Passive Voice in English: When and Why It’s Used

TL;DR: Passive Voice in English is a grammatical structure that shifts the focus from the person performing an action to the action itself or the person receiving it. While active voice is often clearer and more direct, passive voice is useful when the doer is unknown, unimportant, or when the writer wants to create a more formal or objective tone.

The passive voice often gets a bad reputation in English writing, but it serves an important purpose.

Native speakers use it every day in news articles, academic writing, business communication, and casual conversation to shift attention, emphasise outcomes, or avoid focusing on who acted.

While active voice is often preferred for its clarity and directness, passive voice can be the better choice in many situations.

Knowing when and why it is used will help you recognise it more easily, improve your writing, and develop a deeper understanding of how English works in real-world contexts.

The voice in English grammar

Voice is an important part of English grammar that affects how information is presented in a sentence. It determines the relationship between the action and the people or things involved, influencing where the reader’s or listener’s attention is directed.

English uses two main grammatical voices: active and passive.

While active voice focuses on the person or thing acting, passive voice shifts the emphasis to the person or thing receiving it.

Why is it important to understand passive voice?

Passive voice appears frequently in real-world English, even if learners are often taught to avoid it. 

You will encounter it in newspapers, academic texts, business documents, official announcements, and everyday conversations. Without understanding passive voice, many common English sentences can seem confusing or unnatural.

A strong grasp of passive constructions also improves your own communication.

It helps you recognise where the focus of a sentence is placed, understand different writing styles, and choose the most appropriate structure for a particular situation.

What is passive voice?

Passive voice is a grammatical structure where the focus of a sentence is placed on the person, object, or thing receiving an action rather than the one performing it.

In many cases, the person acting may be unknown, unimportant, or deliberately omitted.

Definition of passive voice

In passive voice, the subject of the sentence receives the action. This differs from the active voice, where the subject acts.

• Active voice: The teacher explained the lesson.
• Passive voice: The lesson was explained by the teacher.

Both sentences communicate the same basic idea, but they emphasise different elements.

Structure of passive voice sentences

Passive voice is usually formed using:

A form of the verb “to be” + the past participle

Examples:

• The report was written yesterday.
• The window has been broken.
• The project is being completed this week.
• The decision will be announced tomorrow.

The person or thing acting can be added using by, but this is not always necessary.

• The book was written by the author.
• The book was written last year.

Comparison with the active voice

The main difference between active and passive voice is where the emphasis is placed.

Active Voice	Passive Voice
The company launched a new product.	A new product was launched by the company.
Scientists discovered a new species.	A new species was discovered by scientists.
The police arrested the suspect.	The suspect was arrested by the police.

Active voice is generally more direct and concise, while passive voice places greater emphasis on the action or its result.

Both forms are useful, depending on what the speaker or writer wants to highlight.

The Formation of Passive Voice

Passive voice follows a specific grammatical pattern that combines a form of the verb to be with a past participle. Once you understand this structure, recognising and creating passive sentences becomes much easier.

The verb “to be” in passive constructions

Every passive sentence requires a form of the verb to be. The tense of the sentence is shown through this verb, while the past participle remains unchanged.

Examples:

• The email is sent every morning.
• The email was sent yesterday.
• The email has been sent.
• The email will be sent tomorrow.

The verb to be changes according to the tense, but the basic passive structure stays the same.

Use of past participles

The second part of a passive construction is the past participle of the main verb.

For regular verbs, the past participle usually ends in -ed:

• organise → organised
• clean → cleaned
• finish → finished

Many common English verbs are irregular and have unique past participle forms:

• write → written
• break → broken
• make → made
• speak → spoken
• choose → chosen

These past participles are essential because they show the action being received by the subject.

Examples illustrating the formation

The easiest way to understand passive voice is to compare it with active voice.

Active Voice	Passive Voice
The chef prepared the meal.	The meal was prepared by the chef.
The company launches new products.	New products are launched by the company.
Someone has stolen the bicycle.	The bicycle has been stolen.
The team will complete the project.	The project will be completed by the team.

Notice how the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence. The passive structure then uses the correct form of to be together with the verb’s past participle to express the action.

When to Use Passive Voice

Although active voice is often clearer and more direct, passive voice has several important uses in English.

Native speakers use it regularly when they want to shift attention away from the person performing an action and focus on the action itself or its result.

Situations where the doer is unknown or irrelevant

Passive voice is useful when the person responsible for an action is unknown or not important to the message.

Examples:

• My bicycle was stolen last night.
• The documents were misplaced.
• The building was damaged during the storm.

In these sentences, the focus is on what happened rather than who caused it.

Emphasising the action or the recipient of the action

Sometimes the action or the person receiving the action is more important than the person performing it. Passive voice helps place emphasis where it matters most.

Examples:

• The award was presented to the young scientist.
• Hundreds of homes were affected by the flooding.
• The new policy was announced this morning.

The reader’s attention naturally falls on the award, the homes, and the policy rather than the people carrying out the actions.

Formal writing contexts

Passive voice is common in academic, scientific, technical, and professional writing. It creates a more objective tone by focusing on processes, results, and findings rather than individual actions.

Examples:

• The experiment was conducted over a six-month period.
• Data were collected from 500 participants.
• The samples were analysed using specialised equipment.

This style is particularly useful when the identity of the researcher is less important than the research itself.

Why Use Passive Voice?

Many learners are taught that active voice is always better, but passive voice remains an important part of English.

When used appropriately, it can improve clarity, create a more formal tone, and help writers emphasise the most important information in a sentence.

Benefits of using passive voice in writing

Passive voice allows writers and speakers to present information in a way that suits their purpose. It can make sentences sound more formal, shift attention to a specific result, and avoid unnecessary repetition of who performed an action.

Examples:

• The road was closed due to flooding.
• A solution has been found.
• The package was delivered this morning.

In each case, the action is more important than the person responsible for it.

Creating a sense of objectivity and neutrality

One reason passive voice is common in academic, scientific, and professional writing is that it creates a more objective tone.

Rather than focusing on individuals, it highlights facts, observations, and outcomes.

Examples:

• The results were analysed carefully.
• Data were collected over a twelve-month period.
• The survey was conducted across multiple regions.

This approach can make writing appear more neutral and less personal.

Enhancing focus on the action rather than the subject

Sometimes the most important part of a sentence is what happened, not who made it happen. Passive voice allows the action or its recipient to take centre stage.

Examples:

• The historic building was restored after years of neglect.
• Hundreds of trees were planted during the campaign.
• The winner was announced at the end of the ceremony.

By placing the emphasis on the action or outcome, passive voice helps direct the reader’s attention to the information that matters most.

Common Mistakes with Passive Voice

Passive voice can be a useful grammatical tool, but learners often make mistakes when forming or using it. 

These common errors can help you write more accurately and avoid confusing sentence structures.

Using the Wrong Form of “To Be”

A passive sentence requires the correct form of the verb to be. Using the wrong tense can make a sentence grammatically incorrect.

Incorrect: The report written yesterday.
Correct: The report was written yesterday.

Incorrect: The emails sent every morning.
Correct: The emails are sent every morning.

Using the Wrong Verb Form

Passive voice always uses a past participle, not the base form or present participle of the verb.

Incorrect: The project was complete by the team.
Correct: The project was completed by the team.

Incorrect: The letter was write last week.
Correct: The letter was written last week.

Overusing Passive Voice

While passive voice has its place, using it too often can make writing sound vague, indirect, or difficult to follow.

Passive: The decision was made, and the plan was approved before the changes were implemented.
Active: The committee made the decision, approved the plan, and implemented the changes.

A mixture of active and passive voice usually creates clearer and more engaging writing.

Including Unnecessary “By” Phrases

Writers sometimes add the person performing the action even when that information is not important.

Wordy: The road was closed by the local council due to severe weather.
Better: The road was closed due to severe weather.

If the identity of the doer adds little value, it is often best to leave it out.

Confusing Passive and Active Voice

Some sentences contain forms of to be but are not passive.

Active: She is reading a book.
Passive: The book is being read by her.

A sentence is only passive when the subject receives the action rather than performs it.

Passive Voice in Different Contexts

Passive voice appears across many forms of communication, from novels and newspaper articles to business reports and academic journals.

Although active voice is often preferred for clarity, passive constructions remain valuable when writers want to emphasise actions, results, or outcomes rather than the people responsible for them

Use in literature and storytelling

Writers often use passive voice to create a particular mood, build suspense, or direct attention towards an event rather than a character.

For example:

• The ancient treasure was discovered beneath the castle.
• A strange noise was heard in the distance.
• The village was surrounded by fog.

In these examples, the focus remains on what happened rather than who caused it, helping to create intrigue and atmosphere.

Application in business and professional communication

Passive voice is common in professional settings because it can sound more formal and diplomatic. It is often used when the action matters more than the individual responsible for it.

Examples:

• The proposal was approved by management.
• The report was submitted ahead of schedule.
• Changes will be implemented next month.

This style can help organisations communicate decisions, updates, and outcomes neutrally and professionally.

Role in academic writing and research papers

Academic and scientific writing frequently uses passive voice to maintain an objective tone. Rather than focusing on researchers, the emphasis is placed on the methods, data, and findings.

Examples:

• The experiment was conducted over six weeks.
• Data were collected from multiple sources.
• The results were analysed using statistical software.

Although many modern style guides encourage a balance between active and passive voice, passive constructions remain widely used in research papers and technical documents.

Transforming Active Voice to Passive Voice

Changing active voice into passive voice is easier when you understand how the parts of the sentence move.

In active voice, the subject performs the action. In passive voice, the object receives the action and becomes the main focus of the sentence.

Step-by-step guide on conversion

Start by identifying the subject, verb, and object in the active sentence.

• Active: The chef prepared the meal.
• Subject: The chef
• Verb: prepared
• Object: the meal

Next, move the object to the beginning of the sentence.

The meal…

Then, add the correct form of to be based on the tense of the original verb.

The meal was…

Finally, use the past participle of the main verb and add the original subject with by if needed.

Passive: The meal was prepared by the chef.

Examples of sentences transformed from active to passive

Practice exercises for readers

Tips for Using Passive Voice Effectively

Passive voice is most effective when it is used deliberately and for a specific purpose. While it can add variety, formality, and emphasis, overusing it can make writing feel distant or difficult to follow.

The key is knowing when passive voice strengthens your message and when active voice would be a better choice.

Balance Active and Passive Voice

Strong writing usually contains a mixture of active and passive constructions. Active voice keeps sentences direct and engaging, while passive voice can help emphasise important actions or outcomes.

For example:

• Active: The team launched the new website last week.
• Passive: The new website was launched last week.

Both are correct, but each places the focus in a different location. Using a combination of both styles can make your writing more natural and varied.

Recognise When Passive Voice Improves Clarity

Passive voice is often the clearest choice when the person performing an action is unknown, unimportant, or obvious from the context.

Examples:

• My wallet was stolen yesterday.
• The road was closed due to flooding.
• The final decision has been made.

In these situations, readers care more about what happened than who carried out the action.

Keep Readers Engaged

Too many passive sentences can make writing feel impersonal or repetitive. When possible, use active voice for important actions and reserve passive voice for situations where it genuinely improves emphasis or clarity.

Compare these examples:

• Less engaging: The report was written, the findings were reviewed, and the recommendations were approved.
• More engaging: The team wrote the report, reviewed the findings, and approved the recommendations.

The right balance helps maintain reader interest while still allowing passive voice to serve its purpose when needed.

Passive Voice in English FAQs

What is passive voice in English grammar?

Passive voice is a sentence structure where the subject receives the action rather than performs it. For example, “The cake was baked by Sarah” is passive, while “Sarah baked the cake” is active.

When should you use passive voice?

Passive voice is useful when the person performing the action is unknown, unimportant, or when you want to focus on the action or result instead of the doer.

How do you form passive voice sentences?

Passive voice is formed using a form of the verb “to be” followed by the past participle of the main verb. For example, “The letter was sent yesterday.”

Is passive voice bad writing?

Not necessarily. While overusing passive voice can make writing less direct, it is often appropriate in academic, scientific, formal, and professional contexts where objectivity is important.

What is the difference between active and passive voice?

In active voice, the subject acts, such as “The teacher explained the lesson.” In passive voice, the subject receives the action, such as “The teacher explained the lesson.