You often use sentences in ACTIVE: someone does something.

John always goes to town on Fridays.

 

In the PASSIVE it is not about  who does it but about that it is done. Why?

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• You don’t know who does it or it's not important:

            Stories are read at camp every evening.

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• It is too logical who does it to indicate who does it:

           The school is cleaned every day.

 

How to form the PASSIVE:

To be (= worden) +  3rd form

 

To be must be in the correct tense and form:

 

Present simple:    (am/is/are + volt dw)

Time indicators: usually/sometimes/every day etc.

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I am told to stay here. (mij wordt verteld)

My house is painted every two years. (wordt geschilderd)

My windows are cleaned every month. (worden gewassen)

 

Past simple:  (was/were + 3rd form)

Time indicators: yesterday, last week, in 1990

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My car was repaired again last week. (werd gerepareerd)

The children were told to stay home last Friday.(werd verteld)

 

Present perfect : (has/have been + 3rd form)

Time indicators: NO TIME INDICATOR/just/already etc

                              Once started and still true

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 My bike has been stolen again!

The kids have already been told to go home.

The news has been broadcast at 6 o'clock since I was 8 years old.