STRUCTURE

PAST
PRESENT

IS / ARE WAS / WERE

 USES
It is used to put emphasis on the action and
not on who or what did the action.

It is used to talk about:

 what things are made of and used for.

 processes, historical events, scientific and technical descriptions,

inventions, news reports.
 It is also used:
 When who or what causes the action is unknown or unimportant or
obious or “people in general”.

 In formal writing instead of using someone / people / they

(these can be used in speaking or informal writing):

ACTIVE vs. PASSIVE
We say what the subject does.

We say what happens to the subject.

We can mention the person or thing that does the action.

We use by to introduce it.

 BY or WITH
BY To refer who the action is being done by.

(Mr Smith = agent)

WITH To refer the instrument, object or material that

was used for something to be done.

(a key= the object that was used)

Complete with the Present Passive or the Past Passive.
 Those windows ___________________
aren’t cleaned very often. (not clean)
 was introduced
The euro ______________________ in 2002. (introduce)
 The Champions League _______________
isn’t held every ten years. (not hold)
 When __________
was the first mobile phone call __________?
made (make)
 were built
Pyramids ______________ in Egypt and Mexico a long time ago. (build)
 Don Quixote _______________
was written by Cervantes. (write)
 The World Cup _____________
is played every four year. (play)
 Coca Cola and Pepsi __________________
are enjoyed all over the world. (enjoy)
 The first walkmans ___________________in
were designed Japan. (design)
 A belt __________
is used for keeping your trousers up. (use)
 Birds______________
aren’t kept in glass tanks. (not keep)
 Is pizza _________
______ eaten on Thanksgiving Day in America? (eat)
Complete with the correct form of the verb from the box in
the Present Passive or the Past Passive.
grow  speak  not make  show  often eat  take  sell wear
 teach  light  leave  not invent

 The first photograph ____________

was taken in 1822.
 are often eaten
In Britain, chips________________ with vinegar.
 was
When _______ lit
the first Olympic torch________ ?
 isn’t made
Bread _______________ from milk.
 were spoken in Ancient Greece?
How many languages ______________
 are shown
A cinema is a place where films ____________.
 The television ___________________
wasn’t invented by Edison.
 Oranges_____________
are grown in southern Spain.
 Newspapers__________
are sold at the newsagent’s.
 are taught
In some countries, children _______________on the net.
 were worn
Crowns______________ by kings and queens in the past.
 are left on trains in
Every year, thousands of umbrellas ___________
Britain.
 Number these sentences to show the correct
sequence for performing the trick.
4 He cuts the box into two pieces.

2 The magician takes the closed box onto

the stage.

5 He opens the box to show that the

assistant is not hurt.

1 Before the show, the magician asks an

assistant to lie inside the box.

6 He amazes the audience because there is

no blood.

3 He calls another assistant onto the stage

and asks this assistant to lie inside the box.

Rewrite how the trick is performed. Use passive.

Before the show, an assistant is asked to lie inside the box. The closed box is taken onto
the stage by the magician. Another assistant is called onto the stage and this assistant is
asked to lie inside the box. The box is cut into two pieces.The box is opened to show that
the assistant is not hurt.The audience is amazed because there is no blood.
 Change the following sentences into the passive.
 Harry ate two hamburgers at dinner.
Two hamburgers were eaten by Harry at dinner.
___________________________________________________
 The staff has to watch a safety video every year.
A safety video has to be watched by the staff every year.
_________________________________________________________
 The teacher always answers the students’ questions.
The students’ questions are always answered by the teacher.
______________________________________________________________
 Nobody buys our new product.
_________________________________________________________
Our new product isn’t bought.
 People generously donate money to the homeless shelter.
Money is generously donated to the homeless shelter.
_________________________________________________________
 Who taught you to ski?
_________________________________________________________
Who were you taught to ski by?.
 The scriptwriter doesn’t choose the actors.
The actors aren’t chosen by the scriptwriter.
_________________________________________________________
 Did they build the Eiffel Tower for the World Exhibition in 1889?
Was the Eiffel Tower built for the World Exhibition in 1889?
___________________________________________________________
 A private detective looked for the missing girls everywhere .
______________________________________________________________________
The missing girls were looked for everywhere by the private detective.
 Someone last saw them on Tuesday evening.
They were last seen on Tuesday evening.
_________________________________________________________