Passive Voice - Past Simple

Passive Voice

Past Simple

REMEMBER!

The passive voice is used to emphasize the result of an action.

We don't mention or don't know the subject.

​Active Voice: The kid feeds the dog.

​Passive Voice: The dog is fed.

Look at the following picture

If you think the subject (the one performing the action) is more important than the object (the one receiving the action), then we use what is called active voice.

The children broke the window

We prefer the active voice when we are more interested in the identity of someone doing an action. The children performed the action of breaking the window.

The window was broken

If you think the object (the one receiving the action) is more important than the subject (the one performing the action) then the object becomes the subject of the sentence. This is called passive voice.

We usually prefer the passive voice

For historical events :

​

Paper was invented in China (we don't know who did it)

​

To emphasize the importance of the object:

The window was broken

To form the Passive Voice

You need the correct form of the verb to be in past (was or were) and the past participle of the main verb.

Let's check for understanding!

Decide if the following sentences are active or passive voice.

Multiple Choice

This church was built in 1810.

• Active

• Passive

Multiple Choice

I washed my car three weeks ago.

• Active

• Passive

Multiple Choice

Vincent Van Gogh painted The Starry Night.

• Active

• Passive

Multiple Choice

The money was stolen.

• Active

• Passive

Multiple Choice

Houses were destroyed by the earthquake.

• Active

• Passive

​Differences between Passive and Active Voice

​Parts of the sentence

Multiple Choice

The Active Voice focus is on...

• the subject

• the verb

• the object

Multiple Choice

The Passive Voice focus is on...

• the subject

• the verb

• the object

Multiple Select

Select ALL the uses of the passive voice

• formal or scientific writing

• unknown subject

• describing nouns

• starting the sentences with the most important information.

Multiple Choice

He bought a car.

The word in red is the...?

• subject

• verb

• object

Multiple Choice

She reads a lot of books.

The word in red is the...?

• subject

• verb

• object

Multiple Choice

She reads a lot of books.

The word in green is the...?

• subject

• verb

• object

Multiple Choice

He bought a car.

The word in blue is the...?

• subject

• verb

• object

Identify the correct sentence in Passive Voice​

Past Simple​

Multiple Choice

Select the correct Passive Voice version of the following sentence:

Someone stole my bike.

• My bike was stolen by someone

• My bike were stolen by someone

• My bike is steal by someone

Multiple Choice

Select the correct Passive Voice version of the following sentence:

The Mayans built many temples.

• Many temples are built by the Mayans.

• Many temples was build by the Mayans.

• Many temples were built by the Mayans.

Multiple Choice

Select the correct Passive Voice version of the following sentence:

They sang rock songs at the karaoke. 

• Rock songs were sung at the karaoke.

• Rock songs is sing at the karaoke.

• Rock songs they sing at the karaoke.

Multiple Choice

Select the correct Passive Voice version of the following sentence:

Somebody cleaned the room.

• The room was cleaned.

• The room is cleaned every day.

• The room somebody cleaned.

Multiple Choice

Select the correct Passive Voice version of the following sentence:

He didn't take the dog for a walk.

• The dog wasn't taken for a walk.

• The dog isn't taken for a walk.

• The dog wasn't took for a walk.