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B1 — Focusing on Actions with the Passive Voice

B1 · Intermediate Chapter 7

Focusing on Actions with the Passive Voice

Q: When should I use 'by'?

Only use `by` when the person or thing doing the action is important or necessary to understand the sentence. If the doer is unknown or obvious, leave it out.

Q: Can I use 'by' in every passive sentence?

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.

Q: What is the difference between 'is made of' and 'is made from'?

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').

Q: When should I use 'by'?

Use `by` only if the person who did the action is important or surprising. For example, 'The book was written by a 10-year-old.' If it's obvious, like 'The thief was arrested by the police,' you can leave it out.

5 Total Rules

60 examples

6 min

Rules in This Chapter Quick Practice

Focusing on Actions with the Passive Voice

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.

What You'll Learn

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!

Passive Voice: Basic Formation (be + V3)
Mastering be + V3 unlocks powerful ways to shift sentence focus and communicate effectively.
English Passive Voice: What happens to things (Present Simple Passive)
Shift focus to the action's recipient with the Present Simple Passive for clarity and formality.
Past Simple Passive: What Happened to It?
Past Simple Passive highlights what *was done* to the subject, great for focusing on outcomes or events.
Passive Voice: Giving Credit with "By"
Give credit or specify the doer in passive sentences with by + agent for clarity.
When to Use Passive Voice (Reporting News & Rumors)
Use passive reporting to share info objectively, formally, or without taking credit/blame.

Learning Objectives

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

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

Chapter Guide

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✗ 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✗ 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✗ 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:

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

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

Did you hear about the new art exhibit?

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

This report looks great. Who put it together?

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

Quick FAQ

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.

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."

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?"

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!

Key Examples (8)

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

Passive Voice: Basic Formation (be + V3)

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

Passive Voice: Basic Formation (be + V3)

The coffee is brewed fresh every morning.

English Passive Voice: What happens to things (Present Simple Passive)

Books are read in the library.

English Passive Voice: What happens to things (Present Simple Passive)

The email `was sent` an hour ago.

Past Simple Passive: What Happened to It?

My bike `was stolen` from outside the cafe.

Past Simple Passive: What Happened to It?

The new bridge was designed by a famous architect.

Passive Voice: Giving Credit with "By"

The email will be sent by the marketing team tomorrow.

Passive Voice: Giving Credit with "By"

Tips & Tricks (4)

💡

The Zombie Test

If you can add 'by zombies' after the verb and the sentence still makes sense, it's the passive voice! (e.g., 'The town was destroyed... by zombies!')

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passive Voice: Basic Formation (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: English Passive Voice: What happens to things (Present Simple Passive)

💡

The 'By' Test

If you can add 'by zombies' to the end of the sentence and it still makes sense, it's passive voice!

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Past Simple Passive: What Happened to It?

💡

The 'By' Test

If you can add 'by zombies' to the end of a sentence and it still makes sense grammatically, it's a passive sentence!

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passive Voice: Giving Credit with "By"

Key Vocabulary (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...

Common Mistakes

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.

Correct: 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.

Correct: 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.

Correct: The book was written by Mark Twain.

Rules in This Chapter (5)

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

Quick Practice (10)

Fill in the blank with the correct preposition (by or with).

The letter was written ___ a fountain pen ___ my grandfather.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: with / by

We use 'with' for the tool (fountain pen) and 'by' for the person (grandfather).

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passive Voice: Giving Credit with "By"

Find the mistake in the sentence.

Find and fix the mistake:

The book was wrote by a famous author.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: wrote

The past participle of 'write' is 'written', not 'wrote'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passive Voice: Basic Formation (be + V3)

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: When to Use Passive Voice (Reporting News & Rumors)

Fill in the blank with the correct form of the verb in the Past Simple Passive.

The letter ___ (write) by my grandfather in 1945.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: was written

We use 'was' for singular 'letter' and the V3 form 'written'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Past Simple Passive: What Happened to It?

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: English Passive Voice: What happens to things (Present Simple Passive)

Complete the sentence with the correct form of the Present Simple Passive.

The mail ___ (deliver) every morning at 9 AM.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: is delivered

'The mail' is singular, so we use 'is' + the past participle 'delivered'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: English Passive Voice: What happens to things (Present Simple Passive)

Complete the sentence with the correct form of the passive voice (Present Simple).

The mail ___ (deliver) every morning at 9 AM.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: is delivered

The subject 'mail' is singular and the context is a daily routine (Present Simple).

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passive Voice: Basic Formation (be + V3)

Find the mistake in the sentence.

Find and fix the mistake:

The windows was cleaned yesterday.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Change 'was' to 'were'

'Windows' is plural, so it requires 'were'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Past Simple Passive: What Happened to It?

Choose the correct passive form for the past simple.

The windows ___ (clean) last week.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: were cleaned

'Windows' is plural, so we use 'were'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passive Voice: Basic Formation (be + V3)

Choose the correct passive sentence.

Which sentence correctly gives credit to the artist?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: The mural was painted by Banksy.

Passive voice requires 'be' + V3 + 'by'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passive Voice: Giving Credit with "By"

Score: /10

Common Questions (6)

Only use by when the person or thing doing the action is important or necessary to understand the sentence. If the doer is unknown or obvious, leave it out.

No. Only 'transitive' verbs (verbs that take an object, like 'eat', 'buy', 'fix') can be passive. 'Intransitive' verbs like 'sleep', 'arrive', or 'die' cannot.

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').

Use by only if the person who did the action is important or surprising. For example, 'The book was written by a 10-year-old.' If it's obvious, like 'The thief was arrested by the police,' you can leave it out.

No! Overusing the passive voice can make your writing sound boring or evasive. Use it only when the object is truly more important than the subject.