Used when we prefer not to mention who or what does the action, maybe because we don’t know, because it is obvious or because we don’t want to say.
Used when we start a sentence with the most important/logical information.
If we want to mention who or what performs the action, we use the preposition ‘by’.
Used in more formal writing.
Active: Spielberg directed ET.
subj verb object
Passive: ET was directed by Spielberg.
object verb subject
REMEMBER: ‘To be’ must agree with the subject.
| Tense | Active | Passive | Structure |
| Present simple | She takes photos | Photos are taken | Is/are + past participle |
| Present continuous | She is taking photos | Photos are being taken | Is/are being + past participle |
| Past simple | She took photos | Photos were taken | Was/were + past participle |
| Past continuous | She was taking photos | Photos were being taken | Was/were being + past participle |
| Present perfect | She has taken photos | Photos have been taken | Has/have been + past participle |
| Past perfect | She had taken photos | Photos had been taken | Had been + past participle |
| Future simple | She will take photos | Photos will be taken | Will be + past participle |
| Modal verbs | She must take photos | Photos must be taken | Must Can Could Should + be + past participle (present) May Might Would + have been + past participle (past) Shall Should Have to |