Hello there! As a language enthusiast and educator, I'm thrilled to help you understand how to construct a passive sentence from an active one. The passive voice is a versatile tool in English that can shift the focus of a sentence from the doer of the action to the receiver of the action. Let's dive into the process step by step.

**Step 1: Identify the Subject, Verb, and Object in the Active Sentence**
Before you can convert an active sentence into a passive one, you need to clearly identify the subject (who is doing the action), the verb (the action itself), and the object (who or what is receiving the action).

For example, in the active sentence: "The chef cooks the meal," "The chef" is the subject, "cooks" is the verb, and "the meal" is the object.

**Step 2: Move the Object to the Subject Position**
In the passive voice, the receiver of the action becomes the subject of the sentence. So, you'll move "the meal" to the beginning of the sentence to become the new subject.

**Step 3: Use the Appropriate Form of the Verb 'to Be'**
The verb 'to be' is used in the passive voice to link the new subject with the action. The form of 'be' must agree with the new subject in both number (singular or plural) and tense (present, past, future, etc.). For our example, since "the meal" is singular and the action is in the present, we use "is."

**Step 4: Change the Verb to its Past Participle Form**
The main verb in a passive sentence must be in the past participle form. This is the form typically used after 'have' to make perfect tenses, or after modal verbs. For most verbs, this is the base form of the verb plus 'ed', although there are many irregular verbs with unique past participle forms. For "cooks," the past participle is "cooked."

Step 5: Add the Agent (Optional)
The agent, or the original subject who performed the action, can be included in a passive sentence using the preposition 'by'. This is not always necessary, especially if the doer of the action is unknown or irrelevant to the point being made.

Putting it all together, the passive version of "The chef cooks the meal" would be: "The meal is cooked by the chef." If you choose to omit the agent, it would simply be: "The meal is cooked."

Additional Notes:
- Not all sentences can or should be turned into the passive voice. The active voice is often more direct and engaging.
- The passive voice is particularly useful when the doer of the action is unknown, irrelevant, or when you want to emphasize the receiver of the action.
- In the passive voice, the verb 'to be' can take on various tenses: "The meal was cooked" (past simple), "The meal is being cooked" (present continuous passive), "The meal will be cooked" (future simple passive), etc.

Now, let's look at a few more examples to solidify the concept:

Active: The company will release a new product next quarter.
Passive: A new product will be released by the company next quarter.

Active: The dog chased the cat up the tree.
Passive: The cat was chased up the tree by the dog.

Active: Scientists have discovered a new species of bird.
Passive: A new species of bird has been discovered by scientists.

**Understanding the Passive Voice in Different Tenses:**
The passive voice can be used in all tenses, and the form of the verb 'to be' will change accordingly:

- Present Simple Passive: The book is read by millions of people.
- Past Simple Passive: The letter was written by her.
- Present Continuous Passive: The house is being painted.
- Past Continuous Passive: The car was being washed when it started to rain.
- Future Simple Passive: The report will be submitted next week.
- Future Continuous Passive: The project will be being completed by the time we arrive.

**Using the Passive Voice with Modal Verbs:**
Modal verbs like 'can', 'should', 'must', and 'may' can also be used in the passive voice:

- Modal + 'be' + past participle
- The problem must be solved immediately.
- The books could be donated to the library.

Conclusion:
The passive voice is a valuable tool in English for shifting the focus of a sentence. By following the steps outlined above and considering the context in which you're using it, you can effectively employ the passive voice to convey your message with precision and clarity.

Now, let's move on to the translation.

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To form a passive sentence from an active sentence:Move the receiver of the action from the direct object position of the sentence to the subject position of the sentence.Insert the verb BE in agreement in number with the new subject and in the appropriate tense.Change the verb to its past participle form.More items...read more >>