English grammar
The passive 📕
In an active sentence, the subject does the action. In a passive sentence, the subject receives the action.
Active: Someone cleans the office every day.
Passive: The office is cleaned every day.
Form: be + past participle
| Tense | Passive |
| Present simple | English is spoken here. |
| Past simple | The house was built in 1950. |
| Present perfect | My bike has been stolen. |
| Future | The results will be sent by email. |
| With modal verbs | This form must be signed. |
When do we use the passive?
- When we don't know who did it: My car was stolen.
- When it is not important who did it: The road is being repaired.
- In formal texts, news and instructions: Applications must be sent before 1 March.
By + the person who did it
The book was written by a Norwegian author.
✗ The letter was write yesterday.
✓ The letter was written yesterday.
✗ The meeting has cancelled.
✓ The meeting has been cancelled.