In English, we can say most sentences in two ways:

 

1) Active

 

- Louisa May Alcott wrote Little Women.

- Thomas Edison did not invent the light bulb.

- Frank Lloyd Wright designed Fallingwater.

 

2) Passive

 

- Little Women was written by Louisa May Alcott.

- The light bulb was not invented by Thomas Edison.

- Fallingwater was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

 

FORM

 

➡ Positive

Passive subject + to be + past participle

 

- This table is made of wood.

- That book was given to her by her aunt

 

➡ Negative 

Passive subject + to be + not + past participle

 

- This table is not made of wood.

- That book was not given to her by her aunt.

 

➡ Question 

To be + Passive subject + not + past participle? 

 

- Is this table made of wood?

- Was that book given to her by her aunt?

 

NOTES

 

1) We often use the passive when something happened, but it is not important who did it.

 

- The Internet was invented in 1983. (We’re not talking about who invented it.)

- Our house has been robbed! (We don’t know who did it.) - Alex will be transferred to New York. (There is not a specific person transferring him.) 

 

2) We use “by” to identify the active person. The sentence can be complete without this.

 

Let’s practice!

 

Make the following active sentences passive.

 

Ex: My boyfriend bought this pasta.

This pasta was bought by my boyfriend. 

 

1) Thomas Jefferson wrote many books.

 

______________________________________________

 

2.) My mother ate that cake.

 

______________________________________________

 

3) William will take you to school.

 

______________________________________________

 

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