Native speakers use the passive voice to shift focus from the person doing an action to the action itself or the object receiving it. You can start using it correctly by learning its structure—object + 'to be' + past participle—and knowing when it's appropriate, such as in formal writing or when the doer is unknown.
Many English learners are told to avoid the passive voice at all costs. While it’s true that the active voice is often more direct and powerful, mastering when and how to use the passive voice is a key skill that separates intermediate learners from advanced speakers. It’s not a grammatical error; it’s a powerful stylistic tool. Let's break down why it's used and how you can add it to your English toolkit.
What's the Difference Between Active and Passive Voice?
Before we dive into *why*, let's quickly review *what*. The difference lies in the sentence structure and what you choose to emphasize.
- Active Voice: The subject performs the action. The structure is clear: Subject + Verb + Object.
- *Example:* The marketing team (subject) launched (verb) the new campaign (object).
- Passive Voice: The subject receives the action. The focus shifts to the object, which becomes the new subject. The structure is: Object + 'to be' + Past Participle (+ by + Agent).
- *Example:* The new campaign (object) was launched (verb) by the marketing team (agent).
Notice how the focus shifts from the *team* to the *campaign*. That shift in focus is the main reason we use the passive voice.
Why Do Native Speakers Use the Passive Voice?
Native speakers don't use the passive voice by accident. They choose it for specific strategic reasons to make their communication more effective. Here are the most common situations where it’s the better choice.
The Action is More Important Than the Actor
Sometimes, the person or thing doing the action (the agent) is unimportant or irrelevant. The focus is entirely on the result or the action itself. This is very common in news reports, scientific papers, and announcements.
- *Example:* "The new hospital was opened yesterday." (We care about the hospital opening, not necessarily *who* cut the ribbon.)
- *Example:* "Over 100 new planets have been discovered this year." (The discovery is the big news, not the specific astronomers.)
The Actor is Unknown or Obvious
If you don’t know who performed the action, the passive voice is your only option.
- *Example:* "My car was stolen last night." (You don't know who the thief is.)
Similarly, you can use it when the actor is so obvious that mentioning them is redundant.
- *Example:* "The suspect was arrested." (It's clear that the police made the arrest.)
To Sound More Formal and Objective
The passive voice creates a more impersonal and objective tone, which is perfect for formal writing. In academic and scientific contexts, this helps remove personal feelings and focuses on the facts and processes.
- Personal (Active): "I observed the chemical reaction."
- Objective (Passive): "The chemical reaction was observed."
For Politeness or to Avoid Blame
The passive voice is a great tool for delivering bad news or talking about mistakes without pointing a finger directly at someone. This is a common strategy in business and customer service.
- Direct (Active): "You sent the wrong invoice."
- Polite (Passive): "The wrong invoice was sent."
- Direct (Active): "You made a mistake."
- Diplomatic (Passive): "A mistake was made."
How Can I Start to Use the Passive Voice Correctly?
Ready to try it yourself? Using the passive voice is a matter of re-arranging the sentence. Follow these four simple steps.
- Start with an active sentence. Identify the subject, verb, and object.
- *Example:* The company will release the report tomorrow.
- *Subject:* The company
- *Verb:* will release
- *Object:* the report
- Make the object of the active sentence the new subject.
- *New Subject:* The report
- Add the verb 'to be' in the same tense as the original verb. The original tense is future simple ("will release"), so we use "will be."
- *Sentence so far:* The report will be...
- Add the past participle of the main verb. The past participle of "release" is "released."
- *Final Sentence:* The report will be released tomorrow.
If you want to mention who performed the action, you can add them at the end using the preposition "by." For example: "The report will be released by the company tomorrow."
Conclusion: A Tool, Not a Mistake
Far from being a grammatical error, the passive voice is a sophisticated tool that adds flexibility and nuance to your writing. While the active voice is your best choice for clear, direct, and engaging content, learning to use the passive voice effectively will make your English sound more natural and professional. Understand its purpose, practice its structure, and you'll be able to choose the right voice for any situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it bad to use the passive voice in English? No, it's not inherently bad. Overusing it can make your writing sound weak or evasive, but using it for the right reasons—like emphasizing the action, being polite, or in formal contexts—is a sign of advanced English skill.
How do I know when to use active or passive voice? Use the active voice for most of your writing to be clear and direct. Choose the passive voice when the person doing the action is unknown, unimportant, or obvious, or when you want to sound more objective and formal.
Can you give an example of passive voice in a sentence? Certainly. A common example is: "The Mona Lisa was painted by Leonardo da Vinci." Here, the focus is on the masterpiece, the Mona Lisa, rather than the artist.
What is the formula for the passive voice? The basic formula is: Subject (the receiver of the action) + a form of the verb 'to be' + the past participle of the main verb. For example: "The email (subject) + was (verb 'to be') + sent (past participle)."
Why is passive voice used so much in academic writing? Passive voice is common in academic and scientific writing because it helps create an objective and impersonal tone. It shifts the focus from the researcher ("I did this") to the research itself ("This was done"), which makes the findings appear more factual and credible.