PASSIVE VOICE

in simple past tense

In the simple past tense, a passive sentence is formed with
was/were + past participle.
Passive sentences in the simple past tense are used to focus on the effects
of past actions.
The company was founded thirty years ago.
Three people were awarded scholarships.
AFFIRMATIVE SENTENCES
Subject + was/were + past participle + complement.
Pepito was arrested for stealing a car.
NEGATIVE SENTENCES
Subject + was/were + not + past participle + complement.
The baby wasn’t abandoned by her mother.
YES/NO QUESTIONS
Was/Were + subject + past participle + complement?
Was the criminal released after the trial?
INFORMATION QUESTIONS
Wh- + was/were + subject + past participle + complement?
Why was the criminal released after the trial?
- BY
By + agent is used to point out who or what caused the action.
The company was founded thirty years ago by my father.
Three people were awarded scholarships by the university.
- Passive sentences are often used in news articles and other formal
writing or speech.
A new leader was elected last week.
Many people were injured in the fire.