Grammar · Sentence structure
The passive voice
Formula: be (in the right tense) + past participle
B1
Quick answer
be (in the right tense) + past participle (the 3rd form of the verb: eaten, written). The agent (the person or thing that does the action) comes after by. You leave it out if it is unknown or obvious. Example: The book is read by everyone. (= Everyone reads the book, but we choose to make the book the subject.)The passive voice: how to build a sentence
Affirmative
subject + be (in the right tense) + past participle (+ by + agent)
The cake is eaten by the children.
The window was broken last night.
A new school has been built in our village.
Negative
subject + be + not + past participle
The cake is not eaten by the cat.
The letter wasn't sent yesterday.
English isn't spoken here.
Question
be + subject + past participle?
Is the cake eaten?
Was the window broken by the wind?
Has the homework been finished?
The 5 main uses
1. When you don't know who did the action
We don't know who stole the bike. The agent is unknown, so we use the passive and leave out the agent.
“My bike was stolen yesterday.”
2. When the agent is obvious or not important
It is obvious: people speak English. We leave out by people because it adds nothing.
“English is spoken in many countries.”
3. To put the focus on the object
We want to talk about Hamlet first, not about Shakespeare. The subject of the sentence is the thing that really interests us.
“Hamlet was written by Shakespeare.”
4. The passive in all tenses
Only be changes tense: Present Simple (is eaten), Past Simple (was eaten), Present Perfect (has been eaten), Future Simple (will be eaten), Present Continuous (is being eaten). The past participle never changes.
“The cake is eaten / was eaten / has been eaten / will be eaten / is being eaten.”
5. With a modal: modal + be + past participle
After a modal verb (can, must, should, will…), use be in its base form. Then add the past participle: modal + be + past participle.
“This window must be opened. The cake can be eaten now.”
Signal words
Some words almost always go with this tense: if you see one in the sentence, it is a good clue.
by + agent
Introduces the person or thing that does the action (optional)
“The painting was made by Picasso.”
with + tool
Introduces the tool that is used (not a person)
“The cake was cut with a knife.”
Common mistakes to avoid
1. I am born in 2012 ❌
In English, be born is always passive. For your date of birth, always use the Past Simple passive: I was born in 2012, we were born. The present (are born) is only for general facts: Babies are born every day.
2. Mixing up the passive and an -ed adjective
Careful: I am tired is not the passive. Here, tired is an adjective that describes a state. A real passive: The room is cleaned every day (= someone cleans the room). Quick test: if you can add by + agent, it is the passive; if not, it is an adjective.
3. Swap the subject and the object correctly
When you change active to passive, the object becomes the subject. The dog bit the boy (active) → The boy was bitten by the dog (passive). A common mistake is to keep the active subject: The dog was bitten completely changes the meaning.
Practice quiz
Related pages: The passive voice
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
What's next?
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Frequently asked questions
What is the passive voice in English?+
The passive voice puts the focus on what receives the action, not on the person who does it. Form: be (in the right tense) + past participle. Example: The book is read by everyone (= everyone reads the book). The agent (the person who does the action) comes after by, or you leave it out.
How do you form the passive voice?+
The pattern never changes: be in the right tense + past participle. Present Simple: is/are + past participle (The cake is eaten). Past Simple: was/were + past participle (The cake was eaten). Present Perfect: has/have been + past participle. Future Simple: will be + past participle. Only be changes, the past participle stays the same.
When do you use the passive instead of the active?+
There are three main cases. (1) You don't know who did the action (My bike was stolen). (2) The agent is obvious or not important (English is spoken here). (3) You want to put the focus on the object (Hamlet was written by Shakespeare, because you are talking about Hamlet). The passive is very common in English, especially in news and science texts.
How do you say who did the action in the passive?+
Use by + the agent: The painting was made by Picasso. For a tool, not a person, use with: The cake was cut with a knife. If the agent is obvious, unknown or not important, just leave it out: My bike was stolen (it doesn't matter who did it).
Why do we say I was born and not I am born?+
To be born is always passive in English. Your birth is a finished event in the past, so you use the Past Simple: I was born in 2012. The present (are born) exists for general facts (Babies are born every minute), but never for your own date of birth.
How do you change an active sentence into a passive sentence?+
Three steps. (1) The object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive one. (2) The verb becomes be + past participle, in the same tense as the active verb. (3) The subject of the active sentence goes to the end after by, or you leave it out. Example: The dog (subject) bit (verb) the boy (object) → The boy (new subject) was bitten (be + past participle) by the dog.
Updated on 27 October 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 27 October 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/grammar/passive-voice
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.