The Rule
The passive is formed with to be + past participle. We use it when we don't know who acted, when it is obvious or unimportant, or when we want to focus on the result rather than the agent.
| Tense | Active | Passive |
|---|---|---|
| Present Simple | They send reports weekly. | Reports are sent weekly. |
| Past Simple | Someone stole the laptop. | The laptop was stolen. |
| Present Perfect | They have cancelled the meeting. | The meeting has been cancelled. |
| Future (will) | They will announce the results. | The results will be announced. |
| Modal | You must complete the form. | The form must be completed. |
Use by to say who performed the action when it is important or relevant:
The report was written by the finance team. The contract was signed by both parties.
The report was written by the finance team. The contract was signed by both parties.
Common Mistakes
The report was wrote by the finance manager.
The report was written by the finance manager.
The meeting has been cancel without any notice.
The meeting has been cancelled without any notice.
The new office was builded in 1995.
The new office was built in 1995.
The contracts were signed by they last week.
The contracts were signed by them last week.
All employees must be inform of this change.
All employees must be informed of this change.
Gap Fill — Press Enter to Check
Error Correction
Multiple Choice
Put the Words in the Correct Order
Sentence Transformation — Press Enter to Check
Conversation Practice
1
Describe how key decisions are made in your company using passive voice: 'Budgets are approved by...', 'Targets are set by...'
2
Talk about something that has recently been changed, launched, or introduced at your company.
3
Describe a product or service using passive voice: how it is made, where it is sold, how it is used.
Homework
Write a formal internal email (8 sentences) about a process or policy at your company. Use passive voice at least 5 times. Example: 'All invoices are processed within 30 days of receipt.'