Passive voice might sound complicated, but it’s actually much easier than you think! In this guide, you’ll learn what passive voice is, when to use it, and how to create passive sentences with simple rules and clear examples. We’ll also cover common mistakes and give you plenty of practice to boost your English grammar skills.
What is the passive voice?
When we speak, we usually use the active voice. This is when the person or thing doing the action comes first in the sentence.
For example:
- I eat pancakes.
- She plays tennis.
- Tony writes letters.
In these sentences, the subject (I, she, Tony) is doing the action.
The passive voice flips things around. Instead of focusing on who does the action, the focus moves to the person or thing that receives the action.
Active voice:
Tony writes letters.
Passive voice:
Letters are written by Tony.
Think of it as changing the spotlight. The active voice shines the light on who is doing something, while the passive voice shines the light on what happens.
You’ll often see the passive voice used when we don’t know who did something, the person is not important, or the action itself is the main focus.
Hint: To make passive sentences, you’ll need to know the past participle (the third column of irregular verbs).
Passive Voice Formula
The structure of the passive voice is a little different from the normal sentence structure you’ve probably learnt. Let’s look at an example.
Active voice
Subject + Verb + Object
The dog chews the bone.
- The dog = subject → does the action
- chews = verb → the action
- the bone = object → receives the action
Passive voice
Subject + be + past participle (+ by + agent)
The bone is chewed by the dog.
Something interesting has happened here! The object from the active sentence has become the subject of the passive sentence.
And we’ve added an important ingredient: the verb “be” + the past participle.
The bone + is + chewed + by the dog
The “by the dog” part tells us who performed the action. But here’s the good news: we don’t always need it.
The bone was chewed.
If we don’t know who did it, or it isn’t important, we can simply leave the agent out.
The magic formula
BE + PAST PARTICIPLE = PASSIVE VOICE
For example:
is written
was eaten
are made
will be announced
It looks easy, right? Well… not that easy! 😏
The passive voice can be used with many different English tenses, although not every tense is commonly used in the passive. The form of “be” changes depending on the tense, while the past participle remains part of the passive structure.
Once you’ve cracked the different tenses, you’re well on your way to mastering the passive voice!
Active Voice vs Passive Voice
So, what’s the difference between active voice and passive voice?
The easiest way to remember it is to think about where the spotlight is pointing.
Active voice shines the spotlight on the person or thing doing the action.
Passive voice shines the spotlight on the person or thing receiving the action.
The action itself doesn’t necessarily change. The focus changes.
Let’s see it in action:
| Active Voice | Passive Voice |
|---|---|
| Tony writes the letters. | The letters are written by Tony. |
| The dog chewed the bone. | The bone was chewed by the dog. |
| Sarah baked the cake. | The cake was baked by Sarah. |
| Someone stole my bike. | My bike was stolen. |
| The chef is preparing the meal. | The meal is being prepared by the chef. |
| They will announce the results tomorrow. | The results will be announced tomorrow. |
| The company makes these shoes. | These shoes are made by the company. |
Notice the difference
In the active voice, the subject comes first and does the action:
Sarah baked the cake.
Sarah = the doer
In the passive voice, the focus moves to the thing receiving the action:
The cake was baked by Sarah.
The cake = the receiver
And here’s something important: you don’t always need to say who did the action.
For example:
Someone stole my bike. → My bike was stolen.
We don’t know who stole it, or perhaps it simply isn’t important. The poor bike is the star of the sentence now!
Passive Voice in Different Tenses
Here’s where things get a little more interesting. The passive voice can be used in several different English tenses, but the structure changes depending on when the action happens.
Don’t worry, though. The basic idea stays the same:
BE + PAST PARTICIPLE = PASSIVE VOICE
It’s the form of “be” that does most of the heavy lifting. It changes to show the tense, while the past participle remains part of the passive structure.
For example:
Present: The bread is eaten.
Past: The bread was eaten.
Future: The bread will be eaten.
See? Same bread, different tense!
The passive voice can be used in present, past and future forms, as well as perfect and continuous tenses. However, some passive forms are much more common and natural than others.
I’ve broken the main passive voice tenses down below, so you can see exactly how each one is formed and, more importantly, what it looks like in a real sentence.
Present Passive Voice
Let’s start with the present. These are some of the most common passive structures you’ll come across.
Present simple:
The bread is eaten by the girl.
Present continuous:
The bread is being eaten by the girl.
Present perfect:
The bread has been eaten by the girl.
Past Passive Voice
Let’s move into the past passive voice. These are some of the most common passive structures you’ll come across when talking about things that happened in the past.
Past simple:
The bread was eaten by the girl.
Past continuous:
The bread was being eaten by the girl.
Past perfect:
The bread had been eaten by the girl.
Notice how the form of “be” changes again, depending on the tense, while the past participle stays part of the passive structure.
Future Passive Voice
Let’s move into the future passive voice. These are some of the most common passive structures you’ll come across when talking about things that will happen in the future.
Future simple:
The bread will be eaten by the girl.
Future continuous:
The bread will be being eaten by the girl.
Future perfect:
The bread will have been eaten by the girl.
Notice how the form of “be” changes depending on the tense, while the past participle stays part of the passive structure.
When Do We Use the Passive Voice?
So, why do we use the passive voice, and why is it important?
The simple answer is this: the passive voice lets us put the spotlight on the person or thing that receives the action, rather than the person or thing doing it.
For example:
Active: The blaze killed 55 people.
The focus is on the blaze.
Passive: 55 people were killed by the blaze.
The focus is on 55 people.
Same event. Different spotlight.
The passive voice isn’t usually our first choice in everyday conversation. When we’re chatting with friends, we generally use the active voice because it’s more direct and natural.
But the passive voice definitely has its uses. And quite a few of them, actually!
How to Change Active Voice into Passive Voice
Changing an active sentence into the passive voice is easier than it looks. Once you know the steps, you can turn an active sentence into a passive one in no time.
Step 1: Find the object
First, find the object of the active sentence. This is the person or thing that receives the action.
- The girl eats the bread.
The girl is the subject because she performs the action. The bread is the object because it receives the action.
Step 2: Move the object to the front
Move the object to the beginning of the sentence.
- The bread …
Step 3: Change the verb
Now change the verb to the passive form:
be + past participle
The form of be depends on the tense.
- The girl eats the bread.
The bread is eaten by the girl. - The girl ate the bread.
The bread was eaten by the girl. - The girl will eat the bread.
The bread will be eaten by the girl.
The tense stays the same, but it moves onto the verb be.
Step 4: Add “by” + the agent
Finally, you can add by + the person or thing performing the action. This person or thing is called the agent.
- The bread is eaten by the girl.
However, you don’t always need to include the agent.
- My car was stolen. (We don’t know who stole it.)
- The house was built in 1920. (Who built it isn’t important.)
- The students were told to wait outside. (The person giving the instruction is obvious from the context.)
More examples
- Active: The chef cooked the meal.
Passive: The meal was cooked by the chef. - Active: Someone has stolen my bike.
Passive: My bike has been stolen. - Active: They are building a new hospital.
Passive: A new hospital is being built. - Active: The company will announce the results tomorrow.
Passive: The results will be announced tomorrow.
Notice that in several examples, the agent is left out because it isn’t important, isn’t known or is obvious.
The quick formula
Think:
Object → be + past participle → by + agent
The firefighters rescued the dog.
The dog was rescued by the firefighters.
Not every sentence can become passive
The active sentence normally needs a transitive verb, meaning a verb that has an object.
Sarah opened the door. ✅
The door was opened by Sarah. ✅
But:
Sarah laughed. ❌
There is no object, so this sentence cannot normally be changed into the passive voice.
The golden rule
When changing active to passive, keep the same meaning and tense, but change the focus.
Active: The mechanic repaired the car.
Passive: The car was repaired by the mechanic.
Same action. Same meaning. Different focus.
So remember: find the object, move it to the front, change the verb to the passive, and add “by” + the agent if needed.
Common Mistakes with the Passive Voice
The passive voice isn’t actually as scary as it looks. But there are a few little traps that catch English learners out again and again. Here are the most common passive voice mistakes to watch out for.
1. Forgetting the verb “be”
The passive needs a form of be + past participle. You can’t just chuck the past participle into a sentence and hope for the best!
❌ The car repaired by the mechanic.
✅ The car was repaired by the mechanic.
Don’t forget your is, are, was, were, been, being or be!
2. Using the wrong form of “be”
The form of be needs to match the tense and subject.
❌ The house is built last year.
✅ The house was built last year.
❌ The cars was washed.
✅ The cars were washed.
Remember: the tense changes the form of “be”, not the past participle.
3. Using the wrong past participle
The verb after be needs to be the past participle, not the infinitive or past simple.
❌ The cake was eat by the children.
✅ The cake was eaten by the children.
❌ The letter was wrote yesterday.
✅ The letter was written yesterday.
Irregular verbs can be the sneaky ones here. Learn those past participles!
4. Changing the tense by accident
When you change an active sentence into the passive, keep the same tense.
Active:
The chef cooked the meal.
Passive:
The meal was cooked by the chef.
Not:
❌ The meal is cooked by the chef.
That changes the sentence from past simple to present simple.
5. Adding “by” when you don’t need it
You don’t have to include the agent every time. In fact, “by” is often left out when the person responsible is unknown, obvious or unimportant.
❌ My bike was stolen by someone.
✅ My bike was stolen.
We don’t know who stole it, and “by someone” adds nothing useful.
6. Trying to make every verb passive
Not every verb can be changed into the passive voice.
The active sentence needs an object.
Sarah opened the door. ✅
So we can say:
The door was opened by Sarah. ✅
But:
Sarah laughed. ❌
There is no object, so “laughed” cannot normally be made passive.
7. Leaving out the agent when it is important
Sometimes the person who performed the action really does matter.
The report was written by Sarah.
If we need to know that Sarah wrote it, include the agent.
Compare:
The report was written yesterday.
Here, who wrote it isn’t important.
The passive is all about focus, so don’t automatically hide the agent just because you can.
8. Using the passive when the active is clearer
The passive voice is useful, but that doesn’t mean you should use it everywhere. Sometimes the active voice is shorter, clearer and much more natural.
The manager approved the request. ✅
is often better than:
The request was approved by the manager.
Both are grammatically correct. The question is simply: what do you want to emphasise?
Quick passive voice checklist
Before you hit publish, hand in your homework or send that very important email, check:
- Have I used the correct form of “be”?
- Is the verb in the past participle form?
- Have I kept the original tense?
- Does the active sentence have an object?
- Do I actually need to include “by + agent”?
- Would the active voice be clearer?
If you’ve ticked all those boxes, you’re probably on safe ground. The passive voice isn’t trying to trick you. It just likes to move things around a bit.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Passive Voice
What is the passive voice?
The passive voice is a grammatical structure where the person or thing affected by an action becomes the focus of the sentence.
Active: The chef cooked the meal.
Passive: The meal was cooked by the chef.
In the active sentence, the focus is on the chef. In the passive, the focus shifts to the meal.
Why do we use the passive voice?
We use the passive voice when the person performing the action is unknown, obvious, unimportant or deliberately left out. We can also use it to emphasise the person or thing affected by the action, describe processes, or make language sound more formal.
My car was stolen.
We don’t know who stole it, and that’s not the important part of the sentence.
Is the passive voice bad?
Absolutely not! The passive voice isn’t bad grammar. It’s a useful part of English.
The problem is using it too much. If every sentence is passive, your writing can become wordy, vague or difficult to follow. Use the passive when it helps you focus on the right information.
Is the passive voice formal?
The passive voice is often used in formal English, particularly in academic, scientific and professional writing. However, it isn’t exclusively formal.
You’ll also hear passive structures in everyday conversations:
My phone was stolen.
So, passive doesn’t automatically mean formal.
Can every sentence be changed into the passive voice?
No. An active sentence normally needs an object for it to be changed into the passive.
Sarah opened the door.
The door was opened by Sarah.
But:
Sarah laughed.
There’s no object, so laughed cannot normally be made passive.
What is the passive voice formula?
The basic passive voice formula is:
Subject + form of “be” + past participle (+ by + agent)
For example:
The cake was eaten by Tom.
The form of be changes depending on the tense:
is eaten
was eaten
is being eaten
has been eaten
will be eaten
What’s the difference between active and passive voice?
The active voice focuses on the person or thing doing the action.
The dog chased the cat.
The passive voice focuses on the person or thing receiving the action.
The cat was chased by the dog.
Same action. Same basic meaning. Different focus.
How do I identify the passive voice?
Look for a form of be + past participle.
The window was broken.
Was = form of be
Broken = past participle
Also look for “by + person/thing”, although the agent isn’t always included.
The window was broken by Tom.
And remember, not every sentence containing a form of be is passive. For example:
She is tired.
That’s not passive because tired isn’t receiving an action here.
How do I change active voice into passive voice?
Follow these simple steps:
- Find the object.
- Move it to the front.
- Change the verb to be + past participle.
- Add “by + agent” if needed.
The chef cooked the meal.
→ The meal was cooked by the chef.
When shouldn’t I use the passive voice?
Don’t use the passive simply because you think it sounds more intelligent or formal. Sometimes the active voice is much clearer and more direct.
The manager approved the request. ✅
is usually clearer than:
The request was approved by the manager.
If the person doing the action is important, the active voice is often the better choice.
Does the passive voice always need “by”?
No. “By” is optional.
Use it when the agent is important:
The painting was created by Picasso.
Leave it out when the agent is unknown, obvious or unimportant:
My car was stolen.
You don’t need to write “My car was stolen by someone”. We get the idea!
What is the agent in the passive voice?
The agent is the person or thing that performs the action.
The cake was made by Sarah.
Sarah is the agent.
The agent can be left out when it isn’t important:
The cake was made yesterday.
Can the passive voice be used in all tenses?
Yes. The passive can be formed in many different tenses, although some forms are much more common than others.
For example:
Present: The car is repaired.
Past: The car was repaired.
Present perfect: The car has been repaired.
Future: The car will be repaired.
Present continuous: The car is being repaired.
The key is remembering that the form of “be” changes with the tense, while the main verb stays in its past participle form.
Is “get” passive?
Yes, get + past participle can be used as a passive structure, particularly in informal English.
He got injured during the match.
It can sound more conversational than:
He was injured during the match.
However, be + past participle is the standard passive structure and is more common in formal writing.
Why do newspapers use the passive voice?
Newspapers often use the passive to focus on what happened, rather than who performed the action. It can also keep headlines short.
Local boy seriously injured by falling tree.
The full sentence would be:
A local boy was seriously injured by a falling tree.
The headline simply drops some words to keep things short and punchy.
Passive Voice: Summary and Recap
So, there you have it! The passive voice might look a little complicated at first, but once you get your head around be + past participle, it becomes much easier. The big difference is where you put the focus. In the active voice, the focus is usually on the person doing the action. In the passive voice, the focus shifts to the person or thing receiving the action.
We use the passive when the agent is unknown, obvious, unimportant or deliberately left vague, but it can also be useful for describing processes, making language sound more formal or polite, and highlighting the person or thing affected by an action. Just remember: passive doesn’t mean better or more formal. Use it when it helps you put the spotlight in the right place. And if you can remember be + past participle, you’re already halfway there!
Further Study
Enjoyed getting your head around the passive voice? Why stop there? If you’re ready for a little more English grammar, here are a few other pages worth exploring:
- Tense Structures – See how different English tenses are formed and used.
- Regular Verbs – Get to grips with regular verb forms and endings.
- Irregular Verbs – Master those pesky verbs that refuse to follow the rules!
- Sentence Structure – Learn how English sentences are put together.
- Phrasal Verbs – Discover the combinations that make everyday English a little more interesting.
- Modal Verbs – Learn how to use can, could, should, must, might and more.
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