I'm Alice Bryant.

On a recent program, we talked about the past participle, participles, our word forms that serve special functions in sentences.

Past participles have three uses.

Today we focus on their use in passive sentences in most sentences.

In English, the subject performs the action of the verb.

Take the example.

Jenny stole my bag.

The subject is Jenny, and she is performing the act of stealing.

But in passive sentences, the subject is acted upon or receives the action of the verb.

Take the example.

My bag was stolen in English.

The most basic passive sentence is formed with B plus past participle.

Let's examine the bag example more closely here.

The verb be appears in the past tense.

Waas and stolen is the past participle form off the verb steel Notice the end ending in stolen past participles can end in N, E N or E.

D.

Or have many other spellings.

Most end N e.

D.

Listen for the Structure B plus past participle.

In this next statement, the meat is cooked over an open fire.

Here, the verb B is in the present tense is and cooked is the past participle off the verb cook.

You can learn Maura about past participles in our longer written program, and that's everyday grammar.