http://www.ToLearnEnglish.com - Resources to learn/teach English (courses, games, grammar, daily page...)

The Passive Voice

Main use:
It is used to put the emphasis on the person or the thing which is affected by an action. It is used in sentences where the object of the action is more important than the people who perform the action.

 

Syntax: Subject + BE (tense of the active sentence) + Past participle

 

Important: If you need to tell who is doing the action, use BY
America was discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1492.

 

Examples:

Present (be+ing):
Peter is eating an apple.
>An apple is being eaten by Peter.

 

Present Simple:
They make shoes in this factory.
>Shoes are made in this factory.

 

Preterite:
They built this bridge in the 13th century.
>This bridge was built in the 13th century.

and so on...

TEST - Put the following sentences into the passive voice.

1. They built the house in two months. > help: The house...
2. We will carry the luggage upstairs.
3. Everyday John feeds the cat.
4. They have not caught the murderer yet.
5. “The fog caused the accident. The police called the ambulance. The insurance will cover the damage.

 

ANSWERS 1. The house was built in two months. 2. The luggage will be carried upstairs. 3. Everyday the cat is fed by John. 4. The murder has not been caught yet. 5. The accident was caused by the fog. The ambulance was called by the police. The damage will be covered by the insurance.