Grammar: Passive Voice in English

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Learn how and when to use Passive Voice in English with examples.

Passive voice is a grammatical voice common in many languages. In a clause with passive, the grammatical subject expresses the theme or patient of the main verb.

Passive Voice in English

The passive voice is used to show interest in the person or object that experiences an action rather than the person or object that performs the action.
Examples:

– The exercises must be done by Jose.

– The letter will be written tonight.

– “A Hard Day’s Night” was written by the Beatles.

– The hall was being decorated when I arrived.

– The building had been restored.

– The old library is going to be knocked down.

– The keys have been read by my son.

Sometimes we use the passive voice because we don’t know or do not want to express who performed the action.

– It will be made tomorrow.

– A song has been recorded by Lisa.

– A cake is being baked by Mike.

– News reports are written by reporters.

– A book can be written by her.

– A race will be run by us.

The passive voice in English is composed of two elements: “to be” + past participle

Example:

Active: He was writing a letter.

Passive:

+ A letter was being written by him.

– A letter wasn’t being written by him.

? Was a letter being written by him?

Passive Voice in English | Image