/Passive Voice
B1Passive Voice

Passive (overview)

1

What is it?

The passive voice shifts the focus from who does an action to who or what receives the action. Instead of saying "The chef cooked the meal" (active), we say "The meal was cooked by the chef" (passive). We use the passive when the doer is unknown, unimportant, or obvious from context, or when we want to emphasise the result rather than who caused it.

2

How to form it

SubjectPositiveNegativeQuestion
Present SimpleThe report is written every week.The report is not written every week.Is the report written every week?
Past SimpleThe report was written yesterday.The report was not written yesterday.Was the report written yesterday?
Present PerfectThe report has been written.The report has not been written.Has the report been written?
Future (will)The report will be written tomorrow.The report will not be written tomorrow.Will the report be written tomorrow?
Present ContinuousThe report is being written now.The report is not being written now.Is the report being written now?
  • • Formula: subject + be (correct tense) + past participle
  • • The agent (doer) is introduced with "by": "The book was written by Orwell."
  • • Omit "by + agent" when the doer is unknown, obvious, or unimportant.
  • • Only transitive verbs (verbs that take an object) can be made passive.
  • • Modal passives: subject + modal + be + past participle: "It must be done."
3

When to use it

  1. 1

    Doer is unknown

    My bike was stolen last night.

  2. 2

    Doer is obvious or unimportant

    The criminal was arrested and charged.

  3. 3

    Formal or impersonal writing

    The results were analysed carefully.

  4. 4

    Focus on the result, not the action

    The bridge has been repaired.

  5. 5

    Reporting news or events

    Three people were injured in the accident.

4

Common mistakes

The car was broke by John.

The car was broken by John.

Use the past participle, not the past simple. "Broke" is past simple; "broken" is the past participle.

The meal is been cooked.

The meal is being cooked.

Present continuous passive is "is/are being + past participle", not "is been".

It was builded in 1900.

It was built in 1900.

"Build" has an irregular past participle: "built", not "builded".

5

Quick reference

  • Structure: subject + be (tense) + past participle.
  • Use passive when the doer is unknown, obvious, or unimportant.
  • Add "by + agent" only when the doer is relevant.
  • Only transitive verbs can be passive.
  • Common in formal writing, news, and scientific reports.
  • Modal passive: subject + modal + be + past participle.
6

Natural conversation example

Two colleagues discuss a project update.

S

Sara

Has the report been submitted yet?
D

Dan

It was sent this morning. The data is being reviewed now.
S

Sara

Good. Was the client informed?
D

Dan

Yes, an email was sent by the manager last night.
S

Sara

And the budget — has it been approved?
D

Dan

Not yet. It will be reviewed at Friday's meeting.
S

Sara

OK. When were the new figures calculated?
D

Dan

They were calculated yesterday. Everything is being handled.

Practice Exercises

Complete the sentence with the correct passive form of the verb in brackets.

  1. 1.
    The window __ (break) during the storm.
  2. 2.
    These cars __ (make) in Germany.
  3. 3.
    The letter __ (not/send) yet.
  4. 4.
    The new road __ (build) next year.
  5. 5.
    The documents __ (sign) by the director right now.
  6. 6.
    Three people __ (injure) in the accident.
  7. 7.
    The results __ (announce) tomorrow.
  8. 8.
    This song __ (write) in 1985.
  9. 9.
    The project __ (complete) by the end of the month.
  10. 10.
    The building __ (renovate) at the moment.
All TopicsPassive with Subordinate Clauses

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