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Passive Present & Past

Passive Present

Remember that the verb "to be" has to be used in all passive sentences and must be plural if the subject is plural:

This phone is made of plastic.
but
These chairs are made of wood.

After the verb "to be", you must use the past participle in all tenses.

Vintage wine is sold on the second floor.
not
Vintage wine is sell on the second floor.

The passive is used in the present often to describe processes:

The half-finished machine is then sent to Room 4 for painting.
The wine is then taken and put into bottles.



Passive Past

Remember with the passive that the past participle is always the same. 
It is the verb "to be" that changes:

I was driven around in the taxi at high speed.
We were treated terribly at the hotel last year.
I had to be taken to hospital immediately.

Note how the passive in English is more flexible than in other languages. Look at these two sentences:

The letter was sent by Express Post and arrived at 9am.
I was sent a letter by my wife.

In the first, it's clear that the subject of the passive sentence is the letter. In the second, it is not "I" that is sent, but, again, the letter. English allows for this type of construction. Other examples:

They were given a new TV for Christmas. (the TV is given, not 'they')
She was promised a pay rise by the boss. (the pay rise is promised, not 'she')