Passive

The passive voice is used when we want to focus attention on the person or thing affected by the action. Example - My room is cleaned by me everyday. - "my room" here is the subject of the sentence.

Content

How to form the Passive
A complete list of all the verb forms that are usually used in the passive voice.

1. How to form the Passive

Passive forms are made up of an appropriate form of the verb TO BE followed by the past participle (pp) form of the verb. To DO => to be DONE (do – did – done)

The Active voice is used when we want to focus attention on the person or thing affected by the action.

The queen invited me for tea.
I clean my room everyday.

If you want to focus on the person or thing affected by the action, you make the person or thing the subject of the sentence and use the Passive voice:

I was invited for tea by the queen.
My room is cleaned by me everyday.

Compare the Activective and Passive.

I clean my room everyday. - "my room" here the object of the sentence.
My room is cleaned by me everyday. - "my room" here is the subject of the sentence.

2. A complete list of all the verb forms that are usually used in the passive voice.


Verb form	Construction	Example
Present simple	am/is/are + past participle	Bread is made from flour.
Present continuous	am/are/is being + past participle	My house is being repainted.
Present perfect simple	has/have been + past participle	He’s just been promoted head of department.
Past simple	was/were + past participle	All her money was stolen from her handbag.
Past simple continuous	was/were being + past participle	She was being given medication for her illness when she suddenly died.
Past perfect simple	had been + past participle	The potatoes had been cooked for too long and so were very soft.
Future simple	will be + past participle	The house will be demolished next week.
Future perfect simple	will have been + past participle	There’s no point in hurrying to the party. All the drinks will have been drunk by now.
Infinitive	(to) be + past participle	The animals must not be fed at the zoo.

English Grammar

Passive

1. How to form the Passive

2. A complete list of all the verb forms that are usually used in the passive voice.

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