Advanced Passive – English Grammar Exercises for B2
You are the Marketing Director presenting at the annual board meeting. You are delivering a comprehensive report on market trends and consumer behavior forecasts for the upcoming fiscal year.
Choose the best answer (A, B, C, or D) to complete each sentence from the presentation.
1 Good morning, members of the board. Looking at the upcoming fiscal year, ______ that consumer spending in the luxury sector will decrease by 5%.
(A) there is expected
(B) it is expected
(C) they are expected
(D) it expects
2 Based on current data, e-commerce platforms ______ the retail landscape entirely within the next decade.
(A) are projected dominating
(B) project to dominate
(C) are projected to dominate
(D) are projected that they dominate
3 To ensure these findings were completely unbiased, we ______ by an independent analytics firm last month.
(A) had conducted our market research
(B) got our market research conduct
(C) had our market research to be conducted
(D) had our market research conducted
4 ______ widely reported in the financial press that millennials are prioritizing experiences over physical goods.
(A) It has been
(B) Has been
(C) They have been
(D) It has
5 Before presenting this strategic shift to our investors, we must ______ to verify the risk factors.
(A) get audited the financial models
(B) make the financial models audited
(C) get the financial models audited
(D) get the financial models audit
6 We need to accelerate our R&D timeline, because our main competitors ______ a rival AI-driven product right now.
(A) are believed to develop
(B) are believed to be developing
(C) are believed developing
(D) believe to be developing
7 Our previous influencer marketing campaign ______ over $5 million in indirect revenue during Q3
(A) is estimated to have generated
(B) is estimated to generate
(C) is estimated that it generated
(D) estimates to have generated
8 If we want to maintain our current market share, we must ______ across all regional branches before November.
(A) have implemented the new software
(B) get the new software to implement
(C) have the new software implement
(D) have the new software implemented
9 According to the latest demographic studies, ______ a significant shift towards eco-friendly packaging next year.
(A) it is anticipated to be
(B) there anticipates to be
(C) there is anticipated to be
(D) they are anticipated to be
10 If we do not adapt our digital strategy immediately, we will simply ______ by more agile tech startups.
(A) get our market share stolen
(B) get our market share steal
(C) have stolen our market share
(D) get our market share to be stolen
11 ______ shown by multiple focus groups that Gen Z consumers demand absolute transparency regarding supply chains.
(A) It has shown
(B) It has been
(C) Has been
(D) There has been
12 To align with these new consumer values, we are currently ______ by a top-tier design agency in London.
(A) making our brand identity redesigned
(B) having our brand identity redesign
(C) having redesigned our brand identity
(D) having our brand identity redesigned
13 Several struggling retail chains ______ by larger global conglomerates during the pandemic crisis.
(A) are reported to have been acquired
(B) are reported to have acquired
(C) report to have been acquired
(D) are reported that they were acquired
14 Our initial marketing budget ______ all digital advertising costs, but the actual ad-spend exceeded our estimates.
(A) supposed to cover
(B) was supposed to cover
(C) was supposed covering
(D) was supposed that it covered
15 Honestly, if we had invested in mobile optimization earlier, we wouldn’t ______ entirely by our competitors last year.
(A) have our competitive advantage erased
(B) had our competitive advantage erased
(C) have had our competitive advantage erased
(D) have had erased our competitive advantage
16 Not only ______ to grow exponentially, but it is also expected to become our primary revenue source.
(A) is the Asian market projected
(B) the Asian market is projected
(C) does the Asian market project
(D) is projected the Asian market
17 The outdated legacy systems in our warehouses ______ our supply chain efficiency for the past five years.
(A) are claimed to have held back
(B) are claimed to have been holding back
(C) claim to have been holding back
(D) are claimed that they held back
18 By the time our flagship product officially launches in spring, we will ______ to prevent any copyright infringements.
(A) get all the legal patents secured
(B) have got secured all the legal patents
(C) have gotten all the legal patents secure
(D) have got all the legal patents secured
19 Before the official announcement, ______ secret merger talks between our top two competitors.
(A) there are reputed to have been
(B) they are reputed to have been
(C) there are reputed that there were
(D) it is reputed to have been
20 The CEO has mandated that all underperforming regional branches are required to ______ by an external consultant.
(A) have evaluated their performance
(B) to get their performance evaluate
(C) have their performance evaluated
(D) having their performance evaluated
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (B) it is expected
- Why it’s correct: The impersonal passive structure It + is expected + that… is the standard way to report formal forecasts.
- Error Analysis: (A) Strong Distractor (“There is” cannot precede a “that” clause here). (C) Structural Error (“They” is an invalid dummy subject). (D) Common Mistake (Active voice implies the dummy subject ‘it’ is doing the expecting).
2 (C) are projected to dominate
- Why it’s correct: Personal passive structure Subject + be projected + to V indicates a future or general prediction.
- Error Analysis: (A) Strong Distractor (Requires “to + infinitive”, not a gerund). (B) Common Mistake (Missing the passive auxiliary “are”). (D) Structural Error (Cannot use a “that” clause after the subject has been raised to the front).
3 (D) had our market research conducted
- Why it’s correct: The causative passive have + object + V3/ed indicates delegating a task to a professional service.
- Error Analysis: (A) Common Mistake (Past Perfect Active means the company conducted it themselves). (B) Structural Error (“Conduct” lacks the -ed suffix). (C) Strong Distractor (Unnecessary use of “to be”).
4 (A) It has been
- Why it’s correct: Impersonal passive in the present perfect tense (It has been reported that).
- Error Analysis: (B) Structural Error (Missing the dummy subject “It”). (C) Strong Distractor (“They” cannot be used as a dummy subject). (D) Common Mistake (Missing the passive auxiliary “been”, making it active).
5 (C) get the financial models audited
- Why it’s correct: Causative passive get + object + V3/ed for arranging an official review.
- Error Analysis: (A) Structural Error (Incorrect word order). (B) Strong Distractor (“Make” is not used in this causative structure). (D) Common Mistake (“Audit” is not in the past participle form).
6 (B) are believed to be developing
- Why it’s correct: The phrase “right now” dictates a continuous action. Therefore, the Continuous Infinitive (to be V-ing) must follow the passive reporting verb.
- Error Analysis: (A) Common Mistake (“To develop” fails to convey the ongoing nature of the action). (C) Structural Error (Missing “to”). (D) Structural Error (Missing the passive “are”).
7 (A) is estimated to have generated
- Why it’s correct: The revenue generation occurred in the past (during Q3), prior to the current estimation. This requires the Perfect Infinitive (to have V3/ed).
- Error Analysis: (B) Common Mistake (“To generate” implies a future or present action). (C) Strong Distractor (Incorrectly mixes personal and impersonal passive structures). (D) Structural Error (Active voice).
8 (D) have the new software implemented
- Why it’s correct: Causative passive used after a modal verb (must have sth done).
- Error Analysis: (A) Common Mistake (Present Perfect Active means the board must implement it themselves). (B) Strong Distractor (Implies forcing the software to implement something else). (C) Structural Error (“Implement” lacks the -ed suffix).
9 (C) there is anticipated to be
- Why it’s correct: A variation of the impersonal passive There is anticipated to be… (Experts anticipate that there will be…).
- Error Analysis: (A) Strong Distractor (If using “It is anticipated”, it must be followed by “that there will be”). (B) Common Mistake (Active voice). (D) Structural Error (Invalid dummy subject).
10 (A) get our market share stolen
- Why it’s correct: Causative passive get sth V3/ed used to express a future negative consequence or misfortune.
- Error Analysis: (B) Structural Error (“Steal” is not the V3 form). (C) Common Mistake (Active voice means we have stolen our own market share). (D) Strong Distractor (Unnecessary “to be”).
11 (B) It has been
- Why it’s correct: Impersonal passive using the present perfect to report established facts (It has been shown that).
- Error Analysis: (A) Common Mistake (Active voice implies “It” did the showing). (C) Structural Error (Missing the subject “It”). (D) Strong Distractor (“There” cannot be used with a “that” clause in this manner).
12 (D) having our brand identity redesigned
- Why it’s correct: Causative passive in the present continuous tense (are having sth done) to indicate an ongoing outsourced project.
- Error Analysis: (A) Strong Distractor (“Making” is incorrect for arranging services). (B) Common Mistake (“Redesign” lacks the -ed suffix). (C) Structural Error (Incorrect word order).
13 (A) are reported to have been acquired
- Why it’s correct: The acquisition happened in the past (to have) and was a passive action for the struggling chains (been acquired).
- Error Analysis: (B) Common Mistake (Active perfect infinitive means the struggling chains bought the conglomerates). (C) Structural Error (Missing “are”). (D) Strong Distractor (Grammatically flawed structure).
14 (B) was supposed to cover
- Why it’s correct: Be supposed to V is a common passive construction meaning “was intended or expected to”.
- Error Analysis: (A) Common Mistake (Missing the “to be” verb “was”). (C) Structural Error (Cannot use a gerund after “supposed”). (D) Strong Distractor (Incorrect phrasing).
15 (C) have had our competitive advantage erased
- Why it’s correct: Placed inside a Third Conditional sentence (wouldn’t have + V3), the main verb “have” of the causative structure becomes “had”.
- Error Analysis: (A) Strong Distractor (Lacks the past perfect aspect required by the conditional). (B) Structural Error (Must use “have had” after a modal like “wouldn’t”). (D) Common Mistake (Incorrect word order).
16 (A) is the Asian market projected
- Why it’s correct: When a sentence starts with the negative adverbial “Not only”, the subject and auxiliary verb must be inverted.
- Error Analysis: (B) Common Mistake (Fails to apply inversion). (C) Structural Error (Uses active auxiliary “does” instead of passive “is”). (D) Strong Distractor (Incorrect inversion syntax).
17 (B) are claimed to have been holding back
- Why it’s correct: “For the past five years” requires the Perfect Continuous Infinitive (to have been V-ing) to show an ongoing past action that is still relevant.
- Error Analysis: (A) Strong Distractor (Simple perfect doesn’t emphasize the ongoing duration). (C) Structural Error (Active voice). (D) Common Mistake (Incorrect “that” clause structure after a raised subject).
18 (D) have got all the legal patents secured
- Why it’s correct: Future perfect tense combined with the causative passive (will have got sth done).
- Error Analysis: (A) Common Mistake (Lacks the perfect aspect required by “By the time”). (B) Structural Error (Incorrect word order). (C) Strong Distractor (“Secure” is not in the V3 form).
19 (A) there are reputed to have been
- Why it’s correct: Dummy subject “there” + passive reporting verb + perfect infinitive of “to be” to express past existence.
- Error Analysis: (B) Structural Error (“They” cannot introduce existence). (C) Strong Distractor (Incorrect grammatical mix). (D) Common Mistake (Singular “is” does not match the plural “talks”).
20 (C) have their performance evaluated
- Why it’s correct: A causative passive nested within another passive instruction (are required to have sth done).
- Error Analysis: (A) Common Mistake (Active voice implies the branches will evaluate themselves). (B) Structural Error (“Evaluate” lacks the -d suffix). (D) Strong Distractor (Must use the base infinitive “have” after “required to”).
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
1 The “Gold Standard” of Corporate Reporting: Impersonal Passive
- Function: In Business English, using “I think” or “We believe” can sound subjective. The Impersonal Passive creates an objective, authoritative tone, suggesting industry-wide consensus.
- Structure 1 (The Dummy ‘It’): It + is/was + projected/anticipated/expected + that + Clause
- Example: It is projected that revenue will double.
- Structure 2 (The Raised Subject): Subject + be + projected/estimated + Infinitive
- Future Outlook: Use to V. (Profits are expected to rise).
- Current Ongoing Trend: Use to be V-ing. (Competitors are believed to be struggling).
- Past Performance: Use to have V3/ed. (Sales are estimated to have dropped).
- Past Passive Action: Use to have been V3/ed. (The startup is reported to have been sold).
2 Delegating Corporate Tasks: The Causative Passive
- Function: Used to indicate that the company or department is hiring external experts, agencies, or contractors to perform a task, rather than doing it internally.
- Structure: Subject + get / have + Object (Asset/Project) + Past Participle (V3/ed)
- Comparison:
- Active: We audited the financials. (Our internal team did the math).
- Causative: We had the financials audited. (We hired an external firm like Deloitte to do it—much more professional).