Voz Pasiva: Dando Crédito con 'por'
by + agent para mayor claridad. Es tu herramienta para decir 'quién' en la voz pasiva.
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'by' in passive sentences to mention who or what performed the action while keeping the focus on the result.
- Place 'by' after the past participle to introduce the doer: 'The song was sung by Adele.'
- Only use 'by' if the person or thing doing the action is important information.
- Don't confuse 'by' (the doer) with 'with' (the tool used): 'The door was opened by John with a key.'
Overview
The evidence was discovered by a local farmer. Esa palabrita by es una pieza clave en inglés.by + agente. Es el puente perfecto entre querer resaltar el resultado y necesitar mencionar al creador. Piensa en ello como los créditos al final de una película.How This Grammar Works
Mi compañero se comió mi pizza, el compañero es el protagonista. Pero, ¿y si lo más impactante es que falta la pizza? Podrías decir:
¡Se comieron mi pizza!.
Mi pizza fue comida por mi compañero (by my roommate). El agente es simplemente la persona o cosa que realizó la acción.by, cambias el enfoque. La pizza es ahora el sujeto. Esto es increíblemente útil cuando el resultado es más interesante que la persona.
Formation Pattern
to be. Este cambia según el tiempo de tu frase original.
taken o written).
by.
When To Use It
Una cura fue descubierta por científicos (by scientists) porque la cura es la gran noticia.The Great Gatsby was written by F. Scott Fitzgerald.La puerta fue abierta por una sombra. Suena mucho más aterrador.El vaso fue roto por Jim suena menos agresivo que ¡Jim rompió el vaso!.
Common Mistakes
with en lugar de by. Recuerda: by es para la persona (el agente) y with es para la herramienta (el instrumento). No dirías La carta fue escrita con Shakespeare. Otro error es olvidar el verbo to be. The photo taken by me es un fragmento. Necesitas The photo was taken by me. ¡Ojo con los pronombres! Si el agente es un pronombre, debe ser de objeto: by him, by her, by them. No digas by he. Por último, no abuses del agente. Si es alguien o la gente, simplemente omítelo.Contrast With Similar Patterns
by + agente con with + instrumento. by responde a ¿Quién? mientras que with responde a ¿Qué herramienta?. Por ejemplo: El pastel fue cortado.por el chef(agente)con un cuchillo de plata(instrumento)
Robaron mi bici es una idea completa.by + agente si esa información aporta valor o crédito necesario.Quick FAQ
P: ¿Siempre debo incluir al agente?
R: ¡No! Solo si es interesante, importante o sorprendente.
P: ¿Puedo usar by con cosas o solo con personas?
R: ¡Con cosas también!
El pueblo fue destruido por la tormenta.
P: ¿Es más común al hablar o al escribir?
R: Se ve más en escritura formal, pero lo usamos al hablar para dar énfasis.
Passive Voice with 'By' Across Tenses
| Tense | Subject | Verb 'Be' | Past Participle | By + Agent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Present Simple
|
The reports
|
are
|
written
|
by the staff.
|
|
Past Simple
|
The report
|
was
|
written
|
by the manager.
|
|
Present Continuous
|
The report
|
is being
|
written
|
by the intern.
|
|
Past Continuous
|
The report
|
was being
|
written
|
by Sarah.
|
|
Present Perfect
|
The report
|
has been
|
written
|
by the team.
|
|
Future (Will)
|
The report
|
will be
|
written
|
by the director.
|
|
Modals
|
The report
|
must be
|
written
|
by you.
|
Meanings
The passive voice with 'by' is used to identify the 'agent' (the person or thing that performs the action) when the sentence structure is passive. It allows the speaker to emphasize the receiver of the action while still providing credit or responsibility to the doer.
Artistic & Intellectual Credit
Used to attribute books, paintings, songs, or inventions to their creators.
“This novel was written by George Orwell.”
“The symphony was composed by Beethoven.”
Official & Legal Responsibility
Used in news or legal documents to state who performed an official action.
“The law was passed by the parliament.”
“The decision was made by the CEO.”
Unexpected Agents
Used when the doer of the action is surprising or particularly noteworthy.
“The window was broken by a falling branch.”
“The cake was eaten by the dog!”
Reference Table
| Estructura | Ejemplo | Significado | Cuándo Usar |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Active Voice
|
Sarah wrote the report.
|
Sarah (agente) hizo la acción.
|
Enfocarse en el ejecutor.
|
|
Passive Voice (no agent)
|
The report was written.
|
El informe (receptor) recibió la acción.
|
Agente desconocido/sin importancia.
|
|
Passive Voice (with 'by')
|
The report was written by Sarah.
|
El informe (receptor) recibió la acción, Sarah es la ejecutora.
|
El agente es importante/recibe crédito.
|
|
Present Simple Passive
|
The coffee is brewed by her.
|
Ella prepara el café.
|
Acciones rutinarias, crédito.
|
|
Past Simple Passive
|
The song was sung by him.
|
Él cantó la canción.
|
Acciones pasadas, crédito/identificación.
|
|
Future Simple Passive
|
The project will be managed by them.
|
Ellos gestionarán el proyecto.
|
Planes futuros, asignación.
|
Espectro de formalidad
The manuscript was authored by an unknown scholar. (Literature)
The book was written by a local author. (Literature)
It was written by some guy I know. (Literature)
This was penned by my homie. (Literature)
Mapa Conceptual: Voz Pasiva con 'By' y el Agente
Estructura
- Subject + Be + V3 + by + Agent Formación
- Be (conjugated) Verbo auxiliar
- Past Participle (V3) Forma del verbo principal
Cuándo Usar
- Give Credit/Blame Asignar responsabilidad
- Important/Unexpected Agent Destacar al ejecutor
- Formal Contexts Tono objetivo
- Clarity Eliminar ambigüedad
Distinciones Clave
- By (Agent) Quién o qué hace la acción
- With (Instrument) Herramienta usada para la acción
- Omit 'by' if unimportant No es necesario el ejecutor
Ejemplos
- was written by Sarah Crédito por escribir
- is designed by Apple Empresa como agente
- will be delivered by drone Método/agente
Comparación: 'By' vs. 'With' en Voz Pasiva
¿Debo Usar 'By + Agent'?
¿La oración es pasiva?
¿El agente (ejecutor) es conocido o importante?
¿El 'agente' es en realidad una herramienta/instrumento?
Agentes en Oraciones Pasivas
Personas
- • The book was read by a student.
- • The meal was prepared by the chef.
Organizaciones
- • The car was manufactured by Tesla.
- • The software was developed by Google.
Animales
- • The food was eaten by the dog.
- • The sheep were herded by the dog.
Fuerzas/Causas
- • The tree was struck by lightning.
- • The bridge was damaged by the earthquake.
Ejemplos por nivel
The book was written by him.
El libro fue escrito por él.
The cake was made by my dad.
El pastel fue hecho por mi papá.
The car was washed by Sam.
El coche fue lavado por Sam.
The photo was taken by her.
La foto fue tomada por ella.
The window was broken by a ball.
La ventana fue rota por una pelota.
The songs were sung by a famous choir.
Las canciones fueron cantadas por un coro famoso.
The house was built by my grandfather in 1950.
La casa fue construida por mi abuelo en 1950.
The emails were sent by the secretary.
Los correos fueron enviados por la secretaria.
The new law was signed by the President yesterday.
La nueva ley fue firmada por el Presidente ayer.
The bridge was designed by a French architect.
El puente fue diseñado por un arquitecto francés.
The missing child was found by a local hiker.
El niño desaparecido fue encontrado por un excursionista local.
The dinner was prepared by a professional chef.
La cena fue preparada por un chef profesional.
The experiment was conducted by a team of researchers from Oxford.
El experimento fue realizado por un equipo de investigadores de Oxford.
The company was founded by two brothers in their garage.
La empresa fue fundada por dos hermanos en su garaje.
The mural was painted by an anonymous artist overnight.
El mural fue pintado por un artista anónimo durante la noche.
The decision was heavily criticized by the local media.
La decisión fue fuertemente criticada por los medios locales.
The initiative was spearheaded by a coalition of environmental NGOs.
La iniciativa fue encabezada por una coalición de ONGs ambientales.
The manuscript was discovered by chance by a young librarian.
El manuscrito fue descubierto por casualidad por un joven bibliotecario.
The city's infrastructure was severely damaged by the hurricane.
La infraestructura de la ciudad fue gravemente dañada por el huracán.
The role was originally intended to be played by a younger actor.
El papel estaba originalmente destinado a ser interpretado por un actor más joven.
The silence was eventually broken by the rhythmic ticking of the clock.
El silencio fue finalmente roto por el tictac rítmico del reloj.
The policy was implemented by the government in the face of mounting public pressure.
La política fue implementada por el gobierno ante la creciente presión pública.
The intricate patterns were woven by hand by artisans in the remote village.
Los intrincados patrones fueron tejidos a mano por artesanos en la remota aldea.
The verdict was reached by the jury after three days of deliberation.
El veredicto fue alcanzado por el jurado tras tres días de deliberación.
Fácil de confundir
Learners use 'by' for tools and 'with' for people.
In many languages, the word for 'from' is used for the passive agent.
Learners say 'He is known by everyone.'
Errores comunes
The book was written from Mark.
The book was written by Mark.
The cake was make by Mom.
The cake was made by Mom.
The car was wash by Sam.
The car was washed by Sam.
It was by him written.
It was written by him.
The window was broken by a hammer.
The window was broken with a hammer.
The song was sang by her.
The song was sung by her.
The letter was by me sent.
The letter was sent by me.
The house was built of my father.
The house was built by my father.
The decision was made by the meeting.
The decision was made at the meeting.
He was known by everyone.
He was known to everyone.
The room was filled by smoke.
The room was filled with smoke.
Patrones de oraciones
The ___ was ___ by ___.
Has the ___ been ___ by ___ yet?
The ___ is being ___ by ___ right now.
It is believed that the ___ was ___ by ___.
Real World Usage
This sculpture was created by a local artist.
The bank was robbed by three masked men.
Photo by @TravelGuru.
The project was managed by me and two colleagues.
The pyramids were built by thousands of workers.
Your ticket is being handled by our senior engineer.
¡El Agente Importa!
The Mona Lisa was painted by Leonardo da Vinci.
By vs. With
The lock was broken by the thief with a crowbar.
¡Mantén el Enfoque!
The ball was hit by the player.
Formal vs. Informal
The law was passed by the parliament.
Revisa los Pronombres
The gift was given by her.
Smart Tips
Always use 'by' to credit the creator. It's the most natural way to speak in English.
Pause and check if you should use 'with' instead of 'by'.
Put it at the end of the sentence with 'by' to make the sentence easier to read.
Ask yourself: 'Is it important to know who did this?' If no, delete the 'by' phrase.
Pronunciación
The 'By' Connection
The word 'by' is usually unstressed. It sounds like /baɪ/ but is said very quickly, linking the verb to the agent.
End-Focus
The book was written by SHAKESPEARE. ↘
The stress often falls on the agent at the end of the sentence because it is the new information.
Memorízalo
Mnemotecnia
B.Y. stands for 'Behold the Yesterday-doer' — it brings the person from the past action back to the end of the sentence.
Asociación visual
Imagine a movie poster where the title is huge at the top (the Object), and the director's name is in small letters at the bottom after the word 'By'. The focus is the movie, but the credit is at the end.
Rhyme
When the action is done and the object is first, use 'by' for the person or the bubble will burst!
Story
A famous painting was stolen from a museum. The news said 'The painting was taken' (Passive). Everyone asked 'Who?'. The news updated: 'The painting was taken BY a clever thief.' The 'by' solved the mystery.
Word Web
Desafío
Look around your room. Find three items and say who they were made or bought by. (e.g., 'This lamp was bought by my sister.')
Notas culturales
In Western academic writing, the passive with 'by' is used to show objectivity. However, modern styles (like APA) now encourage the active voice ('We found that...') to be more direct.
The BBC and other UK news outlets frequently use the passive with 'by' to report crimes or official statements to avoid sounding biased.
In galleries worldwide, 'by' is the standard way to attribute work. You will almost never see 'from' or 'of' on a painting's label.
The use of 'by' to indicate an agent comes from Old English 'be', which originally meant 'near' or 'at'. Over time, it evolved to mean 'through the agency of'.
Inicios de conversación
What is your favorite book, and who was it written by?
Think of a famous invention. Who was it invented by?
Was your house built by a company or an individual?
If your life were a movie, who would it be directed by?
Temas para diario
Errores comunes
Test Yourself
The famous novel was written ___ an acclaimed author.
Find and fix the mistake:
The delicious pizza was eaten with my brother.
Choose the correct sentence:
Translate into English: 'La presentación fue dada por la profesora.'
Answer starts with: ["T...
Score: /4
Ejercicios de practica
8 exercisesThe letter was written ___ a fountain pen ___ my grandfather.
Which sentence correctly gives credit to the artist?
Find and fix the mistake:
The cake was eaten from the dog.
Active: 'Steve Jobs founded Apple.'
Match the following:
broken / by / was / window / the / him
You must always use 'by' in every passive sentence.
A: Who fixed your computer? B: It ___ by my brother.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
14 exercisesThis famous cathedral ___ built ___ hundreds of workers.
The delicious cake was baked by a special recipe.
Which sentence is correct?
Translate into English: 'El problema fue resuelto por mi colega.'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Match the sentences:
The decision has already ___ made ___ the committee.
The new rules was announced by the principal.
Choose the correct sentence:
Translate into English: 'El trabajo de casa fue terminado por todos los estudiantes.'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Match the fragments:
Many classic novels ___ still read ___ students today.
The new software is being developed by a small team of engineers now.
Score: /14
Preguntas frecuentes (8)
Don't use `by` if the agent is obvious (e.g., 'He was arrested'), unknown (e.g., 'My bike was stolen'), or unimportant (e.g., 'The road was paved').
Yes, but it's rare. Usually, we use the specific noun or a person's name. 'The window was broken by it' is grammatically correct but 'The window was broken by the wind' is better.
The passive voice itself is often formal, but adding `by` is just a way to provide information. It can be used in both formal and informal contexts.
Use `by` for the person or force that does the action. Use `with` for the tool or object used to do it. 'The tree was cut by the lumberjack with an axe.'
Absolutely. 'The office is cleaned by a professional crew every night.'
In creative writing, 'by' can make sentences feel long and slow. However, in academic and technical writing, it is essential for accuracy.
Yes. 'He got caught by the police.' This is more informal than 'He was caught by the police.'
Usually, yes. However, you can add time phrases after it: 'The book was written by him in 1990.'
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
por
Spanish speakers might confuse 'by' with 'for' because 'por' can mean both.
par
French sometimes uses 'de' for states (e.g., 'aimé de tous'), whereas English usually sticks to 'by' or 'to'.
von
German word order is much more flexible, often placing the 'von' phrase before the verb.
ni / ni yotte
Japanese passives often imply that the subject is 'adversely affected' by the action, which English doesn't necessarily do.
min qibal
In Arabic, it is often considered stylistically better to avoid mentioning the agent in a passive sentence.
bèi
In Chinese, the 'bèi' structure is traditionally used for negative or unpleasant events, though this is changing in modern usage.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Videos relacionados
09:22 ENGLISH SPEECH | J.K. ROWLING: Ripple of Hope (English Subtitles)
28:51 Oprah Winfrey Harvard Commencement Speech | ENGLISH SPEECH with BIG Subtitles
03:46 World's Smallest Wild Dog | Dogs in the Wild: Meet The Family | BBC Earth
Active and Passive Voice | Learn English | EasyTeaching
EasyTeaching
PASSIVE VOICE - English Grammar step-by-step
Arnel's Everyday English
Related Grammar Rules
Voz Pasiva para la Objetividad: 'Se dice que...'
Overview ¿Alguna vez te has preguntado por qué los reporteros de noticias suenan tan serios? Rara vez dicen "creo que es...
Estilo Indirecto con Modales y Reporte Pasivo (C1)
Overview ¿Alguna vez te has preguntado por qué alguien dice `It's rumored that he might have ghosted her` en lugar de s...
Verbos de Reporte: ¿Quién Dijo Qué?
### Overview Los verbos de reporte (reporting verbs) son herramientas lingüísticas indispensables que te permiten trans...
Cuándo usar la voz pasiva (Informar noticias y rumores)
### Overview La voz pasiva en inglés no es solo una herramienta para cambiar el orden de las palabras; es una pieza fun...
Estructuras de Información Pasiva (Se dice que él es...)
### Resumen Las estructuras de reporte en pasiva, ejemplificadas por frases como `He is said to be...`, son herramientas...
