The passive voice is a way of constructing sentences so that the subject is acted upon by someone or something else. Instead of "Someone does something," the passive voice says, "Something is done (by someone)." This can be useful when the doer is unknown, unimportant, or you want to focus on the action itself.
How Passive Voice Works
- The object of an active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence.
- The verb is changed to a form of be + past participle.
- The original subject can be included after by, but it is often omitted.
Examples
| Active Voice (English) | Passive Voice (English) |
|---|---|
| The chef cooks the meal. | The meal is cooked (by the chef). |
| Someone cleaned the room. | The room was cleaned (by someone). |
| They will finish the project tomorrow. | The project will be finished tomorrow (by them). |
Using Passive Voice in Different Tenses
You can form the passive voice in almost any tense by using the correct form of be followed by the past participle.
Examples Across Tenses
| Tense | Active Voice | Passive Voice |
|---|---|---|
| Present Simple | They write letters. | Letters are written (by them). |
| Past Simple | She sent a gift. | A gift was sent (by her). |
| Present Continuous | He is painting the wall. | The wall is being painted (by him). |
| Present Perfect | We have completed the work. | The work has been completed (by us). |
| Future Simple | They will announce the results. | The results will be announced (by them). |
| Past Perfect | She had left the office. | The office had been left (by her). |
When to Use Passive Voice
Passive voice is useful in several situations:
- When the doer is unknown:
"The window was broken last night."
(We don’t know who broke it.)
- When the doer is unimportant:
"The reports are printed every morning."
(Who prints them is not important.)
- When focusing on the action or result:
"The cake has been eaten."
(Focus on what happened, not who did it.)
- In formal or scientific writing:
"The experiment was conducted under controlled conditions."
Examples
| Purpose | Example (English) |
|---|---|
| Doer unknown | The letter was delivered late. |
| Doer unimportant | The floors are cleaned daily. |
| Focus on action/result | The documents have been signed. |
| Formal/scientific writing | The mixture was heated to 100°C. |
Why might passive voice be used in scientific writing?
To focus on the process rather than the researcher.
Scientific writing often uses passive voice to emphasize the method and results rather than the individual conducting the experiment.
Common Mistakes and Tips
- Don’t add a doer if it’s obvious or unnecessary:
"The results were published last week." (No need to say “by the team” if it’s clear.)
- Use passive voice sparingly:
Too much passive voice can make writing dull or confusing.
- Remember the past participle:
Passive voice always uses a past participle form (e.g., written, broken, completed).
When is it unnecessary to include the doer after 'by' in a passive sentence?
When the doer is obvious or unimportant.
If mentioning the doer adds no new information or is clear from context, it can be left out to keep the sentence concise.
Summary
- Passive voice shifts focus from the doer to the action or receiver.
- Formed with be + past participle.
- Used when the doer is unknown, unimportant, or when focusing on the action.
- Can be used in all tenses.
Flashcards (1 of 7)
- Active Voice (English): The chef cooks the meal.
- Passive Voice (English): The meal is cooked (by the chef).
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
