在英语中，被动语态的过去式常常用was或were来表示，而are则通常用于现在时态和将来时态。举个例子，"The house was built by my grandfather"和"The dishes were washed by the maid"中的was和were就是用来表示被动动作的过去时态。倘若我们要表达现在时态，就应该使用are，比如"The dishes are washed every morning"。