Present Simple Passive Form:3 Ways to Use + Example Sentence
- Feb 24, 2023
- 10 min read
Updated: 19 hours ago
Learn the Present Simple Passive with simple explanations, grammar rules, examples, FAQs, and conversation questions for ESL learners.
1. What is the Present Simple Passive ?
Form - ['be' verb + past participle]
e.g. am taken, is eaten, are given, etc.
2. When to use the Present Simple Passive?
- We use the Passive Form when:
1️⃣ our focus is result of the action
- (we use 'by'+ 'person' who did the action)
2️⃣ we do not know who did the action
3️⃣ we do not need to mention who or it's not necessary
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3. How to use the Present Simple Passive - Example
English is spoken by more than 1.65 billion people around the world.
The Japanese yen is used in Japan.
Rice is grown in many parts of Asia.
Coffee is served from 7am at our canteen.
This charity shop is run by volunteers.
The following story uses the Present Simple Passive to describe the daily operations of an art museum.
Can you spot the examples?
🎨Short Story - The Present Simple Passive
A Day at the Art Museum
The Art Museum is a place where history, creativity, and culture are preserved.
Every day, hundreds of visitors are welcomed through the grand doors.
As they step inside, they are greeted by the sight of magnificent paintings and sculptures.
Each piece of art is displayed with care. Information about the artists and their work is provided next to every exhibit.
Throughout the day, guided tours are offered by knowledgeable staff.
Visitors are taken on a journey through time as they explore different art movements and styles.
In the restoration room, damaged artwork is carefully repaired. The most delicate pieces are handled with extreme caution.
Finally, before the museum closes, all exhibits are checked to ensure that they are safe and secure.
At the end of the day, the museum is cleaned and prepared for the next day’s visitors.
The Art Museum is not just a building; it is a living gallery where history is preserved and shared with the world.
Present Simple Passive in the story
-are preserved
-are welcomed
-are greeted
-is displayed
-is provided
-are offered
-are taken
-is (carefully) repaired
-are handled
-are checked
-is cleaned and prepared
-is preserved
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4. How to form Present Simple Passive
Present Simple Passive - positive + (short form)
Form = [am, is, are + Past Participle]
e.g. teach ➡️ taught
I am /'m taught
you / we / they are /'re taught
he / she / it is / 's taught
Need to review?
Present Simple Passive - negative + (short form)
Form = [am / is / are + not + Past Participle]
I am not /'m not taught
you / we / they are not /'re not / aren't taught
he / she / it is not /'s not / isn't taught
Present Simple Passive - Wh-Question
Form = [Wh-Question + 'be' + Past Participle]
e.g. How often are the lessons taught?
Present Simple Passive - Yes/No Question
Form= ['be' + subject + Past Participle]
e.g. Are you taught by ...?
📌 Grammar Point!
Past Participle form for regular / irregular verbs examples:
1️⃣ Regular verbs
e.g.
(Present) (Past) (Past Participle)
allow allowed allowed
clean cleaned cleaned
2️⃣ Irregular verbs
e.g.
(Present) (Past) (Past Participle)
speak spoke spoken write wrote written
5. Why do we use the Passive Form? Uses & Example
We use the Passive form because we want to focus :
✔️on the result of an action and not the person/thing that did the action.
Present Simple Passive - Example sentence
a. English is spoken by many people.
| |
(subject) (object)
ii) Present Simple (Active)
(Subject) (object)
| |
1. Many people speak English.
📌Grammar Note!
✔️ The meaning of both active & passive sentences are the same.
✔️Passive form is common in news articles and academic writing.
🎬Quick review!
Passive form - More Example Sentences
📙Situation #1 - Use Passive Form:
✔️ We want to focus on the result - not the person who did the action
(a) visit ➡️ visited
e.g.
Mont-St-Michel (France) is visited by more than 3 million people every year.
👉Compare: Present Simple (Active)
-More than 3 million people visit Mont-St-Michel (France) every year.
(b) grow ➡️ grown
e.g.
Rice is grown in Vietnam.
👉Compare: Present Simple (active)
-They grow rice in Vietnam.
(c) speak ➡️ spoken
e.g.
English is spoken in many countries.
👉Compare : Present Simple (active)
- In many countries people speak English.
📙Situation #2 - Use Passive Form:
✔️We do not know who caused the action
(a) clean ➡️ cleaned
e.g.
The rooms are cleaned every day.
👉Compare: Present Simple (active)
- Someone cleans the rooms everyday.
(b) import ➡️ are imported
e.g.
Fruit and vegetables are imported into Singapore.
👉Compare: Present Simple (active)
- Singapore imports fruit and vegetables.
📙Situation #3 - Use Passive Form:
✔️ We do not need to mention the person or thing causing the action (not necessary)
(a) - sell ➡️ is sold
e.g.
Fresh seafood is sold at food markets.
(*not necessary to say 'by the fishmongers')
👉 Compare > Present Simple (active)
-They sell fresh seafood at food markets.
(b) teach ➡️ are taught
e.g.
All lessons are taught in English.
👉Compare > Present Simple (active)
-They teach all lessons in English.
✔️Present Simple Passive ✔️Present Simple (Active)
1. Rice isn't grown in Singapore. > They don't grow rice in Singapore.
2. Is rice grown in SIngapore? > Do they grow rice in Singapore?
3. What is grown there? > What do they grow there?
📌Grammar Learning Tip!
We use the Passive Form quite a lot in real life as we may want to focus on different things or which fact is more important - the person or the action
🎬5. Quick Recap - Present Simple Passive
i) Present Simple (Active)
e.g. How do you spell "garage"?
ii) Present Simple Passive
e.g. How is "garage" spelt?
📌 English Learning Tip!
1. When practising or reviewing English grammar on your own, you may want to use personal experience in your everyday situation to make your own original sentences...
i) Present Simple (Active)
- Our restaurant uses only the best quality rice in our *bento sets.
*bento = Japanese style packed lunch
- Present Simple (Passive)
e.g. Only the best quality rice is used in our bento sets. (by our restaurant)
📌 English Learning Tip!
Practise Passive Present Simple form (3 ways to use) in your everyday life.
For example, you may be drinking coffee and thinking...
-" This coffee is made from top quality Arabica beans."
- "The beans are imported."
- "The coffee is served in a 100% recyclable cup." ;-)
📩 Download Free A4 Grammar Poster here (PDF)
✍🏻6. Let's Practise the Passive Present Simple
Note:
1️⃣ result of action is more important than the 'doer'
2️⃣ we don't know 'doer' of the action
3️⃣ we don't need / not necessary to say 'who'
Change the following (active) sentences into the Passive Form.
🥐🥖- At A Bakery.
1. We bake our bread daily.
Our bread 's / is baked daily.
2. We do not allow pets in our store.
Pets are not / aren't allowed.(in our store)
3. We sell many different types of bread here.
Many different types of bread are sold here.
4. We accept cards and cash payment in our bakery.
Cards and cash payment are accepted here. (in our bakery)
5. Our staff speak English, Japanese and Mandarin.
English, Japanese and Mandarin are spoken. (by our staff)
6. We don't serve afternoon tea.
Afternoon tea isn't served.
7. We import our ingredients from all over the world.
Our ingredients are imported from all over the world.
🗣️English Speaking Tip!
Practise speaking using the short forms - 's / isn't, etc. as much as you can. You'll sound more natural.
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📚 Further Learning
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🎓 British Council Online English Lessons – Learn with expert teachers.
📱 FluentU –Practise English with real-world videos and interactive subtitles.
Present Simple Passive Discussion Questions
These discussion questions help learners practise the Present Simple Passive naturally while talking about familiar topics.
🏡 Everyday Life
What household chores are usually done in your home?
Which rules are followed in your workplace or school?
How is rubbish collected in your area?
What services are provided by your local community?
Which products are commonly used in your daily life?
✈️ Travel
What documents are required when travelling to another country?
How are passengers checked at airports in your country?
Which tourist attractions are visited most often in your city?
What languages are spoken by tourists who visit your country?
How are travel tickets usually booked these days?
🍽️ Food & Lifestyle
What foods are commonly eaten for breakfast in your country?
How is coffee usually prepared in your home?
Which healthy habits are encouraged in your community?
What traditional dishes are served during special celebrations?
How is food delivered in your area?
🎬 Entertainment
What types of movies are watched most often in your country?
Which streaming services are used by people you know?
How are concerts promoted nowadays?
What television programmes are enjoyed by your family or friends?
Which songs are played most frequently at parties or events?
🌟 Personal Experience
What skills are taught in schools that you found useful?
Which gifts are usually given on birthdays in your family?
What languages are spoken in your home?
How are important celebrations organised in your family?
What advice is often given to young people in your country?
❗️Bonus Challenge
Answer the questions using complete sentences in the Present Simple Passive. This helps learners use the target grammar rather than just brief answers.
Example:
Question: What foods are commonly eaten for breakfast in your country?
Answer:
Rice porridge is eaten by many people for breakfast.
Toast and eggs are served in many cafés.
Traditional snacks are sold at local markets every morning.
✏️ Share some of your sentences in the comment below! ⬇️
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About the Present Simple Passive
1. What is the Present Simple Passive?
The Present Simple Passive is used when the action is more important than the person or thing doing the action.
Form: Subject + am/is/are + past participle
Example:
Coffee is grown in Brazil.
English is spoken in many countries.
2. When do we use the Present Simple Passive?
We commonly use it to talk about:
✔️ Facts and general truths
✔️ Processes and procedures
✔️ Rules and instructions
✔️ Products and services
✔️ Situations where the doer is unknown or unimportant
Examples:
Rice is grown in many Asian countries.
Passports are checked at the airport.
The museum is opened at 9 a.m. every day.
3. How is the Present Simple Passive formed?
Use:
am / is / are + past participle (V3)
Subject | Verb "Be" | Example |
I | am | I am invited. |
He/She/It | is | She is invited. |
You/We/They | are | They are invited. |
4. What is the difference between active and passive voice?
Active Voice:
The chef cooks the food.
Passive Voice:
The food is cooked by the chef.
In the passive voice, the focus changes from the person doing the action to the thing receiving the action.
5. Do I always need to use "by + agent"?
No.
Often, we do not mention the person or thing performing the action.
Examples:
The classroom is cleaned every day.
The classroom is cleaned by the janitor.
If the agent is obvious, unknown, or unimportant, it is usually omitted.
6. Can I use the Present Simple Passive for routines and schedules?
Yes.
Examples:
The shop is opened at 10 a.m.
Orders are processed every morning.
Reports are sent every Friday.
7. How do I make negative sentences in the Present Simple Passive?
Add not after am/is/are.
Examples:
The office is not opened on Sundays.
Homework is not checked during the holidays.
Credit cards are not accepted here.
8. How do I form questions in the Present Simple Passive?
Put am/is/are before the subject.
Examples:
Is breakfast served at the hotel?
Are these products made locally?
Is English taught in your school?
9. What are some common signal words used with the Present Simple Passive?
These words often appear with the Present Simple Passive:
always
usually
often
every day
every week
regularly
normally
generally
Examples:
Emails are usually answered within 24 hours.
The rooms are cleaned every day.
10. What mistakes do learners commonly make?
❌ The food is cook every day.
✔️ The food is cooked every day.
❌ Coffee grown in Colombia.
✔️ Coffee is grown in Colombia.
❌ The letters are send every week.
✔️ The letters are sent every week.
Remember to use: am/is/are + past participle
11. Can the Present Simple Passive be used in news reports and formal writing?
Yes.
It is very common in formal English because it sounds objective and focuses on actions rather than people.
Examples:
New regulations are introduced each year.
Results are announced on Friday.
The event is attended by thousands of visitors.
12. Is the Present Simple Passive common in everyday English?
Yes.
Native speakers frequently use it when discussing products, services, rules, instructions, and general facts.
Examples:
Breakfast is served from 7 to 10 a.m.
Mobile phones are sold in many stores.
English is spoken around the world.
Quick Tip for Learners
When you see a sentence that focuses on what happens rather than who does it, the passive voice is often the best choice.
Active: People grow tea in India.
Passive: Tea is grown in India.
The passive voice is especially useful when describing processes, products, services, and general facts.
📚 Continue learning the Passive form
👉 Present Continuous Passive: How to Use + Example Sentences
👉 The Missing Necklace: Past Continuous Passive With Fun Mystery
👉 The Present Perfect Passive : How to Use + Example Sentence
👉 Mystery of the Vanished Cake: Past Perfect Passive With Fun Story
👉 Future Perfect Passive Explained + Story With Example Practice
👉 Learn 'Going to' Passive Through Short Stories - The Old Cinema
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