UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL DEL ALTIPLANO

ESCUELA PROFESIONAL DE INGENIERIAELECTRÓNICA

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WORKSHOP PRESENT PASSIVE

One way to describe processes is to use the Present Simple.

 The plastic travels through the barrel.
 The mould is now cool.

However, it is more common to use the Passive. This is because, when talking about a process, it is
often not important or relevant to mention who performs an action.

Some verbs, such as verbs which do not take an object, example travel, or verbs of thinking and
feeling, be, cannot usually be used in the Passive.

Nor the plastic is travelled through the barrel.

Positive (Present Passive)

 The dough is cut into loaves

 The loaves are left to cool
= subject + am / is / are + past participle

Negative (Present Passive)

 The plastic isn't melted by the hydraulic fluid.
 The screws aren't pushed back by the ram.
= subject + am / is / are not +past participle

Questions
 Is the hopper filled with plastic?
Yes, it is. / No, it isn't.

 Are the loaves sent to the shops?

Yes, they are. / No, they aren't.
= Am / Is / Are + subject + past participle

 How is the plastic melted?

= Question word + am / is / are + subject+ past participle

 Although in general contexts the Passive can have I/ you / we, as the subject, when talking about processes the
subject is generally the pronoun it or they, or a singular or plural noun.