Unit 42. Passive 1 (is done / was done).
Unit 42; Part A
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When we use an active verb, we say what the subject does: • My grandfather was a builder. He built this house in 1935. • It's a big company. It employs two hundred people. When we use a passive verb, we say what happens to the subject: • This house is quite old. It was built in 1935. • Two hundred people are employed by the company. |
Unit 42; Part B

• A lot of money was stolen in the robbery. (somebody stole it, but we don't know who)
• Is this room cleaned every day? (does somebody clean it? - it's not important who)
If we want to say who does or what causes the action, we use by ... :
• This house was built by my grandfather.
• Two hundred people are employed by the company.
Unit 42; Part C

(be) done (be) cleaned (be) damaged (be) built (be) seen etc.
Study the active and passive forms of the present simple and past simple:

active: clean(s) / see(s) etc.
passive: am/is/are + cleaned/seen etc.
• Many accidents are caused by careless driving.
• I'm not often invited to parties.
• How is this word pronounced?
Past simple

passive: was/were + cleaned/seen etc.
• We were woken up by a loud noise during the night.
• 'Did you go to the party?' 'No, I wasn't invited.'
• How much money was stolen in the robbery?
Exercises
![]() | Unit 41 Unit 42 Unit 43 | ![]() |
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