Active and passive verbs:

When we talk about active and passive verbs, we usually talk about voice. In the active
voice, the subject performs the action of the verb, while in passive voice, the subject
receives the action. Look at the difference in the following two sentences:
The cat scratched Joanna.
Joanna was scratched by the cat.
Passive voice always includes forms of the verb to be (is, was, is being, etc.).
Generally speaking, you should try to use the active voice wherever possible:

Active voice

When the subject of a sentence performs the verb’s action, we say that the sentence is
in the active voice. Sentences in the active voice have a strong, direct, and clear tone.
Here are some short and straightforward examples of active voice.

Active voice examples

Monkeys adore bananas.

The cashier counted the money.

The dog chased the squirrel.

All three sentences have a basic active voice construction: subject, verb, and object.
The subject monkey performs the action described by adore. The subject the
cashier performs the action described by counted. The subject the dog performs the
action described by chased. The subjects are doing, doing—they take action in their
sentences.
 Passive voice

A sentence is in the passive voice, on the other hand, when the subject is acted on by
the verb. The passive voice is always constructed with a conjugated form of to be plus
the verb’s past participle. Doing this usually generates a preposition as well. That
sounds much more complicated than it is—passive voice is actually quite easy to
detect. For these examples of passive voice, we will transform the active sentences
above to illustrate the difference.

Passive voice examples

Bananas are adored by monkeys.

The money was counted by the cashier.

Let’s take a closer look at the first pair of sentences, “Monkeys adore bananas” and
“Bananas are adored by monkeys.” The active sentence consists of monkeys (subject)
+ adore (verb) + bananas (object). The passive sentence consists of bananas (object)
+ are adored (a form of to be plus the past participle adored) + by (preposition)
+ monkeys (subject). Making the sentence passive flipped the structure and
necessitated the preposition by.

PASSIVE VOICE: USE

The passive voice is used when:

1. We do not know who did the action

Example: The documents were stolen.
(we don’t know who stole the documents)
2. The receiver of the action is more important
Example: The pyramids were built nearly 5,000 years ago by the ancient Egyptians.
(we want to emphasize “pyramids” more than “ancient Egyptians”)
PASSIVE VOICE: FORM
To change an active voice sentence to a passive voice sentence:

1. Make the object of the active sentence into the subject of the passive sentence.
2. Use the verb “to be” in the same tense as the main verb of the active sentence.
3. Use the past participle of the main verb of the active sentence.
Here are some active and passive voice examples to help!

▪ Active: John painted the house last week.

Passive: The house was painted last week.
Active: Chefs use these machines to mix the ingredients.
Passive: These machines are used to mix the ingredients.

PASSIVE VOICE: PRESENT

In the present, the passive voice uses the verbs is or are + past participle of the main
verb.

For example: My mom sings that song.

A B

The passive voice is used when we focus on the object of the sentence. In the example,
B becomes the subject.

For example: That song is sung by my mom.

B A
When it is important to know who does the action, we use by. The noun that
follows by is called the “agent.” My mom was the subject in the active sentence, but it
becomes the agent in the passive sentence.

Sometimes, when the agent is unknown, or unimportant to the meaning of the

sentence, we do not use by.

For example: This sweater is made in China.

We form the passive with be + past participle (3rd form of the verb).

In the present simple, the passive is: am / is / are + past participle (3rd form of the
verb).

Remember!

1. The past participle always stays the same. Only the form of be changes.
2. The subject and verb must always agree in number.

Subject Verb Object

Active The teachers help the new student.

Passive The new student is helped by the teacher.

Active The teachers help the new students.

Passive The new students are helped by the teachers.

Negative and Question

Notice that the helping verb in passive sentences is always a form of the verb be.

Active Passive

Affirmative Ben walks the dog. The dog is walked by Ben.

They make cookies here. Cookies are made here.

Negative Ben doesn't walk the cat. The cat isn't walked by Ben.
Sandwiches aren't made here.
They don't make sandwiches here.

Question Does Ben walk the rabbit? Is the rabbit walked (by Ben)?
How are the cookies made?
How do they make the cookies?

PASSIVE VOICE: PAST

In the past, the passive voice is formed by using was or were + past participle of
the main verb.

Example
Active : The teacher corrected the mistakes.
Passive: The mistakes were corrected by the teacher.
• Tom repaired the car. – The car was repaired by Tom.
• Thomas Edison invented the light bulb. – The light bulb was invented by
Thomas Edison.
Negative forms of Past Simple Passive
Making a negative Past Simple Passive form is easy. Just insert ‘not‘ between ‘was’ or
‘were’ and Past Participle (the contracted forms are ‘wasn’t’ and ‘weren’t’).
• Mary wasn’t invited to the party.
• The match wasn’t won by our team.
• You weren’t invited to the party.
Questions in Past Simple Passive

To make a question in Past Simple Passive, swap the subject and ‘was’ or ‘were’. The
structure for asking questions in Past Simple Passive is:
was/were + [subject] + Past Participle
• Were the students taught at home?
• Was the article written by Nick?
To make a wh-question, insert a question word before ‘was’ or ‘were’:
• When was the test passed?
• Where were grapes grown?

Past Participles (3rd form of the verb)

Past participles for regular verbs are also the same as the past tense (add –ed).

Past Participle
Base Form Simple Past Passive Sentence
(3rd form)

solve solved solved The problem is solved.

carry carried carried The heavy boxes are carried by

Moby.
Many past participles for irregular verbs are the same as the past tense.

Past Participle
Base Form Simple Past Passive Sentence
(3rd form)

make made made The pizza is made by Marry.

cut cut cut The sandwich is cut in two

pieces.

build built built The houses are built very fast.

buy bought bought The food is bought by my mom.

There are many irregular verbs with irregular past participles, and those have to be
memorized. It is easiest to remember them in groups that follow the same spelling
pattern.

Base Form Simple Past Past Participle (3rd form)

Past Participle ends in -en

forget forgot forgotten

give gave given

speak spoke spoken

take took taken

write wrote written

 Past Participle vowel changes from a to u

drink drank drunk

sing sang sung