Active and passive voice
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Summary
Active and passive voice
In a nutshell
Understanding active and passive voice allows you to write more varied sentences. In this summary, you will learn how to use the active and passive voice, how to turn an active sentence into a passive one as well as some reasons to use the passive voice.
The active voice
Active voice is just another way of saying that a sentence is in the normal word order. Sentences in the active voice are usually easier to understand because they are clear and direct.
- Start with the subject (doer of the verb).
- Write the verb (the action).
- After the verb, there might be an object (thing/person the verb is done to).
Example
S | V | O |
| The dentist | examined | my teeth. |
The passive voice
In a passive sentence, the object comes first and becomes the new grammatical subject of the sentence, which receives the action of the verb.
To understand how to change this word order, follow these simple steps:
(1) Start by labelling the subject (S), verb (V) and object (O) of the sentence.
S | V | O |
| The dentist | examined | my teeth. |
(2) Now, swap the order of the subject and the object.
 | |
| My teeth | the dentist. |
(3) All that is left now is the verb. However, you cannot just write the verb in the same form; look at what the sentence becomes:
| O | V | S |
| My teeth | examined | the dentist. |
Now the meaning of the sentence has changed. Remember, you still want to say that my teeth received the examination. You need to change the form of the verb to the passive voice to keep this meaning.
Follow this verb table to change the verb into the passive voice:
| the verb TO BE (in the tense you need) | past participle (main verb) | ← this is the form of the verb we use for the "have + verb" form, e.g. He has examined. |
| ↓ | ↓ | |
| were | examined |
(4) One last step! Now that the original subject is at the end of the sentence, you need the magic word "by" to show who is responsible.
O (new subject) | V | S |
| My teeth | were examined | by the dentist. |
Tip: if you'd like, you can even leave out the subject altogether. This can be useful if you don't know who/what the subject is.
Example
O (new subject) | V |
| My teeth | were examined. |
Although the passive voice can be useful, its usage is often advised against because its vagueness can cause confusion. In the above example, you don't know who examined the subject's teeth; does the writer not know?
Reasons to use the passive voice
Now that you understand how to formulate a sentence in the passive voice, it's necessary to also understand why the passive voice is used at all.
To show interest in the person or object that experiences an action rather than the performer of the action
In the following example, 'the cathedral' is of interest, rather than who built it.
Example
The cathedral was built in the 1500s.
You do not know or do not want to know who performed the action
In the following example, the subject does not know who followed him/her.
Example
It felt like I was being followed yesterday.
To stay/appear objective, scientific, technical or logical
The passive voice can create a sense of emotional distance between the reader and what's being said, especially when something factual or methodical is expressed.
Example
First, the materials will be gathered and then placed in a warehouse.
You are talking about a general truth
In this case, the truth applies to people in general and not to a specific subject.
Example
The rules of the game were created for a few reasons.
FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions
How do I form a passive sentence?
Take the verb "TO BE" in the tense you need, plus the past participle.
What is the passive voice?
In a passive sentence, the object comes first and becomes the new grammatical subject of the sentence, which receives the action of the verb.
What is the active voice?
The active voice is when a sentence is in the normal word order, where you start with the subject, next you write the verb, and then you might have an object.