In an active sentence, the subject does the action: Someone stole my bike. In a passive sentence, the subject receives the action: My bike was stolen. The facts are the same, but the focus moves from the doer to what happened.
The passive is very common in news, science, instructions and formal writing, where the result matters more than the person behind it. To make it, you need two things: the right form of be for the tense, and the past participle of the main verb. The past participle never changes; only be shows the tense.
How to form the passive in different tenses
Choose the form of be that matches the tense, then add the past participle (the third form of the verb). Only verbs that take an object can be passive.
| Type | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Present simple | am/is/are + past participle | The rooms are cleaned every day. |
| Present continuous | am/is/are being + past participle | The road is being repaired this week. |
| Past simple | was/were + past participle | The letters were delivered this morning. |
| Past continuous | was/were being + past participle | The car was being washed when it started to rain. |
| Present perfect | have/has been + past participle | The tickets have already been sold. |
| Past perfect | had been + past participle | The match had been canceled before we arrived. |
| Future with will | will be + past participle | The results will be announced on Friday. |
| Future with be going to | am/is/are going to be + past participle | The old school is going to be turned into a library. |
| Modal verbs | modal + be + past participle | This form must be signed by a parent. |
| Negative | subject + be + not + past participle | The windows weren't cleaned. The email hasn't been sent. |
| Question | (question word +) first auxiliary + subject + (rest of the verb) + past participle? | Is breakfast included? When was this house built? Has the email been sent? |
- To change an active sentence into the passive, the object of the active verb becomes the subject: They clean the rooms every day → The rooms are cleaned every day.
- Add by + the doer (the agent) only when it gives useful information: The novel was written by a teenager.
- Use with for a tool or material and by for the doer: The cake was cut with a knife. The cake was made by my aunt.
- Verbs with two objects (give, send, show, offer) can have two passive forms; the person is usually the subject: I was given a present. A present was given to me.
- Verbs without an object (happen, arrive, die, seem) cannot be passive: The accident happened at night (not was happened).
When to use the passive voice
1. When the doer is unknown or unimportant
Use the passive when you don't know who did the action, or when it doesn't matter.
- My phone was stolen on the train.
- The window has been broken.
- Rice is grown in many parts of Asia.
2. When the doer is obvious
If everyone knows who does the action, there is no need to say it.
- The thief was arrested last night. (by the police)
- She was elected mayor in 2022. (by the voters)
- The patients are checked every hour. (by the nurses)
3. To focus on the action, process or result
News reports, science and history often care more about what happened than about who did it. The passive is also useful for describing how something is done.
- Three people were injured in the storm.
- The water is heated to 80 degrees and then filtered.
- The Great Wall of China was built over many centuries.
4. Formal writing, rules and notices
The passive sounds impersonal and polite, so it is common in rules, notices and official messages.
- Smoking is not allowed in this building.
- Applications must be submitted by May 1.
- Visitors are asked to switch off their phones.
5. Saying who did it with by
When the doer is new or important information, put it at the end with by. This is common when you talk about books, songs, movies, paintings and inventions.
- Romeo and Juliet was written by William Shakespeare.
- This photo was taken by my grandfather.
- We were helped by a very kind stranger.
6. The get-passive in informal English
In everyday speech, get + past participle often replaces be, especially for things that happen to someone by accident or unexpectedly. Use be in formal writing.
- My brother got hurt at basketball practice.
- Our flight got canceled because of the snow.
- Did you get paid this month?
Common passive phrases
- be born
- be made of
- be made from
- be called
- be known for
- be located in
- be based on
- be allowed to
- be supposed to
Be born is always passive in English: I was born in 2001 (not I born or I am born in 2001).
Examples
Positive
- The museum is visited by thousands of tourists every year.
- The bridge was opened in 1932.
- A new hospital is being built near the station.
- All the invitations have been sent.
Negative
- Credit cards are not accepted here.
- The problem wasn't solved in time.
- The new rules haven't been explained to the staff yet.
- This medicine should not be taken on an empty stomach.
Questions
- When was this house built?
- Is breakfast included in the price?
- Has the package been delivered yet?
- Where will the next Olympic Games be held?
Active or passive?
Active and passive sentences can describe the same event. The active voice is more direct and is usually better when the doer is important. The passive is better when the action, the result or the receiver matters more, or when the doer is unknown.
| Active | Passive |
|---|---|
| Someone cleans the office every evening. | The office is cleaned every evening. (who cleans it is not important) |
| The police arrested two men. | Two men were arrested. (by the police is obvious) |
| They are building a new bridge. | A new bridge is being built. |
| Picasso painted this picture. | This picture was painted by Picasso. (the painter is important) |
| You must wear a helmet. | A helmet must be worn. |
Common mistakes
- WrongThe book was wrote in 1950.RightThe book was written in 1950.
The passive needs the past participle (written), not the past simple (wrote).
- WrongThe accident was happened at night.RightThe accident happened at night.
Happen has no object, so it cannot be used in the passive.
- WrongI born in 2002.RightI was born in 2002.
Be born is passive, so you need was or were before born.
- WrongThe house is building now.RightThe house is being built now.
The present continuous passive is am/is/are + being + past participle.
- WrongThe letter was written from my uncle.RightThe letter was written by my uncle.
Use by, not from, to say who did the action.
- WrongThe email has sent.RightThe email has been sent.
The present perfect passive needs been: have/has + been + past participle.
A library worth saving
Examples of the passive voice are highlighted.
Our town library was built in 1925. For almost a century, it was used by students, families and anyone who needed a quiet place to read. Last year, the building was closed because the roof had been damaged by a storm. At first, people were told that it would be sold. Then a campaign was started by local teenagers, and enough money was raised in just three months. Now the library is being repaired. New windows have been installed, and the old wooden shelves are being cleaned by volunteers. The library will be reopened in the spring, and every visitor will be given a free book. It's a small story, but it shows what can be done when people care.
Passive Voice quiz
8 questions. Choose an answer to see if it is right and why.
Read texts that use the passive voice
Grammar sticks when you meet it again in real reading. These graded texts use this structure; each one has key words, audio and questions.
Passive Voice: questions and answers
What is the passive voice?
The passive voice is a structure with be + past participle (The car was repaired). The subject of the sentence receives the action instead of doing it, so the focus is on what happened rather than on who did it.
When should I use the passive voice?
Use it when the doer is unknown, obvious or unimportant, when you want to focus on an action or result, and in formal or scientific writing. If the doer is known and important, the active voice is usually clearer.
Do I always need by in a passive sentence?
No. Most passive sentences don't mention the doer at all. Add by + agent only when it gives new or useful information: The movie was directed by a 23-year-old.
Can every verb be used in the passive?
No. Only verbs that take an object (transitive verbs) can be passive. Verbs such as happen, arrive, die, seem and belong have no object, so you cannot say was happened or is belonged.
What is the difference between the be-passive and the get-passive?
Both are passive, but get is more informal and is used mainly in speech, often for something that happens suddenly or by accident, as in He got hurt or My bike got stolen. In formal writing, use be.