The passive voice 1

The passive voice

A transitive verb can have a direct object.

active voice

Example

passive voice

transitive verbs and intransitive verbs

Transitive verbs can be used in the active voice or passive voice

Picasso painted Guernica in 1937

Guernica was painted in 1937

simple present tense

Art collectors buy famous paintings all over the world.

Famous paintings are bought by art collectors all over the world.

present continuous

The Film Center is showing Kurosawa's films.

Kurosawa's films are being shown at the Film Center.

present perfect

Some world leaders have bought Yu Hung's paintings

Yu Hung's paintings have been bought by some world leaders

simple past tense

I.M.Pei designed the Grand Pyramid at the Louvre

The Grand Pyramid at the Louvre was designed by I.M.Pei

past continuous

In 2010, the museum was selling copies of Monet's paintings

In 2010, copies of Monet's paintings were being sold by museum