Use Passive Voice when the ACTION is more important than WHO does it, or when we don't know/care who does it. Structure: BE (am/is/are/was/were) + PAST PARTICIPLE. The object becomes the subject.
Quick tip: BE + past participle. Focus on the ACTION/RESULT, not the doer. Present: is/are + past participle. Past: was/were + past participle.
Form: BE + past participle
Present Passive: am/is/are + past participle. Past Passive: was/were + past participle. The DOER can be added with 'by' (optional).
Active: They make cars here. → Passive: Cars are made here. (present)
Active: She wrote the book. → Passive: The book was written by her. (past)
English is spoken all over the world. (we don't say WHO speaks it)
The house was built in 1920. (we don't know WHO built it)
Use 1: ACTION more important than DOER
Use passive when we focus on the ACTION or RESULT, not on who performs the action.
The window was broken yesterday. (focus: window is broken)
The letters are delivered every morning. (focus: letters arrive)
Rice is grown in Asia. (focus: where rice comes from)
The museum was opened in 1850. (focus: when museum opened)
Use 2: We DON'T KNOW or DON'T CARE who did it
Use passive when the doer is unknown, obvious, or unimportant. Often in news, science, formal writing.
My bike was stolen! (I don't know who stole it)
Fresh bread is sold at Mosh Market every morning. (obvious - the bakers sell it)
The experiment was conducted carefully. (the doer is not important)
Breakfast is served from 7 to 9. (obvious - hotel staff serves it)
Common mistakes
Not "The house is build in 1990." — say "The house was built in 1990.". Use past participle (built), not base form (build). Also: past time (1990) = was/were, not is/are..
Not "English is speaking all over the world." — say "English is spoken all over the world.". Passive = BE + PAST PARTICIPLE (spoken), not BE + -ING (speaking). Speaking is active voice!.
Not "The book written in 2010." — say "The book was written in 2010.". Don't forget BE (was/were)! Passive needs: BE + past participle..
Practise it
Ask: Is the action more important than who does it? Do we know/care who did it? If NO, use passive! Active: subject DOES action. Passive: subject RECEIVES action.