The Passive Voice
When to write "The decision was made" instead of "They made the decision" — and how to form the passive correctly for formal, objective writing.
Use the passive when the doer of an action is unknown, obvious, or unimportant, or when you want a formal, objective tone — form it with "be" + past participle, as in "was made" or "has been sent." One key rule: don't overuse it, since a wall of passive sentences becomes hard to read and lowers your CELPIP score.
- How do I form the passive in different tenses?
- Use be (in the right tense) plus the past participle: "is written" (present), "was built" (past), and "has been sent" (present perfect).
- When should I use the passive instead of the active voice?
- Use it when the doer is unknown, obvious, or unimportant, such as "My car was stolen," since it shifts focus from the doer to the thing affected.
- Is the passive voice useful for CELPIP Writing?
- Yes, a measured use of the passive raises the register of formal writing, like Writing Task 2 or a complaint email such as "I was charged twice for the same order," but most of your writing should stay active and clear.
- 1.Form: be (in the right tense) + past participle: "is written", "was built", "has been sent".
- 2.Use the passive when the DOER is unknown, obvious, or unimportant: "My car was stolen."
- 3.The passive sounds more formal and objective — useful in Writing Task 2 and complaint emails.
- 4.Do not overuse it; too much passive becomes vague. Mix active and passive.
Active vs. passive
- Active — the subject does the action: "The committee approved the plan."
- Passive — the subject receives the action: "The plan was approved (by the committee)."
The passive moves the focus from the doer to the thing affected.
How to form it
be + past participle, with be carrying the tense:
| Tense | Active | Passive |
|---|---|---|
| present | they make it | it is made |
| past | they made it | it was made |
| present perfect | they have made it | it has been made |
| future | they will make it | it will be made |
When to choose the passive
- The doer is unknown: "My bike was stolen last night."
- The doer is obvious or unimportant: "The road is being repaired."
- You want a formal, objective tone: "It is widely believed that..."
CELPIP application
A measured use of the passive raises the register of formal Writing — for example, a complaint email: "I was charged twice for the same order." But keep most of your writing active and clear; a wall of passive sentences becomes hard to read and lowers your score.
Check yourself
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