The windows receive the cleaning; they do not clean anything. A passive sentence puts the affected person or thing first. It is useful when the action matters more than who performs it.

The idea

Use subject + am/is/are + past participle. Match be to the subject: bread is made, parcels are collected. Put not after be; move be before the subject in a question. Add by + person/group to name the doer.

Examples

  • The library windows are cleaned every Friday.
  • This bread is made without milk.
  • Our parcels are collected at the side door.
  • Are the bikes checked before each rental?
  • Coffee isn't served after six.
  • The club newsletter is written by volunteers.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic English voice on your device. Quality and availability vary; it does not assess pronunciation.

Watch out

Do not add do/does to these questions. The participle may be irregular: write → written, not wrote. The name “past participle” does not make the sentence past; is/are here describes present routines.

Try it yourself

  1. Choose the correct option. The library windows ___ cleaned every Friday. (are / is)

    Show answer or example answer

    are

    Plural windows takes are. The cleaning happens to the windows as a regular routine.

  2. Choose the correct option. The club newsletter is ___ by volunteers. (written / wrote)

    Show answer or example answer

    written

    Written is the past participle of write. Wrote is its past simple form and does not fit after passive is.

  3. Choose the correct option. ___ the bikes checked before each rental? (Are / Do)

    Show answer or example answer

    Are

    Put Are before the plural subject. The question uses passive are checked, without do.

Use it today

Describe two regular services in a library or café using the passive. Add a question about another service. Name the doer with by only when that information helps the reader.