacks passive voice. (d) Strong Distractor: Incorrect dummy subject.

18  (b) get them taken away

• Why it’s correct: Get sth V3/ed following the modal verb “might” (indicating the possibility of experiencing the theft of your bags).
• Error Analysis: (a) Structural Error: Incorrect word order. (c) Strong Distractor: Unnecessary “to be”. (d) Common Mistake: Missing the past participle form of “take” (taken).

19  (d) are thought to have been sold

• Why it’s correct: A perfect combination: Personal passive + Action occurred in the past (to have) + The verb “sell” itself is passive (been sold).
• Error Analysis: (a) Common Mistake: Fails to express that the selling occurred in the past. (b) Structural Error: Missing the passive “are”. (c) Strong Distractor: Incorrect grammatical structure with the “that” clause.

20  (b) had my camera broken

• Why it’s correct: The have sth done structure is used to recount an accident or damage happening to one’s possessions.
• Error Analysis: (a) Structural Error: Missing the V3 form of break. (c) Strong Distractor: Incorrect meaning (forcing the camera to break itself). (d) Common Mistake: Forms the Past Perfect Active, meaning “I had smashed my own camera.”

1 The Causative Passive (Arranging services & Experiencing misfortunes)

• Structure: Subject + have / get + Object + Past Participle (V3/ed)
• Usage 1 (Services): Arranging for a professional or someone else to do a task for you.
• Example: I had my passport renewed. (I paid/asked an official to do it).
• Usage 2 (Accidents/Misfortunes – The focus of this test): Experiencing a negative event caused by external forces. Instead of saying “Someone stole my wallet” (which focuses on the unknown thief), you say “I had my wallet stolen” to emphasize that you were the victim of the incident.

2 Impersonal Passive (Reporting verbs)

• Structure 1 (Using Dummy ‘It’): It + is/was + said/believed/reported + that + Clause
• Structure 2 (Raising the Subject): Subject + be + said/believed/reported… + To-Infinitive
• If the action is simultaneous or in the future: Use the Simple Infinitive (to V). Example: They are said to work here.
• If the action is currently ongoing: Use the Continuous Infinitive (to be V-ing). Example: They are reported to be targeting tourists right now.
• If the action happened before the time of reporting: Use the Perfect Infinitive (to have V3/ed). Example: The thieves are believed to have escaped.
• If the action happened before the reporting AND is passive: Use the Perfect Passive Infinitive (to have been V3/ed). Example: The passports are thought to have been sold.