Passive Voice

Learn how to transform sentences from active to passive voice. Master the changes involved.

Video Lesson

The passive voice is used when the focus is on the action or the object of the sentence, rather than the subject performing the action.

Remember: In passive voice, the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence!

Formation

To form the passive voice, use the following structure:

Object + be + Past Participle + by + Subject

The verb "be" changes according to the tense of the sentence.

Active Voice

  • Sara writes a letter.
  • John cleaned the house yesterday.
  • They are building a new bridge.
  • She has written the report.

Passive Voice

  • A letter is written by Sara.
  • The house was cleaned by John yesterday.
  • A new bridge is being built by them.
  • The report has been written by her.

When to Use the Passive Voice

  • When the subject is unknown or unimportant:
    The car was stolen last night.
  • When the focus is on the action or the object:
    The cake was baked by my mom.
  • In formal or scientific writing:
    The experiment was conducted in a controlled environment.

Practice: Convert to Passive Voice

Convert the following sentences from active to passive voice.

1. He opens the door.

2. A thief has stolen my car.

3. They didn't invite him.

4. My father is washing the car.

5. Jane will buy a new computer.

6. Everyone can visit the museum for free.

7. Amine was fixing my computer yesterday evening.

8. The students must revise all the lessons.

9. Maria had watched this documentary movie before.

10. Fifteen million tourists will have visited Morocco by the end of this year.