Passive Voice (Past): It Was Built Long Ago (A2 Grammar)

For the passive in the past, use was or were + past participle.

was / were + past participle

• The school was opened in 1995.
• The letters were written in 1990.
• Try it: Man: Did you get my letter? Woman: No. Maybe it ___ to the wrong house. Choose what the woman says. (was found / delivered / was delivered / found) Answer: was delivered — She did not get the letter, so maybe it was delivered to the wrong house; the letter comes first, so the verb is passive.

was stolen, was built

Start with the thing: My phone was stolen. It was built in 1920.

• My phone was stolen.
• It was built in 1920.
• Not "My phone was robbed." — say "My phone was stolen.". A thing is stolen, not robbed.
• Try it: Man: You have a new TV! Woman: Yes. The old one ___ last week, when we were on vacation. Choose what the woman says. (was washed / stole / was stolen / washed) Answer: was stolen — They were away on vacation and the old TV is gone, so it was stolen; the TV comes first, so the verb is passive.

made in + a place

Use made in + a place to say where a thing was made.

• It was made in Mexico.
• Try it: Man: Is this clock from here? Woman: No, it ___ Spain. Choose what the woman says. (was made of / was made in / was made by) Answer: was made in — Spain is a place, so the clock was made in Spain.

Questions: When was it built?

In a question, was or were comes before the thing.

• When was it built?
• Where were these shoes made?
• Try it: Man: This sofa is so nice. ___ made? Woman: In a small town near here. Choose what the man says. (When was it / Where was it / Why did it) Answer: Where was it — The answer is a place, so he asked Where was it made?