Active Voice and Passive Voice

In this lesson, you will learn the difference between
Active Voice and Passive Voice, how passive sentences are formed,
when the passive voice is used, how different English tenses change into the passive,
common mistakes, useful examples, and sentence transformation rules.
At the end, you can practice with exercises and a short grammar quiz.

What Is Active Voice?

In an active sentence, the subject performs the action.

Basic structure:

Subject + Verb + Object

• Sarah writes the report.
• The chef prepares the food.
• The company produces computers.
• Tom cleaned the room.

In each sentence, the subject is the person or thing performing the action.

Sarah writes the report.

Sarah performs the action of writing, so the sentence is active.

What Is Passive Voice?

In a passive sentence, the focus is on the person or thing
that receives the action.

Basic structure:

Subject + form of be + past participle

• The report is written by Sarah.
• The food is prepared by the chef.
• Computers are produced by the company.
• The room was cleaned by Tom.

The object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence.

Active Voice vs Passive Voice

Active:

The mechanic repaired the car.

Passive:

The car was repaired by the mechanic.

The basic meaning is similar, but the focus changes.

• Active Voice: focuses on who performs the action.
• Passive Voice: focuses on the action or the receiver of the action.

How Do We Form the Passive Voice?

To form the passive voice, use:

Correct form of BE + Past Participle

The form of be changes according to the tense.
The main verb is always used in its past participle form.

Examples:

• is made
• are produced
• was written
• were built
• has been completed
• will be delivered
• can be used

How to Change Active Voice into Passive Voice

Follow these steps when changing an active sentence into a passive sentence.

Step 1: Find the Object

Active: The teacher explained the lesson.

The object is the lesson.

Step 2: Move the Object to the Beginning

The lesson …

Step 3: Use the Correct Form of “Be”

The original sentence is in the Past Simple, so use was.

The lesson was …

Step 4: Use the Past Participle

explain → explained

The lesson was explained …

Step 5: Add the Agent if Necessary

The lesson was explained by the teacher.

Final sentence:

The lesson was explained by the teacher.

When Do We Use the Passive Voice?

1. When the Doer Is Unknown

Sometimes we do not know who performed the action.

My bike was stolen last night.

We do not know who stole the bike, so the passive voice is natural.

2. When the Doer Is Not Important

Sometimes the action or result is more important than the person
who performed it.

• The road was repaired last month.
• The building was completed in 2018.
• The documents were sent yesterday.

3. When the Doer Is Obvious

We may not need to mention the agent if everyone already knows
who normally performs the action.

The suspect was arrested.

It is normally unnecessary to add “by the police”.

4. Formal and Academic Writing

Passive structures are common in formal, scientific, technical,
and academic English when the process or result is more important
than the person performing the action.

• The data were collected during the experiment.
• The results were analyzed carefully.
• The samples were stored at low temperatures.
• The system is controlled electronically.

5. Processes and Instructions

The passive voice is frequently used to describe processes.

• The water is heated to 100°C.
• The ingredients are mixed together.
• The product is packaged and shipped.
• The information is stored in a database.

When Do We Use “By” in Passive Sentences?

Use by when the person or thing performing the action
is important or useful information.

The novel was written by George Orwell.

The painting was created by a famous artist.

However, the agent is often omitted when it is unknown,
obvious, or unimportant.

My wallet was stolen.

Instead of:

My wallet was stolen by someone.

Present Simple Passive

am / is / are + past participle

Active:
The company produces cars.

Passive:
Cars are produced by the company.

More examples:

• English is spoken in many countries.
• Coffee is grown in Brazil.
• These computers are made in China.
• The rooms are cleaned every day.

Past Simple Passive

was / were + past participle

Active:
Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone.

Passive:
The telephone was invented by Alexander Graham Bell.

More examples:

• The building was completed in 2015.
• The emails were sent yesterday.
• The window was broken last night.
• The computers were repaired last week.

Present Continuous Passive

am / is / are + being + past participle

Active:
Workers are repairing the road.

Passive:
The road is being repaired.

More examples:

• The house is being painted.
• The documents are being checked.
• A new hospital is being built.
• The problem is being investigated.

Past Continuous Passive

was / were + being + past participle

Active:
Workers were repairing the bridge.

Passive:
The bridge was being repaired.

More examples:

• The room was being cleaned when I arrived.
• The cars were being inspected.
• The building was being renovated.

Present Perfect Passive

has / have + been + past participle

Active:
They have completed the project.

Passive:
The project has been completed.

More examples:

• The report has been finished.
• The documents have been signed.
• The problem has been solved.
• Several changes have been made.

Past Perfect Passive

had + been + past participle

Active:
They had completed the work before Friday.

Passive:
The work had been completed before Friday.

• The building had been evacuated before the fire spread.
• The email had been sent before the meeting started.
• The room had been cleaned before the guests arrived.

Future Simple Passive

will be + past participle

Active:
The company will announce the results tomorrow.

Passive:
The results will be announced tomorrow.

More examples:

• The package will be delivered tomorrow.
• The results will be published next week.
• The new office will be opened in September.
• The problem will be discussed at the meeting.

Passive Voice with Modal Verbs

Modal verbs can also be used in passive sentences.

Modal + be + past participle

Can

Active: You can solve this problem.
Passive: This problem can be solved.

Must

Active: Employees must follow the rules.
Passive: The rules must be followed.

Should

Active: You should complete the form.
Passive: The form should be completed.

May

Active: They may cancel the meeting.
Passive: The meeting may be cancelled.

Passive Voice Tense Summary

Subject and Object Pronouns in Passive Sentences

When changing a sentence from active to passive,
pronouns may also need to change.

• I → me
• he → him
• she → her
• we → us
• they → them

Example:

Active: She invited me.

Passive: I was invited by her.

Another example:

Active: They helped us.

Passive: We were helped by them.

Can Every Sentence Be Passive?

No. A verb normally needs an object before the sentence can be changed
into the passive voice.

Active: She opened the door.

The sentence has an object: the door.
Therefore, a passive form is possible:

The door was opened.

However:

He slept.

There is no object, so a normal passive transformation is not possible.

Active Voice vs Passive Voice: Which Is Better?

Neither form is always better. The correct choice depends on
what information you want to emphasize.

Use Active Voice When the Doer Is Important

The manager approved the request.

The sentence emphasizes the manager.

Use Passive Voice When the Action or Result Is Important

The request was approved.

The result is more important than who approved it.

Active vs Passive Voice Examples

Example 1

Active: The chef prepared the meal.
Passive: The meal was prepared by the chef.

Example 2

Active: They clean the office every day.
Passive: The office is cleaned every day.

Example 3

Active: Someone stole my bicycle.
Passive: My bicycle was stolen.

Example 4

Active: The company has released a new product.
Passive: A new product has been released by the company.

Example 5

Active: They will announce the winner tomorrow.
Passive: The winner will be announced tomorrow.

Example 6

Active: You must complete the application.
Passive: The application must be completed.

Common Active and Passive Voice Mistakes

Mistake 1: Forgetting the Verb “Be”

❌ The room cleaned every day.
✅ The room is cleaned every day.

Mistake 2: Using the Wrong Verb Form

❌ The letter was write yesterday.
✅ The letter was written yesterday.

Always use the past participle in passive structures.

Mistake 3: Keeping the Original Tense Incorrectly

Active: They built the house in 2010.

❌ The house is built in 2010.
✅ The house was built in 2010.

Mistake 4: Using “By” When It Is Unnecessary

❌ My phone was stolen by someone.

Usually, the more natural sentence is:

✅ My phone was stolen.

Mistake 5: Confusing Past Simple and Past Participle

❌ The book was wrote in 1995.
✅ The book was written in 1995.

Mistake 6: Forgetting “Being” in Continuous Passive Forms

❌ The road is repaired right now.
✅ The road is being repaired right now.

Mistake 7: Forgetting “Been” in Perfect Passive Forms

❌ The project has completed.
✅ The project has been completed.

Active Voice vs Passive Voice Quick Comparison

• Active: Subject performs the action.
• Passive: Subject receives the action.
• Active structure: Subject + Verb + Object.
• Passive structure: Subject + Be + Past Participle.
• Active focus: Who performs the action.
• Passive focus: The action, result, or receiver.
• Agent: Can be introduced with “by”.
• Unknown agent: Usually omitted.

Active Voice vs Passive Voice Worksheet

Change the following active sentences into the passive voice.

1. The company produces thousands of cars every year.
2. Someone stole my wallet yesterday.
3. The workers are repairing the road.
4. They have completed the project.
5. The teacher explained the lesson.
6. The company will announce the results tomorrow.
7. You must follow these instructions.
8. They were painting the house when I arrived.
9. The police arrested the suspect.
10. Scientists have discovered a new species.

Active Voice vs Passive Voice Mini Quiz

1. The documents _____ every morning.

A) check
B) are checked
C) are checking

2. The building _____ in 2010.

A) was built
B) is built
C) was build

3. The road _____ right now.

A) repairs
B) is repaired
C) is being repaired

4. The project _____ already.

A) has been completed
B) has completed
C) was completing

5. The package _____ tomorrow.

A) will deliver
B) will be delivered
C) will delivered

6. Which sentence is passive?

A) Sarah wrote the report.
B) Sarah is writing the report.
C) The report was written by Sarah.

7. “The rules must be followed” uses:

A) modal + be + past participle
B) modal + being + verb-ing
C) modal + have + base verb

8. Which sentence is correct?

A) The email was sent yesterday.
B) The email was send yesterday.
C) The email sent yesterday.

9. Why might we say “My car was stolen” instead of mentioning the agent?

A) The agent may be unknown.
B) Passive sentences cannot use agents.
C) The sentence must be future tense.

10. Which sentence is active?

A) The room is cleaned every day.
B) The cleaner cleans the room every day.
C) The room was cleaned yesterday.

Active Voice vs Passive Voice Summary

In the Active Voice, the subject performs the action.

The company produces cars.

In the Passive Voice, the subject receives the action.

Cars are produced by the company.

The basic passive structure is:

BE + Past Participle

The form of be changes according to the tense,
while the main verb stays in the past participle form.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between active and passive voice?

In active voice, the subject performs the action.
In passive voice, the subject receives the action.

What is the formula for passive voice?

The basic passive formula is
subject + form of be + past participle.

What is an example of passive voice?

The car was repaired yesterday.

The focus is on the car and the action rather than the person
who repaired it.

When should we use passive voice?

Passive voice is useful when the agent is unknown,
unimportant, obvious, or when the action and result are more important
than the person performing the action.

Do we always need “by” in passive sentences?

No. The agent is often omitted when it is unknown,
obvious, or unimportant.

Can all English verbs be used in the passive?

Normally, passive transformation requires a verb that can take an object.
Sentences with verbs that do not take an object generally cannot be changed
into a normal passive structure.

Why is the passive voice common in academic English?

Academic and technical writing often focuses on processes,
results, procedures, or evidence rather than on the person performing
the action.

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