Welcome to your ultimate guide to the passive voice! If you are learning English, you might have heard about the passive voice but feel unsure when and how to use it. Don’t worry; you are in the right place! In this blog post, we will explain everything you need to know about the passive voice in simple English. We will provide lots of examples and exercises to help you practise and master the passive voice. By the end of this post, you will feel much more confident using the passive voice in your everyday English conversations and writing.
What is the Passive Voice?
In English, we have two main voices: the active voice and the passive voice. The active voice is when the subject of the sentence does the action. In contrast, the passive voice is when the subject of the sentence is affected by the action or receives the action.
Active Voice vs. Passive Voice
- Active Voice: The subject performs the action.
- Example: The teacher teaches the students. (The teacher is doing the action.)
- Passive Voice: The subject receives the action.
- Example: The students are taught by the teacher. (The students are receiving the action.)
In the passive voice, the focus is on the action itself or the object receiving the action, not on the person or thing doing the action.
How to Form the Passive Voice
To form the passive voice, we use the following structure:
Subject + be (in the correct tense) + past participle of the verb (+ by + agent)
- Subject: the person or thing receiving the action.
- Be: in the correct tense (is, are, was, were, will be, etc.).
- Past Participle of the Verb: the form of the verb used in the passive voice (usually ending in -ed for regular verbs, like “played,” or the third form for irregular verbs, like “written”).
- By + Agent (optional): the person or thing doing the action (if necessary).
Here are some examples:
- The book is read by Mary.
- The house was built by the workers.
- The emails will be sent by John.
When Do We Use the Passive Voice?
We use the passive voice in several situations:
When the Doer is Not Important or Unknown
Sometimes, we use the passive voice when the doer (the person or thing doing the action) is not important or is unknown.
- The window was broken. (We do not know who broke the window.)
- The work is done. (It is not important who did the work.)
When We Want to Emphasise the Action or Object
If we want to focus on the action or the object of the sentence rather than who did the action, we use the passive voice.
- A new school is being built in the town. (Focus is on the school being built, not who is building it.)
- The letter was sent yesterday. (Focus is on the letter, not who sent it.)
When Writing Formal or Scientific Texts
In academic writing, reports, or formal situations, the passive voice is often used to sound more formal and objective.
- The experiment was conducted by the researchers.
- The law was passed by the government.
When We Want to Be Polite or Avoid Blame
We use the passive voice to be polite or when we do not want to directly blame someone.
- Mistakes were made in the report. (We do not say who made the mistakes.)
- The homework was not completed. (We do not say who did not complete it.)
How to Use Different Tenses in the Passive Voice
The passive voice can be used in different tenses. Here are some examples to help you understand how to form the passive voice in various tenses:
Present Simple Passive
Am/Is/Are + Past Participle
- Active: She writes the report.
- Passive: The report is written by her.
Past Simple Passive
Was/Were + Past Participle
- Active: They built the bridge.
- Passive: The bridge was built by them.
Present Continuous Passive
Am/Is/Are Being + Past Participle
- Active: He is fixing the car.
- Passive: The car is being fixed by him.
Past Continuous Passive
Was/Were Being + Past Participle
- Active: They were painting the house.
- Passive: The house was being painted by them.
Present Perfect Passive
Have/Has Been + Past Participle
- Active: She has completed the project.
- Passive: The project has been completed by her.
Future Simple Passive
Will Be + Past Participle
- Active: They will deliver the package.
- Passive: The package will be delivered by them.
Modal Verbs in Passive Voice
When using modal verbs (can, could, should, must, etc.) in the passive voice, the structure is:
Modal + be + past participle
- Active: They can repair the computer.
- Passive: The computer can be repaired by them.
Common Mistakes with the Passive Voice
Here are some common mistakes when using the passive voice and how to avoid them:
- Using the Wrong Form of the Verb “Be”
Incorrect: The cake is make by Sarah.
Correct: The cake is made by Sarah. - Forgetting to Use the Past Participle
Incorrect: The homework is do by the student.
Correct: The homework is done by the student. - Confusing Active and Passive Forms
Incorrect: The car repaired by the mechanic.
Correct: The car was repaired by the mechanic.
Exercises to Practise the Passive Voice
Now it’s time to practise! Below are some exercises to help you master the passive voice. Try to complete each exercise and check your answers to see how well you are doing.
Exercise 1: Change the Sentences from Active to Passive Voice
Rewrite the following sentences in the passive voice.
- The chef cooks the meal.
- The artist painted a beautiful picture.
- The company will launch a new product.
- The students are writing an essay.
- The manager has signed the contract.
- They are building a new hospital.
- The children played games all afternoon.
- Someone has stolen my wallet.
Exercise 2: Choose the Correct Passive Form
Select the correct passive form from the options given.
- The book __________ by the author last year.
- a) was written
- b) is written
- c) will be written
- The room __________ by the cleaners every day.
- a) is cleaned
- b) was cleaned
- c) will cleaned
- The homework __________ by the teacher tomorrow.
- a) is checked
- b) will be checked
- c) has been checked
- The letters __________ by John yesterday.
- a) are sent
- b) were sent
- c) was sent
- The car __________ by the mechanic.
- a) is repairing
- b) was being repaired
- c) is being repaired
Exercise 3: Correct the Mistakes
Read the sentences below and correct the mistakes.
- The house were built by the workers.
- The letters was sent by the manager.
- The cake is being bakes by the baker.
- The project has been complete by the team.
- The window is break by the ball.
Exercise 4: Make Sentences in Passive Voice
Use the words provided to make sentences in the passive voice.
- The book / read / by the student.
- The cake / bake / by my mother.
- The car / repair / by the mechanic.
- The email / send / by the assistant.
- The house / paint / by the painters.
Answers
- The book was written by the author last year.
- The room is cleaned by the cleaners every day.
- The homework will be checked by the teacher tomorrow.
- The letters were sent by John yesterday.
- The car is being repaired by the mechanic.
Conclusion
The passive voice is an essential part of English grammar. It is used to focus on the action or the object of a sentence rather than who is performing the action. It is helpful in many situations, such as when the doer is unknown or unimportant, when we want to emphasise the action, or when writing formal or scientific texts.
This ultimate guide has provided you with everything you need to know about the passive voice, including explanations, examples, common mistakes, and exercises. Remember to practise regularly, listen and read in English, and try to use the passive voice in your writing and speaking.