Passive VoiceB1
The passive (be + past participle) puts the receiver of the action first, for an unknown or unimportant doer, a process or formal writing. Be changes with the tense and the participle stays: English is spoken here.
No information at the current level. This view starts at B1: choose B1 or a higher level.
No information at the current level. This view starts at B1: choose B1 or a higher level.
CheatsheetB1
| Point | Rule | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Form | the object becomes the subject; be + past participle | Shakespeare wrote Hamlet. → Hamlet was written by Shakespeare. |
| Present simple | am / is / are + V-ed | English is spoken here. |
| Past simple | was / were + V-ed | The bridge was built in 1990. |
| Present perfect | has / have been + V-ed | The window has been broken. |
| will, can, must | will / can / must be + V-ed | The results will be sent tomorrow. |
| Negative, question | negative: be + not + V-ed; question: be + subject + V-ed | The room wasn't cleaned. / Was the room cleaned? |
| Use | unknown or unimportant doer, processes, news, formal writing | My phone was stolen on the train. / Wine is made from grapes. |
| by / with | by names a new or important doer; with names a tool | The song was written by Adele. |
| Trap | verbs without an object stay active: happen / arrive / die | The accident happened yesterday. |
| Trap | use the past participle: made, written, sold, taken | The window was broken. |
Form: active to passiveB1
| Active | Passive |
|---|---|
| Shakespeare wrote Hamlet. | Hamlet was written by Shakespeare. |
| They sell tickets online. | Tickets are sold online. |
- The object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive.
- The verb is be in the tense of the active verb, plus the past participle.
- Verbs with an object have a passive. happen, arrive, die and sleep have an active form only.
Form: tensesB1
| Tense | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Present simple | am / is / are + V-ed | English is spoken here. |
| Past simple | was / were + V-ed | The bridge was built in 1990. |
| Present perfect | has / have been + V-ed | The window has been broken. |
| will | will be + V-ed | The results will be sent tomorrow. |
| can / must | can / must be + V-ed | The door must be locked. |
- V-ed = past participle: made, written, sold, taken, built.
- Irregular participles are in the irregular verbs table.
Form: negatives and questionsB1
| Type | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Negative | be + not + V-ed | The room wasn't cleaned. |
| Question | be + subject + V-ed | Was the room cleaned? |
| Wh-question | wh-word + be + subject + V-ed | When was it built? |
- The first auxiliary changes position: has it been fixed? / It hasn't been fixed.
Form: by + agentB1
| Word | Introduces | Example |
|---|---|---|
| by | the doer | The song was written by Adele. |
| with | a tool or material | The door was opened with a key. |
- by + agent goes at the end of the clause.
- The agent is added when it is new or important information.
UseB1
| Use | Example |
|---|---|
| The doer is unknown | My phone was stolen on the train. |
| The doer is obvious or unimportant | The room is cleaned every day. |
| Processes and how things are made | Wine is made from grapes. |
| News, notices and formal writing | Two people were arrested last night. |
| The receiver is the topic | Our teacher was given a prize. |
Typical errorsB1
| ✗ | ✓ | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| English speaks here. | English is spoken here. | the subject receives the action → be + V-ed |
| The bridge built in 1990. | The bridge was built in 1990. | the passive needs be |
| The window was broke. | The window was broken. | use the past participle |
| The accident was happened yesterday. | The accident happened yesterday. | happen, arrive and die have no passive |
| The book was written from Orwell. | The book was written by Orwell. | agent → by |
| Was the room cleaned? — Yes, it cleaned. | Yes, it was. | the short answer repeats be |