The passive
When the action matters more than the person who does it: The bridge was built in 1890.
The passive is very common in Reading texts about places, history and inventions, and it makes your Writing sound more varied. It's easier than it looks: just 'be' + the past participle.
How to make it
be (in the right tense) + past participle.
When to use it
When we don't know, or it isn't important, who does the action.
How it comes up in Part 6
In Reading Part 6 you write one word in each gap. The missing words are often small grammar words like these.
Past passive: was + sent.
A general fact: present passive, is + made.
Future passive: will be + announced.
Common mistakes
- ✗ The museum was build in 1900.✓ The museum was built in 1900.Use the past participle (built), not the infinitive.
- ✗ This song wrote by my brother.✓ This song was written by my brother.The passive needs 'be' (was).
- ✗ The windows are clean every week.✓ The windows are cleaned every week.After are we need the participle: cleaned.
In Reading Part 6, if there's a gap before a past participle (built, made, given…), the answer is often a form of 'be': is, are, was, were, been or be.
Quick check
Write one word in each gap.
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