BUILT TO LAST

Competency:
Students are able to create passive sentences in the Present and Past Simple.

Pusat Pengembangan Bahasa (P2B)

Universitas Harapan Bangsa
Purwokerto
Reading Text/Information

Passive Voice: Present and Past

Exercise
 A. Read the text.
The Washing Machine
In ancient times, housework was hard because homes didn’t have water or
electricity. One of the most difficult household activities was washing clothes.
People took their dirty clothes to the river once or twice a week and used rocks,
sand and water to clean them.
For many years, people tried to find easier ways to wash their clothes. Sailors, for
example, put their clothes in bags and threw them into the sea. This method
READING worked quiet well because the moving water helped.
In 1846, the first washing machine was invented, but it was difficult to use. The
water was cold, so people warmed it on a fire. Then they pulled the clean, wet
clothes through a special machine to take out the water.
The first electric washing machine was designed in 1908. it was more useful
because it could warm the water but the clothes were still very wet. The
contemporary washing machine wasn’t invented until the 1930s. This
indispensable has changed our lives. Today, all the hard work is done for us while
we sit and relax.
 B. Complete the timeline based on text.

Ancient times Today

1 2 3 4 5 6
The first electric The All the hard
People took People threw In 1846, the
their dirty their clothes in first washing washing machine contemporary work is
clothes to the bags into the machine was designed in washing machine done.
1908. wasn’t invented
river. sea. was
until the 1930s.
invented.

Yellow = active Green = passive

 C. Read the scrambled information on “The History of Dishwasher”.
Match the active (A-E) to the correct passive sentence (1-5).
A. Joel Houghton invented the first dishwasher 1. Dishwashers were bought for homes.
from wood. People didn’t use it. 2. The first practical dishwasher was
B. People use dishwashers in more than 50 invented by Josephine Cochrane.
percent of homes. 3. The first dishwasher was invented by
C. Josephine Cochrane invented the first practical Joel Houghton.
dishwasher. Only hotels and restaurants used it. 4. Dishes were washed by hand.
D. People washed dishes by hand. 5. Dishwashers are used in more than
E. People bought dishwashers for their homes. 50 percent of homes.

D. Look at the information above (A-E). Put the stages in the following timeline.
Before 1850 Today

1 D 2 A 3 C 4 E 5 B
 Passive Voice
The passive voice is used when we want to focus
attention on the person or thing affected by the action.

a b
 NOTE:
✓The change of Subject and Object
in Passive Voice.
Subject Object ✓ Use the ACTIVE to
I me describe what someone/
something does.
You you ✓ Use the PASSIVE to
He him describe processes.
She her
It it
We us
They them
 a. Passive Voice: Present Simple
SUBJECT VERB OBJECT
Subject Verb-1 (s/es) Object
ACTIVE
He delivers the letters.
Singular subject
Focus on “HE”

Subject *be + Verb-3 Agent

PASSIVE
The letters are delivered by him.
Plural subject
Focus on “THE LETTERS”
*be = is/am/are
 SUBJECT VERB OBJECT
Subject Verb-1 (s/es) Object
ACTIVE
They make a cake.
Plural subject
Focus on “THEY”

Subject *be + Verb-3 Agent

PASSIVE
A cake is made by them.
Singular subject
Focus on “A CAKE”

*be = is/am/are
Find S, V, and O. Then change the sentences into passive (present simple).

The farmer grows carrots in his field.

Subject: the farmers Verb: grows Object: carrots

Carrots are grown by the farmer in his field.

Lexi and Megan eat ice cream twice a week.

Subject: Lexi and Megan Verb: eat Object: ice cream

Ice cream is eaten by Lexi and Megan twice a week.

 b. Passive Voice: Past Tense

SUBJECT VERB OBJECT

Subject Verb-2 Object
ACTIVE
The girl wrote the letter.
Singular subject
Focus on “THE GIRL”

Subject be + Verb-3 Agent

PASSIVE
Singular subject
The letter was written by the girl.
*be = was/were Focus on “THE LETTER”
 SUBJECT VERB OBJECT
Subject Verb-1 (s/es) Object
ACTIVE
The girls cleaned the rooms.
Plural subject
Focus on “THE GIRLS”

Subject *be + Verb-3 Agent

PASSIVE
The rooms were cleaned by the girls.
Plural subject
Focus on “THE ROOMS”

*be = was/were
Find S, V, and O. Then change the sentences into passive (past simple).

Willy stopped the bus.

Subject: Willy Verb: stopped Object: the bus

The bus was stopped by Willy.

I caught some fish in the winter.

Subject: I Verb: caught Object: some fish

Some fish were caught by me in the winter.

 Exercise 1
Complete the sentences with the correct passive form.

Note: Let your students do the exercise.

 Decide whether the following sentences are active or passive
and present simple or past simple.
Active / Passive Present / Past Simple

1. The clowns blew the balloons. active Past Simple

2. The table is set by us. passive Present Simple

3. The window was broken by the boy. passive Past Simple

4. We draw some pictures. active Present Simple

5. Blue shoes are worn by the students. passive Present Simple

6. The competition was won by UHB students. passive Past Simple

7. She pays a lot of money. active Present Simple

8. The girls read Harry Potter books. active Present/Past Simple

 Exercise 2
Complete the sentences with the correct passive voice.

Note: Let your students do the exercise.

Complete the sentences with the correct passive form
of the verbs in brackets. Use the Present Simple.
1. English … (speak) in many countries. is spoken

2. The letters … (deliver) at about 7 o’clock every morning. are delivered

3. My salary … (pay) every month. is paid

4. These cars … (not make) in Japan. are not made

5. Books … (write) by authors. are written

6. This program … (watch) by millions of people. is watched

7. Hundreds of people … (kill) in accidents every year. are killed

8. The class … (teach) by Mr. Gray. is taught

Complete the sentences with the correct passive form of
the verbs in brackets. Use the Past Simple.
1. My car … (repair) last week. was repaired

2. This song … (not write) by John Lennon. was not written

3. The film … (make) ten years ago. was made

4. These cars … (not damage) in the accident. were not damaged

5. The telephone … (invent) by Mr. Bell. was invented

6. The first eyeglasses … (wear) in the 1200s. were worn

7. The first bicycle … (ride) in 1791. was ridden

8. The men … (catch) by the police immediately. were caught

9. The Egyptian pyramids … (build) thousands of years ago. were built

Exercise 3
Change the sentences into passives.

Note: Let your students do the exercise.

Click “next” after students have finished the exercise.
 1. They produce cars in the factory.
2. My mother serves breakfast at eight o’clock every morning.
3. We make coffee in Brazil.
Present Simple
4. People throw away tones of rubbish every day.
5. She feeds the animals three times a day.

1. Cars are produced by them in the factory.

2. Breakfast is served by my mother at eight o’clock every
morning.
3. Coffee is made by us in Brazil.
4. Tones of rubbish are thrown away by people every day.
5. The animals are fed by her three times a day.
 1. The men gave many gifts yesterday.
2. Someone built this house 200 years ago.
Past Simple
3. He found my wallet.
4. One of the students broke the window.
5. Stanley wrote an article last night.

1. Many gifts were given by the men yesterday.

2. This house was built by someone 200 years ago.
3. My wallet was found by him.
4. The window was broken by one of my students.
5. An article was written by Stanley last night.
Thanks!
Do you have any questions?

CREDITS: This presentation template was created by

Slidesgo, including icons by Flaticon, infographics &
images by Freepik and illustrations by Stories

Please keep this slide for attribution