Here's a breakdown of what makes a verb passive:
* The subject is the receiver of the action: The subject is being acted upon, not performing the action.
* The verb is formed using a form of "to be" plus the past participle: For example, "was eaten," "is being built," "has been seen."
* The actor of the action is usually omitted or placed in a prepositional phrase: For instance, "The cake was eaten" (by someone) or "The house is being built by the workers."
Example:
* Active: The dog chased the ball. (The dog is the actor)
* Passive: The ball was chased by the dog. (The ball is the receiver of the action)
Key points:
* Passive verbs are often used to emphasize the object of the action or to de-emphasize the actor.
* The passive voice can sometimes sound more formal or impersonal.
* You should avoid overusing the passive voice as it can make your writing less engaging.