B1 · मध्यवर्ती चैप्टर 7

पेसिव वॉइस का जादू: अब काम पर दें ध्यान, काम करने वाले पर नहीं!

5 कुल नियम
60 उदाहरण
6 मिनट
इस अध्याय के नियम त्वरित अभ्यास

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Shift the focus from who did it to what happened.

  • Construct passive sentences using the verb 'to be' and past participles.
  • Describe ongoing processes and historical events where the action is the star.
  • Identify when to include the person performing the action using 'by'.
Master the art of objective reporting and professional descriptions.

तुम क्या सीखोगे

अरे! क्या तुमने कभी सोचा है कि न्यूज़ रिपोर्टर्स या प्रोफेशनल मीटिंग्स में लोग इतनी सलीके से अपनी बात कैसे रखते हैं? इस चैप्टर में तुम इंग्लिश का एक बहुत ही मज़ेदार और ज़रूरी हिस्सा सीखने वाले हो—Passive Voice। अक्सर रोज़मर्रा की बातचीत में यह बताना ज़रूरी नहीं होता कि काम 'किसने' किया, बल्कि यह ज़्यादा ज़रूरी होता है कि 'क्या' हुआ। हम शुरुआत करेंगे be + V3 (Past Participle) के बेसिक स्ट्रक्चर से, जो पेसिव वॉइस की नींव है। तुम सीखोगे कि Present Simple Passive (जैसे: 'Tea is grown in Assam') और Past Simple Passive (जैसे: 'The letter was sent') का इस्तेमाल करके फोकस को कैसे बदला जाता है। हम यह भी देखेंगे कि 'by' का इस्तेमाल करके काम करने वाले को क्रेडिट कैसे देते हैं और न्यूज़ या अफ़वाहों को फॉर्मल तरीके से कैसे रिपोर्ट करते हैं। सोचो, अगर ऑफिस में कोई प्रोजेक्ट पूरा हो गया है, तो 'I finished it' कहने के बजाय 'The project was finished' कहना ज़्यादा प्रोफेशनल लगता है। इस चैप्टर के अंत तक, तुम न केवल घटनाओं को बेहतर ढंग से बयां कर पाओगे, बल्कि तुम्हारी इंग्लिश में एक गहराई और मैच्योरिटी भी आएगी। तुम न्यूज़ लिखने, फॉर्मल ईमेल भेजने और पेचीदा हालातों को सलीके से संभालने में एक्सपर्ट बन जाओगे। तो चलो, अपनी इंग्लिश को एक नया लेवल देते हैं!

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to transform active sentences into the basic passive form using 'be' + V3.
  2. 2
    By the end you will be able to describe daily routines and facts using the Present Simple Passive.
  3. 3
    By the end you will be able to narrate historical events or past actions using the Past Simple Passive.
  4. 4
    By the end you will be able to assign responsibility or credit in a passive sentence using the 'by' agent.
  5. 5
    By the end you will be able to use passive reporting structures to share news or common beliefs.

अध्याय गाइड

Overview

Welcome to
Focusing on Actions with the Passive Voice,
your guide to mastering a truly versatile aspect of B1 English grammar! Have you ever wanted to talk about an event or achievement without always having to say who was responsible? Perhaps you’ve read a news report and noticed how things are described in a very objective way.
That’s the magic of the passive voice. This chapter is designed to help you shift your focus from the doer to the action itself, giving you more flexibility and sophistication in your English.
By understanding how to use be with a past participle (V3), you'll unlock the ability to describe what happens to things (Present Simple Passive) and what happened to things (Past Simple Passive). We’ll also explore how to still give credit with by when the doer is important, and how professional English uses the passive voice for reporting news and rumors. This will significantly improve your ability to communicate clearly and confidently, allowing you to sound more natural and professional in various situations.
Get ready to enhance your English focusing on actions with the passive voice!

How This Grammar Works

At its heart, the passive voice is about changing the focus of a sentence. Instead of saying *who* did something (the active voice), you focus on *what* was done or *what* something happened to. The fundamental building block for all passive sentences is the auxiliary verb 'be' followed by the past participle (V3) of the main verb.
For example,
The car is repaired
or
The letter was written.
Let’s look at how this core structure adapts across different situations. For actions happening regularly or states of being, we use the Present Simple Passive. This is formed with am/is/are + V3.
If a problem with your car is fixed every year, you might say,
The engine is checked annually.
Here, the focus is on the engine and the regular action, not necessarily who checks it. When we talk about past actions where the doer is unknown, unimportant, or obvious, we use the Past Simple Passive. This uses was/were + V3.
For instance,
The ancient city was discovered in the desert
focuses on the city and the discovery, not who discovered it.
Sometimes, even in the passive voice, the doer *is* important. In these cases, you can give credit with by by adding 'by' followed by the agent at the end of the sentence.
The Mona Lisa was painted by Leonardo da Vinci
still highlights the painting first, but acknowledges the artist.
This is particularly useful when the action is more significant than the actor, but the actor is still noteworthy. Finally, the passive voice is extremely common for reporting news and rumors. This allows for objectivity and formality, often when the source isn't clear or needs to be generalized.
Phrases like
It is believed that...
or
The new policy was announced yesterday
are perfect examples, focusing on the information itself rather than the speaker or announcer.

Common Mistakes

Learning the passive voice can sometimes lead to a few common errors. Let's make sure you avoid them!
  1. 1✗ Incorrect form of 'be' or forgetting it
* ✗ The book written last year.
* ✓ The book was written last year.
* *Explanation:* You must always include a form of the verb 'be' (am, is, are, was, were) in passive sentences.
  1. 1✗ Using the wrong past participle
* ✗ The report is wrote by my colleague.
* ✓ The report is written by my colleague.
* *Explanation:* Remember to use the correct past participle (V3) form of the verb, not the past simple form.
  1. 1✗ Confusing active and passive when using 'by'
* ✗ She was cooking the dinner by her.
* ✓ The dinner was cooked by her.
* *Explanation:* The agent with 'by' comes after the passive verb structure, indicating the person who performed the action. The original sentence was trying to force a passive structure onto an active meaning.

Real Conversations

Here’s how the passive voice sounds in everyday chats:

A

A

Hey, what happened to the old building on Elm Street?
B

B

Oh, it was demolished last month. A new apartment complex is being built there now.
A

A

Did you hear about the new art exhibit?
B

B

Yes, I did! I heard a lot of the sculptures were created by local artists. It is said to be very impressive.
A

A

This report looks great. Who put it together?
B

B

Actually, the data was collected by the whole team, and then the final presentation was designed by Sarah.

Quick FAQ

Q

Why is English focusing on actions with the passive voice important for B1 learners?

It's crucial for understanding news, formal reports, and sounding more sophisticated. It allows you to describe situations where the action or result is more important than who did it, which is very common in English.

Q

When should I definitely use by in a passive sentence?

Use by when the agent (the person or thing doing the action) is important or interesting to know, but you still want to keep the focus on the action or the recipient of the action. If the agent is unknown, unimportant, or obvious, you can omit by.

Q

Can the passive voice be used in questions?

Absolutely! Just like active sentences, passive sentences can be turned into questions. For example:

Was the car repaired?
or
Is the message understood?

Q

How can I practice using the passive voice effectively?

Try describing processes (e.g.,

How coffee is made
), summarizing news articles, or rewriting active sentences you find into passive ones. Listening to news broadcasts also helps you hear it naturally.

Cultural Context

In English, the passive voice is more prevalent in formal, academic, scientific, and journalistic writing. It helps maintain objectivity and can make reports sound more authoritative by depersonalizing statements. For instance,
Mistakes were made
sounds more formal and less accusatory than You made mistakes. In informal, everyday conversations, the active voice is generally preferred, as it’s more direct and personal.
Overusing the passive voice in casual talk can sometimes make you sound overly formal or even evasive, so it's all about choosing the right tool for the right situation!

मुख्य उदाहरण (8)

1

The email **is sent** every Monday morning.

ईमेल हर सोमवार सुबह भेजा जाता है।

पैसिव वॉयस: मूल संरचना (be + V3)
2

The old castle **was built** in the 12th century.

पुराना किला 12वीं सदी में बनाया गया था।

पैसिव वॉयस: मूल संरचना (be + V3)
3

The coffee is brewed fresh every morning.

Der Kaffee wird jeden Morgen frisch gebrüht.

अंग्रेजी पैसिव वॉइस: चीजों के साथ क्या होता है (प्रेजेंट सिंपल पैसिव)
4

Books are read in the library.

Bücher werden in der Bibliothek gelesen.

अंग्रेजी पैसिव वॉइस: चीजों के साथ क्या होता है (प्रेजेंट सिंपल पैसिव)
5

The email `was sent` an hour ago.

ईमेल एक घंटा पहले भेजा गया था।

भूतकाल सामान्य निष्क्रिय: इसका क्या हुआ?
6

My bike `was stolen` from outside the cafe.

मेरी बाइक कैफे के बाहर से चोरी हो गई थी।

भूतकाल सामान्य निष्क्रिय: इसका क्या हुआ?
7

The new bridge was designed by a famous architect.

नया पुल एक प्रसिद्ध वास्तुकार द्वारा डिजाइन किया गया था।

पैसिव वॉयस: 'द्वारा' के साथ श्रेय देना
8

The email will be sent by the marketing team tomorrow.

ईमेल कल मार्केटिंग टीम द्वारा भेजा जाएगा।

पैसिव वॉयस: 'द्वारा' के साथ श्रेय देना

टिप्स और ट्रिक्स (4)

💡

पैसिव वॉयस पहचानना

जब भी पैसिव वॉयस पहचानना हो, तो 'to be' (is, was, are, were, been, being) के किसी रूप के तुरंत बाद V3 (past participle) देखो। अगर दोनों हैं, तो ये पैसिव है।
The cake was eaten.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: पैसिव वॉयस: मूल संरचना (be + V3)
🎯

The Zombie Test

If you can add 'by zombies' after the verb and the sentence still makes sense, it's passive! (e.g., 'The house is cleaned... by zombies').
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: अंग्रेजी पैसिव वॉइस: चीजों के साथ क्या होता है (प्रेजेंट सिंपल पैसिव)
💡

'Was/Were' को पहचानो

मुख्य क्रिया से पहले हमेशा 'was' या 'were' देखो। अगर ये गायब हैं, तो शायद तुम एक्टिव वॉइस यूज़ कर रहे हो या कोई गलती कर रहे हो! जैसे:
The car was fixed.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: भूतकाल सामान्य निष्क्रिय: इसका क्या हुआ?
💡

एजेंट मायने रखता है!

'by + agent' का इस्तेमाल तभी करो जब यह बताना ज़रूरी हो कि काम किसने किया या किसने इसे बेहतर बनाया. अगर साफ़ है या ज़रूरी नहीं, तो मत लगाओ. "Only use by + agent when knowing *who* or *what* performed the action adds important information, credit, or clarifies ambiguity. Don't add it if it's obvious or unnecessary."
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: पैसिव वॉयस: 'द्वारा' के साथ श्रेय देना

मुख्य शब्दावली (6)

manufactured made in a factory discovered found for the first time announced made known publicly organized planned and coordinated published printed for sale believed thought to be true

Real-World Preview

palette

The Art Gallery Tour

Review Summary

  • Subject + to be + Past Participle (V3)
  • am/is/are + V3
  • was/were + V3
  • ... + by + person
  • It is + said/thought/reported + that...

सामान्य गलतियाँ

Many learners forget the verb 'to be'. You always need a form of 'be' (is, are, was, were) to make a passive sentence.

Wrong: The movie watched by me yesterday.
सही: The movie was watched by me yesterday.

You must use the Past Participle (V3), not the Past Simple (V2). 'Wrote' is V2; 'written' is V3.

Wrong: The song was wrote by her.
सही: The song was written by her.

In English, we use 'by' to indicate the person who performed the action, not 'from' or 'of'.

Wrong: The book was written from Mark Twain.
सही: The book was written by Mark Twain.

इस अध्याय के नियम (5)

1

पैसिव वॉयस: मूल संरचना (be + V3)

B1
देखो, 'be + V3' सीखकर तुम अपनी बात कहने के तरीके को और भी असरदार बना सकते हो। ये तुम्हें 'फोकस' बदलने और 'सही बात' बताने में मदद करेगा।
The email **is sent** every Monday morning.
12 उदाहरण
2

अंग्रेजी पैसिव वॉइस: चीजों के साथ क्या होता है (प्रेजेंट सिंपल पैसिव)

B1
Shift focus to the action's recipient with the Present Simple Passive for clarity and formality.
The coffee is brewed fresh every morning.
12 उदाहरण
3

भूतकाल सामान्य निष्क्रिय: इसका क्या हुआ?

B1
पास्ट सिंपल पैसिव बताता है कि सब्जेक्ट के साथ क्या was done यानी «किया गया»। यह outcomes और events पर ज़ोर देने के लिए शानदार है।
The email `was sent` an hour ago.
12 उदाहरण
4

पैसिव वॉयस: 'द्वारा' के साथ श्रेय देना

B1
निष्क्रिय वाक्यों में श्रेय (credit) देने या काम करने वाले (specify the doer) को बताने के लिए by + agent का इस्तेमाल करो, ताकि बात साफ़ हो (clarity) जाए.
The new bridge was designed by a famous architect.
12 उदाहरण
5

पैसिव वॉयस का उपयोग कब करें (समाचार और अफवाहें रिपोर्ट करना)

B1
जब बात «किसने कही» से ज़्यादा «क्या कहा गया» ज़रूरी हो, तब Passive Reporting का इस्तेमाल करो। बस It is said या is believed जैसे शब्दों का जादू आज़माओ।
`It is said that the new coffee shop has amazing l...
12 उदाहरण

Next Steps

You've unlocked a major level of English fluency! Using the passive voice makes your writing sound sophisticated and objective. Keep practicing!

Read a short news article and highlight every passive sentence.

Describe how your favorite food is made using the Present Simple Passive.

Continue to: Advanced Passive Forms and Natural Phrasing

त्वरित अभ्यास (10)

उस वाक्य को चुनें जो Passive Voice में 'by' का सही उपयोग करता है.

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: The new song was produced by the popular DJ.
विकल्प 1, 'was produced' (produce का Passive रूप) के बाद 'by' का सही उपयोग करता है ताकि एजेंट को बताया जा सके. विकल्प 2 और 3 व्याकरणिक रूप से गलत हैं.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: पैसिव वॉयस: 'द्वारा' के साथ श्रेय देना

वाक्य में गलती ढूंढो और उसे ठीक करो।

Find and fix the mistake:

The books was read by many students.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: The books were read by many students.
'Books' बहुवचन है, इसलिए हमें 'was' की जगह 'were' चाहिए।

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: भूतकाल सामान्य निष्क्रिय: इसका क्या हुआ?

Find the mistake in this sentence.

Find and fix the mistake:

The books is written by a famous author.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: is
'Books' is plural, so it should be 'are written'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: अंग्रेजी पैसिव वॉइस: चीजों के साथ क्या होता है (प्रेजेंट सिंपल पैसिव)

कौन सा सेंटेंस पैसिव रिपोर्टिंग का सही इस्तेमाल करता है?

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: It is reported that the store is closed.
न्यूज़ बताने के लिए It is reported (पैसिव) सही है, न कि It is reporting (एक्टिव)।

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: पैसिव वॉयस का उपयोग कब करें (समाचार और अफवाहें रिपोर्ट करना)

एजेंट बताने के लिए सही पूर्वसर्ग (preposition) चुनें.

The famous novel was written ___ an acclaimed author.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: by
एक Passive वाक्य में एजेंट (लेखक) को बताने के लिए, हम 'by' का उपयोग करते हैं. 'With' का उपयोग एक उपकरण के लिए किया जाएगा.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: पैसिव वॉयस: 'द्वारा' के साथ श्रेय देना

पैसिव वॉइस के लिए क्रिया का सही रूप चुनो।

The old house ___ last year.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: was demolished
'The old house' एकवचन है, इसलिए हम 'was' का उपयोग करते हैं। 'Demolished' 'demolish' का पास्ट पार्टिसिपल है।

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: भूतकाल सामान्य निष्क्रिय: इसका क्या हुआ?

Choose the correct passive sentence.

Which sentence is in the Present Simple Passive?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Cars are made here.
This follows the 'are + V3' structure for a present fact.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: अंग्रेजी पैसिव वॉइस: चीजों के साथ क्या होता है (प्रेजेंट सिंपल पैसिव)

इस सेंटेंस में गलती ढूँढें और उसे ठीक करें।

The app is said to being updated next week.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: The app is said to be updated next week.
to के बाद हमेशा बेस वर्ब आता है। भविष्य के पैसिव काम के लिए to be updated सही है।

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: पैसिव वॉयस का उपयोग कब करें (समाचार और अफवाहें रिपोर्ट करना)

सेंटेंस पूरा करने के लिए सही विकल्प चुनें।

It ___ that the new student is from Canada.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: is believed
आम राय या अफ़वाह बताने के लिए It is believed that... का स्ट्रक्चर एकदम सही है।

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: पैसिव वॉयस का उपयोग कब करें (समाचार और अफवाहें रिपोर्ट करना)

वाक्य में गलती खोजें और उसे ठीक करें.

Find and fix the mistake:

The delicious pizza was eaten with my brother.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: The delicious pizza was eaten by my brother.
गलती 'with' का उपयोग करके एजेंट ('my brother') को बताना है. एजेंट के लिए 'by' का उपयोग किया जाता है, 'with' का उपयोग उपकरण के लिए होता है. मेरा भाई काम करने वाला है, उपकरण नहीं!

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: पैसिव वॉयस: 'द्वारा' के साथ श्रेय देना

Score: /10

सामान्य प्रश्न (6)

इसकी सबसे बेसिक संरचना है 'to be' वर्ब (जैसे is, was, are) का कोई रूप, जिसके बाद मुख्य क्रिया का 'past participle' (V3) आता है। जैसे,
The book is read.
हम इसका इस्तेमाल तब करते हैं जब काम करने वाला (doer) अज्ञात हो, ज़रूरी न हो, या जब हम खुद काम या जिस पर काम हुआ है, उस पर ज़ोर देना चाहते हों। जैसे,
The window was broken.
You can, but you shouldn't. Only use by if the person doing the action adds important information. 'The book is written by Steve' is good. 'The room is cleaned by a cleaner' is redundant.
Use is made of when you can still see the original material (e.g., 'The chair is made of wood'). Use is made from when the material has changed (e.g., 'Paper is made from wood').
इसका मुख्य विचार यह है कि तुम अतीत में हुई किसी क्रिया पर और सब्जेक्ट के साथ क्या «किया गया» पर ध्यान दो, न कि यह किसने किया। जैसे,
The car was repaired
कार और उसकी मरम्मत पर ज़ोर देता है, मैकेनिक पर नहीं।
इसे 'to be' क्रिया के पास्ट सिंपल फॉर्म ('was' एकवचन के लिए, 'were' बहुवचन के लिए) को मुख्य क्रिया के पास्ट पार्टिसिपल (V3) के साथ मिलाकर बनाते हैं। तो,
The report was written
या
The gifts were given
ऐसे ही बनते हैं।
पिछला अध्याय
Advanced Verb Patterns and Meaning Changes
अगला अध्याय
Advanced Passive Forms and Natural Phrasing
रोडमैप पर वापस