A complete guide to passive voice: 10 tense formats, sample sentences, and practice questions.
Passive Voice is an essential grammatical structure in written and spoken English, and mastering it will make your English more professional, formal and varied. Whether you're a student preparing for the DSE, a professional in the workplace, or a learner looking to improve your English, this complete guide will help you to understand the usage, structure and context of passive voice and take your English to the next level of expression.
Master the English passive voice to improve your writing and speaking skills.
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Basic Concepts of Passive Voice
What is passive voice?
Passive voice is a grammatical structure used to emphasise the recipient rather than the performer of an action. In passive voice, the subject of the sentence is the recipient of the action, not the doer of the action. This is in sharp contrast to active voice, where the subject of the sentence is the doer of the action.
The basic structure of passive voice is:Subject (recipient) + appropriate form of be verb + past participle + by + performer (may be omitted)
主動語態：The teacher explains the lesson. (教師解釋課程。)
被動語態：The lesson is explained by the teacher. (課程被老師解釋。)
Why do I need to learn passive voice?
- Widely used in academic and professional writing
- Important scores for DSE, IELTS, TOEFL and other exams
- Enhancing diversity and professionalism in writing
- Suitable for specific contexts, e.g. formal reports, scientific papers
- Can convey information more effectively in certain situations
Active vs. Passive voice
Understanding the difference between active and passive voice is the key to mastering English grammar. Here are the main differences between the two:
| Features | Active Voice | Passive Voice |
| Sentence Structure | Subject (doer) + Verb + Guest (receiver) | Subject (recipient) + be verb + past participle + by + performer (may be omitted) |
| Highlights | Enforcers of the Highlighting Initiative | Emphasis on the recipient of the action or the action itself |
| Sentence length | Usually short and direct | Usually longer, indirect |
| Common Uses | Everyday dialogue, narrative, informal writing | Academic papers, scientific reports, news reports, official documents |
| Example sentences | The company hired ten new employees. | Ten new employees were hired (by the company). |
Interactive Grammar Conversion Tool
The best way to understand passive voice is through practical exercises. Here are some examples of active to passive sentences to help you master the basic rules of conversion:
Example of active to passive sentence
Active: They build this house in 1990.
Passive: This house was built in 1990.
Active: The teacher is explaining the lesson.
Passive: The lesson is being explained by the teacher.
Active: She will complete the project tomorrow.
Passive: The project will be completed tomorrow.
Active: They have sold all the tickets.
Passive: All the tickets have been sold.
Active: Someone stole my bike yesterday.
Passive: My bike was stolen yesterday.
Active: People speak English all over the world.
Passive: English is spoken all over the world.
Passive Voice Conversion Table for 10 Tenses
Passive voice can be used in various tenses. Below is a comparison table of active and passive voice in 10 common tenses to help you fully grasp the use of passive voice in different tenses:
| Status quo | Active voice structure | Passive voice structure | Example sentences |
| General now | S + V(s/es) + O | S + am/is/are + V3 (past participle) | They clean the room. 被動：The room is cleaned (by them). |
| General past tense | S + V2 (past tense) + O | S + was/were + V3 (past participle) | They cleaned the room. 被動：The room was cleaned (by them). |
| General future | S + will + V + O | S + will be + V3 (past participle) | They will clean the room. 被動：The room will be cleaned (by them). |
| Now in progress | S + am/is/are + V-ing + O | S + am/is/are + being + V3 | They are cleaning the room. The room is being cleaned (by them). |
| In the past | S + was/were + V-ing + O | S + was/were + being + V3 | They were cleaning the room. 被動：The room was being cleaned (by them). |
| Now that it's done. | S + have/has + V3 + O | S + have/has + been + V3 | They have cleaned the room. 被動：The room has been cleaned (by them). |
| Past Completion | S + had + V3 + O | S + had + been + V3 | They had cleaned the room. 被動：The room had been cleaned (by them). |
| When it's done in the future | S + will have + V3 + O | S + will have been + V3 | They will have cleaned the room. 被動：The room will have been cleaned (by them). |
| Modal verbs | S + modal + V + O | S + modal + be + V3 | They can clean the room. 被動：The room can be cleaned (by them). |
| going to Structure | S + am/is/are going to + V + O | S + am/is/are going to be + V3 | 主動：They are going to clean the room. 被動：The room is going to be cleaned (by them). |
Get the complete passive voice tense chart.
Download our passive voice quick reference table to see passive voice structures and example sentences in all tenses at any time!
8 Situations When to Use Passive Voice
Although active voice is usually more direct and clear, there are situations where passive voice is a better choice. Here are 8 situations where passive voice is appropriate:
1. when the perpetrator of the action is unimportant or unknown
Passive voice is ideal when we don't know or need to emphasise who performed the action.
例：My car was stolen last night. (我車昨晚被偷了。)
2. when trying to emphasise the recipient of the action
Passive voice is effective in shifting focus when the focus of the sentence is on the recipient of the action rather than the performer.
Example: The Mona Lisa was painted by Leonardo da Vinci. (蒙娜麗莎是由達芬奇画製的。)
3. in scientific and academic writing
Scientific and academic writing often uses passive voice to maintain objectivity and formality.
例：The experiment was conducted under controlled conditions.
4. In the press
The passive voice is often used in news reporting, especially when reporting on events rather than on the doer.
Example: Five people were injured in the accident. (Five people were injured in the accident.)
5. In commercial and legal documents
Official documents usually use passive voice to maintain a professional and objective tone.
Example：Payment must be received by the 15th of each month.
6. avoid blaming or direct criticism
Passive voice can be used to politely express criticism or to avoid direct blame.
例：Mistakes were made in the report. (报告中出現了錯誤。)
7. Maintaining sentence continuity
The use of passive voice maintains sentence continuity when the subject of the current sentence is the recipient of the action in the next sentence.
例：The new policy was announced yesterday. It will be implemented next month. It will be implemented next month.)
8. In the instructions and explanations
Passive voice is often used in directions and instructions, especially when the process is emphasised rather than the doer.
Example：The button should be pressed to start the machine.
Rich Sentence Database: Passive Voice Applications for Different Topics
The following passive voice examples, categorised by topic, will help you understand how passive voice is actually used in various situations:
everyday lives
- Breakfast is served from 7 to 10 am. (Breakfast is served from 7 am to 10 am.)
- The house was built in 1995. (這房子建於1995年。)
- My phone has been repaired. (我的手機已經修aired了).
- The children are being taken to school by their father. (孩子們正在被他們的父親送去学校。)
- The dishes will be washed after dinner.
Academic and Education
- The theory was proposed by Einstein in 1905. (這個理論由愛因斯坦在1905年提出。)
- The exam papers are being marked by the teachers. (考卷正在被老師批改。)
- Research is conducted to find a cure for cancer. (研究正在進行以尋找癌症的治療方法。)
- Students are required to submit their assignments by Friday. (學生需要在週五前提交作業。)
- The results will be announced next week.
Business and Career
- The contract was signed by both parties. (合約已由雙方簽署。)
- The project is being developed by our team. (該項目正在由我們的團隊開發。)
- The report must be submitted by Monday. (報告必須在週一前提交。)
- Employees are expected to arrive on time. (員工應準時到達。)
- The company's profits have been increased by 20%. (The company's profits have been increased by 20%.)
News & Media
- The president was elected last November. (總統在去年11月當選。)
- Three people were injured in the accident. (Three people were injured in the accident.)
- The new law will be implemented next month. (新法律將在下個月實施。)
- The suspect is being questioned by the police. (嫌疑人正在接受警方訊問。)
- The movie has been nominated for five awards. (這部電影已獲得五項提名。)
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
When learning and using passive voice, learners often make mistakes. Understanding these common mistakes and how to avoid them can help you use passive voice more accurately:
Common Errors
- Incorrect use of intransitive verbs: Only transitive verbs (verbs with a direct object) can be used in the passive voice.
- Tense error: Using the wrong tense form in passive voice.
- Ignore the subject's consistency: In the passive voice, the auxiliary verbs (is, are, was, were, etc.) must agree in number with the subject.
- Excessive use of passive voice: The use of passive voice in unnecessary situations results in long or unclear sentences.
- The by phrase is used inappropriately: Unnecessarily adding or omitting by phrases.
Avoidance methods
- Identify transitive verbs: Make sure you only use the passive voice for transitive verbs. For example, immaterial verbs such as happen, sleep, etc. cannot be used in the passive voice.
- Master the time change: Familiarise yourself with the passive voice forms of the various tenses to ensure correct transitions.
- Note the consistency of the subject: Make sure the be verb agrees in number with the subject. For example: The book is... The books are...
- Use moderately: Use passive voice only when necessary to avoid overuse which leads to lengthy articles.
- Use by phrases wisely: Use the by phrase only when you need to emphasise the person performing the action.
Examples of Errors and Fixes
Error: The accident was happened yesterday.
Amendment: The accident happened yesterday.
Reason: happen is an intransitive verb and cannot be used in the passive voice.
Error: The letter is written by John.
Amendment: The letter is written by John.
Reason: The past participle form is incorrect. wrote is the past tense and written is the past participle.
Error: The books is read by the students.
Amendment: The books are read by the students.
Reason: Subject inconsistency, plural subject books should use are instead of is.
Error: The dinner was cooked by my mother by last night.
Amendment: The dinner was cooked by my mother last night.
Reason: The by phrase is used incorrectly and should not be preceded by a temporal clause.
Advanced Application: Passive Voice in Special Sentence Types
Having mastered the basics of passive voice, let's look at some of the more complex applications of passive voice that occur frequently in advanced English writing and examinations:
Passive voice in double object sentences
Some verbs (e.g. give, send, offer, show, etc.) can be used with two objects, and there are two passive voice forms for these sentences:
Active: They gave me a book.
Passive 1: I was given a book (by them).
Passive 2: A book was given to me (by them).
Both forms are correct, but the first is more common in spoken language.
Passive voice of perceptual verbs
Perceptual verbs (e.g. see, hear, watch, notice, etc.) have a special structure in the passive voice:
Active: People saw him leave the building.
Passive: He was seen to leave the building.
Active: We heard her sing a beautiful song.
Passive: She was heard to sing a beautiful song.
Note that in the passive form, the infinitive to is usually joined.
Passive voice of modal verbs
The structure of modal verbs (e.g. can, could, may, might, should, etc.) in the passive voice is: modal verb + be + past participle
Active: You should finish this report by Friday.
Passive: This report should be finished by Friday.
Active: They might announce the results tomorrow.
Passive: The results might be announced tomorrow.
Interactive Exercise Questions
Test your ability to understand and apply passive voice through the following practice questions:
Multiple Choice: Choose the correct form of the passive voice.
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Active: They are building a new shopping mall in our city.
Passive: A new shopping mall __________ in our city.
A) is building B) is being built C) is been built D) are being built
Answer: B) is being built
-
Active: Someone has stolen my wallet.
Passive: My wallet __________.
A) has stolen B) has been stealing C) has been stolen D) have been stolen
Answer: C) has been stolen
-
Active: The teacher will explain the lesson tomorrow.
Passive: The lesson __________ by the teacher tomorrow.
A) will explain B) will be explained C) will explaining D) will have explained
Answer: B) will be explained
Fill in the blanks: Complete the passive voice sentences.
-
Active: They have postponed the meeting.
Passive: The meeting __________ __________ __________.
Answer: has been postponed
-
Active: People speak English in many countries.
Passive: English __________ __________ in many countries.
Answer: is spoken
-
Active: The police were questioning the suspect when I arrived.
Passive: The suspect __________ __________ __________ by the police when I arrived.
Answer: was being questioned
Sentence Conversion Questions: Converting Active Sentences to Passive Sentences
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Active: The company employs over 1000 people.
Passive: ___________________________________
Answer: Over 1000 people are employed by the company.
-
Active: They will announce the winner next week.
Passive: ___________________________________
Answer: The winner will be announced next week.
-
Active: Someone had cleaned the room before we arrived.
Passive: ___________________________________
Answer: The room had been cleaned before we arrived.
DSE Exam Passive Voice Application Techniques
For DSE candidates in Hong Kong, mastering the correct use of passive voice is the key to improving your marks in the English paper. Here are some practical tips for using passive voice in the DSE exam:
Paper 1 Reading comprehension
- Identify passive voice in a text and understand its role in context
- Notice how the passive voice conveys an objective, formal tone.
- Analysing the author's purpose for using passive voice (e.g. emphasising the outcome rather than the doer)
Paper 2 Writing
- Appropriate use of passive voice in formal texts (e.g. reports, essays, application letters)
- Avoid excessive use of the passive voice and maintain sentence variety.
- Use passive voice to emphasise important information or results
- Use passive voice when describing processes or procedures
Paper 3 Listening and Synthesis
- Recognising passive voice information in notes
- Appropriate use of passive voice to summarise points in synthesis writing
- Using passive voice to report the statements or findings of others
Paper 4 Oral Language
- Use of passive voice when discussing formal topics
- Using passive voice to describe social phenomena or problems
- Using passive voice to express objective views in group discussions
DSE Exam Tip: In Paper 2 writing, the appropriate use of passive voice demonstrates your grammatical variety, which is an important part of the marking scheme. However, remember that overuse will make your essay look long and unnatural.
Getting Personalised Passive Voice Exercises
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Conclusion: Mastering Passive Voice to Improve English Expression
Passive voice is an important part of English grammar, and mastering it will make your English expressions more varied, professional and precise. Through this guide, we have provided a comprehensive introduction to the definition, structure, tense changes, usage scenarios and common mistakes of the passive voice.
Remember, passive voice is not always the best choice - the key is knowing when to use it. In formal writing, academic papers, scientific reports and journalism, passive voice helps you to maintain an objective and professional tone. In everyday communication and narration, active voice is usually more direct and lively.
Continuous practice is the key to mastering passive voice. With the examples and exercises we provide, you can gradually improve your understanding and application of passive voice to achieve better results in your studies, exams and the workplace.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better, passive or active voice?
There's no absolute difference between good and bad, and both are suitable for different situations. Active voice is usually more direct, clear and concise, and is suitable for everyday communication and narration. Passive voice is more suitable when it is necessary to emphasise that the recipient or performer of the action is unimportant or unknown, or when it is necessary to maintain a formal, objective tone. The key is to choose the appropriate voice for the situation.
Can all verbs be used in the passive voice?
Not all verbs can be used in the passive voice. Only transitive verbs (verbs with a direct object) can be used in the passive voice. Intransitive verbs (such as happen, sleep, arrive, etc.) cannot be used in the passive voice because they do not have a direct object.
How can I effectively use passive voice to improve my marks in the DSE exam?
In the DSE, the appropriate use of passive voice can demonstrate your grammatical variety and linguistic flexibility. In Paper 2 writing, especially in formal styles (e.g. reports, essays, application letters), passive voice can help you maintain a formal and objective tone. However, be careful not to overuse it and keep your sentences varied. Passive voice is particularly useful when describing processes, procedures or results.
How can I avoid making mistakes when using passive voice?
The keys to avoiding errors in the passive voice are: 1) make sure you only use the passive voice with transitive verbs; 2) use the past participle form correctly; 3) make sure that the number of be verbs matches the number of subjects; 4) use the passive voice appropriately and avoid overusing it; and 5) use the by phrase appropriately, and only use it when you need to emphasise the person who is doing the action. Continued practice and reading good English materials will also help you use the passive voice more naturally.
What are some common uses of the passive voice in Business English?
In business English, passive voice is often used to: 1) formal reports and documents; 2) describe company processes and procedures; 3) communicate decisions without identifying the decision-maker; 4) euphemisms for criticism or negative information; and 5) to emphasise results rather than processes. Examples: "The deadline has been extended", "All employees are required to attend the meeting", "The project was completed ahead of schedule", "The project was completed ahead of schedule", etc.
