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Teacher cue
B1 · English Grammar

Simple Past
Passive

The window was broken. The letters were sent.

was / were past participle
Active vs passive

Same event, different focus

Active — focus on the doer

Someone broke the window.
My mom made the cake.

Passive — focus on what happened

The window was broken.
The cake was made by my mom.

The structure

was/were + past participle

When to use it

Three situations

Focus on what happened
The doer is less important.

The phone was found on the bus.

Unknown doer
We don't know who did it.

My bag was stolen at the station.

Unimportant doer
It doesn't matter who.

The pyramids were built thousands of years ago.

The three forms

Positive, negative and question

The cake was made by my mom. (singular → was)
The exam wasn't canceled. The letters weren't sent on time.
Was the letter delivered?  |  Were the students told?
By + agent

Mentioning the doer (optional)

The painting was created by Da Vinci. (doer is important)
The new school was opened by the mayor.
My bag was stolen. (no "by" — doer unknown)
⚠ Watch out

Common mistakes

The letter was sended yesterday.

The letter was sent yesterday.

The cake were eaten by the children.

The cake was eaten by the children.

The films was enjoyed by everyone.

The films were enjoyed by everyone.

The school ^ opened by the mayor.

The school was opened by the mayor.

Now it's your turn

Let's
practice.

Say the answer out loud — then tap to check.

Practice 1
tap to reveal

Fill the gap

The window(break)during the storm.
The letters(send)on Tuesday.
My phone(steal)on the bus.
The exam(not / cancel)despite the weather.
(the results / announce)yesterday?
Practice 2
tap a sentence to reveal the error

Spot the mistake

The letters wereA wroteB by hand andC delivered theD same afternoon.

Bwrote → written

✓ were + past participle: write → written

The museum was builtA in 1890 andB was restoredC twice, although much visitorsD complained.

Dalthough much visitors → although many visitors

✓ many with countable nouns

The windows was brokenA duringB the storm, butC nobody was hurtD.

AThe windows was broken → The windows were broken

✓ the windows is plural → were

Practice 3
tap to reveal a model answer

Complete the sentence

The painting was created
My bag was stolen —
Were the students told
The road wasn't repaired
Speak & write

Your turn

Use was/were + past participle. Add by when the doer matters.

Name a famous building. When was it built and by whom?
Tell me about something that was stolen or lost recently.
Describe a film or book you know. When was it written/made?
What was discovered or invented in the last century that changed your life?
Recap

Remember this

Structure
was/were + past participle
Singular / plural
was / were
By + agent
optional — only if doer matters
Common error
"sended" → sent

Past participle, not simple past — "sended" and "builded" don't exist.

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