The passive (present and past)

  • B1 · Intermediate
  • Grammar lesson
  • 60 min

The present and past simple passive: how it is formed, its negatives and questions, when to use it and when to add "by". From spotting the passive in a news story to questions about each other, and a quiz the student writes for the teacher.

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Free, no card needed. The PDF has every slide, the homework and an answer key.

is madewas stolenare made

What's in the lesson

  1. 1Warm-up
  2. 2Spot the passiveGrammar exercise
  3. 3How the passive worksGrammar rule
  4. 4Active or passive?Grammar exercise
  5. 5Present passive: facts about the worldGrammar exercise
  6. 6Past passive: historyGrammar exercise
  7. 7Questions about youGrammar exercise
  8. 8Not like that!Grammar exercise
  9. 9Find the mistakeGrammar exercise
  10. 10Say it naturallySpeaking practice
  11. 11Make a quizSpeaking practice
  12. 12About youGrammar exercise
  13. 13Wrap-up

Homework

  1. 1Homework: active to passiveGrammar exercise
  2. 2Homework: choose the right formGrammar exercise
  3. 3Homework: write a news storyDiscussion

Two slides from the lesson

Warm-up

Look around you before we start.

  1. Choose three things near you: your phone, your chair, your cup… Do you know where they were made?
  2. Which languages are spoken in your country?
  3. What is your town or region famous for? Is anything special grown or made there?

Grammar rule

How the passive works

Active and passive

In an active sentence, the subject does the action: Thieves stole the painting in 1978.

In a passive sentence, the subject receives the action: The painting was stolen in 1978.

Form: be + past participle

PositiveNegativeQuestion
PresentIt is made in Italy.It isn't made here.Is it made by hand?
They are made by hand.They aren't made by machine.Where are they made?
PastIt was built in 1889.It wasn't built in a day.When was it built?
They were invited.They weren't invited.Were they invited?

When do we use it?

  • We do not know who did it: My bike was stolen.
  • It is obvious or not important who did it: The streets are cleaned every morning.
  • The thing is more interesting than the person: This bridge was built in 1932.

by + the doer

Add by only when the doer is important or new information: The Mona Lisa was painted by Leonardo da Vinci. We do not say My bike was stolen by someone.

Teach it live with video and a whiteboard, or print it: the PDF has every slide, the homework and the answers.

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