Passive voice
is used when the focus is on the action. It is not important or not known,
however, who or what is performing the action.
Example: My bike was stolen.
In the
example above, the focus is on the fact that my bike was stolen. I do not know,
however, who did it.
(In
the active voice,
the sentence
would
be,
“Someone
stole
my
bike”.)
SUBJECT + FORM OF BE + PAST
PARTICIPLE
My bike was stolen
Tense |
Active
|
Simple
Present
|
Once
a week, Tom cleans the
house.
|
Present Continuous
|
Right
now, Sarah is writing the
letter.
|
Simple
Past
|
Sam repaired the
car.
|
Past
Continuous
|
The
salesman was helping the
customer when the thief came into the store.
|
Present
Perfect
|
Many
tourists have visited that
castle.
|
Present
Perfect Continuous
|
Recently,
John has been doing the
work.
|
Past
Perfect
|
George had repaired many cars before he received his
mechanic's license.
|
Past Perfect
Continuous
|
Chef
Jones had been preparing the
restaurant's fantastic dinners for two years before he moved to Paris.
|
Passive
|
Once
a week, the house is cleaned by
Tom.
|
Right
now, the letter is being written by
Sarah.
|
The
car was repaired by Sam.
|
The
customer was being helped by
the salesman when the thief came into the store.
|
That
castle has been visited by
many tourists.
|
Recently,
the work has been being done by
John.
|
Many
cars had been repaired by
George before he received his mechanic's license.
|
The
restaurant's fantastic dinners had
been being prepared by Chef Jones for two years
before he moved to Paris.
|
