When we use passive voice, the object becomes the subject. The person or thing doing the action disappears or goes to the end with “by”.
Quick Explanation
Active: Workers roast the peanuts. Passive: The peanuts are roasted (by workers).
Active: A machine grinds the peanuts. Passive: The peanuts are ground by a machine.
Past passive: A doctor invented peanut butter in 1890. Passive: Peanut butter was invented by a doctor in 1890.
Now You Try โ Change active to passive
1. Workers clean the peanuts.
2. A machine grinds the peanuts.
3. Workers pour the butter into jars.
4. The factory packages the peanut butter.
5. A doctor invented peanut butter in 1890.
find / found / founded
These three forms are confusing! Let’s practice them.
Explanation
find (base form) โ found (past) โ found (past participle) = to discover, to locate found (base form) โ founded (past) โ founded (past participle) = to establish, to create (a company, a city)
“Finded” does NOT exist! The correct past form of find is found.
A. Fill in the blank
1. Peanuts in tropical regions around the world. (passive โ present)
2. I my keys this morning. They were under the sofa. (past simple)
3. The company was in 1890 by a doctor. (passive โ past)
4. Can you help me my phone? I can’t see it. (base form)
5. Archaeologists evidence of ground peanut paste in ancient Peru. (past simple)
6. The city was in 1703 by Peter the Great. (passive โ past)
B. Find and fix the mistake
7. “I finded my glasses on the table.”
8. “The hospital was find in 1990.”
9. “She founded her passport in the kitchen.”
10. “Peanuts are finded in the ground.”
Plural Agreement โ is/are, was/were
Choose the correct verb. Remember: plural subjects take are/were, singular subjects take is/was.
A. Choose the correct word
1. There some peanuts on the conveyor belt.
2. The peanuts roasted in large ovens.
3. The machines checked every day.
4. There one batch left in the factory.
5. The jars filled with peanut butter.
6. There some keys on the table yesterday.
7. Salt and sugar added to the peanut butter.
8. The peanut butter poured into jars by a machine.
Speaking Practice
Choose one food. Describe how it is made. Use passive voice (is/are + V3). Try to use at least 5 passive sentences.
Pizza
How is pizza made?
Think about: What ingredients are used? How is the dough prepared? How is it cooked? What toppings are added?