Read the two sentences. They describe the same thing.
A. Mr. Park cleans the classroom every night. B. The classroom is cleaned every night.
1. In sentence B, who cleans the classroom?
2. What is the subject (the first part) of sentence B?
3. In sentence B, is the classroom doing the cleaning?
Sentence A is active: the subject (Mr. Park) does the action.
Sentence B is passive: the subject (the classroom) receives the action.
We use the passive when the thing is more important than who did it, or when we don't know who did it.
PASSIVEThe classroomreceiver = new subjectis cleanedbe + past participleby Mr. Park.doer (optional)
The formula: subject + be (in the correct tense) + past participle (+ by + doer)
The main verb is always the past participle. Only be changes for the tense.
STEP 3 · BUILD
🛠️ The Passive Machine: Step by Step
Choose an active sentence. Then click Next step to watch it become passive.
STEP 4 · TENSES
🗓️ Passive in Every Tense
Look at the orange words. Be changes with the tense. The past participle (cleaned) never changes.
Tense
Active
Passive
Form
Present simple
Mr. Park cleans the room.
The room is cleaned.
am / is / are + PP
Present continuous
Mr. Park is cleaning the room.
The room is being cleaned.
am / is / are being + PP
Past simple
Mr. Park cleaned the room.
The room was cleaned.
was / were + PP
Past continuous
Mr. Park was cleaning the room.
The room was being cleaned.
was / were being + PP
Present perfect
Mr. Park has cleaned the room.
The room has been cleaned.
has / have been + PP
Past perfect
Mr. Park had cleaned the room.
The room had been cleaned.
had been + PP
Future (will)
Mr. Park will clean the room.
The room will be cleaned.
will be + PP
Modals
Mr. Park should clean the room.
The room should be cleaned.
can / must / should + be + PP
🔢 Singular or plural?Be agrees with the new subject: The room was cleaned. The rooms were cleaned.
STEP 5 · WHY?
🤔 When Do We Use the Passive?
1. We don't know who did it. My bike was stolen last night.
2. It's obvious who did it. The thief was arrested. (by the police, of course)
3. The action or result is more important than the doer. The new library will be opened next month.
4. It sounds more formal or polite. It's common in news, instructions, signs and official letters. Your application has been received.
Should I use "by"?
Only add by + doer when that information is important or interesting.
✅ This song was written by my brother. (interesting!)
❌ My wallet was stolen by someone. ("someone" tells us nothing)
❌ The trash is collected by trash collectors on Tuesday. (obvious)
STEP 6 · THE KEY INGREDIENT
🔑 Past Participles You Need
Regular verbs add -ed: clean → cleaned, invite → invited. Irregular verbs must be memorized. Here are 20 common ones (base, past, past participle):
write · wrote · written
speak · spoke · spoken
make · made · made
steal · stole · stolen
build · built · built
sell · sold · sold
find · found · found
give · gave · given
take · took · taken
eat · ate · eaten
break · broke · broken
know · knew · known
send · sent · sent
choose · chose · chosen
pay · paid · paid
teach · taught · taught
drive · drove · driven
catch · caught · caught
bring · brought · brought
grow · grew · grown
STEP 7 · WATCH OUT
⚠️ Common Mistakes
Forgetting "be": The house built in 1990. → The house was built in 1990.
Using the simple past instead of the past participle: The letter was wrote. → The letter was written.
Forgetting -ed: The room is clean every day. → The room is cleaned every day.
Wrong "be" for the subject: The tamales was made by Luz. → The tamales were made by Luz.
"Been" after "will" or modals: It will been finished. → It will be finished.
Being born:I born in 1985. → I was born in 1985.
"Was + -ing" is NOT passive:Saeid was cooking is past continuous (active). Passive needs a past participle.
🏋️ Practice 1: Past Participles Filled: 0/10
Write the past participle.
1. write →
2. speak →
3. steal →
4. build →
5. give →
6. invite →
7. choose →
8. teach →
9. grow →
10. break →
🏋️ Practice 2: Active or Passive? Answered: 0/10
Is the sentence active or passive? Careful with number 10!
1. The bread is baked every morning.
2. The baker bakes bread every morning.
3. My car was repaired yesterday.
4. Javier repaired my car yesterday.
5. English is spoken all over the world.
6. Many students speak Spanish at Centro Romero.
7. The meeting has been canceled.
8. Kim Mai has canceled her appointment.
9. The students were given a surprise test.
10. Saeid was cooking dinner when I called.
🏋️ Practice 3: Choose the Correct Form Answered: 0/8
1. The classroom ______ every night.
2. These tamales ______ by Luz yesterday.
3. My wallet ______! I can't find it anywhere.
4. The winners ______ tomorrow.
5. Don't go in! The kitchen ______ right now.
6. The bill can ______ online.
7. Spanish and English ______ at Centro Romero.
8. When I arrived, the food ______ already ______.
🏋️ Practice 4: Complete the Sentence Filled: 0/8
Write the passive form of the verb in parentheses. The tense is given in [brackets].
1. Coffee (grow) in Colombia. [present]
2. Our school (build) in 1985. [past]
3. All the students (invite) to the party. [present perfect]
4. Your package (deliver) tomorrow. [future]
5. The windows (wash) right now. [present continuous]
6. This medicine must (take) with food. [modal]
7. The thief (catch) last night. [past]
8. More than 200 languages (speak) in New York City. [present]
🏋️ Practice 5: Keep "by" or Not? Answered: 0/5
Should the sentence keep the "by" phrase? Keep it only if it gives important or interesting information.
1. My wallet was stolen by someone.
2. This song was written by my brother.
3. The trash is collected by trash collectors every Tuesday.
4. Don Quixote was written by Miguel de Cervantes.
5. The thief was arrested by the police.
🏋️ Practice 6: Active → Passive Answered: 0/6
Rewrite each sentence in the passive. Start with the underlined words. Use "by" only if it's important.
1. Mr. Park locks the doors every night.
2. Somebody stole my phone.
3. The teacher has corrected the tests.
4. They will open the new library next month.
5. People speak French in Haiti.
6. You must turn off your phone during the test.
🪧 Practice 7: Passive in Real Life Matched: 0/7
Signs and news headlines use the passive all the time, but they often drop "be." Click a sign, then click its full sentence.
Signs & Headlines
Full Passive Sentences
💬 Talk About It
Ask a partner. Answer in complete sentences using the passive.
Where were you born? Where were you raised?
What languages are spoken in your home country?
What is your hometown known for?
What food is usually eaten at celebrations in your country?
Look at your phone, shoes, or backpack. Where was it made?
What is something in your city that should be changed or fixed?
📝 Answer Key
Warm-Up: 1 We don't know. 2 The classroom. 3 No, the classroom receives the action.
Practice 6: 1 The doors are locked (by Mr. Park) every night. 2 My phone was stolen. 3 The tests have been corrected (by the teacher). 4 The new library will be opened next month. 5 French is spoken in Haiti. 6 Your phone must be turned off during the test.
Practice 7: Credit cards accepted = Credit cards are accepted here. Made in Mexico = This product was made in Mexico. Smoking not permitted = Smoking is not permitted here. Sold out = All the tickets have been sold. Road closed for repairs = The road has been closed so it can be repaired. Thief arrested at mall = A thief was arrested at the mall. Spanish spoken = Spanish is spoken here.