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Passive

We make the passive by putting the verb 'to be' into whatever tense we need and then adding the past participle.

Passives can be used for “distancing”. This means that the speaker/writer doesn’t want the whole responsibility for the ideas they express. The passive is often used:

1. To make a statement less personal and slightly more polite.

politiician

We don’t allow that.
Passive: The government doesn’t allow that.

You must accept the law.
Passive: The law must be accepted by the people.

2. In formal writing when the focus is on achievements and events rather than the people who were responsible.

The unions improved workers’ conditions.
Passive: workers’ conditions were improved by the efforts of the Unions.

The government doesn’t allow the police to strike.
Passive: The police are not allowed to (go on) strike.