Passive
– used when you do not want to say that somebody does something (you do not want to say who does it), so you say IT IS DONE
How is it formed?
- you need TO BE and the third form of the verb (the past participle)
• English is spoken in many countries.
- you should know the third forms of the most common irregular verbs (regular verbs have past participles identical with the past simple, for example: work – worked – worked)
|
Infinitive |
Past simple |
Past participle |
Infinitive |
Past simple |
Past participle |
|
BREAK |
BROKE |
BROKEN |
LEAVE |
LEFT |
LEFT |
|
BUILD |
BUILT |
BUILT |
MAKE |
MADE |
MADE |
|
BUY |
BOUGHT |
BOUGHT |
PAY |
PAID |
PAID |
|
DO |
DID |
DONE |
SELL |
SOLD |
SOLD |
|
EAT |
ATE |
EATEN |
SEND |
SENT |
SENT |
|
FIND |
FOUND |
FOUND |
SPEAK |
SPOKE |
SPOKEN |
|
GROW |
GREW |
GROWN |
STEAL |
STOLE |
STOLEN |
|
HIT |
HIT |
HIT |
TAKE |
TOOK |
TAKEN |
|
KNOW |
KNEW |
KNOWN |
WRITE |
WROTE |
WRITTEN |
- to make the sentences negative, use NOT
• The room is not cleaned every day.
- to make questions, start with TO BE
• Is the fact known?
- to make the passive in the past, use WAS / WERE
• The car was stolen
• The children were found in the woods.