The passive voice in English is a grammatical structure used to emphasize the action or the object of the sentence, rather than who performs the action. It is frequently present in everyday speech and in formal texts. Below is a complete guide with explanations, tables and examples for understanding the passive voice at B2 level.
What is the Passive Voice?
In a sentence with active voice, the subject of the sentence performs the action. In contrast, in a sentence with passive voice, the emphasis is given to the object of the sentence, that is, to those who receive the action. The subject, if mentioned, is placed at the end of the sentence and is accompanied by the preposition “by”.
Example:
- Active voice: The chef cooked the meal. (The chef cooked the meal.)
- Passive voice: The meal was cooked by the chef. (The meal was cooked by the chef.)
When Do We Use the Passive Voice?
The passive voice is used when:
- The subject of the action is unknown or unimportant: The window was broken. (The window was broken.)
- We want to emphasize the action or the result and not on who performs it: A new bridge is being built. (A new bridge is being built.)
- In formal or scientific texts where the subject is obvious or does not need to be mentioned: The experiment was conducted successfully. (The experiment was conducted successfully.)
Structure of the Passive Voice
The passive voice is formed using the auxiliary verb “to be” in the appropriate tense and the past participle of the main verb. Below is a table with the basic structure of the passive voice:
| Passive Voice Structure | Example |
|---|---|
| Subject + to be (in the appropriate tense) + past participle (of the main verb) + (by agent) | The book was written by the author. (The book was written by the author.) |
Tenses in the Passive Voice
Tenses in the passive voice are formed with the appropriate form of “to be” and the past participle. Below are the main tenses with examples and tables.
1. Present Simple
Structure: am/is/are + past participle
​
| Active Voice | Passive Voice |
|---|---|
| They deliver the letters every day. | The letters are delivered every day. |
| (They deliver the letters every day.) | (The letters are delivered every day.) |
2. Present Continuous
Structure: am/is/are being + past participle
​
| Active Voice | Passive Voice |
|---|---|
| They are repairing the road. | The road is being repaired. |
| (They are repairing the road.) | (The road is being repaired.) |
3. Past Simple
Structure: was/were + past participle
​
| Active Voice | Passive Voice |
|---|---|
| They built the house in 2010. | The house was built in 2010. |
| (They built the house in 2010.) | (The house was built in 2010.) |
4. Past Continuous
Structure: was/were being + past participle
| Active Voice | Passive Voice |
|---|---|
| They were painting the wall. | The wall was being painted. |
| (They were painting the wall.) | (The wall was being painted.) |
5. Present Perfect
Structure: has/have been + past participle
​
| Active Voice | Passive Voice |
|---|---|
| They have completed the project. | The project has been completed. |
| (They have completed the project.) | (The project has been completed.) |
6. Past Perfect
Structure: had been + past participle
| Active Voice | Passive Voice |
|---|---|
| They had finished the work before the deadline. | The work had been finished before the deadline. |
| (They had finished the work before the deadline.) | (The work had been finished before the deadline.) |
7. Future Simple
Structure: will be + past participle
​
| Active Voice | Passive Voice |
|---|---|
| They will announce the results tomorrow. | The results will be announced tomorrow. |
| (They will announce the results tomorrow.) | (The results will be announced tomorrow.) |
8. Future Continuous
Structure: will be being + past participle
| Active Voice | Passive Voice |
|---|---|
| They will be discussing the plans tomorrow. | The plans will be being discussed tomorrow. |
| (They will be discussing the plans tomorrow.) | (The plans will be being discussed tomorrow.) |
Passive Voice with Modal Verbs
Modal verbs (can, could, may, might, must, should, etc.) can be used in the passive voice. In these cases, the modal verb is followed by “be” and the past participle. Below is a table with examples:
​
| Modal Verb | Active Voice | Passive Voice |
|---|---|---|
| Can | They can solve the problem. | The problem can be solved. |
| Must | They must finish the report. | The report must be finished. |
| Should | They should clean the room. | The room should be cleaned. |
Passive Voice in Impersonal Constructions
In cases where the emphasis is on a general statement or belief, we use impersonal structures in the passive voice, such as “It is said that…” or “He is believed to…”. Below is a table with examples:
​
| Impersonal Structure | Example in Active Voice | Example in Passive Voice |
|---|---|---|
| It is said that… | People say that he is a great leader. | It is said that he is a great leader. |
| He is believed to… | They believe he is intelligent. | He is believed to be intelligent. |
Common Mistakes and Traps
The use of the passive voice can lead to some common mistakes. Below is a table with common errors and the correct forms:
| Error | Correct |
|---|---|
| The book written by the author. | The book was written by the author. |
| The cake is make by the chef. | The cake is made by the chef. |
| The window were broken by the children. | The window was broken by the children. |
Practice: Converting from Active to Passive Voice
- Active: The team is preparing a report. Passive: A report is being prepared by the team.
- Active: They will complete the project next week. Passive: The project will be completed next week.
- Active: The company has launched a new product. Passive: A new product has been launched by the company.
In Summary
The passive voice is a powerful tool in English that allows focus on the action or the object of a sentence, rather than the subject. With proper practice and understanding of its structure, you can use it confidently in both written and spoken language. Practice converting active sentences to passive and try using the passive voice in various tenses and situations to deepen your knowledge.
