Passive voice: present and past

Present simple and past simple passive: am/is/are and was/were + past participle

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1. 1
   Multiple choice

   English in many countries.

   speaksis spokenis speakingspokenThe present passive is am/is/are + past participle.
2. 2
   Multiple choice

   The Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci.

   paintedis paintingwas paintwas paintedThe past passive is was/were + past participle.
3. 3
   Multiple choice

   My bike last night, so I walked to work.

   was stolenstoleis stolenwas stealingWe use the passive when the action matters more than who did it.
4. 4
   Multiple choice

   Which sentence is correct?

   These cars is made in Germany.These cars are made in Germany.These cars are make in Germany.These cars made in Germany.A plural subject takes 'are', followed by the past participle.
5. 5
   Fill the gap

   Nowadays, most tickets sold online.

   iswasarebe'Nowadays' talks about the present, and 'tickets' is plural, so we use 'are'.
6. 6
   Fill the gap

   This bridge (build) in 1890.

   Answer: was builtFor a finished past time we use was/were + past participle.
7. 7
   Fill the gap

   Rice (grow) in many parts of Asia.

   Answer: is grownGeneral facts in the passive use the present simple: is/are + past participle.
8. 8
   Fill the gap

   The windows cleaned yesterday.

   wasareweredidA plural subject in the past passive takes 'were'.
9. 9
   Fill the gap

   The thief was caught the police.

   Answer: byWe use 'by' to say who did the action in a passive sentence.
10. 10
    True / false

    This sentence is correct: 'The cake was eaten by the children.'

    Answer: TrueIt uses 'was' + past participle, with 'by' to show who did it.
11. 11
    Discussion question

    What is your country famous for? What is made or grown there?

    Sample answer: My country is famous for its lakes and forests. Potatoes are grown everywhere, and tractors are made in the capital.
12. 12
    Discussion question

    Describe a famous building in your city. When was it built and what is it used for?

    Sample answer: The old town hall was built in the eighteenth century. Today it is used as a museum and concerts are held there.