What is Done to Something
Passive Voice
Use the passive voice to express that something is done to an object. The passive voice is especially useful in business situations when the focus is on the product, rather than the person who manufactures the product. The following structure is used for sentences in the passive voice.
Positive Form:
Passive Subject + to be (passive auxiliary) + Past Participle
The factory overheads are checked every week.
Our work order cost was calculated on an abacus.
Negative Form:
Passive Subject + to be (passive auxiliary) + Not + Past Participle
Our industrial production capacity hasn't been reduced no matter what you've heard.
The manufacturer will not be excluded from the order cost.
Question Form:
to be (passive auxiliary) + Passive Subject + Past Participle
Was the workstation cleaned by the night crew?
Is the tensile-strength tester used?
Notice that the verb 'to be' is conjugated. Be careful to use 'is' for singular objects and 'are' for plural objects in the present passive voice.
The Use of the Agent 'by' in the Passive Voice
In many cases, the person, company or agent of the action need not be included. This is especially true in general statements.
Oranges are grown in California.
In this case, it is understood that someone grows oranges in California. However, it is not important for the understanding of the sentence to include the agent.
Oranges are grown in California. (by someone)
In the case that it is important to know who or what performs the action in a passive sentence, use the preposition 'by'.
Computers are assembled by Lenovo.
This book was printed by Harper's.
In this case, the company that manufactures the objects is required information.
Passive Tense Comparison Chart
This chart shows passive conjugation for a variety of tenses.
Present Simple Passive
Is the tensile-strength tester used?
The new computer system in India isn't intended to bridge the technological gap completely.
Past Simple Passive
Was the workstation cleaned by the night crew?
Our production manager was trained in Indonesia.
Future with 'Will' Passive
The equipment will be fitted with rubber insulation to protect against the electrostatic charge immediately.
The order backlog will be brought up to date immediately.
Present Perfect Passive
Our industrial production capacity hasn't been reduced no matter what you've heard.
The industrial processes have been reconfigured twice.