Introduction to the Passive Voice: English Grammar Guide

The passive voice is one of the most useful structures in English, especially when the focus is on the action itself rather than the person or thing performing it. Understanding the passive voice allows you to sound more natural, objective, and formal in many writing contexts, such as news reports, academic papers, and business communication.

This guide will explain what the passive voice is, how it’s formed, when to use it, and how it differs from the active voice. You’ll also learn common passive patterns and typical mistakes to avoid.

What Is the Passive Voice?

In English grammar, the passive voice is a structure in which the subject of the sentence receives the action rather than performing it.
The emphasis is on what happens rather than who does it.

Example:

• Active voice: The teacher graded the exam.

• Passive voice: The exam was graded by the teacher.

In the passive version, “the exam” becomes the subject of the sentence. The focus shifts from “the teacher” (the doer) to “the exam” (the receiver of the action).

Structure of the Passive Voice

The passive voice is formed with two essential elements:

[Subject] + [form of be] + [past participle of the verb] (+ by + [agent])

Examples:

• The book was written by J.K. Rowling.

• The windows are cleaned every morning.

• A new hospital will be built next year.

The “by + agent” part (e.g., “by J.K. Rowling”) is optional. If it’s clear who did the action or not important, we can omit it.

Without “by + agent”:

• My car was stolen.
  (We don’t know or don’t need to mention who stole it.)

Forms of the Verb “Be” in Passive Voice

The form of be changes depending on tense and subject.
Here are examples of common tenses in the passive voice:

When to Use the Passive Voice

There are several situations where the passive voice is more appropriate than the active voice:

1. When the doer is unknown or unimportant

If we don’t know who performed the action, or if it’s not important, we use the passive.

• My wallet was stolen last night.

• The bridge was built in 1950.

2. When the focus is on the action or result

Sometimes the result matters more than the person performing the action.

• 1,000 houses were destroyed by the typhoon.

• A vaccine has been developed.

3. To sound formal or objective

The passive voice is often used in academic, scientific, and official contexts because it sounds neutral and impersonal.

• The experiment was conducted by the research team.

• Errors were detected in the data.

4. In news reports and headlines

Journalists frequently use the passive to highlight events rather than people.

• A new policy was announced yesterday.

• The suspect has been arrested.

When to Avoid the Passive Voice

While the passive voice is useful, overusing it can make writing sound wordy or vague.
Use the active voice when:

• The subject (doer) is important or needs emphasis.

• You want clear, direct sentences.

Example:

❌ The report was written by the manager.
✅ The manager wrote the report.

In most conversational English, the active voice is preferred because it’s shorter, more natural, and more dynamic.

Passive Voice with Two Objects

Some verbs take two objects (direct and indirect). In these cases, you can make two possible passive sentences.

Example:

• Active: The teacher gave the students homework.

• Passive 1: The students were given homework.

• Passive 2: Homework was given to the students.

Both versions are grammatically correct, but the focus changes depending on what comes first.

Using the Passive with Modals

Modal verbs (can, could, should, must, may, etc.) can also be used with the passive form.

Structure:
[modal] + [be] + [past participle]

Examples:

• The work must be finished by Friday.

• The documents can be sent by email.

• The meeting should be postponed.

Get-Passive

In informal English, especially in conversation, speakers sometimes use get instead of be to form the passive voice.
This makes the sentence sound more dynamic or emotional.

Examples:

• He got promoted last month.

• The window got broken.

• I got invited to the party.

However, avoid the get-passive in formal writing.

Common Passive Verbs and Expressions

Here are some verbs that are frequently used in the passive:

• be born → I was born in Cebu.

• be made → The cake was made with chocolate.

• be known → He is known for his kindness.

• be interested → She is interested in art.

• be located → The office is located downtown.

These are often fixed expressions that naturally appear in the passive voice.

Passive Voice in Questions

To form a question in the passive, we invert be and the subject.

Examples:

• Active: Did the company build the bridge?

• Passive: Was the bridge built by the company?

• Active: Are they cleaning the office?

• Passive: Is the office being cleaned?

Passive Voice in Different Contexts

1. Academic Writing

• The data were analyzed using software.

• The hypothesis was tested under controlled conditions.

2. Business English

• The proposal was approved by the board.

• The new product will be launched soon.

3. Daily Conversation

Even in casual speech, the passive is used when we want to describe what happened without naming the doer:

• My phone was repaired yesterday.

• Dinner was prepared when I arrived.

Active vs. Passive: Emphasis and Meaning

Let’s compare:

• Active: Someone cleaned the room.

• Passive: The room was cleaned.

In the active voice, we emphasize who did the action.
In the passive, we emphasize what happened.

If the doer is unimportant, unknown, or obvious, the passive is more natural.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. ❌ The car was repair.
   ✅ The car was repaired.
   (Always use the past participle, not the base form.)

2. ❌ The dinner is cooking by my mom.
   ✅ The dinner is being cooked by my mom.
   (Use the correct continuous form.)

3. ❌ The test was gave yesterday.
   ✅ The test was given yesterday.
   (Use the correct past participle form.)

Summary

The passive voice shifts the focus from the doer to the receiver of the action.
It’s formed with a form of be plus the past participle of a verb.
It’s useful for emphasizing results, sounding formal, and avoiding repetition of subjects.
However, it should be balanced with active voice to keep your writing clear and lively.

Quick Review:

• Active: The chef cooked the meal.

• Passive: The meal was cooked by the chef.

• When to use: When the doer is unknown, unimportant, or you want to highlight the result.

Mastering the passive voice helps you write more flexible, professional, and natural English — an essential skill for both academic and real-world communication.

（Wo