Past Simple - Passive:

Form: was or were/wasn't or weren't + the Past Participle
n.b. there are some very frequent passive constructions e.g. 'was born', 'was made', 'was stolen', 'was found' - all these past participles are irregular, so you need to learn them!
If the verb is regular it's easy - just add -ed e.g. kiss, kissed.

Practice Exercise:
1. He………….(drown) in the China Sea.
2. She………..(kill) in an accident on the Indian Pacific train going from Sidney to Perth.
3. They ………….(bear!) joined to each other and then they……..(separate) so now they are not Siamese twins (babies physically joined at birth).
4. My digital camera ………..(make) in Hong Kong.
5. He went mad and……………..(inject) with tranquillisers.
6. Before she got married she …………(call) Miss Jones, then when she got married her name………….(change) to Mrs. Clark.
7. The wedding………..(hold) in church on a sunny day.
8. The President had a terrible headache and…..(give) some aspirins by the air hostess on the plane.
9. The television series …………(produce) by a famous film star.
10. Elton John………..(introduce) to the Princess at a party. She was very pleased and later he …..(invite) to her house.

Answers:
1. He was drowned in…..
2. She was killed in an accident…
3. They were born joined to each other and then they were separated…
4. My camera was made in Hong Kong.
5.…..he was injected….
6. ....she was called…./was changed
7. The wedding was held in church
8….he was given some aspirins..
9. The tv series was produced by a famous star.
10. He was introduced to the Princess at a party……..later he was invited to her house.

See The A - Z of English Grammar & Usage for the rules.

click here to go back