Answers

Read the following sentences and remove the "by" phrase if possible.

1. His poetry has been widely distributed.
2. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature.
3. The sanctions imposed on his country by Norway made it impossible for him to travel to Oslo to receive the prize.
4. She reacted angrily when accused of cheating.
5. The wheat, once separated from the chaff by hand, is now threshed by the machine.

Now, change the following sentences from the active voice to passive voice, (unless the verb is intransitive- a verb that does not take a direct object).

Omit the “by” phrase whenever possible.

1. Jacqueline memorized the text in its entirety. 
• The text was memorized by Jacqueline in its entirety.
2. Marta planted the tulips in the fall, and during the winter, she anticipated the splash of color they would add to her garden in the spring.
• The tulips were planted in the fall and during the winter, the splash of color they would add to her garden in the spring was anticipated (by Marta).
3. She dove into the deep end of the pool.
• Intransitive – No passive is possible because "dove" has no direct object.
4. The sun sets slowly in the northern summer.
• Intransitive – No passive is possible because "set" has no direct object.
5. The microbiologist studied the slides under her microscope.
• The slides were studied by the microbiologist under her microscope.