Active vs. Passive Voice: Understanding and Mastering the Difference

Understanding the difference between active and passive voice is crucial for effective communication in English. This knowledge allows you to construct sentences that are clear, concise, and impactful, ensuring your message is delivered with precision.

Whether you’re writing essays, reports, or simply communicating in everyday conversations, mastering active and passive voice will significantly enhance your writing and speaking skills. This article provides a comprehensive guide to active and passive voice, complete with definitions, examples, rules, and practice exercises, suitable for learners of all levels.

This guide is designed to benefit students, writers, ESL learners, and anyone looking to improve their grasp of English grammar. By the end of this article, you will be able to confidently identify, construct, and utilize both active and passive voice in your writing and speech, leading to clearer and more effective communication.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Definition of Active and Passive Voice
• Active Voice
• Passive Voice
• Function of Voice
• Contexts for Use
3. Structural Breakdown
• Active Voice Structure
• Passive Voice Structure
4. Types and Categories of Passive Voice
• Agented Passive
• Agentless Passive
• Passive for Reporting
5. Examples of Active and Passive Voice
• Simple Tenses
• Continuous Tenses
• Perfect Tenses
• Modal Verbs
• Questions in Active and Passive Voice
6. Usage Rules for Active and Passive Voice
• Rules for Using Active Voice
• Rules for Using Passive Voice
• When to Use Passive Voice
• When to Avoid Passive Voice
7. Common Mistakes
• Incorrect Verb Forms
• Misusing ‘by’ Phrase
• Unclear Passive Constructions
8. Practice Exercises
• Exercise 1: Identifying Voice
• Exercise 2: Converting Active to Passive
• Exercise 3: Converting Passive to Active
• Exercise 4: Choosing the Correct Voice
9. Advanced Topics
• Passive Causative
• ‘Get’ Passive
• Pseudo-Passive
10. FAQ
11. Conclusion

Definition of Active and Passive Voice

Voice in grammar refers to the relationship between the action expressed by the verb and the participants identified by its arguments (subject, object, etc.). English has two main grammatical voices: active and passive.

Understanding these voices is fundamental to constructing grammatically correct and stylistically appropriate sentences.

Active Voice

In the active voice, the subject performs the action expressed by the verb. The subject is the agent, the doer of the action. Active voice sentences are generally more direct, clear, and concise. They emphasize the actor and the action they perform.

For example, in the sentence “The dog chased the ball,” the subject “dog” performs the action “chased.” This is a clear example of active voice.

Passive Voice

In the passive voice, the subject receives the action expressed by the verb. The subject is the recipient of the action, not the performer. The action is emphasized, and the agent performing the action may be omitted or included in a “by” phrase. Passive voice is formed using a form of the auxiliary verb “to be” (is, am, are, was, were, been, being) + the past participle of the main verb.

For example, in the sentence “The ball was chased by the dog,” the subject “ball” receives the action “was chased.” The agent, “the dog,” is included in a “by” phrase. This sentence is in the passive voice.

Function of Voice

The choice between active and passive voice depends on the desired emphasis and the context of the communication. Active voice is typically preferred for its clarity and directness.

However, passive voice is useful when the actor is unknown, unimportant, or when the focus is on the action itself or the recipient of the action. Using the correct voice ensures effective and clear communication.

Contexts for Use

Active voice is commonly used in everyday conversation, narrative writing, and when the actor is important to the message. Passive voice is often used in scientific writing, news reports (when the actor is unknown), and when the focus is on the result of the action rather than the actor.

Understanding these contexts helps you make informed choices about which voice to use.

Structural Breakdown

Understanding the structural components of active and passive voice sentences is essential for constructing them correctly. This involves recognizing the roles of the subject, verb, object, and any additional phrases or clauses.

Active Voice Structure

The basic structure of an active voice sentence is: Subject + Verb + (Object). The subject performs the action, and the object receives the action (if there is one). The verb expresses the action performed by the subject.

Here’s a breakdown:

• Subject: The noun or pronoun that performs the action.
• Verb: The action word.
• Object (Optional): The noun or pronoun that receives the action.

For example: “The cat (Subject) ate (Verb) the mouse (Object).”

Passive Voice Structure

The basic structure of a passive voice sentence is: Subject + Auxiliary Verb (to be) + Past Participle + (by + Agent). The subject receives the action, the auxiliary verb indicates the tense, the past participle is the form of the main verb, and the agent (optional) indicates who or what performed the action.

Here’s a breakdown:

• Subject: The noun or pronoun that receives the action.
• Auxiliary Verb (to be): A form of “to be” (is, am, are, was, were, been, being).
• Past Participle: The -ed form of regular verbs or the third form of irregular verbs.
• by + Agent (Optional): Indicates who or what performed the action.

For example: “The mouse (Subject) was (Auxiliary Verb) eaten (Past Participle) by the cat (Agent).”

Types and Categories of Passive Voice

The passive voice can be categorized based on whether the agent (the performer of the action) is mentioned or not, and also by its specific function in reporting or describing events.

Agented Passive

The agented passive includes the “by” phrase to specify who or what performed the action. This is used when it’s important to know the actor, even in a passive construction. The agent is introduced by the preposition “by.”

Example: “The book was written by J.K. Rowling.”

Agentless Passive

The agentless passive omits the “by” phrase, meaning the performer of the action is unknown, unimportant, or obvious from the context. This is common when the focus is on the action or the recipient of the action.

Example: “The window was broken.” (The person who broke the window is not specified.)

Passive for Reporting

The passive voice is often used in formal reporting, especially in news and academic writing, to maintain objectivity and focus on the information rather than the source. It is often used with verbs like “said,” “reported,” “believed,” and “known.”

Example: “It is reported that the suspect has been apprehended.”

Examples of Active and Passive Voice

The following tables provide extensive examples of active and passive voice across different tenses and verb forms. These examples are designed to illustrate the structural differences and usage contexts of each voice.

Simple Tenses

This table demonstrates the active and passive voice in simple present, simple past, and simple future tenses. Notice how the verb changes form to indicate the voice and tense.

Tense	Active Voice	Passive Voice
Simple Present	The chef cooks the meal. She writes a letter. They clean the house. He eats the apple. The teacher teaches the students. The dog chases the cat. The artist paints a picture. The baker bakes bread. The singer sings a song. The farmer grows crops. The mechanic fixes cars. The writer writes books. The programmer codes software. The doctor treats patients. The lawyer defends clients. The student studies lessons. The athlete runs races. The dancer performs dances. The musician plays instruments. The pilot flies planes. The cashier scans groceries. The librarian shelves books. The waiter serves food. The journalist writes articles. The policeman enforces laws.	The meal is cooked by the chef. A letter is written by her. The house is cleaned by them. The apple is eaten by him. The students are taught by the teacher. The cat is chased by the dog. A picture is painted by the artist. Bread is baked by the baker. A song is sung by the singer. Crops are grown by the farmer. Cars are fixed by the mechanic. Books are written by the writer. Software is coded by the programmer. Patients are treated by the doctor. Clients are defended by the lawyer. Lessons are studied by the student. Races are run by the athlete. Dances are performed by the dancer. Instruments are played by the musician. Planes are flown by the pilot. Groceries are scanned by the cashier. Books are shelved by the librarian. Food is served by the waiter. Articles are written by the journalist. Laws are enforced by the policeman.
Simple Past	The chef cooked the meal. She wrote a letter. They cleaned the house. He ate the apple. The teacher taught the students. The dog chased the cat. The artist painted a picture. The baker baked bread. The singer sang a song. The farmer grew crops. The mechanic fixed cars. The writer wrote books. The programmer coded software. The doctor treated patients. The lawyer defended clients. The student studied lessons. The athlete ran races. The dancer performed dances. The musician played instruments. The pilot flew planes. The cashier scanned groceries. The librarian shelved books. The waiter served food. The journalist wrote articles. The policeman enforced laws.	The meal was cooked by the chef. A letter was written by her. The house was cleaned by them. The apple was eaten by him. The students were taught by the teacher. The cat was chased by the dog. A picture was painted by the artist. Bread was baked by the baker. A song was sung by the singer. Crops were grown by the farmer. Cars were fixed by the mechanic. Books were written by the writer. Software was coded by the programmer. Patients were treated by the doctor. Clients were defended by the lawyer. Lessons were studied by the student. Races were run by the athlete. Dances were performed by the dancer. Instruments were played by the musician. Planes were flown by the pilot. Groceries were scanned by the cashier. Books were shelved by the librarian. Food was served by the waiter. Articles were written by the journalist. Laws were enforced by the policeman.
Simple Future	The chef will cook the meal. She will write a letter. They will clean the house. He will eat the apple. The teacher will teach the students. The dog will chase the cat. The artist will paint a picture. The baker will bake bread. The singer will sing a song. The farmer will grow crops. The mechanic will fix cars. The writer will write books. The programmer will code software. The doctor will treat patients. The lawyer will defend clients. The student will study lessons. The athlete will run races. The dancer will perform dances. The musician will play instruments. The pilot will fly planes. The cashier will scan groceries. The librarian will shelf books. The waiter will serve food. The journalist will write articles. The policeman will enforce laws.	The meal will be cooked by the chef. A letter will be written by her. The house will be cleaned by them. The apple will be eaten by him. The students will be taught by the teacher. The cat will be chased by the dog. A picture will be painted by the artist. Bread will be baked by the baker. A song will be sung by the singer. Crops will be grown by the farmer. Cars will be fixed by the mechanic. Books will be written by the writer. Software will be coded by the programmer. Patients will be treated by the doctor. Clients will be defended by the lawyer. Lessons will be studied by the student. Races will be run by the athlete. Dances will be performed by the dancer. Instruments will be played by the musician. Planes will be flown by the pilot. Groceries will be scanned by the cashier. Books will be shelved by the librarian. Food will be served by the waiter. Articles will be written by the journalist. Laws will be enforced by the policeman.

Continuous Tenses

This table illustrates the active and passive voice in present continuous, past continuous, and future continuous tenses. Note the use of “being” in the passive continuous forms.

Tense	Active Voice	Passive Voice
Present Continuous	The chef is cooking the meal. She is writing a letter. They are cleaning the house. He is eating the apple. The teacher is teaching the students. The dog is chasing the cat. The artist is painting a picture. The baker is baking bread. The singer is singing a song. The farmer is growing crops. The mechanic is fixing cars. The writer is writing books. The programmer is coding software. The doctor is treating patients. The lawyer is defending clients. The student is studying lessons. The athlete is running races. The dancer is performing dances. The musician is playing instruments. The pilot is flying planes. The cashier is scanning groceries. The librarian is shelving books. The waiter is serving food. The journalist is writing articles. The policeman is enforcing laws.	The meal is being cooked by the chef. A letter is being written by her. The house is being cleaned by them. The apple is being eaten by him. The students are being taught by the teacher. The cat is being chased by the dog. A picture is being painted by the artist. Bread is being baked by the baker. A song is being sung by the singer. Crops are being grown by the farmer. Cars are being fixed by the mechanic. Books are being written by the writer. Software is being coded by the programmer. Patients are being treated by the doctor. Clients are being defended by the lawyer. Lessons are being studied by the student. Races are being run by the athlete. Dances are being performed by the dancer. Instruments are being played by the musician. Planes are being flown by the pilot. Groceries are being scanned by the cashier. Books are being shelved by the librarian. Food is being served by the waiter. Articles are being written by the journalist. Laws are being enforced by the policeman.
Past Continuous	The chef was cooking the meal. She was writing a letter. They were cleaning the house. He was eating the apple. The teacher was teaching the students. The dog was chasing the cat. The artist was painting a picture. The baker was baking bread. The singer was singing a song. The farmer was growing crops. The mechanic was fixing cars. The writer was writing books. The programmer was coding software. The doctor was treating patients. The lawyer was defending clients. The student was studying lessons. The athlete was running races. The dancer was performing dances. The musician was playing instruments. The pilot was flying planes. The cashier was scanning groceries. The librarian was shelving books. The waiter was serving food. The journalist was writing articles. The policeman was enforcing laws.	The meal was being cooked by the chef. A letter was being written by her. The house was being cleaned by them. The apple was being eaten by him. The students were being taught by the teacher. The cat was being chased by the dog. A picture was being painted by the artist. Bread was being baked by the baker. A song was being sung by the singer. Crops were being grown by the farmer. Cars were being fixed by the mechanic. Books were being written by the writer. Software was being coded by the programmer. Patients were being treated by the doctor. Clients were being defended by the lawyer. Lessons were being studied by the student. Races were being run by the athlete. Dances were being performed by the dancer. Instruments were being played by the musician. Planes were being flown by the pilot. Groceries were being scanned by the cashier. Books were being shelved by the librarian. Food was being served by the waiter. Articles were being written by the journalist. Laws were being enforced by the policeman.
Future Continuous	The chef will be cooking the meal. She will be writing a letter. They will be cleaning the house. He will be eating the apple. The teacher will be teaching the students. The dog will be chasing the cat. The artist will be painting a picture. The baker will be baking bread. The singer will be singing a song. The farmer will be growing crops. The mechanic will be fixing cars. The writer will be writing books. The programmer will be coding software. The doctor will be treating patients. The lawyer will be defending clients. The student will be studying lessons. The athlete will be running races. The dancer will be performing dances. The musician will be playing instruments. The pilot will be flying planes. The cashier will be scanning groceries. The librarian will be shelving books. The waiter will be serving food. The journalist will be writing articles. The policeman will be enforcing laws.	The meal will be being cooked by the chef. A letter will be being written by her. The house will be being cleaned by them. The apple will be being eaten by him. The students will be being taught by the teacher. The cat will be being chased by the dog. A picture will be being painted by the artist. Bread will be being baked by the baker. A song will be being sung by the singer. Crops will be being grown by the farmer. Cars will be being fixed by the mechanic. Books will be being written by the writer. Software will be being coded by the programmer. Patients will be being treated by the doctor. Clients will be being defended by the lawyer. Lessons will be being studied by the student. Races will be being run by the athlete. Dances will be being performed by the dancer. Instruments will be being played by the musician. Planes will be being flown by the pilot. Groceries will be being scanned by the cashier. Books will be being shelved by the librarian. Food will be being served by the waiter. Articles will be being written by the journalist. Laws will be being enforced by the policeman.

Note: The future continuous passive is rarely used.

Perfect Tenses

This table demonstrates the active and passive voice in present perfect, past perfect, and future perfect tenses. Notice the use of “been” in the passive perfect forms.

Tense	Active Voice	Passive Voice
Present Perfect	The chef has cooked the meal. She has written a letter. They have cleaned the house. He has eaten the apple. The teacher has taught the students. The dog has chased the cat. The artist has painted a picture. The baker has baked bread. The singer has sung a song. The farmer has grown crops. The mechanic has fixed cars. The writer has written books. The programmer has coded software. The doctor has treated patients. The lawyer has defended clients. The student has studied lessons. The athlete has run races. The dancer has performed dances. The musician has played instruments. The pilot has flown planes. The cashier has scanned groceries. The librarian has shelved books. The waiter has served food. The journalist has written articles. The policeman has enforced laws.	The meal has been cooked by the chef. A letter has been written by her. The house has been cleaned by them. The apple has been eaten by him. The students have been taught by the teacher. The cat has been chased by the dog. A picture has been painted by the artist. Bread has been baked by the baker. A song has been sung by the singer. Crops have been grown by the farmer. Cars have been fixed by the mechanic. Books have been written by the writer. Software has been coded by the programmer. Patients have been treated by the doctor. Clients have been defended by the lawyer. Lessons have been studied by the student. Races have been run by the athlete. Dances have been performed by the dancer. Instruments have been played by the musician. Planes have been flown by the pilot. Groceries have been scanned by the cashier. Books have been shelved by the librarian. Food has been served by the waiter. Articles have been written by the journalist. Laws have been enforced by the policeman.
Past Perfect	The chef had cooked the meal. She had written a letter. They had cleaned the house. He had eaten the apple. The teacher had taught the students. The dog had chased the cat. The artist had painted a picture. The baker had baked bread. The singer had sung a song. The farmer had grown crops. The mechanic had fixed cars. The writer had written books. The programmer had coded software. The doctor had treated patients. The lawyer had defended clients. The student had studied lessons. The athlete had run races. The dancer had performed dances. The musician had played instruments. The pilot had flown planes. The cashier had scanned groceries. The librarian had shelved books. The waiter had served food. The journalist had written articles. The policeman had enforced laws.	The meal had been cooked by the chef. A letter had been written by her. The house had been cleaned by them. The apple had been eaten by him. The students had been taught by the teacher. The cat had been chased by the dog. A picture had been painted by the artist. Bread had been baked by the baker. A song had been sung by the singer. Crops had been grown by the farmer. Cars had been fixed by the mechanic. Books had been written by the writer. Software had been coded by the programmer. Patients had been treated by the doctor. Clients had been defended by the lawyer. Lessons had been studied by the student. Races had been run by the athlete. Dances had been performed by the dancer. Instruments had been played by the musician. Planes had been flown by the pilot. Groceries had been scanned by the cashier. Books had been shelved by the librarian. Food had been served by the waiter. Articles had been written by the journalist. Laws had been enforced by the policeman.
Future Perfect	The chef will have cooked the meal. She will have written a letter. They will have cleaned the house. He will have eaten the apple. The teacher will have taught the students. The dog will have chased the cat. The artist will have painted a picture. The baker will have baked bread. The singer will have sung a song. The farmer will have grown crops. The mechanic will have fixed cars. The writer will have written books. The programmer will have coded software. The doctor will have treated patients. The lawyer will have defended clients. The student will have studied lessons. The athlete will have run races. The dancer will have performed dances. The musician will have played instruments. The pilot will have flown planes. The cashier will have scanned groceries. The librarian will have shelved books. The waiter will have served food. The journalist will have written articles. The policeman will have enforced laws.	The meal will have been cooked by the chef. A letter will have been written by her. The house will have been cleaned by them. The apple will have been eaten by him. The students will have been taught by the teacher. The cat will have been chased by the dog. A picture will have been painted by the artist. Bread will have been baked by the baker. A song will have been sung by the singer. Crops will have been grown by the farmer. Cars will have been fixed by the mechanic. Books will have been written by the writer. Software will have been coded by the programmer. Patients will have been treated by the doctor. Clients will have been defended by the lawyer. Lessons will have been studied by the student. Races will have been run by the athlete. Dances will have been performed by the dancer. Instruments will have been played by the musician. Planes will have been flown by the pilot. Groceries will have been scanned by the cashier. Books will have been shelved by the librarian. Food will have been served by the waiter. Articles will have been written by the journalist. Laws will have been enforced by the policeman.

Modal Verbs

This table shows examples of active and passive voice with modal verbs such as can, should, must, may, might, and could.

Modal Verb	Active Voice	Passive Voice
Can	The chef can cook the meal. She can write a letter. They can clean the house. He can eat the apple. The teacher can teach the students. The dog can chase the cat .	The meal can be cooked by the chef. A letter can be written by her. The house can be cleaned by them. The apple can be eaten by him. The students can be taught by the teacher. The cat can be chased by the dog.
Should	The chef should cook the meal. She should write a letter. They should clean the house. He should eat the apple. The teacher should teach the students. The dog should chase the cat.	The meal should be cooked by the chef. A letter should be written by her. The house should be cleaned by them. The apple should be eaten by him. The students should be taught by the teacher. The cat should be chased by the dog.
Must	The chef must cook the meal. She must write a letter. They must clean the house. He must eat the apple. The teacher must teach the students. The dog must chase the cat.	The meal must be cooked by the chef. A letter must be written by her. The house must be cleaned by them. The apple must be eaten by him. The students must be taught by the teacher. The cat must be chased by the dog.
May	The chef may cook the meal. She may write a letter. They may clean the house. He may eat the apple. The teacher may teach the students. The dog may chase the cat.	The meal may be cooked by the chef. A letter may be written by her. The house may be cleaned by them. The apple may be eaten by him. The students may be taught by the teacher. The cat may be chased by the dog.
Might	The chef might cook the meal. She might write a letter. They might clean the house. He might eat the apple. The teacher might teach the students. The dog might chase the cat.	The meal might be cooked by the chef. A letter might be written by her. The house might be cleaned by them. The apple might be eaten by him. The students might be taught by the teacher. The cat might be chased by the dog.
Could	The chef could cook the meal. She could write a letter. They could clean the house. He could eat the apple. The teacher could teach the students. The dog could chase the cat.	The meal could be cooked by the chef. A letter could be written by her. The house could be cleaned by them. The apple could be eaten by him. The students could be taught by the teacher. The cat could be chased by the dog.

Questions in Active and Passive Voice

Transforming questions between active and passive voice requires careful attention to word order and verb forms. Here are some examples:

Tense	Active Voice Question	Passive Voice Question
Simple Present	Does the chef cook the meal? Does she write a letter? Do they clean the house?	Is the meal cooked by the chef? Is a letter written by her? Is the house cleaned by them?
Simple Past	Did the chef cook the meal? Did she write a letter? Did they clean the house?	Was the meal cooked by the chef? Was a letter written by her? Was the house cleaned by them?
Present Continuous	Is the chef cooking the meal? Is she writing a letter? Are they cleaning the house?	Is the meal being cooked by the chef? Is a letter being written by her? Is the house being cleaned by them?
Past Continuous	Was the chef cooking the meal? Was she writing a letter? Were they cleaning the house?	Was the meal being cooked by the chef? Was a letter being written by her? Was the house being cleaned by them?
Present Perfect	Has the chef cooked the meal? Has she written a letter? Have they cleaned the house?	Has the meal been cooked by the chef? Has a letter been written by her? Has the house been cleaned by them?
Past Perfect	Had the chef cooked the meal? Had she written a letter? Had they cleaned the house?	Had the meal been cooked by the chef? Had a letter been written by her? Had the house been cleaned by them?
Modal Verbs	Can the chef cook the meal? Should she write a letter? Must they clean the house?	Can the meal be cooked by the chef? Should a letter be written by her? Must the house be cleaned by them?

Usage Rules for Active and Passive Voice

Understanding when and how to use active and passive voice correctly is crucial for effective communication. These rules will help you make informed decisions about which voice is most appropriate for your writing.

Rules for Using Active Voice

Active voice is generally preferred in most writing contexts because it is clearer, more direct, and more concise. Here are the main rules for using active voice:

• Clarity: Use active voice when you want to make it clear who or what is performing the action.
• Directness: Active voice makes your writing more direct and engaging.
• Conciseness: Active voice sentences are typically shorter and easier to understand.
• Emphasis on the Actor: Use active voice when the actor is important to the message.

Example: “The student completed the assignment.” (Clear, direct, and concise)

Rules for Using Passive Voice

Passive voice has specific uses, although it should be used judiciously. Here are the main rules for using passive voice:

• Unknown Actor: Use passive voice when the actor is unknown or unimportant.
• Emphasis on the Action: Use passive voice when the action itself is more important than the actor.
• Objectivity: Use passive voice in formal or scientific writing to maintain objectivity.
• Tact and Politeness: Use passive voice to avoid blaming someone directly.

Example: “The assignment was completed.” (The actor is not specified, focusing on the completion of the assignment)

When to Use Passive Voice

Passive voice is appropriate in certain situations where it serves a specific purpose. Here are some common scenarios:

• Scientific Writing: To focus on the experiment or results rather than the experimenter.

  Example: “The experiment was conducted using specific parameters.”

• News Reporting: When the perpetrator is unknown or the focus is on the event.

  Example: “The bank was robbed yesterday.”

• Formal Writing: To maintain a formal tone and avoid personal pronouns.

  Example: “It has been decided that the project will proceed.”

• Avoiding Blame: To soften criticism or avoid directly accusing someone.

  Example: “Mistakes were made.”

When to Avoid Passive Voice

Overuse of passive voice can make your writing vague, wordy, and confusing. Here are situations where you should avoid using passive voice:

• Lack of Clarity: When it’s important to know who performed the action.
• Weak Writing: When it makes your writing sound less direct and engaging.
• Wordiness: When it adds unnecessary words to your sentences.
• Unintentional Obscurity: When it hides responsibility or creates confusion.

Example of passive voice to avoid: “The report was written.” (Better: “The team wrote the report.”)

Common Mistakes

Even with a solid understanding of active and passive voice, certain mistakes are common. Being aware of these pitfalls can help you avoid them in your writing.

Incorrect Verb Forms

One of the most common mistakes is using the wrong verb form when constructing passive sentences. Remember that passive voice requires a form of “to be” + the past participle of the main verb.

Incorrect: “The letter is write.” The letter is write.
Correct: “The letter is written.” The letter is written.

Incorrect: “The house was build.” The house was build.
Correct: “The house was built.” The house was built.

Misusing ‘by’ Phrase

Another common error is either omitting the “by” phrase when it’s necessary or including it unnecessarily. Use the “by” phrase only when the actor is important to the sentence.

Unnecessary ‘by’ phrase: “The accident was caused by something.” The accident was caused by something.
Better: “The accident was caused.” The accident was caused.

Omitted ‘by’ phrase when needed: “The book was written.” The book was written. (if the author is important)
Correct: “The book was written by Jane Austen.” The book was written by Jane Austen.

Unclear Passive Constructions

Passive constructions can sometimes lead to unclear or ambiguous sentences, especially when the actor is omitted and the context doesn’t provide enough information.

Unclear: “The decision was made.” The decision was made. (Who made the decision?)
Clearer: “The committee made the decision.” The committee made the decision. (Active voice) or “The decision was made by the committee.” The decision was made by the committee. (Passive voice with specified actor)

Practice Exercises

Test your understanding of active and passive voice with these exercises. Each exercise focuses on a different aspect of voice, helping you to master its usage.

Exercise 1: Identifying Voice

Identify whether the following sentences are in active or passive voice.

1. The cat chased the mouse.
2. The mouse was chased by the cat.
3. The letter was written by her.
4. She wrote the letter.
5. The car is being fixed by the mechanic.
6. The mechanic is fixing the car.
7. The report has been submitted.
8. The student has submitted the report.
9. The window was broken.
10. Someone broke the window.

Answers:

1. Active
2. Passive
3. Passive
4. Active
5. Passive
6. Active
7. Passive
8. Active
9. Passive
10. Active

Exercise 2: Converting Active to Passive

Convert the following active voice sentences into passive voice.

1. The chef cooked the meal.
2. She writes a letter.
3. They clean the house.
4. He eats the apple.
5. The teacher teaches the students.

Answers:

1. The meal was cooked by the chef.
2. A letter is written by her.
3. The house is cleaned by them.
4. The apple is eaten by him.
5. The students are taught by the teacher.

Exercise 3: Converting Passive to Active

Convert the following passive voice sentences into active voice.

1. The meal was cooked by the chef.
2. A letter is written by her.
3. The house is cleaned by them.
4. The apple is eaten by him.
5. The students are taught by the teacher.

Answers:

1. The chef cooked the meal.
2. She writes a letter.
3. They clean the house.
4. He eats the apple.
5. The teacher teaches the students.

Exercise 4: Choosing the Correct Voice

Choose the correct voice (active or passive) for the following sentences, based on the context.

1. The report ______ (wrote / was written) by the team. (Focus on the report)
2. The team ______ (wrote / was written) the report. (Focus on the team)
3. The car ______ (is fixing / is being fixed) by the mechanic. (Focus on the car)
4. The mechanic ______ (is fixing / is being fixed) the car. (Focus on the mechanic)
5. Mistakes ______ (made / were made). (Avoiding blame)

Answers:

1. was written
2. wrote
3. is being fixed
4. is fixing
5. were made

Advanced Topics

Beyond the basics, there are more nuanced aspects of passive voice that can enhance your understanding and usage. These include the passive causative, ‘get’ passive, and pseudo-passive constructions.

Passive Causative

The passive causative is used when you cause someone else to do something for you. It typically involves the verb “have” or “get” followed by an object and a past participle. It indicates that you arranged for someone to perform an action for you, rather than doing it yourself.

Structure: Have/Get + Object + Past Participle

Examples:

• Active: “I fixed my car.”
• Causative: “I had my car fixed.” (Someone else fixed it for me)
• Active: “I am cleaning my house.”
• Causative: “I am having my house cleaned.” (Someone else is cleaning it for me)

‘Get’ Passive

The “get” passive is an informal alternative to the “be” passive. It’s more common in spoken English and informal writing. It often implies that something happened unexpectedly or unintentionally.

Structure: Get + Past Participle

Examples:

• “He got injured during the game.” (Instead of “He was injured during the game.“)
• “The window got broken.” (Instead of “The window was broken.“)
• “I got promoted.” (Instead of “I was promoted.“)

Pseudo-Passive

Pseudo-passive verbs, also known as ergative verbs, are verbs that can be used both transitively (with an object) and intransitively (without an object), where the subject of the intransitive verb is understood as the object of the transitive verb. These verbs appear passive in meaning but are active in form.

Examples:

• “The book reads well.” (Implies “The book is read well.“)
• “The shirt washes easily.” (Implies “The shirt is washed easily.“)
• “The door opened.” (Implies “The door was opened.“)

FAQ

Here are some frequently asked questions about active and passive voice to further clarify any remaining doubts.

What is the main difference between active and passive voice?

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

When should I use passive voice?

Use passive voice when the actor is unknown, unimportant, or when you want to emphasize the action or the recipient of the action.

Why is active voice generally preferred?

Active voice is clearer, more direct, and more concise, making your writing more engaging and easier to understand.

Can overuse of passive voice be a problem?

Yes, overuse of passive voice can make your writing vague, wordy, and confusing, and it can also obscure responsibility.

How do I identify passive voice in a sentence?

Passive voice is formed using a form of the auxiliary verb “to be” (is, am, are, was, were, been, being) + the past participle of the main verb.

Conclusion

Mastering the active and passive voice is essential for effective communication in English. By understanding the definitions, structures, and usage rules outlined in this guide, you can make informed decisions about which voice to use in different contexts.

While active voice is generally preferred for its clarity and directness, passive voice has its place in specific situations where the actor is unknown or the emphasis is on the action. With practice and attention to detail, you can confidently utilize both active and passive voice to enhance your writing and speaking skills, ensuring your message is delivered with precision and impact.