Zorg SpaceThe passive: when the doer does not matter
The rule
Use be + the past participle when the interesting thing is what happened, not who did it — because you do not know, because it is obvious, or because it is a rule that applies to everyone. My bike was stolen, The forms are checked every morning, English is spoken here. The tense lives in be, so only be changes: is made, was made, will be made, has been made. If you do want to name the doer, add by: The house was designed by a local architect.
be (any tense) + past participle · (+ by someone) · The keys were found.
Examples
My bike was stolen last night.
The forms are checked every morning.
You will be contacted within five days.
This bridge was built by a Dutch company.
Common mistakes
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Wrong: The window broke by the wind yesterday.
Right: The window was broken by the wind yesterday.
The passive always needs a form of be in front of the participle.
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Wrong: The letters was sent on Monday.
Right: The letters were sent on Monday.
be agrees with the subject, and the letters is plural.
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Wrong: It was happened last week.
Right: It happened last week.
happen has no object, so it can never be passive.
Practice questions
Try each one yourself first, then open “Show answer” for the solution and the reason.
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1Choose the correct sentence.
- The road is clean every Friday by the council.
- The road cleans every Friday.
- The road is being cleaned every Friday by nobody.
- The road is cleaned every Friday.
Show answer
Answer: D The road is cleaned every Friday.
A regular action done to something takes the present passive.
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2Choose the correct sentence.
- The results will be publish on Friday.
- The results are publishing on Friday by the school.
- The results will be published on Friday.
- The results will publish on Friday.
Show answer
Answer: C The results will be published on Friday.
will + be + participle for the future passive.
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3Choose the correct sentence.
- My car is been repaired.
- My car has been repair.
- My car has been repaired.
- My car has repaired.
Show answer
Answer: C My car has been repaired.
has + been + participle for the present perfect passive.
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4Choose the correct sentence.
- These shoes is made in Portugal.
- These shoes are make in Portugal.
- These shoes are made in Portugal.
- These shoes make in Portugal.
Show answer
Answer: C These shoes are made in Portugal.
Plural subject takes are, then the participle.
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5Fill in the gap.
The parcel _____ delivered yesterday.
- has
- was
- were
- is
Show answer
Answer: B The parcel was delivered yesterday.
A single parcel, finished time: was + participle.
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6Fill in the gap.
Breakfast _____ served between seven and ten.
- has
- are
- been
- is
Show answer
Answer: D Breakfast is served between seven and ten.
Breakfast is singular and this is a standing arrangement.
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7Fill in the gap.
The flats _____ built in the 1960s.
- was
- are
- were
- have
Show answer
Answer: C The flats were built in the 1960s.
Plural subject and finished past time.
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8Fill in the gap.
Your application has _____ received.
- be
- being
- was
- been
Show answer
Answer: D Your application has been received.
has + been + participle.
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9Put the words in the right order.
The keys were found in the car park
Show answer
Answer: The keys were found in the car park.
The thing affected becomes the subject, and be carries the tense.
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10Put the words in the right order.
This photo was taken by my brother
Show answer
Answer: This photo was taken by my brother.
by introduces the doer when you want to name them.
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