Active and passive
You learn to find the passive: the subject receives the action.
How to do the test
- Look for is, was or were.
- Check the next word for a past participle, like broken or eaten.
- Together they are the passive verb.
- The subject receives the action instead of doing it.
A worked example
Tap the passive verb. The window was broken by the ball.
- It is made from was and the past participle broken.
- The subject, the window, receives the action.
- The doer comes after by: the ball.
- Was broken is the passive verb.
More examples
Tap the passive verb. The letters were delivered by the postman.
- It is made from were and the past participle delivered.
- The subject, the letters, receives the action.
- The doer comes after by: the postman.
- Were delivered is the passive verb.
Tap the passive verb. Dad cooked the soup, and it was served by my sister.
- It is made from was and the past participle served.
- The subject, it, receives the action.
- The doer comes after by: my sister.
- Was served is the passive verb.
Watch out
You tap only the past participle, like broken.
Tap both words: the form of be and the past participle. Together they make the passive verb.
Tips
- The doer can come after by, or it can be left out: My bike was stolen.
Why it works
In an active sentence, the subject does the action: The ball broke the window. In a passive sentence the subject receives it: The window was broken by the ball. The verb is a form of be plus a past participle.