Let's Master the Passive Voice!
Hello, everyone! Today, we’re going to study a very important topic in second-year junior high school English: the "Passive Voice." The term "passive voice" might sound a little intimidating, but we use the "be done" or "was done" structure all the time in our daily language. For example, we say things like, "This letter was written by Natsume Soseki" or "This building was built 100 years ago." Let’s have some fun learning how to express these ideas in English!
1. What is the Passive Voice?
In English, there are two main ways to construct a sentence:
① Active Voice: A standard sentence where the subject "does" something.
② Passive Voice: A sentence where the subject "is done" (receives the action).
Here’s the difference:
Active Voice: Saki cleans this room.
Passive Voice: This room is cleaned by Saki.
Tip: We use the passive voice when we want to make the thing receiving the action (this room) the star of the sentence, rather than the person doing the action (Saki)!
2. How to Make the Passive Voice (Basic Formula)
To form the passive voice, you only need to remember one simple formula!
\( \text{Subject} + \text{be verb} + \text{past participle} + (\text{by} ～). \)
【Step-by-Step Breakdown】
1. The be verb: Choose am, is, are, was, or were to match your subject.
2. The past participle: This is the third form of the verb. (Example: play - played - played)
3. by + person: Add this to show who performed the action.
Quick Tip: What is a past participle?
In addition to the "present" and "past" forms, verbs have a third form called the "past participle." For regular verbs, it’s the same as the past tense (just add ed), but irregular verbs (like speak - spoke - spoken) need to be memorized. This is a great time to start looking at an irregular verb list!
3. Past Passive Voice: "Was Done"
If you want to say something "was done" instead of "is done," simply change the be verb to the past tense (was / were)!
Example: This bridge was built ten years ago.
Tip: Don’t change the past participle part. You only change the be verb!
4. Making Negative and Interrogative Sentences
Just remember that the passive voice follows the standard rules for be verbs, and it becomes very simple!
Negative Sentences (Is not done / Was not done)
Just put not after the be verb!
Example: The letter is not written in English.
Interrogative Sentences (Is it done? / Was it done?)
Just move the be verb to the front of the sentence!
Example: Is lunch made by your father?
How to answer: Yes, it is. / No, it isn't.
5. Common Mistakes (Watch Out!)
Here are some mistakes that students often make when learning the passive voice.
① Forgetting the be verb
× This song loved by everyone.
○ This song is loved by everyone.
The passive voice always requires the "be verb + past participle" combo. It won’t work with just one!
② Using the wrong past participle
× The window was broke by him.
○ The window was broken by him.
Use the past participle broken, not the past tense broke.
③ "by + pronoun"
When you use a pronoun after by (like "by him" or "by her"), you must use the object case (him, her, them, etc.).
○ by him (× by he)
○ by us (× by we)
Summary: Key Points of the Passive Voice
It might feel tricky at first, but if you master these three points, you’ll be just fine!
1. The form is "be verb + past participle"!
2. The meaning is "is done" or "was done"!
3. Negatives and questions follow the standard be verb rules!
Try thinking about objects around you in English—who made them, or where they were used—and the passive voice will start to feel much more natural.
Example: My smartphone was made in China.
Let's keep enjoying English together!