Grammar Notes

The passive is made with a suitable tense of TO BE + Past Participle.
Tenses of TO BE:
- Present Simple: am/is/are
- Present Continuous: am/is/are being
- Present Perfect: has/have been
- Past Simple: was/were
- Past Continuous: was/were being
- Past Perfect: had been
- Future Simple: will be
- Basic modal forms: can/may/must/have to/should be

How to make an active sentence passive:
1. The object (direct or indirect) of the Active sentence becomes subject of the passive sentence.
2. The verb tense of the active sentence is used for the verb BE in the passive sentence. If a modal verb is used, it is repeated in the passive sentence.
3. Add the past participle of the active verb.
4. In some cases the subject of the active sentence may be added as an agent in the passive sentence, but only when we need to say who is responsible for an event.

Examples:

- Someone has moved my desk!
direct object= my desk
has moved= present perfect
present perfect of BE= has/have been
past participle of move= moved
My desk+ has/have been+ moved= My desk has been moved.

- They are building a new supermarket near the church.
direct object= a new supermarket
are building= present continuous
present continuous of BE= am/is/are being
past participle of build= built
A new supermarket+ am/is/are being+ built= A new supermarket is being built near the church.

- Lord Kettleby bought this manor.
direct object= this manor
built= past simple
past simple of BE= was/were
past participle of buy= bought
This manor was bought by Lord Kettleby. (in this case it is important to mention who bought the manor).

- Someone will give you a parcel.
direct object: a parcel
indirect object: you
will give= future simple
future simple of BE= will be
past participle of give= given
Two possibilities:
A parcel will be given to you. OR You will be given a parcel.*
* We prefer the latter.