Overview
The passive voice is formed with be + past participle. It moves focus from the person doing the action (agent) to the action itself or the person/thing affected. Example: The window was broken. The agent can be introduced with 'by' (by the child). Passive is common in academic, scientific, and formal writing.
Form: be + past participle
- Presentis/are + past participle → is built
- Pastwas/were + past participle → was built
- Present Pf.has/have been + past participle → has been built
- Futurewill be + past participle → will be built
When to Use
- Focus on the action/result, not the doer
- Doer is unknown, obvious, or unimportant
- Formal writing: reports, news, science
- Use by + agent to add the doer back
Common Mistakes
- ❌ The house build in 1990 → ✅ was built
- ❌ It was written by she → ✅ written by her
- ❌ The car is fixing → ✅ The car is being fixed
When to use
Industrial/Formal
The bridge was completed in 2018.
News & Reporting
Two people were arrested last night.
Science Writing
The samples were analysed in a lab.
Unknown Doer
My wallet was stolen on the bus.