What does the passive tense look like?

Answer 1

Passive isn't a tense, it's a voice. More specifically, it's the construction of a sentence that either doesn't mention the subject (the thing doing the action), or the subject is placed in the object position (having the action done to it).

In English, active sentences typically look like this:

• Subject + Verb + Object --> the subject performs the action, the object receives it.

Justin threw the ball. --> Justin is the subject, threw is the verb, ball is the object.

Passive voice sentences are constructed differently. To construct a passive verb, you need a form of "to be" + a past participle.

• Object (becomes subject) + a form of "to be" + a past participle

The ball was thrown. --> The ball has moved from the object position to the subject position, was is a form of "to be", thrown is a past participle.

• Object + a form of "to be" + a past participle + a phrase that often starts with by and contains the subject

The ball was thrown by Justin. Even though Justin performed the action, he has been placed in the object position.

* Everything that I've placed in italics is passive. It is important to remember that passive voice is not a grammatical error. Typically, it is used because we don't know who performed the action. It is commonly used when the subject isn't important. Scientific writing is full of passive voice.

Passive voice is frowned upon because it's vague and often wordy.

I hope this helps and hasn't confused you!