GRAMMAR BANK
UNIT 4. GRAMMAR A
THE PRESENT SIMPLE PASSIVE AND PRESENT PROGRESSIVE PASSIVE
The Present Simple Passive
In most sentences, the subject carries out an action and the object receives it or the result of it. In passive sentences, this is reversed: the subject receives the action.
Astronauts do most washing with a simple wet cloth. (Present Simple Active) The focus is on "astronauts" The subject of the active sentence is "astronauts".
Most washing is done with a simple wet cloth. (Present Simple Passive) The focus is on "most washing", which is the subject of the passive sentence.
"Do” changes to "is done"
HOW TO FORM

SUBJECT | AM/IS/ARE | PAST PARTICIPLE | BY
This lesson | is | studied | by most students.

Examples | Explanation
Criminals are arrested every day in this town. | The speaker doesn't mention the agent because the verb obviously refers to the police.
The city is not visited by many tourists. Are criminals arrested every day in this town? | Add not after am, is, are to form negative sentences. "Be" and the subject swap places to form questions.
The station is monitored by the mission control on Earth. | All passives use a form of "be" with a past participle. The agent (the thing doing the action) can be introduced with "by," but the sentence would still make sense without it.

The Present Progressive Passive
The Present Progressive passive is used to refer to ongoing actions.
They are sending messages to the astronauts in space. (Present Progressive Active)
Messages are being sent to the astronauts in space. (Present Progressive Passive)
HOW TO FORM

SUBJECT | AM/IS/ARE | BEING | PAST PARTICIPLE | BY
This lesson | is | being | studied | by most students.

More examples:
Are the toys being cleaned by your niece now?
The songs are being sung by the children in the school choir.