Active vs Passive Voice — When and How to Use Each
The passive voice is one of the most misunderstood features of English grammar — overused by some writers, avoided by others. This guide explains when to use it, how to form it, and when to stick with the active.
What are active and passive voice?
Every sentence that contains a verb has a voice — active or passive. The choice between them is about focus: do you want to focus on who does the action, or on what happens to something?
1Active voice — the subject does the action
In an active sentence, the subject performs the action. This is the most common sentence structure in English.
The cat caught the mouse.
The manager approved the proposal.
Shakespeare wrote Hamlet.
Active voice is direct, clear, and energetic. It is preferred in most writing — especially journalism, business writing, and conversation.
2Passive voice — the subject receives the action
In a passive sentence, the subject receives the action. The agent (the person or thing doing the action) may or may not be mentioned.
The mouse was caught by the cat.
The proposal was approved.
Hamlet was written by Shakespeare.
Forming the passive: Use the correct form of to be + past participle. The tense is shown by the form of be: is caught / was caught / has been caught / will be caught.
3When to use the passive
The passive is not simply a 'formal' version of the active. It is used in specific situations:
| Reason to use passive | Example |
|---|---|
| The agent is unknown | My bike was stolen last night. |
| The agent is unimportant or obvious | The report has been submitted. |
| You want to focus on the action / result, not the agent | Three people were injured in the accident. |
| Formal or scientific writing | The samples were analysed over 48 hours. |
| To avoid blame or responsibility | Mistakes were made. |
Overusing the passive makes writing feel distant and hard to read. Academic writing uses it strategically — not constantly. In conversation and most written English, active voice is strongly preferred.
4Passive across different tenses
| Tense | Active | Passive |
|---|---|---|
| Present simple | They make the cars here. | The cars are made here. |
| Past simple | She wrote the report. | The report was written. |
| Present perfect | They have finished the project. | The project has been finished. |
| Future (will) | They will announce the results. | The results will be announced. |
| Modal | You must wear a badge. | A badge must be worn. |
5Common mistakes
The letter was wrote by her.
The letter was written by her.
A great time was had by us at the party.
We had a great time at the party.
Editing tip: Search your writing for was/were/been + a past participle. Ask: is the passive necessary here, or is active voice clearer?