B1 · 中級 チャプター 7

Focusing on Actions with the Passive Voice

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60 例文
6 分
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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.

学べること

Ever wonder how to talk about events or give credit for achievements without always focusing on who did it? This chapter unlocks the power of the passive voice, helping you share news and highlight actions with confidence. You'll soon be reporting like a pro!

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.

チャプターガイド

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!

重要な例文 (8)

1

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

そのメールは毎週月曜日の朝に送られます。

受動態：基本形 (be + 過去分詞)
2

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

その古い城は12世紀に建てられました。

受動態：基本形 (be + 過去分詞)
3

The email `was sent` an hour ago.

メールは1時間前に送信された。

過去単純受動態: それに何が起こったのか？
4

My bike `was stolen` from outside the cafe.

私の自転車はカフェの外で盗まれた。

過去単純受動態: それに何が起こったのか？
5

The new bridge was designed by a famous architect.

その新しい橋は、有名な建築家によって設計されました。

受動態：「by」で功績を示す
6

The email will be sent by the marketing team tomorrow.

そのメールは明日、マーケティングチームによって送信されます。

受動態：「by」で功績を示す
7

`It is said that the new coffee shop has amazing lattes.`

Se dice que la nueva cafetería tiene lattes increíbles.

受動態を使う時（ニュースや噂を報告する際）
8

`He is known to be very good at coding.`

Se sabe que es muy bueno programando.

受動態を使う時（ニュースや噂を報告する際）

ヒントとコツ (4)

💡

受動態を見つけるコツ

受動態を見つけるコツは、「be動詞」（is, was, are, were, been, being）のすぐ後に「過去分詞（V3）」が来ているかを確認すること。「The door *was opened* by someone.」
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 受動態：基本形 (be + 過去分詞)
💡

be動詞＋過去分詞を見逃さないで！

am, is, are の後に過去分詞（V3）が続いているかチェック。片方だけじゃ受動態にならないよ！
The car is washed.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 英語の受動態：物事がどうなるか（現在単純受動態）
💡

「was/were」を見つけよう！

動詞の前に「was」や「were」があるか、いつも確認してね。もしなかったら、それは受動態じゃないか、文法ミスかもしれないよ！「The door opened.」と「The door was opened.」では意味が全然違うからね。
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 過去単純受動態: それに何が起こったのか？
💡

行為者が重要！

誰が、または何がその行動をしたのかを知ることが、情報として重要だったり、功績を称えたり、誤解を避けるために役立つ場合にのみ、「by + 行為者」を使いましょう。明らかに分かりきっていることや、不要な場合はつけない方が自然ですよ。「The painting was finished by a famous artist.」
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 受動態：「by」で功績を示す

重要な語彙 (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...

よくある間違い

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.
正解: 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.
正解: 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.
正解: The book was written by Mark Twain.

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

クイック練習 (10)

「by」を正しく使った受動態の文はどれですか？

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: The new song was produced by the popular DJ.
選択肢1は、「was produced」（produceの受動態）の後に「by」を使って行為者を示しており、正しく「by」を使っています。選択肢2と3は文法的に間違いです。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 受動態：「by」で功績を示す

行為者を示す正しい前置詞を選びましょう。

The famous novel was written ___ an acclaimed author.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: by
受動態の文で行為者（作者）を示すには、「by」を使います。「with」は道具を表すときに使いますよ。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 受動態：「by」で功績を示す

受動態に合う正しい動詞の形を選んでください。

The old house ___ last year.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: was demolished
主語の「The old house」は単数なので、「was」を使います。「demolish」の過去分詞は「demolished」です。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 過去単純受動態: それに何が起こったのか？

文の中の間違いを見つけて修正してください。

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」は複数なので、「was」ではなく「were」が必要です。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 過去単純受動態: それに何が起こったのか？

文中の間違いを見つけて修正しましょう。

Find and fix the mistake:

The concert cancelled because of the rain.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: The concert was cancelled because of the rain.
元の文にはbe動詞が抜けているね。「cancelled」が過去の出来事を示しているので、「was」が正しい過去形be動詞だよ。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 受動態：基本形 (be + 過去分詞)

Complete the sentence with the correct form of the verb in brackets.

It is _______ (believe) that the company will close next year.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: believed
The reported passive requires the past participle.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 受動態を使う時（ニュースや噂を報告する際）

Find the error in the sentence.

Find and fix the mistake:

The thief is thought to escaped through the window.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: to escaped
It should be 'to have escaped' for a past action.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 受動態を使う時（ニュースや噂を報告する際）

Choose the correct sentence.

Which sentence is grammatically correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: He is said to be a great cook.
With a personal subject (He), we use the to-infinitive.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 受動態を使う時（ニュースや噂を報告する際）

受動態の文を完成させるために、正しいbe動詞の形を選びましょう。

The new library ___ opened next month.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: will be
行動が「来月」起こるので、未来形受動態の形が必要です。「will be」+ V3が正しいよ。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 受動態：基本形 (be + 過去分詞)

文中の間違いを見つけて直しましょう。

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.
間違いは、行為者（「my brother」）を示すのに「with」を使っている点です。「by」は行為者に、「with」は道具に使います。お兄さんは道具じゃなくて、食べた人ですよ！

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 受動態：「by」で功績を示す

Score: /10

よくある質問 (6)

一番基本的な形は、「be動詞」（is, was, areなど）と、動詞の「過去分詞（V3）」を組み合わせるんだ。例えば、「
The book is read.
」だね。
行動をする人や物（行為者）が不明な時、重要ではない時、または行動そのものや行動を受ける人／物を強調したい時に使うんだ。例えば、「
The window was broken.
」のようにね。
誰がやったかよりも、その「動作」や「対象」に注目させたい時に使うよ。例えば、
The report is written
と言えば、書いた人よりレポート自体が主役になるんだ。
be動詞（am, is, are）の後に、動詞の「過去分詞（V3）」を繋げるだけだよ。例えば、
English is spoken globally
みたいにね。
核となる考え方は、過去に起こった行動と、主語に「was done」されたことに焦点を当てることです。誰がその行動を行ったかではなく、何が起こったかを強調します。例えば、「The car was repaired」は、整備士ではなく車とその修理に焦点を当てています。
「to be」の過去形（単数主語には「was」、複数主語には「were」）と、主要動詞の過去分詞（V3）を組み合わせて作ります。つまり、「The report was written」や「The gifts were given」のようになります。
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Advanced Verb Patterns and Meaning Changes
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Advanced Passive Forms and Natural Phrasing
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