What Is Passive Voice?

What Is Passive Voice?

Passive voice is a sentence structure where the object of an action becomes the focus of the sentence, and the subject (who performs the action) is either omitted or mentioned later. This form is often used when the doer is unknown, unimportant, or to emphasize the action and its effect rather than who performed it.

Explanation

In passive voice, the sentence structure is typically:
Object + “to be” (in the appropriate tense) + Past Participle (+ by + Subject [optional])

The verb “to be” is conjugated to match the tense of the sentence, and then it’s combined with the past participle form of the main verb. The agent (the doer) can be included with the preposition “by”, but in many cases it is left out.

Examples

• Active: The chef cooks the meal.
  Passive: The meal is cooked (by the chef).

• Active: The committee approved the proposal.
  Passive: The proposal was approved (by the committee).

• Active: They will finish the project next week.
  Passive: The project will be finished next week.

• Active: The author has written the novel.
  Passive: The novel has been written (by the author).

Common Mistakes With Passive Voice (With Corrections and Explanations)

❌ Mistake 1: Incorrect Verb Form

• Incorrect: The letter was write by him.

• Correct: The letter was written by him.

• Explanation: In passive voice, use the past participle ("written" not "write").

❌ Mistake 2: Omitting the Auxiliary Verb

• Incorrect: A song sung by the band.

• Correct: A song was sung by the band.

• Explanation: The sentence requires the auxiliary verb “was” to form the complete passive structure.

❌ Mistake 3: Wrong Tense Usage

• Incorrect: The cake is baked by her yesterday.

• Correct: The cake was baked by her yesterday.

• Explanation: Use the past tense (“was baked”) for actions that occurred in the past.

❌ Mistake 4: Misplaced or Unnecessary “By” Phrase

• Incorrect: The report was written by by the manager.

• Correct: The report was written by the manager.

• Explanation: Ensure that "by" is used only once if including the doer, and it should be placed after the past participle.

4 Exercises on Passive Voice

✔ Exercise 1: Convert Active to Passive
Rewrite the following active sentences in passive voice:

1. The team completed the project.

2. The scientist discovered the new element.

3. The children broke the window.

4. The teacher explained the lesson.

✔ Exercise 2: Convert Passive to Active
Rewrite the following passive sentences in active voice:

1. The report was written by Sarah.

2. The novel was translated by the author.

3. The car was repaired by the mechanic.

4. A new policy was introduced by the government.

✔ Exercise 3: Fill in the Blanks
Complete each sentence in passive voice:

1. The cake ___ (bake) by my grandmother.

2. The movie ___ (watch) by millions last year.

3. The letter ___ (send) by the postman yesterday.

4. The song ___ (sing) by the choir.

✔ Exercise 4: Identify the Voice
Indicate whether the following sentences are written in active or passive voice:

1. The door was closed by him.

2. She is reading a book.

3. The flowers were watered every morning.

4. The students solved the problem.