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The Passive: Present and Past Simple

Level: B1 · Free grammar guide

We use the passive when the action is more important than the person who does it, or when we don't know who did it: Paper is made from wood. My bike was stolen last night.

Form it with be + past participle: is/are made (present), was/were made (past).

How to form the passive

TenseActivePassive (be + past participle)
Present simpleThey make cars in this factory.Cars are made in this factory.
Present simpleSomeone cleans the office every day.The office is cleaned every day.
Past simpleSomeone stole my bike.My bike was stolen.
Past simpleThey built these houses in 1950.These houses were built in 1950.

Only be changes: is/are for the present, was/were for the past. The past participle stays the same: made, built, written, sent. For irregular past participles, see the irregular verbs list.

Negatives and questions

Present simple passivePast simple passive
NegativeEnglish isn't spoken here.The email wasn't sent.
QuestionIs breakfast included?When was the bridge built?
Short answersYes, it is. / No, it isn't.Yes, it was. / No, it wasn't.

Passive questions and negatives use be, not do or did: Was the house built in 1900? (not Did the house built…?)

When do we use the passive?

By + the person who does the action

Use by to say who did the action, but only when this information is important or interesting: The Mona Lisa was painted by Leonardo da Vinci.

Don't add by people, by someone or by them: English is spoken here (not English is spoken by people here).

Active or passive?

Both are correct grammar. Choose the one that starts with the thing you're talking about:

  1. A dog bit my brother. (active: the sentence is about the dog)
  2. My brother was bitten by a dog. (passive: the sentence is about my brother)

Examples

  1. Coffee is grown in Brazil and Colombia. (present: a general fact)
  2. Dinner is served from 7 to 10 pm. (present: who serves it isn't important)
  3. My car was repaired yesterday. (past)
  4. These photos were taken in Iceland. (plural: were)
  5. Is this seat taken? (present question)
  6. The thief wasn't caught. (past negative)
  7. The Harry Potter books were written by J. K. Rowling. (by + the writer)
  8. Millions of emails are sent every day. (present: plural)
  9. When was your house built? (past question)
  10. The winners are announced at the end of the show. (present: a regular event)

Common mistakes

❌ The bridge was build in 1990.

✅ The bridge was built in 1990. (Use the past participle: build → built.)

❌ English speaks in Canada.

✅ English is spoken in Canada. (A language doesn't speak. Use be + past participle.)

❌ My wallet stolen yesterday.

✅ My wallet was stolen yesterday. (Don't forget be.)

❌ The letters was sent last week.

✅ The letters were sent last week. (Plural subject → were.)

❌ Did the house built in 1900?

✅ Was the house built in 1900? (Passive questions use be, not did.)

❌ The cake was made from my mum.

✅ The cake was made by my mum. (Use by for the person. (Made from is for materials: made from flour.))

Exercises (16)

Choose the correct answer.

1. Spanish ___ in Mexico.
2. This bridge ___ in 1932.
3. The rooms ___ every morning.
4. My phone ___ last night.
5. ___ breakfast included in the price?
6. When ___ the Eiffel Tower built?
7. These shoes ___ in Italy.
8. The package ___ because the address was wrong.
9. Romeo and Juliet ___ by Shakespeare.
10. Our rubbish ___ on Tuesdays.
11. Choose the correct question.
12. Thousands of photos ___ every day.
13. The thieves ___ by the police.
14. Which sentence is the passive of: Someone painted the door?
15. This song ___ in the 1980s.
16. The test results ___ on the classroom door every Friday.

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