357. The Great Fire of London: Passive Voice (English Grammar Lesson) episode artwork

EPISODE · Oct 13, 2025 · 17 MIN

357. The Great Fire of London: Passive Voice (English Grammar Lesson)

from Thinking in English · host Thomas Wilkinson

Grammar Study Pack - https://www.patreon.com/posts/passive-voice-in-140250338?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link In 1666, most of London was destroyed. Over 13,000 houses were burned, thousands of people were made homeless, and the entire city had to be rebuilt. The event I’m talking about is one of the most famous disasters in English history: the Great Fire of London. Today, I want to tell you this story, but with a special focus. You’re going to learn about history, while also learning some English grammar. The Great Fire is a perfect example of when we use the passive voice in real English. Disasters are often described with the passive because the actions are more important than the people who did them. We don’t always know who was responsible, and sometimes it doesn’t matter. What matters is what happened. So in this episode, I’ll share the story of the Great Fire of London, and we’ll look together at how the passive voice is used. At the beginning I’ll guide you through a short grammar lesson to help you use the passive voice, and then you’ll hear plenty of natural examples while talking about the Great Fire of London! Conversation Club - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/thinkinginenglish⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TRANSCRIPT - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2025/10/06/the-great-fire-of-london-passive-voice-english-grammar-lesson/ AD Free Episode - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/thinkinginenglish⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Thinking in English Bonus Podcast -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/collection/869866⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube Channel -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@thinkinginenglishpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Borough by Blue Dot Sessions Contact ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to advertise on Thinking in English. Thinking in English is part of the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Airwave Media podcast network.⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Grammar Study Pack - https://www.patreon.com/posts/passive-voice-in-140250338?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link In 1666, most of London was destroyed. Over 13,000 houses were burned, thousands of people were made homeless, and the entire city had to be rebuilt. The event I’m talking about is one of the most famous disasters in English history: the Great Fire of London. Today, I want to tell you this story, but with a special focus. You’re going to learn about history, while also learning some English grammar. The Great Fire is a perfect example of when we use the passive voice in real English. Disasters are often described with the passive because the actions are more important than the people who did them. We don’t always know who was responsible, and sometimes it doesn’t matter. What matters is what happened. So in this episode, I’ll share the story of the Great Fire of London, and we’ll look together at how the passive voice is used. At the beginning I’ll guide you through a short grammar lesson to help you use the passive voice, and then you’ll hear plenty of natural examples while talking about the Great Fire of London! Conversation Club - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/thinkinginenglish⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TRANSCRIPT - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2025/10/06/the-great-fire-of-london-passive-voice-english-grammar-lesson/ AD Free Episode - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/thinkinginenglish⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Thinking in English Bonus Podcast -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/collection/869866⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube Channel -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@thinkinginenglishpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Borough by Blue Dot Sessions Contact ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to advertise on Thinking in English. Thinking in English is part of the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Airwave Media podcast network.⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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357. The Great Fire of London: Passive Voice (English Grammar Lesson)

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Grammar Study Pack - https://www.patreon.com/posts/passive-voice-in-140250338?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link In 1666, most of London was destroyed. Over 13,000 houses were...

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