The passive voice is used when the action is more important than who does it. 🔹 Formation : to be (conjugated) + past participle 🔹 Active → Passive : • Active : The teacher corrects the tests. • Passive : The tests are corrected by the teacher. 🔹 Passive in all tenses : | Tense | Active | Passive | | Present simple | They build houses. | Houses are built. | | Past simple | She wrote the letter. | The letter was written. | | Future | He will send the report.| The report will be sent. | | Present perfect | They have found it. | It has been found. | | Past perfect | He had repaired it. | It had been repaired. | | Modal | You must complete it. | It must be completed. | 🔹 When to use the passive : • The agent (doer) is unknown : My phone was stolen. • The agent is obvious : The suspect has been arrested. • In formal/academic/scientific writing • When you want to focus on the action or the object 🔹 By + agent : used when the agent is important or relevant 'The novel was written by Mariama Bâ.'

📝 Transform to passive : 1. Scientists are studying climate change. → Climate change is being studied by scientists. 2. The government built a new hospital last year. → A new hospital was built by the government last year. 3. They will announce the results tomorrow. → The results will be announced tomorrow. 4. Someone has stolen my bag. → My bag has been stolen. 5. You must hand in the report by Friday. → The report must be handed in by Friday. 📝 Why passive here? Analyse : 'Senegal gained independence in 1960. The country was colonised by France for over 80 years. Many schools were built during this period, but local languages were forbidden in classrooms.' → Passive used because the agent (France) is already established, and the focus is on the actions affecting Senegal.