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PASSIVE VOICE

Berta Castro

Created on February 4, 2026

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Transcript

Pull the rope

Next

I make a cake

A cake is made

I'm making a cake

A cake is being made

I made a cake

A cake was made

I was making a cake

A cake was being made

I had made a cake

A cake had been made

THE PASSIVE

1. when the person who does the action (agent) is unknown, unimportant or obvious from the context.

My car was stolen yesterday (unknown agent)

The road repairs were completed last week (unimportant agent)

The kidnappers have been arrested (obvious agent)

THE PASSIVE

2. when the action is more important than the agent - as in news reports, formal notices, instructions, headlines, etc.

Taking pictures is not allowed (written notice)

The local bakn was robbed this morning (news report)

Bread is baked in a oven for about 45 minutes (process)

THE PASSIVE

3. to make statements more polite of formal

My new suit has been burnt (It's more polite than saying "You've burnt my new suit)

THE PASSIVE

4. to put emphasis on the agent

The Tower of London was built by William the Conqueror

THE PASSIVE

We use the Passive only with transitive verbs

They built that castle in 1600.

That castle was built in 1600.

A bank was robbed yesterday

Who robbed the bank?

Does it matter?

Jurassic Park was filmed by Spielberg in 1993.

I'm talking about Jurassic Park and not about Spielberg.

The robber was arrested last night.

Who arrested the robber?

It is obvious, isn't it?

I was told that you insulted my brother.

Who told me?

I don't want to say who told me.

Passive voice + BY

We can use the passive voice + BY to say who or what is responsible for the action.

Passive voice + BY

The painting was bought by a very rich American.

Penincilin was invented by Alexander Fleming

Are the sentences examples of the past simple or the present simple passive? Write past or present.

1. The amount of sugar in soft drinks was reduced.

2. Were the salads made in the school canteen?

3. Nowadays, preservatives aren't used as much in food.

4. The tomatoes are grown in the greenhouse.

5. Our canteen menu isn't revised each month.

6. When was the sugar tax added for the first time?

Complete the sentences with the correct past or present simple passive form of the verbs in brackets.

1. Last year's competition .... (win) by a sixteen-years-old girl

2. Nowadays, energy drinks .... (not sell) in schools.

3. ... lots of lives ... (improve) by this healthy food app?

4. Protein ... (find) in foods such as meat, fish and eggs?

5. The recipe for this dish ... (not create) by a famous chef.

6. ... these vegetables ... (grown) in your garden or did you buy them?

Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence. Use by where necessary. The words in bold will help you.

1. Grandma made a beautiful cake for my birthday last year A beautiful cake ............... for my birthday last year.

2. They sell this brand of lemonade at the supermarket. This brand of lemonade ....... at the supermarket.

3. The chef uses fresh vegetables to make this delicious soup. Fresh vegetables ...... to make this delicious soup.

4. They didn't ban soft drinks from the school canteen. Soft drinks ..... from the school canteen.

5. They don't show adverts for fast food on this TV channel. Adverts for fast food ..... on this TV channe.

4. They didn't ban soft drinks from the school canteen. Soft drinks ..... from the school canteen.