Active or Passive?

1. Hamburgers come from Germany. - Active

2. Panama hats are made in Ecuador. - Passive
3. The boys were sleeping in the bedroom. - Active
4. Penicillin was discovered by Alexander Fleming. - Passive
5. The ghost scared the man in the hood. - Active

▪ Is there the verb ‘to be’? – No = Active

▪ Is the verb ‘to be’ followed by a past participle? – No = Active
▪ If we can answer ‘yes’ to both, then it is Passive.

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 Active to Passive

The steps:

1. Find and promote the object

2. If there is an auxiliary or modal verb in the active voice, copy it (or them).
3. Write the verb ‘to be’ in the tense of the active voice.
4. Write the main verb using the past participle.
5. Add ‘by + subject’ if known or necessary.
6. Add the complement section if there is one.

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