Using the Passive Voice

What is the Passive Voice?

Passive voice is a grammatical construction in which the subject of the sentence is not the doer of the action, but rather the receiver of the action. In passive voice, the focus is on the action itself or the recipient of the action, rather than the person or thing performing the action.

In English, the passive voice is formed by using a form of the verb "to be" (such as "is," "are," "was," "were," etc.) followed by the past participle of the main verb.

Passive voice is used in various situations, such as when the doer of the action is unknown, when the focus is on the action rather than the doer, or when the doer is less important than the action itself.

Here are a Few Examples

The new library was opened last month.
The trash cans are emptied every Tuesday.
The streets are cleaned twice a week.
The park benches were painted by volunteers.
The repairs to the road were completed by the city council.

Comprehension Check: The Passive Voice

Rewrite each sentence in the active voice. Remember to identify the doer of the action.

1. The new community center was constructed last year.
   Active Voice:
   
   
2. The streets are cleaned by the sanitation department twice a week.
   Active Voice:
   
   
3. The annual festival is organized by the local committee.
   Active Voice:
   
   
4. The park benches were installed by the city council.
   Active Voice:
   
   
5. The public library is managed by trained librarians.
   Active Voice:
   
   
6. The roads were repaired after the heavy rainfall.
   Active Voice:
   
   
7. The playground equipment is regularly inspected by maintenance staff.
   Active Voice:
   
   
8. The community garden was planted by volunteers.
   Active Voice:
   
   
9. The trash cans are emptied every Monday morning.
   Active Voice:
   
   
10. The town hall meetings are conducted by the mayor.
    Active Voice:

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