Active and passive verb forms

Sentences can be active or passive. Therefore, tenses also have active forms and passive forms. You must learn to recognize the difference to successfully speak English.

ACTIVE FORM

In active sentences, the thing doing the action is the subject of the sentence and the thing receiving the action is the object. Most sentences are active.

[Thing doing action] + [verb] + [thing receiving action]
e.g.
Mrs. Henny teaches the students
Mrs. Henny is thing doing action
Teaches is verb
the students is thing receiving action

PASSIVE FORM

In passive sentences, the thing receiving the action is the subject of the sentence and the thing doing the action is optionally included near the end of the sentence. You can use the passive form if you think that the thing receiving the action is more important or should be emphasized. You can also use the passive form if you do not know who is doing the action or if you do not want to mention who is doing the action.

[Thing receiving action] + [be] + [past participle of verb/v3] + [by] + [thing doing action]

e.g.
the students are taught by Mrs. Henny

the students is thing receiving action
are is be
taught is v3 of teach
Mrs. Henny is thing doing action