Passive: present and past
Use the passive in the present and past simple to focus on what happens or happened, not who does it.
In this lesson you will
- Form the present and past simple passive
- Decide when to use the passive
- Add the agent with by when it matters
Learn
Present simple passive: am/is/are + past participle: English is spoken* here. Cars are made in this factory.*
Past simple passive: was/were + past participle: The bridge was built* in 1890. My bike was stolen last night.*
Use the passive when the action or the thing affected is more important than who did it, when the doer is unknown or obvious: My wallet was stolen (by someone unknown).
Add by + agent only when it’s useful: The painting was painted by* Frida Kahlo.* Verbs without an object (happen, arrive, die) have no passive.
| Active | Passive |
|---|---|
| They grow coffee in Brazil. | Coffee is grown in Brazil. |
| Someone cleaned the room. | The room was cleaned. |
| Picasso painted it. | It was painted by Picasso. |
Examples
- The museum is visited by a million people a year.
- These phones are assembled in Vietnam.
- The results were announced yesterday.
- Where was this photo taken?
Vocabulary
assemble
put parts together
announce
tell the public officially
steal
take without permission (stole, stolen)
agent
the person or thing that does the action
produce
make, especially in large amounts
Practice
Complete the sentence.
Speaking
Describe famous products and places from your country using the passive: where things are made, grown or produced, and when famous buildings were built.
Writing
Write a short fact file (60–80 words) about a famous building, product or invention using the present and past passive.
Lesson quiz
Spanish ___ in Mexico.
Review
Key points
- Present: am/is/are + participle.
- Past: was/were + participle.
- Focus on the action; agent with by only if useful.
- No passive for happen, arrive, die.
What you learned
- ✓ I can form present and past passives.
- ✓ I know when to use the passive.
- ✓ I can add an agent.
Grammar reference: The passive voice