Uso
A forma ativa dos verbos é a que estamos acostumados a usar na língua inglesa até agora, em que o sujeito executa a ação, portanto a frase mostra o que o sujeito está fazendo: Ex.: John plays the piano. (Está claro quem pratica a ação). A forma passiva mostra o que acontece com o objeto. The piano is played. (O fato de importância é o que acontece ao piano, e não quem o toca). A forma passiva será usada quando o que ocorre com o objeto for mais importante ou quando o sujeito não for importante ou for desconhecido. Ex.: We were robbed on that street. (Não se sabe quem nos assaltou). América was discovered in 1492. (Queremos ressaltar o descobrimento e não quem descobriu). Forma A forma passiva muda de acordo com o tempo verbal usado na frase de origem, mas o verbo to be sempre será o auxiliar, que será colocado no tempo verbal original seguido do past participle.
| Tempo verbal da sentença original | Forma Passiva | Exemplo |
| Simple Present | Am/is/are + past participle | Gorillas inhabit is jungle. à This jungle is inhabited by gorillas |
| Present Continuous | Am being/is being/ are being + past participle | Sorry, but we are remodelling the airport à Sorry, but the airport is being remodelled. |
| Simple Past | Was/were + past participle | They didn’t hear me, so I escaped. à I wasn’t heard, so I escaped. |
| Past Continuous | Was being/ were being + past participle | Someone was playing the violin. à The violin was being played. |
| Present Perfect | Have been/ has been/ + past participle | The virus has already attacked this country. à This country has already been attacked by the virus. |
| Past Perfect | Had been + past participle | I realized that they had hit me on purpose. à I realized that I had been hit on purpose. |
| Will – Future | Will be + past participle | Someone will rob you if you go there. à You will be robbed if you go there. |
| Going to – Future | Am/is/are going to be + past participle | They are going to build a bridge here. à A bridge is going to be built here. |
