Passive Voice in English: Rules, Examples, and When to Use It

Passive voice is a useful English structure that shifts attention from the person doing an action to the action or its receiver. In "The email was sent yesterday," the email is more important than the sender. The sentence may not even need to identify who sent it.

Some learners hear that passive voice should always be avoided. That advice is too broad. Passive voice appears naturally in conversation, academic writing, news, instructions, and business communication. The important skill is choosing between active and passive voice for a clear reason. This guide explains the form, tense patterns, uses, mistakes, and practice methods.

What Is Passive Voice?

In active voice, the grammatical subject performs the action:

• "The teacher explained the rule."
• "The team finished the project."
• "Someone opened the window."

In passive voice, the grammatical subject receives the action:

• "The rule was explained by the teacher."
• "The project was finished by the team."
• "The window was opened."

The basic passive voice pattern is:

subject + a form of "be" + past participle

An optional phrase beginning with "by" can name the actor:

subject + "be" + past participle + "by" + actor

The verb "be" changes to show tense and number. The past participle carries the main action. For regular verbs, the past participle often ends in "-ed," as in "cleaned" and "completed." Irregular verbs have forms such as "written," "sent," "made," and "taken."

Active Voice vs. Passive Voice

Active voice usually feels direct because the actor comes first:

• Active: "CWC students practice English every day."
• Passive: "English is practiced every day by CWC students."

The active sentence is a natural choice when the writer wants to emphasize the students. The passive sentence may be useful in a paragraph about how often English is practiced.

Passive voice works well when the receiver or result matters more:

• "The application was reviewed."
• "The classroom was prepared before the event."
• "The instructions were translated into several languages."

Ask one question before choosing: "What should the reader notice first?" If the actor matters most, active voice is often clearer. If the result, process, or receiver matters most, passive voice may be better.

For a broader foundation, review these core English grammar rules and this guide to building clear sentence structure.

How to Form Passive Voice

To change an active sentence into a passive sentence, follow four steps.

1. Identify the object of the active sentence.
2. Move that object to the subject position.
3. Choose the correct form of "be" for the original tense.
4. Change the main verb to its past participle.

Active: "The chef prepared the meal."

• Object: "the meal"
• Tense: past simple
• Form of "be": "was"
• Past participle: "prepared"

Passive: "The meal was prepared by the chef."

The actor can be removed when it is unknown, obvious, or unimportant: "The meal was prepared at noon."

Only transitive verbs normally form a passive sentence because a passive subject comes from an object. The verb in "She arrived early" has no object, so "Early was arrived by her" is not possible.

Passive Voice in Common Tenses

The main verb remains a past participle. The form of "be" changes.

Present simple

• Active: "They clean the room every day."
• Passive: "The room is cleaned every day."

Use "am," "is," or "are" plus the past participle.

Past simple

• Active: "They cleaned the room yesterday."
• Passive: "The room was cleaned yesterday."

Use "was" or "were" plus the past participle.

Present continuous

• Active: "They are repairing the road."
• Passive: "The road is being repaired."

Use "am/is/are being" plus the past participle.

Present perfect

• Active: "They have completed the report."
• Passive: "The report has been completed."

Use "has/have been" plus the past participle.

Future with "will"

• Active: "They will announce the results."
• Passive: "The results will be announced."

Use "will be" plus the past participle.

Modal verbs

• Active: "You must submit the form today."
• Passive: "The form must be submitted today."

Use the modal plus "be" plus the past participle. The same pattern works with "can," "should," "may," and "might."

Some grammatically possible passive forms sound very heavy. For example, "The road has been being repaired" is possible but awkward. A writer can often choose a clearer tense or an active sentence.

When Should You Use Passive Voice?

The actor is unknown

• "My phone was stolen."
• "The mistake was discovered later."

The speaker does not know who performed the action.

The actor is obvious or unimportant

• "The form was submitted online."
• "The building was renovated last year."

The process or result matters more than the person who clicked a button or completed the construction.

The process deserves attention

Instructions and academic descriptions often focus on steps:

• "The mixture is heated for five minutes."
• "The responses were grouped by topic."

This style keeps the reader's attention on the procedure.

The writer wants a neutral or formal tone

• "The policy was updated in June."
• "The data was analyzed before the report was prepared."

Passive voice can create distance between the writer and the action. That distance can be useful, but it should not make the sentence vague.

The sentence connects to previous information

Good writing often places familiar information first. Consider: "The museum opened a new exhibit. The exhibit was designed by a local artist." The passive second sentence begins with "the exhibit," which connects smoothly to the first sentence.

When Should You Avoid Passive Voice?

Use active voice when the actor is important and the active sentence is clearer.

• Wordy: "The homework was completed by me."
• Clear: "I completed the homework."

Avoid passive voice when it hides responsibility that the reader needs to know.

• Vague: "The wrong file was uploaded."
• Clear: "The project coordinator uploaded the wrong file."

The passive sentence "A mistake was made" may sound diplomatic, but it can also sound evasive. In workplace communication, name the responsible person or team when accountability helps solve the problem.

Also avoid long chains of passive constructions:

• Heavy: "The proposal was reviewed, and changes were requested before approval was given."
• Clearer: "The committee reviewed the proposal, requested changes, and then approved it."

Passive voice is not an error. Overuse is the problem. Effective writers vary sentence structure according to purpose.

The "By" Phrase

A "by" phrase identifies the actor. Include it only when the actor adds useful information.

• "The novel was written by George Orwell."
• "The mural was painted by local students."

Remove the phrase when the actor is obvious or irrelevant:

• Natural: "The package was delivered this morning."
• Unnecessary: "The package was delivered this morning by the delivery driver."

Do not confuse the actor with an instrument. Use "by" for the actor and "with" for a tool:

• "The window was broken by a child."
• "The window was broken with a ball."

Common Passive Voice Mistakes

Missing the verb "be"

• Incorrect: "The report completed yesterday."
• Correct: "The report was completed yesterday."

Using the wrong past participle

• Incorrect: "The email was send yesterday."
• Correct: "The email was sent yesterday."

Keep a list of irregular past participles that appear often in your work or studies.

Confusing a passive verb with an adjective

Compare "The room was cleaned yesterday" with "The room was clean yesterday." The first describes an action. The second uses "clean" as an adjective to describe a state.

Keeping the wrong object pronoun

• Incorrect: "Him was invited to the meeting."
• Correct: "He was invited to the meeting."

An object pronoun changes to a subject pronoun when it becomes the passive subject.

Forgetting subject-verb agreement

• Incorrect: "The documents was signed."
• Correct: "The documents were signed."

Practice Passive Voice Step by Step

Transform these active sentences:

1. "The students completed the assignment."
2. "The company updated the website."
3. "Someone closed the door."
4. "The teacher will explain the answer."
5. "You must return the books by Friday."

Possible answers:

1. "The assignment was completed by the students."
2. "The website was updated by the company."
3. "The door was closed."
4. "The answer will be explained by the teacher."
5. "The books must be returned by Friday."

Next, decide whether active or passive voice fits the situation. If a report explains who solved a problem, write "The support team fixed the issue." If an announcement emphasizes the result, write "The issue has been fixed."

At Columbia West College (CWC), students can reinforce grammar through an integrated curriculum that connects Grammar, Speaking, and Reading and Writing classes. English Speaking Success (ESS) adds a daily 80-minute speaking class, offering 6 times more speaking practice than a typical listening and speaking class. Students can therefore practice choosing active or passive voice while communicating real meaning, not only while completing isolated exercises.

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Using Passive Voice in Speaking and Writing

Passive voice appears frequently in everyday speech:

• "The meeting was canceled."
• "My bag was taken."
• "We were invited to dinner."
• "The street is being repaired."

To build control, describe a familiar process. Explain how coffee is made, how an application is reviewed, or how a community event is organized. Then retell the same information in active voice. This comparison helps you notice how emphasis changes.

In presentations, use active voice for confident recommendations and passive voice for processes or results. CWC's ESS program includes weekly presentations, giving students opportunities to develop both conversational English and professional public speaking. Additional English speaking practice ideas can help you turn a grammar pattern into an automatic speaking skill.

A Passive Voice Editing Checklist

For every passive sentence, ask:

1. Is the subject receiving the action?
2. Did I use the correct tense of "be"?
3. Is the main verb a past participle?
4. Does the subject agree with "be"?
5. Does the reader need to know the actor?
6. Would active voice be shorter or more honest?
7. Does the passive sentence connect smoothly to nearby information?

This checklist is especially helpful for reports, emails, and assignments. For more guidance on clarity and tone, review business writing skills for English learners.

FAQ

Is passive voice grammatically wrong?

No. Passive voice is grammatically correct. It becomes a problem only when it makes a sentence unclear, unnecessarily wordy, or evasive.

What is the passive voice formula?

The basic formula is a form of "be" plus a past participle. For example, "The lesson was explained" and "The report has been finished."

Can passive voice be used in speaking?

Yes. Passive voice is common in speech when the actor is unknown, obvious, or less important than the result. Examples include "My bike was stolen" and "The game was canceled."

How can I identify passive voice?

Look for a form of "be" followed by a past participle. Then ask whether the subject receives the action. Be careful because a form of "be" can also be followed by an adjective.

Why is my passive sentence impossible?

The original verb may not have an object. Intransitive verbs such as "arrive," "sleep," and "happen" do not normally form passive sentences.

Accurate grammar grows through meaningful use. CWC connects Grammar, Speaking, and Reading and Writing instruction, and ESS gives learners focused time to use English aloud every day. Contact CWC to learn about English programs in Los Angeles.