The passive voice is an essential tool in English grammar that helps you focus on the action itself or the receiver of the action, rather than who performed it. It allows you to vary your sentence structures, create formal and objective tones in academic writing, and emphasize the most important parts of your message.
For example, instead of saying:
“The committee approved the proposal,”
you might say:
“The proposal was approved by the committee.”
Understanding when and how to use the passive voice correctly will help you write and speak with greater clarity and flexibility. It is particularly valuable in academic essays, business writing, scientific reports, and formal communication.
In this comprehensive guide, you will learn:
✅ What the passive voice is and how it differs from the active voice
✅ How to form passive voice sentences in different tenses
✅ When to use (and when to avoid) the passive voice
✅ Common mistakes learners make with the passive voice
✅ Practical exercises to test and reinforce your understanding
Whether you’re preparing for exams, writing research papers, or improving your everyday English, mastering the passive voice will elevate your grammatical skills and confidence.
Let’s dive in and learn how to use the passive voice effectively in your English!
Table of Contents
- Definition of the Passive Voice
- Structural Breakdown of the Passive Voice
- Types of Passive Voice
- Examples of the Passive Voice
- Usage Rules of the Passive Voice
- Common Mistakes with the Passive Voice
- Practice Exercises
- Advanced Topics in Passive Voice
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Conclusion
Definition of the Passive Voice
The passive voice is a grammatical construction in which the subject of a sentence receives the action rather than performs it. In other words, the focus is on the action itself and/or the object of the action, rather than the actor. This contrasts with the active voice, where the subject performs the action. The passive voice is formed using a form of the auxiliary verb “to be” (is, are, was, were, been, being) followed by the past participle of the main verb.
The main function of the passive voice is to de-emphasize or omit the actor, which can be useful in situations where the actor is unknown, unimportant, or obvious. It’s also useful when you want to maintain a particular focus on the recipient of the action.
The passive voice can be used in various contexts, including scientific writing, news reports, formal writing, and when describing processes.
Structural Breakdown of the Passive Voice
The basic structure of a passive voice sentence is as follows:
Subject + Auxiliary Verb (to be) + Past Participle (+ by + Agent)
Let’s break down each component:
- Subject: The recipient of the action.
- Auxiliary Verb (to be): This verb must agree with the subject in number and tense.
- Past Participle: The form of the main verb that is used in the passive voice (e.g., eaten, written, built).
- (by + Agent): This phrase is optional and indicates the actor performing the action. It’s often omitted if the actor is unknown, unimportant, or obvious.
Here’s an example:
Active: The dog chased the cat.
Passive: The cat was chased by the dog.
In this example, “the cat” is the subject of the passive sentence, “was” is the auxiliary verb, “chased” is the past participle, and “by the dog” is the agent.
Tense Transformations in Passive Voice
Transforming sentences into the passive voice requires adjusting the auxiliary verb “to be” to match the tense of the active voice sentence. Here’s how it works across different tenses:
- Simple Present: Active: She writes a letter. Passive: A letter is written by her.
- Present Continuous: Active: She is writing a letter. Passive: A letter is being written by her.
- Simple Past: Active: She wrote a letter. Passive: A letter was written by her.
- Past Continuous: Active: She was writing a letter. Passive: A letter was being written by her.
- Present Perfect: Active: She has written a letter. Passive: A letter has been written by her.
- Past Perfect: Active: She had written a letter. Passive: A letter had been written by her.
- Future Simple (will): Active: She will write a letter. Passive: A letter will be written by her.
- Future Simple (going to): Active: She is going to write a letter. Passive: A letter is going to be written by her.
- Future Perfect: Active: She will have written a letter. Passive: A letter will have been written by her.
Types of Passive Voice
The passive voice can be categorized based on the tense of the verb. Each tense has a specific form of the auxiliary verb “to be” and the past participle.
Simple Present Passive
The simple present passive is used to describe habitual actions, general truths, or processes. The structure is: Subject + is/are/am + past participle.
Example: The dishes are washed every day.
Present Continuous Passive
The present continuous passive is used to describe actions that are happening at the moment of speaking or around the present time. The structure is: Subject + is/are/am + being + past participle.
Example: The house is being painted right now.
Simple Past Passive
The simple past passive is used to describe actions that were completed in the past. The structure is: Subject + was/were + past participle.
Example: The window was broken yesterday.
Past Continuous Passive
The past continuous passive is used to describe actions that were in progress at a specific time in the past. The structure is: Subject + was/were + being + past participle.
Example: The road was being repaired when I drove by.
Present Perfect Passive
The present perfect passive is used to describe actions that started in the past and continue to have relevance in the present. The structure is: Subject + has/have + been + past participle.
Example: The book has been translated into several languages.
Past Perfect Passive
The past perfect passive is used to describe actions that were completed before a specific time in the past. The structure is: Subject + had + been + past participle.
Example: The letter had been sent before I arrived.
Future Simple Passive
The future simple passive is used to describe actions that will happen in the future. The structure is: Subject + will be + past participle.
Example: The project will be completed next week.
Passive with Modal Verbs
Modal verbs (can, could, should, must, might, etc.) can also be used in the passive voice. The structure is: Subject + modal verb + be + past participle.
Example: The report should be finished by Friday.
Examples of the Passive Voice
To further illustrate the use of the passive voice, here are several examples organized by tense and context.
Simple Present Passive Examples
The following table provides examples of the simple present passive voice in various contexts.
| Active Voice | Passive Voice |
|---|---|
| The chef prepares the meals. | The meals are prepared by the chef. |
| The teacher grades the papers. | The papers are graded by the teacher. |
| The postman delivers the mail. | The mail is delivered by the postman. |
| The company manufactures the cars. | The cars are manufactured by the company. |
| The artist paints the portraits. | The portraits are painted by the artist. |
| The students clean the classroom. | The classroom is cleaned by the students. |
| The gardener waters the plants. | The plants are watered by the gardener. |
| The mechanic repairs the cars. | The cars are repaired by the mechanic. |
| The author writes the books. | The books are written by the author. |
| The baker makes the bread. | The bread is made by the baker. |
| The police arrest the criminals. | The criminals are arrested by the police. |
| The farmers grow the crops. | The crops are grown by the farmers. |
| The editor edits the articles. | The articles are edited by the editor. |
| The tailor sews the clothes. | The clothes are sewn by the tailor. |
| The government funds the projects. | The projects are funded by the government. |
| The company sells the products. | The products are sold by the company. |
| The museum displays the artifacts. | The artifacts are displayed by the museum. |
| The chef cooks the food. | The food is cooked by the chef. |
| The waiter serves the customers. | The customers are served by the waiter. |
| The company develops the software. | The software is developed by the company. |
Simple Past Passive Examples
The following table provides examples of the simple past passive voice in various contexts.
| Active Voice | Passive Voice |
|---|---|
| The storm destroyed the house. | The house was destroyed by the storm. |
| The team won the game. | The game was won by the team. |
| The police arrested the suspect. | The suspect was arrested by the police. |
| The fire damaged the building. | The building was damaged by the fire. |
| The artist painted the mural. | The mural was painted by the artist. |
| The students cleaned the classroom. | The classroom was cleaned by the students. |
| The gardener watered the plants. | The plants were watered by the gardener. |
| The mechanic repaired the car. | The car was repaired by the mechanic. |
| The author wrote the book. | The book was written by the author. |
| The baker made the cake. | The cake was made by the baker. |
| The cat ate the mouse. | The mouse was eaten by the cat. |
| The dog chased the squirrel. | The squirrel was chased by the dog. |
| The wind blew the leaves. | The leaves were blown by the wind. |
| The rain flooded the streets. | The streets were flooded by the rain. |
| The sun dried the clothes. | The clothes were dried by the sun. |
| The teacher taught the lesson. | The lesson was taught by the teacher. |
| The chef cooked the meal. | The meal was cooked by the chef. |
| The waiter served the drinks. | The drinks were served by the waiter. |
| The builder constructed the house. | The house was constructed by the builder. |
| The company launched the product. | The product was launched by the company. |
Present Perfect Passive Examples
The following table provides examples of the present perfect passive voice in various contexts.
| Active Voice | Passive Voice |
|---|---|
| Someone has cleaned the room. | The room has been cleaned. |
| The company has launched a new product. | A new product has been launched by the company. |
| The chef has prepared the meal. | The meal has been prepared by the chef. |
| The teacher has graded the papers. | The papers have been graded by the teacher. |
| The author has written a new book. | A new book has been written by the author. |
| They have renovated the building. | The building has been renovated. |
| The gardener has watered the plants. | The plants have been watered by the gardener. |
| The mechanic has repaired the car. | The car has been repaired by the mechanic. |
| The police have arrested the suspect. | The suspect has been arrested by the police. |
| The team has won the championship. | The championship has been won by the team. |
| The scientists have discovered a new planet. | A new planet has been discovered by the scientists. |
| The company has developed new software. | New software has been developed by the company. |
| The government has implemented new policies. | New policies have been implemented by the government. |
| The artist has created a new masterpiece. | A new masterpiece has been created by the artist. |
| The students have completed the project. | The project has been completed by the students. |
| The editor has revised the article. | The article has been revised by the editor. |
| The chef has cooked the dinner. | The dinner has been cooked by the chef. |
| The waiter has served the customers. | The customers have been served by the waiter. |
| The builder has constructed the house. | The house has been constructed by the builder. |
| The company has released the report. | The report has been released by the company. |
Future Simple Passive Examples
The following table provides examples of the future simple passive voice in various contexts.
| Active Voice | Passive Voice |
|---|---|
| The company will launch the product next year. | The product will be launched by the company next year. |
| The chef will prepare the meal tomorrow. | The meal will be prepared by the chef tomorrow. |
| The teacher will grade the papers next week. | The papers will be graded by the teacher next week. |
| The author will write a new book next year. | A new book will be written by the author next year. |
| They will renovate the building next month. | The building will be renovated next month. |
| The gardener will water the plants tomorrow. | The plants will be watered by the gardener tomorrow. |
| The mechanic will repair the car next week. | The car will be repaired by the mechanic next week. |
| The police will arrest the suspect tomorrow. | The suspect will be arrested by the police tomorrow. |
| The team will win the championship next year. | The championship will be won by the team next year. |
| The scientists will discover a new planet soon. | A new planet will be discovered by the scientists soon. |
| The company will develop new software soon. | New software will be developed by the company soon. |
| The government will implement new policies next year. | New policies will be implemented by the government next year. |
| The artist will create a new masterpiece soon. | A new masterpiece will be created by the artist soon. |
| The students will complete the project next week. | The project will be completed by the students next week. |
| The editor will revise the article tomorrow. | The article will be revised by the editor tomorrow. |
| The chef will cook the dinner tonight. | The dinner will be cooked by the chef tonight. |
| The waiter will serve the customers soon. | The customers will be served by the waiter soon. |
| The builder will construct the house next year. | The house will be constructed by the builder next year. |
| The company will release the report next month. | The report will be released by the company next month. |
| The store will sell the items tomorrow. | The items will be sold by the store tomorrow. |
Usage Rules of the Passive Voice
While the passive voice is a valuable tool, it’s important to use it correctly and appropriately. Here are some key usage rules:
- Use the passive voice when the actor is unknown or unimportant:Example: The window was broken. (It’s not important who broke it.)
- Use the passive voice to emphasize the action or the recipient of the action:Example: The new bridge was inaugurated yesterday. (The focus is on the inauguration of the bridge.)
- Use the passive voice in formal or scientific writing:Example: The data were analyzed using statistical methods.
- Avoid overuse of the passive voice:Overusing the passive voice can make your writing sound vague, indirect, and less engaging. In most cases, the active voice is preferable.
- Maintain consistency in tense:Ensure that the auxiliary verb “to be” is in the correct tense to match the intended meaning.
When to Avoid Passive Voice
While the passive voice has its uses, there are situations where it’s best to avoid it:
- When the actor is important and should be emphasized: Use the active voice to highlight the person or thing performing the action.
- When clarity is essential: The active voice is often clearer and more direct than the passive voice.
- When writing informally: The active voice generally sounds more natural and engaging in informal contexts.
- When trying to be concise: The active voice is often more concise than the passive voice.
Common Mistakes with the Passive Voice
Here are some common mistakes that learners make when using the passive voice:
| Incorrect | Correct | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| The letter is write. | The letter is written. | The past participle “written” is needed, not the base form “write.” |
| The house was builded. | The house was built. | The past participle of “build” is “built,” not “builded.” |
| The food is being eat. | The food is being eaten. | The past participle “eaten” is needed, not the base form “eat.” |
| The car was repair. | The car was repaired. | The past participle “repaired” is needed, not the base form “repair.” |
| The book has been readed. | The book has been read. | The past participle of “read” is “read” (pronounced /red/), not “readed.” |
| The door is close. | The door is closed. | The past participle “closed” is needed, not the base form “close.” |
| The report is do. | The report is done. | The past participle “done” is needed, not the base form “do.” |
| The mistake was make. | The mistake was made. | The past participle “made” is needed, not the base form “make.” |
| The question is ask. | The question is asked. | The past participle “asked” is needed, not the base form “ask.” |
| The job is finish. | The job is finished. | The past participle “finished” is needed, not the base form “finish.” |
Practice Exercises
Test your understanding of the passive voice with these practice exercises.
Exercise 1: Rewrite the following sentences in the passive voice.
| No. | Active Voice | Passive Voice (Answer) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The cat ate the mouse. | The mouse was eaten by the cat. |
| 2 | The dog chased the ball. | The ball was chased by the dog. |
| 3 | The chef prepared the meal. | The meal was prepared by the chef. |
| 4 | The teacher graded the papers. | The papers were graded by the teacher. |
| 5 | The storm destroyed the house. | The house was destroyed by the storm. |
| 6 | The company launched the product. | The product was launched by the company. |
| 7 | The police arrested the suspect. | The suspect was arrested by the police. |
| 8 | The artist painted the mural. | The mural was painted by the artist. |
| 9 | The students cleaned the classroom. | The classroom was cleaned by the students. |
| 10 | The gardener watered the plants. | The plants were watered by the gardener. |
Exercise 2: Identify the tense of the passive voice in the following sentences.
| No. | Sentence | Tense (Answer) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The letter is written. | Simple Present Passive |
| 2 | The house was built. | Simple Past Passive |
| 3 | The meal has been prepared. | Present Perfect Passive |
| 4 | The car will be repaired. | Future Simple Passive |
| 5 | The room is being cleaned. | Present Continuous Passive |
| 6 | The report had been finished. | Past Perfect Passive |
| 7 | The book was being read. | Past Continuous Passive |
| 8 | The task can be completed. | Passive with Modal Verb |
| 9 | Mistakes were made. | Simple Past Passive |
| 10 | The problem is being addressed. | Present Continuous Passive |
Exercise 3: Correct the errors in the following passive voice sentences.
| No. | Incorrect Sentence | Corrected Sentence (Answer) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The letter is write. | The letter is written. |
| 2 | The house was builded. | The house was built. |
| 3 | The food is being eat. | The food is being eaten. |
| 4 | The car was repair. | The car was repaired. |
| 5 | The book has been readed. | The book has been read. |
| 6 | The door is close. | The door is closed. |
| 7 | The report is do. | The report is done. |
| 8 | The mistake was make. | The mistake was made. |
| 9 | The question is ask. | The question is asked. |
| 10 | The job is finish. | The job is finished. |
Advanced Topics in Passive Voice
For advanced learners, there are more nuanced aspects of the passive voice to explore.
Passive Reporting Verbs
Reporting verbs (e.g., say, believe, think, know) can be used in the passive voice to report opinions or beliefs without specifying the source. The structure is: It + is/was + past participle of reporting verb + that-clause.
Examples:
- It is said that he is a talented musician.
- It is believed that the earth is round.
- It was thought that the meeting would be canceled.
“Get” Passive
The verb “get” can be used instead of “be” in the passive voice, often to express an action that happens unexpectedly or unintentionally. It is more informal than the “be” passive.
Examples:
- He got injured during the game.
- The door got damaged in the storm.
- I got promoted to a new position.
Pseudo-Passive Verbs
Some verbs have a passive-like meaning but are actually active in form. These are often intransitive verbs that describe a state or quality resulting from an action.
Examples:
- The door opened easily. (Implies someone opened it, but the focus is on the door’s ability to open.)
- The bread baked well. (Implies someone baked it, but the focus is on the bread’s baking quality.)
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the difference between active and passive voice?In the active voice, the subject performs the action (e.g., “The dog chased the cat”). In the passive voice, the subject receives the action (e.g., “The cat was chased by the dog”). The active voice emphasizes the actor, while the passive voice emphasizes the action or the recipient of the action.
- When should I use the passive voice?Use the passive voice when the actor is unknown, unimportant, or obvious; when you want to emphasize the action or the recipient of the action; or in formal or scientific writing. However, avoid overusing the passive voice, as it can make your writing sound vague and less engaging.
- How do I form the passive voice?The passive voice is formed using a form of the auxiliary verb “to be” (is, are, was, were, been, being) followed by the past participle of the main verb.
- What are some common mistakes to avoid when using the passive voice?Common mistakes include using the wrong form of the past participle, using the passive voice unnecessarily, and not maintaining consistency in tense.
- Can all active sentences be transformed into passive sentences?No, only transitive verbs (verbs that take a direct object) can be transformed into the passive voice. Intransitive verbs (verbs that do not take a direct object) cannot be used in the passive voice.
- Is it always better to use the active voice than the passive voice?Not always. While the active voice is often clearer and more direct, the passive voice has its specific uses. The best choice depends on the context and the intended emphasis.
- What are reporting verbs in the passive voice?Reporting verbs in the passive voice are used to report opinions or beliefs without specifying the source. They typically follow the structure: It + is/was + past participle of reporting verb + that-clause.
- What is the “get” passive?The “get” passive uses the verb “get” instead of “be” in the passive voice. It is more informal and often expresses an action that happens unexpectedly or unintentionally.
Conclusion
Mastering the passive voice is an essential step in becoming a proficient English speaker and writer. Understanding its structure, usage rules, and common pitfalls will enable you to use it effectively and appropriately in various contexts.
While the active voice is often preferred for its clarity and directness, the passive voice offers unique advantages when the actor is unknown, unimportant, or when the focus is on the action itself. Remember to practice regularly and pay attention to the nuances of the passive voice to refine your skills and enhance your overall command of the English language.
By understanding the intricacies of the passive voice, you gain the ability to craft sentences that are not only grammatically correct but also strategically tailored to your specific communicative goals. Continue to explore advanced topics and practice with real-world examples to solidify your understanding and elevate your writing and speaking abilities.