Passive Voice: When to Use It

It's Not Always Wrong, But Use It Wisely

Quick Answer

Passive voice: The subject receives the action. "The ball was kicked by John."

Active voice: The subject does the action. "John kicked the ball."

Rule: Use active voice most of the time. Use passive when the doer is unknown/unimportant.

What Is Passive Voice?

In passive voice, the subject receives the action instead of doing it.

Formula: Subject + form of "to be" + past participle (+ by agent)

  • The cake was eaten. → cake receives action ✓
  • The report was written by Sarah. ✓
  • Mistakes were made. ✓
  • The window was broken. ✓
  • You are invited to the party. ✓

When to Use Passive Voice

Passive is appropriate when:

  • Doer is unknown: "My bike was stolen." ✓
  • Doer is unimportant: "The building was constructed in 1920." ✓
  • Scientific writing: "The sample was tested." ✓
  • Emphasizing the action: "The law was passed unanimously." ✓
  • Avoiding blame: "Mistakes were made." (Who made them?)

When to Avoid Passive Voice

Prefer active voice when:

  • You want clear, direct writing
  • The doer is important to know
  • You want to assign responsibility
  • You're writing business emails or instructions
  • Your writing feels wordy or weak

Comparison Chart

Passive Voice Active Voice Which Is Better?
The report was written by me. I wrote the report. Active (clearer)
The window was broken. Someone broke the window. Passive (doer unknown)
Mistakes were made. We made mistakes. Active (takes responsibility)
The vaccine was developed in 2020. Scientists developed the vaccine in 2020. Both acceptable
The experiment was conducted carefully. We conducted the experiment carefully. Passive (scientific convention)

How to Convert Passive to Active

  1. Find the doer (often after "by")
  2. Make the doer the subject
  3. Remove "be" verb + past participle

Example:

  • Passive: "The book was written by Sarah."
  • Find doer: Sarah
  • Active: "Sarah wrote the book."

Quick Tips

💡 Spot Passive Voice

Look for "was/were/is/are/been" + past participle. "Was written," "is known," "were found."

✅ The "by zombies" Test

Can you add "by zombies" after the verb? "The cake was eaten [by zombies]." = passive!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is passive voice grammatically incorrect?

No! Passive voice is 100% grammatically correct. It's a style choice. Overusing it can weaken writing, but it has legitimate uses.

Why do teachers hate passive voice?

They don't hate it—they want you to use it intentionally. Students often use passive to avoid responsibility or pad word counts.

Is "I was born" passive?

Yes, technically! But it's the standard way to say this. "My mother bore me" sounds archaic. Some passive constructions are idiomatic.

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