Episode 35: It Was Built by Thousands

Passive voice (past) — Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, 1886 (A2-B1)

Grammar Box

Meaning: Passive voice changes focus from who did the action to what was done. We use it when the action or result matters more than who did it.

Form: was/were + past participle (+ by + doer)

Example 1: The statue was built in 1886. (focus on statue, not builders)

Example 2: English is spoken worldwide. (speakers obvious/unimportant)

Common mistake: Wrong: The book was wrote. Better: The book was written.

The Question

Luna read a history article. “The Eiffel Tower was built in 1889.” Another sentence said, “Gustave Eiffel built the Eiffel Tower.” Both were correct. But they felt different. “Professor, why do we sometimes hide the person who did the action? When do we use this grammar?” The watch glowed. Professor Wisdom appeared. “Let’s witness the birth of freedom’s greatest symbol.”

The Journey

New York Harbor, October 28, 1886. A massive statue stood on Bedloe’s Island. Lady Liberty. She held a torch high above the water. President Cleveland stood at the base. Thousands of boats filled the harbor. Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi stood quietly in the crowd. He was the sculptor. But today wasn’t about him.

Bartholdi had worked on this statue for 21 years. He designed every detail. Her face. Her crown. Her torch. But he didn’t work alone. The copper skin was hammered by French craftsmen. The iron framework was engineered by Gustave Eiffel. The pedestal was built by American workers. Money was raised by millions of ordinary people. Schoolchildren donated pennies.

The president began his speech. “This monument was created as a gift of friendship from France to America. It was designed to represent freedom. It was built by the hands of thousands. It was funded by the hearts of millions.”

Luna noticed something. The president didn’t say “Bartholdi created this.” He said “This was created.” He didn’t say “Workers built it.” He said “It was built.” The focus wasn’t on who did it. The focus was on the thing itself. On the statue. On its meaning.

Bartholdi understood this deeply. He could have said “I made this statue.” But that would sound proud. Selfish. Instead, when people asked him about it, he said, “It was made to inspire.” “It was given to celebrate friendship.” “It was designed to welcome immigrants.”

He shifted the attention away from himself. Toward the symbol. Toward the meaning. Toward the people it served. This was the power of passive voice. It honored the work, not the worker. It emphasized the result, not the person.

The statue’s torch was unveiled. Sunlight caught the copper. The crowd gasped. Ships blew their horns. This wasn’t Bartholdi’s statue anymore. It was everyone’s statue. It belonged to history. To hope. To humanity.

The harbor air smelled of salt and smoke. Flags waved in every language. The statue wasn’t just built. It was born. And passive voice gave it the dignity it deserved.

The Insight

Professor Wisdom spoke thoughtfully. “Passive voice changes the focus of a sentence. Normal sentences go: subject + verb + object. ‘Workers built the statue.’ But passive reverses this. ‘The statue was built by workers.’ Now the statue is the subject.”

“We form past passive with ‘was/were + past participle.’ Built. Made. Created. Designed. The person who did the action can be added with ‘by,’ or removed completely if they’re not important.”

“We use passive when: the action matters more than who did it, we don’t know who did it, or it’s obvious who did it. It’s common in history, science, and formal writing. It sounds more objective. More professional.”

“Bartholdi knew this intuitively. Great achievements aren’t about individuals. They’re about what was accomplished. Passive voice captures this perfectly.”

Practice Zone

More Examples:

1. “The pyramids were built 4,500 years ago.” — builder unknown/unimportant
2. “My car was stolen last night.” — thief unknown
3. “English is spoken in many countries.” — speakers obvious
4. “The letter was written by hand.” — method matters
5. “The game was won by our team.” — result emphasized
6. “Coffee was discovered in Ethiopia.” — discovery more important than discoverer

Exercises:

1. Fill in the blank: “The book _ ___ in 1925.” (write – past passive)

2. Choose the correct form:
   – “The house _____ by my grandfather.”
   a) built
   b) was built

3. Change to passive: “Leonardo da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa.”

4. Complete: “The Titanic _ ___ in 1912.” (sink)

5. Your turn: Write two sentences about your hometown using past passive.

Answer Key:

1. was written
2. b) was built
3. “The Mona Lisa was painted by Leonardo da Vinci.”
4. was sunk / sank (both acceptable, but passive is “was sunk”)
5. Check: Did you use “was/were + past participle”? Does the focus shift to the thing, not the person?

The Lesson

Luna revised her essay. Instead of “My teacher taught me this,” she wrote “This was taught in my English class.” The emphasis shifted. From the teacher to the lesson. From the person to the knowledge. Bartholdi taught her something profound. Sometimes, stepping back makes the message stronger. Sometimes, hiding ourselves reveals truth more clearly. Passive voice isn’t about weakness. It’s about letting the work speak louder than the worker. It’s about honoring what was done, not who did it.