Forming the passive voice

When a sentence is written in the passive voice, the subject receives the action instead of doing it.

Example sentence: The control group was given a placebo. Explanation: The subject is “The control group” and the verb is “was given.”

To form the passive voice, use a form of beam, is, are, was, were, being, be, or been—followed by the past participle of the main verb: am hidden, is forgotten, were driven.

Example sentence with editing. Original sentence: Dreaming in Cuban was writing by Cristina Garcia. Revised sentence: Dreaming in Cuban was written by Cristina Garcia. Explanation: The verb “writing” has been changed to “written.”

The past participle, written, not the present participle, writing, must be used following was in the passive voice.

Example sentence with editing. Original sentence: Senator Dixon will defeated. Revised sentence: Senator Dixon will be defeated. Explanation: The word “be” has been inserted.

The passive voice requires a form of be before the past participle, even when another helping verb (such as will) is part of the verb.

Example sentence with editing. Original sentence: The child was being tease. Revised sentence: The child was being teased. Explanation: The verb “tease” has been changed to “teased.”

The past participle teased, not the base form tease, must be used with was being to form the passive voice.

The by phrase is frequently omitted in passive-voice constructions.

Example sentence: Melissa was taken to the hospital by her son.

Example sentence: Melissa was taken to the hospital.

TIP:Only transitive verbs, those that take direct objects, may be used in the passive voice. Intransitive verbs such as occur, happen, sleep, die, and fall are not used in the passive.

Example sentence with editing. Original sentence: The accident was happened suddenly. Revised sentence: The accident happened suddenly. Explanation: The word “was” has been deleted.

Verb tenses commonly used in the passive voice

Exercises:

Verb forms and tenses 1

Verb forms and tenses 2

Related topics:

Passive-voice transformations

Appropriate uses of the passive voice

Helping verbs