THE PASSIVE VOICE

The passive voice focuses on the object, rather than the subject.

So instead of saying “I drank two glasses of water” we say “Two glasses were
drunk (by me)”

USES OF THE PASSIVE VOICE:

► When we want to change the focus of the sentence;

Starry Night was painted by Van Gogh.

► When the subject is unknown, unimportant or obvious;

The man was arrested this morning.

► In factual or scientific writing;

The rats were analyzed in their regular environment.

► In formal writing as a way of not writing someone/people/they;

The research was conducted by scientists.

► When the subject is too long

I was impressed by the all the students in the contest.

You will notice the use of passive voice in news frequently.

HOW TO MAKE THE PASSIVE

We simply have to add the verb “to be” into the tense we need and add the past
participle.

TENSE ACTIVE PASSIVE

Present Simple I make a pie. A pie was made (by me).

Present Continuous I am making a pie. A pie is being made.

Present Perfect I have made a pie. A pie has been made.

Past Simple I made a pie. A pie was made.

Past Continuous I was making a pie. A pie was being made.

Past Perfect I had made a pie. A pie had been made.

Future I will make a pie. A pie will be made.

∟ Some verbs can have two objects to form active sentences, in which case
there will be two passive sentences as well:

He gave me a ring / He gave the ring to me.

I was given a ring (by him) / The ring was given to me (by him)

Other verbs like this: ASK, OFFER, TEACH, TELL, LEND, PROMISE, SELL,
THROW.