At a glance
- 1Find the objectPeople speak English here.
- 2Make it the subjectEnglish …
- 3be + V3English is spoken …
- 4by + the doer (only if important)English is spoken here.
- Start
- Is the doer important and known?YesActiveTom broke the window.
- The doer is unknown or not importantPassiveThe window was broken.
Active and passive
Active: My mother made the cake.
Passive: The cake was made by my mother.
be+past participle (+ by …)
Rice is grown in many Asian countries.
The window was broken yesterday.
This phone was made in a factory in China.
The museum was built in 1890.
English is spoken all over the world.
Tenses
| Tense | Passive | Example |
|---|---|---|
| present simple | am / is / are + pp | Cars are made here. |
| past simple | was / were + pp | It was invented in 1876. |
| present perfect | has / have been + pp | My bike has been stolen! |
| future | will be + pp | The results will be announced tomorrow. |
| modal | can / must be + pp | Phones must be turned off. |
Practice
Answer the questions. Get 7 out of 10 to finish this lesson.