Every sentence in English has a "voice", active or passive, depending on whether the subject performs the action or receives it. In the active voice, the subject does the action: "The chef cooked the meal." In the passive voice, the subject receives the action: "The meal was cooked by the chef." Both sentences describe the same event, but they shift the focus from who did something to what was done.
The passive voice is not simply a more complicated or "fancier" way of saying the same thing, it serves genuinely different communicative purposes. It is used when the action itself matters more than who performed it, when the person responsible is unknown or unimportant, or when formal, academic or objective tone is required. Understanding when to reach for the passive, and how to form it accurately across every tense, is what this guide covers in full.
Many learners avoid the passive voice altogether because the active voice usually "works" too. But native-level, professional and academic English uses the passive constantly and deliberately. Mastering it is essential for formal writing, scientific and business English, and several major exam tasks.
Why Does the Passive Voice Matter?
It's everywhere in formal and professional English: news reports, scientific writing, official announcements, business communication.
It changes emphasis without changing facts, useful for diplomacy, objectivity and precise communication.
Every major exam tests passive transformation directly, particularly Cambridge key word transformation tasks.
Who Should Learn This Page?
This guide is written for B1 (intermediate) through C1 (advanced) learners. The passive voice is a genuinely intermediate-to-advanced topic, it requires solid command of auxiliary verbs and past participles first (see our Present Perfect and Past Simple guides if you need that foundation before starting here).
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How to use this guide
The passive voice follows one consistent pattern across every tense: a form of "be" + past participle. Once you see this pattern clearly (Section 5), the rest of this guide is about learning when, not just how, to use it.
2. Quick Summary
⚡ Passive Voice at a Glance
DefinitionA sentence structure where the subject receives the action rather than performing it.
StructureSubject + be (in the correct tense) + past participle (+ by + agent, optional)
Typical UsesUnknown/unimportant agent, formal/scientific tone, focus on the action or result
Example"The bridge was built in 1990." (Active: "Workers built the bridge in 1990.")
Common MistakeUsing the wrong form of "be" or forgetting the past participle: "The cake was bake" instead of "was baked"
Memory TipPassive = be + V3 (past participle). Always. In every tense.
3. The Grammar Rule
The passive voice is formed with a form of the verb "to be" (conjugated in whichever tense is needed) followed by the past participle of the main verb. The original object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence.
Active
Passive
The chef cooked the meal.
The meal was cooked (by the chef).
Workers built this bridge in 1990.
This bridge was built in 1990.
The company will launch the product next year.
The product will be launched next year.
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The verb "to be" changes, the past participle never does
Whatever tense you need, only the form of "be" changes (is/was/has been/will be, etc.). The past participle of the main verb always stays exactly the same form, regardless of tense.
4. Sentence Structure
Form
Structure
Example
Positive
Subject + be + past participle
The report was written by Sarah.
Negative
Subject + be + not + past participle
The report was not written by Sarah.
Question
Be + subject + past participle?
Was the report written by Sarah?
5. The Passive in Every Tense
The passive can be formed in almost every English tense, only the form of "be" changes; the past participle is always constant.
Tense
Active Example
Passive Example
Present Simple
They make this in China.
This is made in China.
Present Continuous
They are building a new bridge.
A new bridge is being built.
Past Simple
They built this in 1990.
This was built in 1990.
Past Continuous
They were repairing the road.
The road was being repaired.
Present Perfect
They have finished the project.
The project has been finished.
Past Perfect
They had completed the work.
The work had been completed.
Future Simple (will)
They will announce the results.
The results will be announced.
Future Perfect
They will have finished it by June.
It will have been finished by June.
Modal (must, can, should)
You must submit the form.
The form must be submitted.
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The two structures students forget
Present and past continuous passive use "being": "is being built," "was being repaired." Perfect tenses use "been": "has been finished," "had been completed." These two, being and been, are the most common points of confusion across every level.
6. Every Use of the Passive Voice
1 The Agent Is Unknown
We don't know who performed the action, so there is nothing to put in an active subject position.
My car was stolen last night. (we don't know who)
The window was broken sometime during the storm.
The painting was damaged in transit.
Several documents were leaked to the press.
The wall has been vandalised again.
2 The Agent Is Obvious or Unimportant
Everyone already knows or can guess who did it, so naming them adds nothing useful.
The suspect was arrested yesterday. (obviously by the police)
The patient was treated immediately. (obviously by medical staff)
Taxes are collected every April.
The streets are cleaned every morning.
English is spoken in many countries.
3 Formal, Scientific and Academic Writing
The passive creates an objective, impersonal tone, standard in scientific reports, academic writing and formal documentation, where the process or finding matters more than who carried it out.
The samples were heated to 100 degrees.
The data was collected over a six-month period.
It was found that the treatment was effective.
The results were analysed using standard statistical methods.
Three hypotheses were tested in this study.
4 News Reports and Headlines
News writing favours the passive when the event itself is the focus, or when the responsible party is still being investigated/unconfirmed.
Two people were injured in the accident.
A new policy was announced this morning.
The building was evacuated following the alarm.
Millions of pounds were raised for the charity.
The decision has been criticised by opposition MPs.
5 To Be Diplomatic or Avoid Blame
The passive can deliberately avoid naming who is responsible, useful for softening criticism or avoiding direct blame.
Mistakes were made. (avoiding "I made mistakes")
The deadline was missed. (not "You missed the deadline")
The passive emphasises the steps of a process rather than who performs them, common in manuals, recipes and process descriptions.
First, the flour is mixed with water.
The mixture is then heated for ten minutes.
Each part is inspected before being shipped.
The cars are assembled on a production line.
The product is tested at every stage.
7. Using "By", When to Include the Agent
The agent (who or what performed the action) is optional in the passive voice. Include it only when it adds useful information.
Include "by + agent" when...
Omit the agent when...
The agent is genuinely important new information
The agent is unknown
"Romeo and Juliet" was written by Shakespeare.
My phone was stolen. (we don't know by whom)
The proposal was rejected by the board.
The proposal was rejected. (the board is obvious from context)
The award was presented by the mayor herself.
The award was presented at the ceremony.
8. Passive with Modal Verbs
Modal verbs combine with the passive using: modal + be + past participle.
Active
Passive
You must submit the form by Friday.
The form must be submitted by Friday.
You can use this room for meetings.
This room can be used for meetings.
They should announce the results soon.
The results should be announced soon.
You might need to update the file.
The file might need to be updated.
They should have informed the customer.
The customer should have been informed.
9. The "Get" Passive (Informal)
In informal spoken English, "get" sometimes replaces "be" in the passive, especially for unplanned or unfortunate events. This is genuinely common in everyday speech but should be avoided in formal writing.
Standard Passive (formal/neutral)
"Get" Passive (informal)
My phone was stolen.
My phone got stolen.
She was promoted last month.
She got promoted last month.
The car was damaged in the accident.
The car got damaged in the accident.
10. Recognising When to Use the Passive
Question to Ask
Likely Voice
Do I know/care who did this?
If no → passive. If yes and it matters → active.
Am I writing formally/scientifically?
Passive often more natural
Is the action/result more important than the doer?
Passive
Am I describing a process or sequence of steps?
Passive common in instructions/manuals
Am I being diplomatic about blame?
Passive helps avoid direct accusation
11. Active vs Passive, Side by Side
Active
Passive
Why You Might Choose Passive
Someone broke the window.
The window was broken.
Agent unknown
The police arrested the suspect.
The suspect was arrested.
Agent obvious
Scientists discovered a new species.
A new species was discovered.
Focus on the discovery, not who found it
I made a mistake.
A mistake was made.
Diplomatic, avoids direct blame
They are building a new airport.
A new airport is being built.
Focus on the airport, agent unimportant
12. British vs American English
Situation
British English
American English
"Get" passive frequency
Common in informal speech
Very common, arguably even more frequent in everyday American speech
Past participle spelling
"got" as past participle of get
"gotten" commonly used as past participle: "It's gotten worse"
Style guidance on passive use
Traditionally cautious about overusing passive in writing guidance
Similarly cautious; both varieties favour active voice in modern style guides except where passive is genuinely appropriate
13. Formal vs Informal English
Context
Example
Formal/academic
The results were analysed and the findings were subsequently published.
Informal/spoken
We looked at the results and then published what we found.
Formal announcement
Applicants will be notified of the outcome by email.
Informal message
We'll email you to let you know.
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Overusing the passive in writing can sound stiff
Modern English style guides (in both British and American English) generally recommend active voice for clarity and directness, reserving the passive for situations where it is genuinely the better choice, not as a default "more formal-sounding" habit. Overusing the passive can make writing feel evasive or unnecessarily complex.
14. Spoken English
The passive is used less frequently in everyday spoken English than in writing, partly because spoken conversation usually does know (and wants to mention) who did what. However, certain passive expressions are extremely common in speech:
"I was told...", reporting information from an unspecified source.
"It's been done.", confirming completion without naming who did it.
"I got fired.", the informal "get" passive for unfortunate personal events.
"You're invited!", informal passive for invitations.
15. Pronunciation
"Was" and "were" are often weakened in connected speech: "was built" can sound like /wəzˈbɪlt/ with a reduced vowel.
"Been" is pronounced /bɪn/ in British English (not "bean"), a common pronunciation error for learners.
Stress typically falls on the past participle, not the auxiliary: "The bridge was BUILT in 1990," not "The bridge WAS built."
16. 30 Common Mistakes
❌ The cake was bake yesterday.
✅ The cake was baked yesterday.
Missing the past participle ending, "bake" must become "baked."
❌ The report is wrote by Sarah.
✅ The report is written by Sarah.
"Wrote" is past simple; the past participle of "write" is "written."
❌ This song was sang by a famous artist.
✅ This song was sung by a famous artist.
"Sang" is past simple; the past participle of "sing" is "sung."
❌ The car was repair last week.
✅ The car was repaired last week.
Missing the past participle ending on "repair."
❌ The window broke by the storm.
✅ The window was broken by the storm.
Missing the auxiliary "was", without it, this sounds like an intransitive active sentence, not a passive one.
❌ The meeting is cancel.
✅ The meeting is cancelled.
Missing the past participle ending, "cancel" must become "cancelled."
❌ The results were announce yesterday.
✅ The results were announced yesterday.
Missing the past participle ending on "announce."
❌ The form must filled in.
✅ The form must be filled in.
Missing "be" between the modal "must" and the past participle.
❌ The bridge is building right now.
✅ The bridge is being built right now.
Present continuous passive needs "being," not just "is + verb-ing", that would describe an active, ongoing action by the bridge itself, which doesn't make sense.
❌ The project has finished by the team.
✅ The project has been finished by the team.
Present perfect passive needs "has been," not just "has."
❌ The letter was send yesterday.
✅ The letter was sent yesterday.
"Send" must become the past participle "sent."
❌ English is speaking in many countries.
✅ English is spoken in many countries.
"Speaking" (verb-ing) is incorrect here, the passive needs the past participle "spoken."
❌ The keys were find under the sofa.
✅ The keys were found under the sofa.
"Find" must become the past participle "found."
❌ A decision will made tomorrow.
✅ A decision will be made tomorrow.
Missing "be" after "will" in the future passive.
❌ The package was deliver this morning.
✅ The package was delivered this morning.
"Deliver" must become "delivered."
❌ It is made by hand traditionally.
✅ It is traditionally made by hand.
This is grammatically correct, but the adverb placement is awkward, adverbs of manner/frequency typically sit before the main verb in passive sentences for natural flow.
❌ The room was clean by the staff.
✅ The room was cleaned by the staff.
"Clean" must become the past participle "cleaned."
❌ I was give a warning.
✅ I was given a warning.
"Give" must become the past participle "given."
❌ The film was direct by a famous director.
✅ The film was directed by a famous director.
"Direct" must become "directed."
❌ The new policy was introduce last year.
✅ The new policy was introduced last year.
"Introduce" must become "introduced."
❌ The contract has signed by both parties.
✅ The contract has been signed by both parties.
Present perfect passive requires "has been," not just "has."
❌ The patient is treating by the doctor.
✅ The patient is being treated by the doctor.
Present continuous passive requires "is being treated," not "is treating" (which would mean the patient is actively treating someone else).
❌ The award was give to the winner.
✅ The award was given to the winner.
"Give" must become the past participle "given."
❌ My bag was steal at the station.
✅ My bag was stolen at the station.
"Steal" must become the past participle "stolen."
❌ The event was organise by volunteers.
✅ The event was organised by volunteers.
"Organise" must become "organised."
❌ It was decide to postpone the meeting.
✅ It was decided to postpone the meeting.
"Decide" must become the past participle "decided."
❌ The cars were make in Germany.
✅ The cars were made in Germany.
"Make" must become the past participle "made."
❌ A new hospital being built in the city.
✅ A new hospital is being built in the city.
Missing the auxiliary "is" before "being built."
❌ The mistake should correcting immediately.
✅ The mistake should be corrected immediately.
Modal passive requires "should be corrected," not "should correcting."
❌ The cheque was wrote out carefully.
✅ The cheque was written out carefully.
"Wrote" is past simple; the past participle of "write" is "written."
17. Advanced Usage (B2–C1)
Reporting Verbs in the Passive ("It Is Said That...")
An advanced, formal structure used to report general beliefs or claims without attributing them to a specific source: "It is said that the building is haunted." "It is believed that the company will expand soon." This pattern is common in news writing and formal reports.
Structure
Example
It + is/was + reporting verb (past participle) + that-clause
It is thought that the painting is over 300 years old.
Verbs with two objects (give, send, offer, tell) can form the passive in two ways, focusing on either object.
Active
Passive (focus on person)
Passive (focus on thing)
They gave her an award.
She was given an award.
An award was given to her.
The first passive form (focusing on the person) is generally more natural and more common in everyday English.
Causative Passive ("Have Something Done")
A related structure expressing that someone arranges for an action to be done by someone else, rather than doing it themselves: "I had my hair cut" (someone else cut it, I arranged it), distinct from "I cut my hair" (I did it myself).
18. Native Speaker Tips
"I was told..." is extremely common for reporting information without naming the source, far more natural than "Someone told me..." in many contexts.
"It's been done" is a classic, slightly clipped confirmation in British workplace English, efficient and impersonal.
"Mistakes were made" has become a recognised idiom for evasive, blame-avoiding language in politics and business, native speakers often use it knowingly, sometimes with irony.
The "get" passive sounds more natural than "be" in casual stories about unfortunate events: "I got fired" sounds more conversational than "I was fired," though both are correct.
B: It got damaged in the car park, someone hit it and didn't leave a note.
A: Has the report been finished yet?
B: Almost, it's being reviewed by the manager right now.
A: When was this building built?
B: It was constructed in the 1920s, I believe, though it's been renovated several times since.
A: Why is the road closed?
B: It's being resurfaced, apparently it'll be finished by Friday.
A: I heard you got promoted!
B: Yes, it was announced this morning, I'm still a bit shocked, honestly.
A: Who painted this?
B: It's not known for certain, it's thought to be by a local artist from the 1800s.
A: Has my package arrived?
B: Not yet, it was shipped yesterday, so it should be delivered tomorrow.
A: Why was the meeting cancelled?
B: I'm not sure, I was just told it had been postponed until next week.
A: Was the contract signed yet?
B: Yes, it was signed by both parties this afternoon.
A: I had my car serviced last week.
B: Good idea, was anything wrong with it?
22. Reading Practice
Reading: "How the Bridge Was Built"
The bridge was originally designed in 1925, though construction wasn't started until three years later due to funding issues. Once approved, the project was completed remarkably quickly, the main structure was finished within eighteen months. Steel for the project was shipped from factories across the country, and thousands of workers were employed throughout the construction period. Several safety innovations, unusual for the time, were introduced specifically for this project. Sadly, eleven workers were killed during construction, a fact that is now commemorated by a small plaque at the entrance. The bridge was officially opened in 1932, and it has been continuously used ever since. Today, it is maintained by a dedicated team of engineers, and major repairs are carried out roughly every decade. It is widely considered to be one of the most impressive engineering achievements of its era, and it was designated a protected historic structure in 1987.
Comprehension Questions
1. When was the bridge designed, and when did construction actually begin?
2. How many workers were killed during construction?
3. When was the bridge officially opened?
4. Find three different passive tenses used in the text, and identify each one.
Show Answers
1. Designed in 1925; construction began three years later (1928).
2. Eleven.
3. In 1932.
4. Example answers: "was originally designed" (past simple passive); "has been continuously used" (present perfect passive); "is maintained" (present simple passive); "are carried out" (present simple passive).
23. Listening Script
ESL Listening Script: "Office News"
Manager: A few updates before we start. The new system has been installed, so you should all have access now. If you don't, let IT know and it'll be sorted out quickly.
Tom: Has the budget for next quarter been approved yet?
Manager: Not officially, it's being reviewed by finance this week, and we should hear back by Friday.
Sarah: What about the office move? Has a date been set?
Manager: Yes, it was confirmed yesterday, we'll be moved into the new building by the end of next month. Everything will be handled by the facilities team, so you won't need to worry about logistics.
Listening Questions
1. What has been installed?
2. Has the budget been approved yet?
3. Who will handle the logistics of the office move?
Show Answers
1. The new system.
2. No, it's being reviewed by finance, with an answer expected by Friday.
3. The facilities team.
24. Writing Tasks
Task 1, News Report
Write a short news report (100 words) about a local event, using the passive voice throughout where appropriate.
Show Model Answer
A new community centre was officially opened yesterday in the town's main square. The building, which was designed by a local architecture firm, took almost two years to complete. Funding was provided by both the local council and several private donors, with over £2 million raised in total. The centre will be used for a range of activities, including classes, community meetings and youth programmes. Local residents were invited to attend the opening ceremony, where speeches were given by the mayor and several community leaders. The centre is expected to be fully operational by next month.
Task 2, Process Description
Write a short description (100 words) of how a product is made or a process works, using the passive voice.
Show Model Answer
Coffee beans are first harvested by hand, then sorted to remove any damaged or unripe beans. The beans are washed and dried before being roasted at carefully controlled temperatures. Once roasting is complete, the beans are left to cool before being packaged. Quality is checked at every stage of the process, and samples are regularly tested to ensure consistency. Finally, the packaged coffee is shipped to distributors, where it is sold to cafés and retailers around the world. The entire process, from harvest to packaging, is usually completed within a few weeks.
25. Speaking Tasks
Discussion Questions
Describe something you own and explain how it was made.
Has anything been stolen from you? What happened?
What rules are enforced in your workplace or school?
Describe a process you know well, using passive structures where appropriate.
What famous building or landmark do you know the history of? When was it built?
Role Play: Reporting an Incident
Practise describing an incident (a theft, an accident, a problem at work) using the passive voice to focus on what happened rather than who caused it.
Cambridge Speaking-Style Questions
Describe a building or place that was important in your childhood.
Talk about something that was made or built in your country recently.
IELTS Speaking-Style Questions
Describe a product that is made in your country. How is it produced?
Talk about a famous landmark. When was it built, and what is it known for?
26. Exercises
A. Transform Active to Passive (30 questions)
1. The chef cooked the meal. → The meal ___
2. They built this house in 1990. → This house ___
3. Someone stole my bike. → My bike ___
4. They are building a new school. → A new school ___
5. The company will launch the product. → The product ___
6. They have finished the project. → The project ___
7. You must submit the form by Friday. → The form ___
8. People speak English in many countries. → English ___
9. They cancelled the meeting. → The meeting ___
10. Workers were repairing the road. → The road ___
11. The police arrested the suspect. → The suspect ___
12. They had completed the work by June. → The work ___
13. Someone broke the window. → The window ___
14. They will have finished it by then. → It ___
15. The teacher gave the students homework. → The students ___
16. They are reviewing the application. → The application ___
17. Shakespeare wrote this play. → This play ___
18. They should announce the results soon. → The results ___
19. The company employs five hundred people. → Five hundred people ___
20. They delivered the package this morning. → The package ___
21. Scientists discovered a new species. → A new species ___
22. They are processing your order. → Your order ___
23. The council approved the plan. → The plan ___
24. They had warned everyone about the storm. → Everyone ___
25. The board rejected the proposal. → The proposal ___
26. They will be testing the product next month. → The product ___
27. They have already informed the customer. → The customer ___
28. The committee will review the case. → The case ___
29. They make this product in Japan. → This product ___
30. They were treating the patient when I arrived. → The patient ___
Show Answers (A)
1. was cooked (by the chef) 2. was built in 1990 3. was stolen 4. is being built 5. will be launched 6. has been finished 7. must be submitted by Friday 8. is spoken in many countries 9. was cancelled 10. was being repaired 11. was arrested 12. had been completed by June 13. was broken 14. will have been finished 15. were given homework 16. is being reviewed 17. was written by Shakespeare 18. should be announced soon 19. are employed (by the company) 20. was delivered this morning 21. was discovered 22. is being processed 23. was approved 24. had been warned about the storm 25. was rejected 26. will be tested next month 27. has already been informed 28. will be reviewed 29. is made in Japan 30. was being treated when I arrived
B. Multiple Choice (20 questions)
1. The cake ___ yesterday. (a) was bake (b) was baked
2. The report ___ by Sarah. (a) is wrote (b) is written
3. The bridge ___ right now. (a) is building (b) is being built
4. The project ___ already. (a) has finished (b) has been finished
5. The form ___ by Friday. (a) must submitted (b) must be submitted
6. English ___ in many countries. (a) is spoken (b) is speaking
7. The letter ___ yesterday. (a) was sent (b) was send
8. A decision ___ tomorrow. (a) will made (b) will be made
9. The patient ___ by the doctor now. (a) is treating (b) is being treated
10. The keys ___ under the sofa. (a) were found (b) were find
Show Answers (B)
1.b 2.b 3.b 4.b 5.b 6.a 7.a 8.b 9.b 10.a
C. Error Correction (15 questions)
1. The window broke by the storm.
2. The meeting is cancel.
3. The results were announce yesterday.
4. The bridge is building right now.
5. The project has finished by the team.
6. I was give a warning.
7. The contract has signed by both parties.
8. The mistake should correcting immediately.
9. My bag was steal at the station.
10. A new hospital being built in the city.
Show Answers (C)
1. The window was broken by the storm.
2. The meeting is cancelled.
3. The results were announced yesterday.
4. The bridge is being built right now.
5. The project has been finished by the team.
6. I was given a warning.
7. The contract has been signed by both parties.
8. The mistake should be corrected immediately.
9. My bag was stolen at the station.
10. A new hospital is being built in the city.
27. Mini Quiz
28. Exam Focus, Cambridge, IELTS, Trinity, SELT
Exam
How the Passive Is Tested
Sample Question
Cambridge B1 Preliminary
Basic passive forms in present and past simple, introduced as a key transformation point.
"They built this house in 1990." → "This house ___ in 1990." (was built)
Cambridge B2 First
Key word transformation tests passive across multiple tenses extensively, one of the most common task types.
"Someone stole my phone." → "My phone ___." (was stolen)
Cambridge C1 Advanced
Reporting passive ("it is said that..."), passive modals, and passive with two objects.
Use of English: transform between "It is believed that..." and "The company is believed to..."
Cambridge C2 Proficiency
Subtle passive use in academic and journalistic register, causative passive.
Open cloze and word formation in formal/academic passages.
IELTS
Writing Task 1 (describing processes/diagrams) relies heavily on the passive voice.
"The raw materials are first collected, then transported to the factory..."
Trinity GESE/ISE (SELT)
Passive appears in higher-level Reading and Writing tasks (ISE II and above).
Formal written tasks describing processes or general facts.
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Exam tip
Cambridge key word transformation tasks test the passive voice more than almost any other grammar point, practising active-to-passive transformation across every tense (Section 26A) is one of the single highest-value preparation activities for B2 First and C1 Advanced.
29. Frequently Asked Questions
A sentence structure where the subject receives the action rather than performing it, formed with a form of "be" plus the past participle.
Subject + be (in the correct tense) + past participle, with an optional "by + agent." Example: "The meal was cooked by the chef."
When the agent is unknown or unimportant, in formal/scientific writing, in news reports, to be diplomatic about blame, or when describing a process.
Only when the agent provides genuinely useful new information, such as "Romeo and Juliet" was written by Shakespeare." Omit it when the agent is unknown, obvious, or unimportant.
Subject + is/are + being + past participle. Example: "The bridge is being built."
Subject + has/have + been + past participle. Example: "The project has been finished."
Modal + be + past participle. Example: "The form must be submitted."
An informal alternative to the standard "be" passive, common in spoken English for unplanned or unfortunate events: "My phone got stolen." It should be avoided in formal writing.
It creates an objective, impersonal tone that focuses on the process or finding rather than who carried it out: "The samples were heated to 100 degrees."
Yes, "Mistakes were made" avoids directly naming who made the mistake, a deliberately diplomatic or evasive use of the passive.
Modern style guides generally recommend active voice for clarity, reserving the passive for situations where it is genuinely the better choice. Overusing it can make writing feel stiff or evasive.
A formal structure used to report general beliefs without naming a specific source: "It is said that the building is haunted," or "The building is said to be haunted."
A structure expressing that someone arranged for an action to be done by someone else: "I had my hair cut" means someone else cut it, not that I cut it myself.
Yes, "They gave her an award" can become either "She was given an award" (focus on the person, more common) or "An award was given to her" (focus on the thing).
No, only the form of "be" changes across tenses. The past participle of the main verb always stays the same.
No, the main verb must be in its past participle form: "The cake was baked."
"Is built" (present simple passive) describes a general fact or habit: "This is built from steel." "Is being built" (present continuous passive) describes an action in progress now: "A new bridge is being built."
No, only sentences with a transitive verb (one that takes a direct object) can be made passive. Intransitive verbs like "arrive" or "happen" cannot form a standard passive.
Less common than in writing, but certain expressions like "I was told..." and the "get" passive ("I got fired") are very common in everyday speech.
Process diagrams in IELTS Writing Task 1 rely heavily on the passive voice to describe steps objectively: "The raw materials are first collected, then transported to the factory."
Without the auxiliary "was," this looks like an active sentence using "break" intransitively, which doesn't take "by + agent" naturally. The correct passive form is "The window was broken by the storm."
"I cut my hair" means you did it yourself. "I had my hair cut" (causative passive) means you arranged for someone else to do it.
Yes, particularly in higher-level Reading and Writing tasks (ISE II and above), where formal or process-based writing is required.
B1 (intermediate) is the typical starting point, as it requires solid command of past participles and auxiliary verbs. Advanced passive structures (reporting passive, causative passive) are B2–C1 level.
To focus on the event itself rather than who caused it, especially when the responsible party is unknown, unconfirmed, or less newsworthy than the event: "Two people were injured in the accident."
Practise transforming active sentences into passive ones across different tenses, and describe processes (recipes, manufacturing, daily routines) using the passive. Use the exercises in Section 26, then book a free consultation for personalised feedback.
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