Essential Grammar in Use(Third Edition)--Passive Unit21

is done        was done (passive 1 被动)

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A

The office is cleaned every day.

The office was cleaned yesterday.

 

Compare active and passive:

Somebody cleans the office every day. (active)

The office is cleaned every day. (passive)

Somebody cleaned the office yesterday. (active)

The office was cleaned yesterday. (passive)

 

B

The passive is:

present simple	am/ is/ are	(not)
past simple	was/ were

+

past participle

cleaned      done invented     built injured        taken  etc.

The past participle of regular verbs is -ed (cleaned/ damaged  etc.)

For a list of irregular past participles (done/ built/ taken  etc.)

regular:

• Butter is made from milk.
• Oranges are imported into Britain.
• How often are these rooms cleaned?
• I am never invited to parties.

irregular:

• This house was built 100 years ago.
• These houses were built 100 years ago.
• When was the telephone invented?
• We weren't invited to the party last week.
• Was anybody injured in the accident?  Yes, two people were taken to hospital.

C

was/ were born

• I was born in Berlin in 1989. (not I am born)
• Where were you born?  In Cairo.

D

passive + by ...

• The telephone was invented by Alexander Bell in 1876. (= Alexander Bell invented it)
• I was bitten by a dog a few days ago.
• Do you like these paintings? They were painted by a friend of time.