Passive Voice (Present): It Is Made Here (A2 Grammar)

In the passive, the thing comes first. Use is or are + past participle.

is / are + past participle

• This room is cleaned every day.
• The windows are washed on Fridays.
• Try it: Man: Can I read this book? Woman: Sure, but it ___ in Spanish. Do you read Spanish? Choose what the woman says. (is eaten / writes / is written / eats) Answer: is written — The words in the book are Spanish, so it is written in Spanish; the book comes first, so the verb is passive.

The thing is important

Use the passive to talk about the thing, when you do not need to say who does it.

• The trash is picked up on Mondays.
• English is spoken here.
• Try it: Man: My watch is broken. Woman: Go to the shop next to the bank. Watches ___ there. Choose what the woman says. (fix / are lost / lose / are fixed) Answer: are fixed — His watch is broken, and watches are fixed at that shop; the watches come first, so the verb is passive.

by + who does it

To say who does it, add by + the person. Add it only when you need to say who.

• The mail is delivered by a woman on a bike.
• Try it: Woman: The food at this festival is so good! Man: I know. It ___ by people from the neighborhood. Choose what the man says. (cooks / is washed / is cooked / washes) Answer: is cooked — Good food at a festival is cooked by someone: here, people from the neighborhood. The food comes first, so the verb is passive.

Active or passive?

When the person who does it comes first, the verb is active: My dad cleans the store. When the thing comes first and something is done to it, use the passive: The store is cleaned every night.

• My dad cleans the store.
• The store is cleaned every night.
• Try it: Man: Is there coffee at your office? Woman: Yes. My manager ___ it every morning, before we get there. Choose what the woman says. (is made / makes / is eaten / eats) Answer: makes — The person comes first, My manager, so the verb is active: makes.

made of

Use made of + a material to say what a thing is: wood, metal, glass, plastic or cotton.

• It's made of wood.
• It's made of plastic.
• Try it: Woman: Is your new bed heavy? Man: Very! It ___ metal. Choose what the man says. (is made by / is made of / makes) Answer: is made of — Metal is a material, so the bed is made of metal.