Transitive verbs have both active and passive forms:

active      passive   
The hunter killed the lion.    >>    The lion was killed by the hunter.   
Someone has cleaned the windows    >>    The windows have been cleaned   

The passive forms are made up of the verb be with a past participle:

be    past participle     
English    is    spoken    all over the world   
The windows    have been    cleaned     
Lunch    was being    served     
The work    will be    finished    soon   
They    might have been    invited    to the party   

We sometimes use the verb get to form the passive:

Be careful with the glass. It might get broken.
Peter got hurt in a crash.

If we want to show the person or thing doing the action we use by:

She was attacked by a dangerous dog.
The money was stolen by her husband.

We can use the indirect object as the subject of a passive verb:

active      passive   
I gave him a book for his birthday    >>    He was given a book for his birthday.   
Someone sent her a cheque for a thousand euros    >>    She was sent a cheque for a thousand euros.   

We can use phrasal verbs in the passive:

active      passive   
They called off the meeting.    >>    The meeting was called off.   
His grandmother looked after him.    >>    He was looked after by his grandmother.   
They will send him away to school.    >>    He will be sent away to school.   

Some verbs very frequently used in the passive are followed by the to-infinitive:

be supposed to    be expected to    be asked to   
be scheduled to    be allowed to    be told to   

John has been asked to make a speech at the meeting.
You are supposed to wear a uniform.
The meeting is scheduled to start at seven. 

Exercise