Question 1

How do you form the passive voice in English?

Accepted Answer

Subject + appropriate tense of the verb 'to be' + Past Participle (3rd column). For example: 'The letter was sent yesterday' (Past Simple passive), 'English is spoken worldwide' (Present Simple passive).

Question 2

When should you use the passive voice instead of the active voice?

Accepted Answer

Use passive voice when the action or the object is more important than who did it, or when the agent is unknown, obvious, or unimportant: 'The thief was arrested' (the police obviously arrested him; the focus is on the capture).