How to Use the Passive Voice Correctly (B1-B2 Guide)

Introduction

Have you ever wondered why native speakers sometimes say “The cake was eaten” instead of “Someone ate the cake”? That is the passive voice in action. Learning how to use the passive voice correctly will make your English sound more natural, especially in formal writing and news reports. In this guide, you will learn the rules, common mistakes, and practice exercises to master it.

What Is the Passive Voice?

The passive voice is a sentence structure where the object of an action becomes the subject of the sentence. In other words, the person or thing that receives the action is more important than the person or thing that does it.

Compare these two sentences:

• Active: The chef cooked the meal. (The subject “chef” does the action.)
• Passive: The meal was cooked (by the chef). (The object “meal” becomes the subject.)

The passive voice is formed with the verb “to be” + the past participle of the main verb. For example: is made, was written, have been seen.

Rules

Follow these five rules to form the passive voice correctly:

1. Identify the object. In an active sentence, find the noun that receives the action. Example: “The boy kicked the ball.” → Object = “the ball”.
2. Move the object to the subject position. “The ball” becomes the new subject.
3. Change the verb to “be” + past participle. The tense of “be” must match the original tense. “Kicked” (past simple) becomes “was kicked”.
4. Add the original subject after “by” (optional). Only include the “by” phrase if the doer is important. “The ball was kicked by the boy.”
5. Do not use the passive with intransitive verbs. Verbs that do not take an object (e.g., sleep, arrive, die) cannot be made passive. ❌ “The bed was slept.” ✅ “Someone slept in the bed.”

How to Use It

Here is a simple step-by-step method to change any active sentence into the passive voice:

• Step 1: Find the direct object. Ask: “Who or what receives the action?” Example: “The teacher explained the lesson.” → Object = “the lesson”.
• Step 2: Make the object the new subject. “The lesson…”
• Step 3: Check the tense of the main verb. “Explained” is past simple. Use the correct form of “to be” for past simple: was/were. Since “lesson” is singular, use “was”.
• Step 4: Add the past participle of the main verb. “Explained” → explained (past participle is the same here).
• Step 5: Add “by + original subject” if needed. “The lesson was explained by the teacher.”

Here are more tense examples:

• Present simple: “The report is written every day.” (Active: “Someone writes the report.”)
• Present continuous: “The house is being painted now.” (Active: “They are painting the house.”)
• Past simple: “The letter was sent yesterday.” (Active: “He sent the letter.”)
• Present perfect: “The problem has been solved.” (Active: “The team has solved the problem.”)
• Future with “will”: “The exam will be given next week.” (Active: “The professor will give the exam.”)

Examples in Sentences

Here are 10+ sentences showing the passive voice in different contexts. The grammar point is in bold.

• The car was repaired by a mechanic yesterday.
• English is spoken in many countries around the world.
• The book has been translated into 20 languages.
• All the cookies were eaten before the party started.
• The new hospital will be opened by the mayor next month.
• The window was broken during the storm.
• Your application is being reviewed right now.
• The movie had been finished before we arrived.
• These instructions must be followed carefully.
• The cake can be decorated with chocolate sprinkles.
• The suspect was seen near the bank at 8 PM.

Common Mistakes

Here are five frequent errors learners make with the passive voice, with corrections:

1. Mistake: Using the wrong form of “be”.
   ❌ “The letter is wrote by John.”
   ✅ “The letter is written by John.” (Past participle of “write” is “written”.)
2. Mistake: Forgetting to change the verb tense.
   ❌ “The dinner is cooked last night.” (Mixing present “is” with past time.)
   ✅ “The dinner was cooked last night.”
3. Mistake: Using passive with intransitive verbs.
   ❌ “The accident was happened yesterday.” (“Happen” has no object.)
   ✅ “The accident happened yesterday.” (Use active voice.)
4. Mistake: Adding “by” when the doer is unknown or unimportant.
   ❌ “My wallet was stolen by someone.” (The word “someone” adds no information.)
   ✅ “My wallet was stolen.” (Better to omit the “by” phrase.)
5. Mistake: Using passive when active is clearer.
   ❌ “The ball was kicked by the boy.” (Unnecessarily wordy.)
   ✅ “The boy kicked the ball.” (Active is simpler and stronger.)

Quick Summary

• The passive voice makes the object the subject of the sentence.
• Form it with “be” + past participle.
• Only use it when the doer is unknown, unimportant, or obvious.
• Do not use passive with intransitive verbs (e.g., sleep, happen, arrive).
• Use the correct tense of “be” to match the original action.
• Omit the “by” phrase unless the doer is necessary.

Practice Exercises

Fill in the blanks with the correct passive form. Use the tense indicated in parentheses.

1. The homework ___________ (do) by the students every day. (present simple)
2. A new bridge ___________ (build) in the city last year. (past simple)
3. The movie ___________ (watch) by millions of people already. (present perfect)
4. The package ___________ (deliver) tomorrow morning. (future with “will”)
5. The car ___________ (repair) right now at the garage. (present continuous)

Answers:

1. is done
2. was built
3. has been watched
4. will be delivered
5. is being repaired

Conclusion

The passive voice is a powerful tool in English, but it works best when used with purpose. Use it to focus on the action or the receiver, not the doer. Practice by rewriting active sentences into passive ones, and always check your verb forms. With time, you will use it naturally and correctly.

FAQ

1. When should I use the passive voice instead of the active voice?

Use the passive voice when the doer of the action is unknown, unimportant, or obvious from context. For example: “My bike was stolen.” (We do not know who stole it.) It is also common in formal writing, scientific reports, and news articles where the action is more important than the person performing it.

2. Can I use the passive voice with all tenses?

Yes, the passive voice can be used with most tenses, but you must change the form of “to be” accordingly. For example: present simple (is made), past simple (was made), present perfect (has been made), future (will be made). However, some continuous tenses (like future continuous: will be being made) are very rare and sound awkward in everyday English.

3. What is the difference between “by” and “with” in passive sentences?

Use “by” to introduce the person or thing that performs the action (the agent). Example: “The cake was baked by my mother.” Use “with” to introduce the tool or instrument used. Example: “The cake was cut with a knife.” If both are present, the order is: “by the agent” + “with the tool”.

4. Is it always wrong to use the passive voice?

No, it is not wrong. The passive voice is a natural part of English. However, overusing it can make your writing sound weak, wordy, or indirect. In most everyday conversations and creative writing, the active voice is preferred because it is clearer and more direct. Use the passive voice only when it serves a specific purpose, such as focusing on the action or hiding the doer.