The Passive Voice (B1)

Mastering the passive voice is essential for success at B2 / FCE level. This lesson will help you understand when and how to use the passive, avoid common mistakes, and prepare for exam tasks.

Introduction

In English, we use the passive voice to focus on the action or the result, rather than who does it. The passive is common in formal writing, news reports, and when the doer is unknown or unimportant.

Theory: How to Form the Passive

Passive structure: be + past participle (V³)
Tense: The verb be changes to match the tense of the sentence.
Agent: Use by + person/thing if you want to say who does the action. Often, the agent is omitted.

Example:

Active: People speak English all over the world.
Passive: English is spoken all over the world. by people (optional)

Practical Examples

Present Simple

Active: They make cars in Japan.
Passive: Cars are made in Japan.

Past Simple

Active: Someone stole my bike.
Passive: My bike was stolen.

Present Perfect

Active: They have built a new school.
Passive: A new school has been built.

Modal Verbs

Active: You must finish the work.
Passive: The work must be finished.

Key Grammatical Structures

Present Simple: am / is / are + past participle
Past Simple: was / were + past participle
Present Perfect: have / has been + past participle
Modal verbs: modal + be + past participle

Common Learner Mistakes

❌ Forgetting “be”: The cake eaten by Tom. → The cake was eaten by Tom.
❌ Wrong verb form: The film was make last year. → The film was made last year.
❌ Unnecessary agent: The letter was sent by me. (Better: The letter was sent.)

Exam-Focused Tips

1 Check the tense of the original sentence before transforming.
2 Only include the agent (“by…”) if it adds important information.
3 Remember to use the correct form of be and the past participle.
4 In FCE exams, you may be asked to rewrite sentences using the passive.

Interactive Practice

Transform the active sentences into the passive voice. Type your answer and click „Check”.

Summary

The passive voice is used to focus on the action or result.
Form: be + past participle (V³).
Check the tense and use the correct form of be.
Only include the agent (by...) if necessary.
Practice transforming active to passive for exam success!

Recommended Study Materials

Exam Level	Topic	Description	Resource
B2 / FCE	The Passive Voice	A comprehensive PDF guide with explanations and exercises for mastering the passive at B1-B2 level.	Download PDF

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