Syntax

Passive (1)

Form

	Active	Passive
Present simple	They make Toyota cars in Japan.	Toyota cars are made in Japan.
Past simple	Columbus discovered America.	America was discovered by Columbus.

The passive allows the object of an active sentence to be used as the subject of a sentence.

• They make Toyota cars in Japan
• Toyota cars are made in Japan.

The passive is used when:

-the agent (person or thing which does an action) is not known or isn't important.

• Thirty thousand cars were produced last year.
• Help! My wallet has been stolen.

-the speaker is more interested in the object of the active sentence.

• Water has been discovered on the moon.
• Computers are designed to switch themselves off at night.
• A famous Van Gogh painting was stolen last night.