subject + am/is/are + past participleUse this for actions done now or regularly. The subject receives the action.
Present and Past Passive
A2Use passive to focus on the thing that gets the action. Present passive = am/is/are + past participle; past passive = was/were + past participle.
What you'll learn
- Build present passive with am, is, or are + past participle.
- Build past passive with was or were + past participle.
- Choose present or past passive from the time marker.
- Use passive when the result matters more than the doer.
- Add by + doer only when that detail is important.
Structure
subject + was/were + past participleUse this for finished actions in the past. The subject receives the action.
subject + be + past participle + by + doerAdd by + doer only when you want to name who did the action.
Build a sentence
Subject
Verb
The windowisbroken
The window is broken right now.
Singular subject in the present takes is + past participle.
When to use
Result first
Use passive when the result is the main point. The window is broken. The order was canceled.
Unknown doer
Use passive when you do not know who did it. My bike was stolen last night.
Obvious doer
Leave out the doer when everyone can guess it. Anna was taken to the hospital.
Markers
every dayoftenright nowyesterdaylast nightin 2020
Common mistakes
Wrong
The room cleaned every day.
Correct
The room is cleaned every day.
A passive sentence needs be + past participle. Here the present form is is cleaned.
Wrong
The emails are send every morning.
Correct
The emails are sent every morning.
After be in the passive, use the past participle, not the base verb.
Wrong
The letter sent yesterday.
Correct
The letter was sent yesterday.
Past passive needs was or were before the past participle.
Wrong
The windows was broken in the storm.
Correct
The windows were broken in the storm.
Plural subjects take were, not was.
Wrong
The package is delivered yesterday.
Correct
The package was delivered yesterday.
Yesterday shows a finished past action, so use was delivered.
Wrong
The song was written Taylor.
Correct
The song was written by Taylor.
If you name the doer in a passive sentence, add by before it.
Common misconceptions
❝ Every passive sentence must say who did the action. ❞
Passive often leaves the doer out. Add by + doer only when that detail matters.
❝ Passive is only a past participle on its own. ❞
Passive needs be + past participle. The room cleaned is not complete; The room was cleaned is correct.
Skills in this rule (6)
BUILD_PRESENT_PASSIVEw5Build present passive with am/is/are + past participle
Use present forms of be plus a past participle when the thing or person receiving the action is the subject. Choose am, is, or are from the subject.
BUILD_PAST_PASSIVEw5Build past passive with was/were + past participle
Use was or were plus a past participle when the action happened in the past and the receiver of the action is the subject. Choose was or were from the subject.
CHOOSE_PRESENT_OR_PAST_PASSIVEw4Choose present or past passive from time words
Use present passive for what happens now or regularly, and past passive for finished actions in the past. Time markers like every day, yesterday, and last year help you choose.
USE_PASSIVE_WHEN_DOER_NOT_IMPORTANTw3Use passive when the action matters more than the doer
Choose passive when the result or receiver is the focus, or when the doer is unknown, obvious, or not important. The sentence starts with the thing affected by the action.
ADD_BY_ONLY_WHEN_NEEDEDw3Add by + doer only when the doer matters
Use by + person or thing only when that information adds something important. Leave it out when everyone knows it or it does not matter.
SPOT_ACTIVE_NOT_PASSIVEw4Spot when English needs be + past participle, not an active form
A passive sentence needs be plus a past participle. Do not use an active subject + verb pattern when the receiver should be the subject.