Practice
English practice: passive voice
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Recognise and form passive sentences by choosing the correct form of be, the past participle, and a by phrase only when it adds useful information.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
The tickets were printed this morning. /ðə ˈtɪk.ɪts wə ˈprɪn.tɪd ðɪs ˈmɔː.nɪŋ/
The short answer
Make the receiver of the action the subject, then use the right tense of be with a past participle. Add by plus the doer only when the reader needs that information.
The tickets were printed this morning.
Why it works: Tickets receive the action. Were shows the past tense, and printed is the past participle.
5 more examples
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The form is checked before each appointment.
Is gives a present-simple passive. Checked is the past participle.
Not this:The assistant
checksthe form before each appointment. What changes: The active sentence focuses on the assistant who performs the action. -
The bridge was repaired last year.
Was keeps the sentence in the past. The repair is the focus.
Not this:Engineers
repairedthe bridge last year. What changes: Use the active form when the engineers are the important part of the message. -
A new clinic is being built near the station.
Is being plus built shows that the work is in progress now.
Not this:A new clinic
has been builtnear the station. What changes: Has been built says the work is complete, not in progress. -
The results have been sent to every applicant.
Have been plus sent makes a present-perfect passive and links a completed action to now.
Not this:The results
will be senttomorrow. What changes: Will be sent describes a future action. -
The mural was painted by a local artist.
The by phrase is useful because it identifies the artist.
Not this:The pavement
was cleanedovernight. What changes: The sentence works without a by phrase because the cleaner is not needed for the message.
Read the full guide
First find the object in the active sentence. That object can become the subject of the passive sentence. Keep the original tense by changing be, then use the verb's past participle. A by phrase is optional. Leave it out when the doer is unknown, obvious, or unimportant.
Choose the right focus
An active sentence puts the doer first: The team planned the event. A passive sentence puts the thing affected by the action first: The event was planned by the team. Both can be correct. Choose the passive when the event matters more than the team, or when you do not know who planned it.
The meeting was moved to Friday.
This notice gives the useful information first. It does not need to name the person who changed the schedule.
Which sentence is more useful on a notice about a delayed train?
The train has been delayed is usually more useful because passengers need the result first.
Build the passive with be and a past participle
The core passive pattern is a form of be plus a past participle. Regular participles often end in -ed: cleaned, booked, and repaired. Irregular participles have their own forms: made, written, eaten, and seen. The tense belongs on be, not on the participle.
The report is written every month.
Is written is present simple. Written does not change to show the tense.
The report was written yesterday.
Was changes the sentence to the past while written remains the past participle.
Keep the original tense
Change be to show the same time as the active sentence. Present simple becomes am, is, or are plus a past participle. Past simple becomes was or were plus a past participle. Present perfect uses has or have been. Future meaning uses will be.
People recycle these bottles. These bottles are recycled.
Are recycled keeps the original present-simple meaning.
How do you make They will announce the winner passive?
Write: The winner will be announced.
Use continuous and perfect passive forms carefully
For an action in progress, use be plus being and a past participle: The kitchen is being cleaned. For a completed action connected to the present, use have or has been plus a past participle: The kitchen has been cleaned. These forms are longer, so use them only when the time meaning matters.
The application is being reviewed.
Being reviewed tells you that the review is happening now.
The application has been reviewed.
Has been reviewed says the review is already complete.
Add a by phrase only when it helps
A by phrase names the person or organisation that performed the action. It is useful when that information changes the meaning: The novel was written by Toni Morrison. Leave the phrase out when the doer is unknown, obvious, or not useful: My bike was stolen.
The safety rules were explained by the instructor.
By the instructor is useful if learners need to know who gave the explanation.
Do you need a by phrase in The window was broken during the storm?
No. The storm gives enough context, and a person may not have broken the window.
Avoid common passive mistakes
Do not use an ordinary verb form after be. Say The message was sent, not The message was sented. Check irregular participles too: The key was found, The room was left clean, and The plan was made yesterday. Also avoid the passive when it hides information the reader needs.
A decision was made by the committee.
Made is the participle of make. The by phrase is useful because it identifies who made the decision.
The committee made a decision.
This active sentence is shorter when the committee is the main subject of the message.
Before you go
Remember this
Move the receiver of the action to the front. Choose be in the same tense as the active verb and add a past participle. Use a by phrase when it helps the reader identify the doer. Keep the active voice when naming the doer is the clearest choice.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "English practice: passive voice"
What is the passive voice in English?
The passive voice puts the person or thing affected by an action in the subject position. It normally uses a form of be and a past participle, as in The parcel was delivered. Use it when the result or receiver of the action is the main point.
The form is checked before each appointment.
How do I change an active sentence into a passive sentence?
Move the active sentence's object into the subject position. Then choose be in the same tense as the active verb and add the verb's past participle. The object of The chef prepared the meal becomes the subject in The meal was prepared.
The assistant checks the form before each appointment.
When should I use by in a passive sentence?
Use by to name the doer when that information helps the reader. The mural was painted by a local artist tells us who created it. Leave the phrase out when the doer is unknown, obvious, or unnecessary.
The bridge was repaired last year.
What is the difference between is being repaired and has been repaired?
Is being repaired means the repair is in progress. Has been repaired means the repair is complete and has a result in the present. The first form is a continuous passive, while the second is a present-perfect passive.
Engineers repaired the bridge last year.
Can every active sentence become passive?
A sentence normally needs an object before it can become passive. You can change The team solved the problem because problem receives the action. You cannot normally make a passive from an intransitive verb such as arrive because it has no object.
A new clinic is being built near the station.