B1 English GrammarPassive Voice
Shift focus from the doer to the action using be + past participle. Essential for formal writing, news, and when the actor is unknown or unimportant.
1Forming the Passive
Form the passive with 'be' + past participle. The tense is shown by 'be': is/are (present), was/were (past), will be (future), has/have been (perfect). The past participle stays the same.
Passive Formation
| Tense | Active | Passive |
|---|---|---|
| Present | She makes cakes. | Cakes are made. |
| Past | She made a cake. | A cake was made. |
| Future | She will make a cake. | A cake will be made. |
| Present Perfect | She has made a cake. | A cake has been made. |
Examples
English is spoken all over the world.
English is spoken all over the world.
present passive
The window was broken yesterday.
The window was broken yesterday.
past passive
The email will be sent tomorrow.
The email will be sent tomorrow.
future passive
The report has been finished.
The report has been finished.
present perfect passive
2When to Use the Passive
Use passive when: the action is more important than who did it, the doer is unknown or obvious, you want to be impersonal or formal. Common in news, science, and formal writing.
When to Use Passive
| Situation | Example |
|---|---|
| Doer unknown | My car was stolen. |
| Doer unimportant | The bridge was built in 1900. |
| Formal/impersonal | Smoking is not permitted. |
| Focus on action | Three people were injured. |
Examples
The meeting has been cancelled.
The meeting has been cancelled.
formal announcement
This wine is produced in France.
This wine is produced in France.
product description
My phone was stolen on the bus.
My phone was stolen on the bus.
unknown doer
The results will be announced next week.
The results will be announced next week.
formal future passive
3By + Agent
Add 'by' + agent when you want to mention who did the action. This is optional - only include it if the agent is important or interesting information.
Examples
This book was written by Stephen King.
This book was written by Stephen King.
famous author = important
The Mona Lisa was painted by Leonardo da Vinci.
The Mona Lisa was painted by Leonardo da Vinci.
artist is relevant
The bill was paid by my father.
The bill was paid by my father.
who paid is important
I was bitten by a dog.
I was bitten by a dog.
what bit is relevant
4Passive with Modals
Modal verbs (can, could, must, should, may, might, will) can be used in the passive: modal + be + past participle. This is common for rules, possibilities, and formal instructions.
Modal Passives
| Modal | Passive Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| can | can be done | It can be fixed. |
| must | must be done | It must be finished today. |
| should | should be done | It should be checked. |
| will | will be done | It will be delivered tomorrow. |
Examples
This form must be completed in ink.
This form must be completed in ink.
must + be + pp
Tickets can be purchased online.
Tickets can be purchased online.
can + be + pp
The documents should be signed.
The documents should be signed.
should + be + pp
The problem might be solved easily.
The problem might be solved easily.
might + be + pp