Guide to the Passive Voice in English – TOEIC® Preparation
Flow Exam team
The passive voice is an essential grammatical structure in English. It allows you to shift the focus to the action itself or to the element undergoing it, rather than to its doer. In other words, it highlights what is happening at the expense of the agent responsible for the event. Let's observe this difference:
- Active Form : The chef cooks the meal.→ The subject "the chef", also called the agent, performs the action of cooking.
- Passive Form : The meal is cooked (by the chef).→ The focus shifts to "the meal" which receives the action: the chef takes a secondary role.
Structure of the Passive Voice
The passive construction relies on the following formula:
SUBJECT (receiving the action)
+ "BE" (conjugated in the appropriate tense) +
PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb
(+ "BY" + AGENT if necessary)
Here is the complete method for converting an active sentence into a passive sentence, illustrated by a concrete example:
- Active Sentence : The chef cooks the meal.
Step 1: Identify the essential components of the active sentence
- The subject : The chef→ The entity performing the action.
- The verb : cooks→ The action performed, here conjugated in the simple present tense.
- The object complement : the meal→ The element receiving the action.
Step 2: Invert subject and complement
In a passive construction, the object complement of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence.
- Active Complement → Passive Subject : The meal
The active subject (the chef) becomes optional and can be specified after "by" if the information is relevant.
- Active Subject → complement introduced by "by" : by the chef
Step 3: Conjugate the auxiliary "be"
The auxiliary "be" must be conjugated in the same tense as the main verb in the active sentence.
In this example, the active verb cooks is in the simple present, so we conjugate "be" in the simple present with the new subject (The meal):
- The meal is
Step 4: Use the past participle of the main verb
The main verb of the active sentence ("cooks") must be transformed into a past participle (cooked).
- is cooked
Step 5: Final passive construction
By assembling all these elements:
- Passive Sentence : The meal is cooked by the chef.
Situations for Using the Passive Voice
To focus attention on the object or the beneficiary of the action
The passive voice is preferred when what matters is what happens or who undergoes the action, rather than the identity of the one performing it. This structure allows you to reorient the focus toward the result of the action.
- The new law was approved yesterday (by …)(The new law was approved yesterday.)
- The injured man was taken to the hospital (by …)(The injured man was transported to the hospital.)
The agent (by someone) is generally omitted since the emphasis is on the passive subject.
When the agent is unknown, irrelevant, or obvious
The passive voice is necessary when we do not know, or it is useless to mention, the identity of the person performing the action. This construction is particularly effective for lightening the statement when the agent adds nothing to the meaning in the given context.
- My wallet was stolen (by …)(My wallet was stolen.)
- The book was published in 2001.(The book was published in 2001.)
To explain a process or mechanism
In technical, scientific, pedagogical explanations, and recipes, the passive voice allows the explanation of processes or systems without identifying a specific agent.
- The data is analyzed using advanced algorithms.(The data is analyzed using advanced algorithms.)
- Water is heated until it reaches boiling point.(Water is heated until it reaches its boiling point.)
The passive present perfect is particularly suitable for describing recent changes. It emphasizes the transformations themselves, without necessarily identifying their origin.The city has changed dramatically over the years. Many historic buildings have been restored, new parks have been created, and several old neighborhoods have been transformed into modern residential areas.
To adopt a formal register
The passive voice frequently appears in formal contexts such as reports, academic publications, and official documents. This construction lends the discourse a more objective and professional character.
- A new policy has been implemented to address the issue.(A new policy has been established to address the issue.)
- The results will be announced next week.(The results will be revealed next week.)
To avoid redundancy
The passive is frequently used in sentences chaining several actions to avoid repeating the agent. This structure makes the discourse more fluid and natural, especially in long developments.
Frequently, in articles, headlines, and newspapers, an abbreviated form of the passive is used. To save space, especially in headlines where character count is limited, the auxiliary "be" is omitted from the sentence.House damaged by fire. VS The house was damaged by fire.(A house damaged by fire.)Police officer shot in robbery attempt. VS The police officer was shot in robbery attempt.(A police officer shot during an armed robbery attempt.)
Conjugation of the Passive Voice by Tense
The passive construction varies depending on the tense used in the active sentence. The table below shows the transformation of an active sentence into a passive one for each tense, with the example:
| Tense | Active Form | Passive Form |
|---|---|---|
| Present simple | The chef cooks the meal. | The meal is cooked. |
| Present continuous | The chef is cooking the meal. | The meal is being cooked. |
| Past simple | The chef cooked the meal. | The meal was cooked. |
| Past continuous | The chef was cooking the meal. | The meal was being cooked. |
| Present perfect | The chef has cooked the meal. | The meal has been cooked. |
| Past perfect | The chef had cooked the meal. | The meal had been cooked. |
| Future with will | The chef will cook the meal. | The meal will be cooked. |
| Future with going to | The chef is going to cook the meal. | The meal is going to be cooked. |
| Future perfect | The chef will have cooked the meal. | The meal will have been cooked. |
- The chef cooks the meal (The chef prepares the meal).
Passive Construction with a Modal Verb
To form the passive voice of a sentence containing a modal verb, apply the following structure:
MODAL + BE + PAST PARTICIPLE
- Active Form : They must finish the report.
- Passive Form : The report must be finished.
Particularity of the auxiliary "get"
The auxiliary "get" can replace "be" to construct the passive voice, but exclusively in informal or colloquial registers. This construction is often used to evoke unforeseen events or changes of state.
- He got promoted last week.(He was promoted last week.)
- The window got broken during the storm.(The window was broken during the storm.)
However, it is worth noting several points regarding this form:
- The use of "get" should be avoided in formal or academic writing. It is preferable to use "be" in these situations.
- With "get", the action takes on a more personal or unexpected dimension.
- He got fired (He got fired) → suggests an emotional reaction or surprise
- He was fired → remains more neutral and factual.
- "Get" is not usable with all verb tenses and is rarely used in the past perfect or future.
Alternative Prepositions to "by"
In the passive voice, the agent performing the action is generally introduced by the preposition "by".
- The book was written by the author.
However, depending on the context or the meaning of the sentence, other prepositions can be used. These prepositions specify the nature of the relationship between the subject and the action.
Here is a table of the most frequent prepositions that can replace "by":
| Preposition | Function | Example |
|---|---|---|
| By | Indicates the agent or the person performing the action. | The book was written by the author. |
| With | Indicates the instrument, tool, or material used to accomplish the action. | The room was filled with smoke. |
| About | Indicates the theme or subject of a discussion or action. | Much has been said about this topic. |
| To | Indicates the recipient or the person benefiting from the action. | The letter was addressed to her. |
| For | Indicates an intention, reason, or purpose. | The cake was made for the children. |
| Of | Indicates a composition or belonging. | The team is composed of experts. |
| In | Indicates a state or a place where something is taking place. | The room was left in complete silence. |
| At | Indicates the target or the location of an action. | The meeting was held at the conference center. |
| Over | Indicates a coverage or an area affected by the action. | The area was covered over with snow. |
| From | Indicates an origin or a separation. | The funds were stolen from the account. |
| On | Indicates a surface or a point of reference. | The message was written on the wall. |
| Into | Indicates a movement toward the interior of a space. | The money was put into the bank account. |
| Out of | Indicates a movement toward the exterior of a space. | The documents were taken out of the box. |
Summary
The passive voice in English allows you to restructure a sentence to highlight the action or the element receiving it. This grammatical construction, with its specific rules, is particularly relevant for describing events, explaining mechanisms, and communicating information clearly and professionally.
Mastering the passive voice is essential for succeeding in the TOEIC®, especially in Parts 5 and 6 where questions frequently test the ability to identify the appropriate verb form according to the context. Understanding when and how to use this structure will allow you to gain valuable points and significantly improve your overall score.
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