Advanced Passive – English Grammar Exercises for B2

1 (B) am getting it made

• Why it’s correct: The causative passive structure get sth V3/ed describes hiring someone to make the cake. Using “getting” in the present continuous adds a natural, informal tone.
• Error Analysis: (A) Structural Error (incorrect word order). (C) Strong Distractor (wrong verb form for ‘make’). (D) Common Mistake (active voice implies the bride is baking it herself).

2 (B) It is said

• Why it’s correct: The impersonal passive structure It + be + V3/ed + that… is used to report general beliefs or rumors.
• Error Analysis: (A) Structural Error (“They” cannot precede a “that” clause here). (C) Common Mistake (missing the “to be” verb for the passive voice). (D) Strong Distractor (“There is” is not used with a “that” clause in this context).

3 (C) had the invitations printed

• Why it’s correct: The structure have + sth + V3/ed describes paying a professional service to print the invitations.
• Error Analysis: (A) Structural Error (“print” lacks the -ed suffix). (B) Common Mistake (Past Perfect Active means you printed them yourself). (D) Strong Distractor (learners often incorrectly add “been” to this causative structure).

4 (B) am having them done

• Why it’s correct: Using have sth V3/ed in the present continuous indicates an ongoing arrangement being handled by a professional.
• Error Analysis: (A) Strong Distractor (“make” is not used in the causative passive). (C) Common Mistake (Present Perfect Active implies doing it oneself). (D) Structural Error (unnecessary “to do”).

5 (C) is considered

• Why it’s correct: Impersonal passive structure: Subject + be + considered + to V (is believed to be).
• Error Analysis: (A) Structural Error (active continuous form). (B) Strong Distractor (incorrect reduced relative clause). (D) Common Mistake (active voice means the planner is evaluating others).

6 (C) got it altered

• Why it’s correct: The structure get sth V3/ed expresses having a tailor fix the dress.
• Error Analysis: (A) Common Mistake (“alter” lacks the -ed suffix). (B) Structural Error (incorrect word order). (D) Strong Distractor (the structure get sth to V is for people—meaning get sb to V—not things).

7 (B) are reported to have played

• Why it’s correct: Impersonal passive emphasizing an action that happened in the past (“have played”) prior to the current time of reporting (“are reported”).
• Error Analysis: (A) Strong Distractor (“playing” fails to show a completed past action). (C) Common Mistake (missing the passive auxiliary “are”). (D) Structural Error (cannot use “that” when the subject “They” has been raised to the front).

8 (C) are getting a limousine hired

• Why it’s correct: Planning to rent a car using the continuous getting sth V3/ed.
• Error Analysis: (A) Strong Distractor (less natural meaning compared to ‘get sth done’). (B) Common Mistake (“hire” is missing the -d suffix). (D) Structural Error (incorrect word order).

9 (D) had them taken

• Why it’s correct: Hiring a photographer requires the structure had + photos + taken.
• Error Analysis: (A) Common Mistake (means you took the photos yourself). (B) Structural Error (“took” is V2, not the past participle V3). (C) Strong Distractor (“make” is not used in this causative structure).

10 (A) There is known

• Why it’s correct: A variation of the impersonal passive There is known to be… (People know that there exists a shortage…).
• Error Analysis: (B) Distractor (If using “It is known”, it must be followed by “that there is”). (C) Structural Error. (D) Common Mistake (active voice).

11 (A) is having his hair styled

• Why it’s correct: Causative passive have sth V3/ed in the continuous tense (currently getting his hair done at the salon).
• Error Analysis: (B) Common Mistake (styling his hair himself). (C) Structural Error (wrong object placement). (D) Strong Distractor (wrong tense; fails to convey the “right now” continuous aspect).

12 (A) was supposed

• Why it’s correct: Be supposed to V (was expected/meant to) is a common passive construction.
• Error Analysis: (B) Common Mistake (missing the “to be” verb). (C) Structural Error. (D) Strong Distractor (incorrect use of the Past Perfect).

13 (C) getting it done by

• Why it’s correct: The structure get sth done by sb (having someone do something for you).
• Error Analysis: (A) Structural Error. (B) Distractor (“make” is incorrect). (D) Common Mistake.

14 (B) is expected to be

• Why it’s correct: Subject + be expected + to V (The weather is predicted to be…).
• Error Analysis: (A) Common Mistake (the weather cannot actively expect things). (C) Distractor (incorrect clause structure). (D) Structural Error (cannot use V-ing after “expected to”).

15 (B) will have had the hall decorated

• Why it’s correct: Combines the Future Perfect (will have V3) and the causative passive (have sth done) -> will have had sth done (will have completed the arrangement before guests arrive).
• Error Analysis: (A) Structural Error. (C) Distractor (implies the hall will decorate itself). (D) Common Mistake (active voice means the couple will decorate it manually).

16 (C) are rumored to have lifted

• Why it’s correct: The lifting of the restrictions happened before the rumors (are rumored), so the perfect infinitive to have V3 is required.
• Error Analysis: (A) Common Mistake (cannot use “that” here). (B) Distractor (wrong tense; “to lift” implies a future or simultaneous action). (D) Structural Error.

17 (D) have got everything organized

• Why it’s correct: Inside a Third Conditional sentence (wouldn’t have V3), get sth done becomes have got sth done.
• Error Analysis: (A) Distractor (incorrect structure for the Third Conditional). (B) Common Mistake (incorrect word order). (C) Structural Error (after a modal verb like ‘wouldn’t’, you must use the base form ‘have’, not ‘had’).

18 (A) had one custom-built

• Why it’s correct: Hiring someone to build a specific dance floor (had sth V3/ed).
• Error Analysis: (B) Common Mistake (active voice meaning you built it yourself). (C) Distractor (implies making the dance floor build something). (D) Structural Error.

19 (B) got the food prepared

• Why it’s correct: Hiring a catering service requires get sth V3/ed.
• Error Analysis: (A) Structural Error (“prepare” lacks the -d). (C) Common Mistake (active voice meaning you cooked it yourself). (D) Distractor (implies forcing the food to prepare something).

20 (D) is said to have been visited

• Why it’s correct: An advanced combination: Impersonal passive + happened in the past (to have) + passive action (been visited) -> to have been visited.
• Error Analysis: (A) Common Mistake (missing the past element matching “last summer”). (B) Distractor (active meaning: the resort visited the celebrities). (C) Structural Error.

1 Causative Passive (Hiring Services & Delegating Tasks)

• Structure: Subject + get / have + Object (thing) + Past Participle (V3/ed)
• Purpose: This structure is absolutely crucial to emphasize that you PAID for or ARRANGED for someone else to do a task for you, rather than doing it yourself.
• Comparison:
• I cooked the wedding meal. (Active – I stood in the kitchen and did the work).
• I had the wedding meal cooked. (Causative Passive – I hired a catering service to do it).
• Usage Note: “Get” often carries a more natural, informal tone than “Have” in everyday spoken English.

2 Impersonal Passive (Reporting Verbs)

• Used when you want to share information based on rumors, general beliefs, or reports, without specifying exactly who said it.
• Structure 1 (Dummy Subject): It + is/was + said/believed/expected + that + Clause
• Structure 2 (Raised Subject): Subject + be + said/believed/rumored… + To-Infinitive
• Simultaneous or Future Action: Use to V (The weather is expected to be perfect).
• Past Action (Happened before the reporting): Use to have V3/ed (The band is reported to have played).
• Past Passive Action: Use to have been V3/ed (The resort is said to have been visited).