How to use 'the Passive'

'The Pyramids were built a long time ago.'

What is a passive sentence?

Most of spoken English uses active speech. In active sentences the subject is the focus of the sentence. For example:

Active = 'The Egyptians built the Pyramids a long time ago.' In this sentence the Egyptians are the subject and the Pyramids are the object.

In passive sentences the object becomes the subject and focus of the sentence. For example:

Passive = 'The Pyramids were built by the Egyptians a long time ago.'

Why do we use the passive?

We use the active to say 'what the subject does':

'Slaves built the Pyramids.'

We use the passive to say 'what happens to the subject':

'The Pyramids were built by slaves.'

We use the passive when:

• We do not know who did the action = 'The window was broken.' (we don't know who broke it.)
• It is not important who did the action = 'Breakfast is served at 7am.' (it is not important who serves breakfast)
• It is very clear/ obvious who did the action = 'Corn is grown in this field.' (obviously, farmers grow the corn)

How to make a passive?

be (is,was) + past participle (been, drawn) makes the passive.

Present Simple Passive: 'The newspaper is delivered every morning.'
(Present Simple Active: 'They deliver the paper every morning.')

Past Simple Passive: 'The newspaper was delivered this morning.'
(Past Simple Active: 'Someone delivered the newspaper this morning.')

Now complete these sentences:

• Romeo & Juliet ___ by Shakespeare.
  
  is written
  was written
  written
  
  
• Paper ___ from wood.
  
  is made
  was made
  are made
  
  
• Gifts ___ at Christmas.
  
  are given
  gave
  is given
  
  
• Edison ___ the lightbulb.
  
  was invented
  is invented
  invented
  
  
• The bell ___ on Sunday.
  
  was ringed
  was rang
  was rung
  
  
• Rice ___ in Asia.
  
  is grown
  were grown
  are grown.