How to spot passive voice
Look for two parts together: a form of be (is, are, was, were, be, been, being) plus a past participle (eaten, built, chosen, broken). Then ask: is the subject doing the action, or having it done to it?
| Active | Passive | Who acts? |
|---|---|---|
| Our class planted twenty trees. | Twenty trees were planted by our class. | Our class |
| A baseball broke the window. | The window was broken by a baseball. | A baseball |
| Someone stole my bike. | My bike was stolen. | Unknown, so passive is natural here |
When passive is the better choice
- The doer is unknown: The painting was stolen in 1990.
- The doer does not matter: The bridge was built in 1883.
- You want to keep the focus on the thing acted on: Penicillin was discovered in 1928.
- Some science writing, to describe methods. Check your teacher's or the journal's preference; many style guides now prefer active voice with we.
Worked examples
Example 1: change passive to active
Problem The decision was made by the committee after a long meeting.
- Find the doer: the committee (after by).
- Make the doer the subject and use an active verb: The committee made the decision.
- Keep the rest of the sentence.
Answer The committee made the decision after a long meeting.
Example 2: passive with no by
Problem Mistakes were made. How do you make this active?
- The doer is hidden. Ask: who made the mistakes?
- Name them as the subject. If it was you, say so.
Answer I made mistakes. (or name whoever made them)
Common mistakes and fixes
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| Calling every past-tense sentence passive | Check for be plus a past participle and an action done to the subject. |
| Using passive to hide who did something | In persuasive and personal writing, name the doer. It reads as more honest and direct. |
| Stacking passives in one paragraph | Rewrite most of them as active. Keep passive only where the doer truly does not matter. |
| Thinking passive is a grammar error | It is correct grammar. It is a style choice, often a weaker one. |
Practice
Five active and passive questions
Which sentence is in the passive voice?
- The kids ate the cake.
- The kids were eating cake.
- The cake was eaten by the kids.
- The kids have eaten the cake.
Show answer
Answer: The cake was eaten by the kids.
The subject, the cake, receives the action, and the verb is was plus the past participle eaten. In the other three, the kids do the eating, so they are active.
Which is the active version of The window was broken by a baseball?
- The window broke a baseball.
- The window had been broken by a baseball.
- A baseball was broken by the window.
- A baseball broke the window.
Show answer
Answer: A baseball broke the window.
The doer, a baseball, becomes the subject. The window broke a baseball and A baseball was broken by the window flip the meaning, and had been broken by a baseball is still passive.
When is the passive voice a reasonable choice?
- Whenever you want to sound more formal
- When you want a sentence to be shorter
- When the doer is unknown, as in My bike was stolen
- In every sentence of a lab report
Show answer
Answer: When the doer is unknown, as in My bike was stolen
Passive is useful when the doer is unknown or matters less than what was done, as with a stolen bike. Passive sentences are usually longer, not shorter, sounding formal is not a good reason on its own, and lab reports do not need passive in every sentence.
Which sentence is in the active voice?
- Our class planted twenty trees.
- Twenty trees were planted.
- Twenty trees were planted by our class.
- Twenty trees have been planted by our class.
Show answer
Answer: Our class planted twenty trees.
Our class, the subject, does the planting. The other three make trees the subject and use be plus planted, which is passive.
Which sentence is passive?
- The results were surprising.
- Two scientists reviewed the results.
- The scientists were reviewing the results.
- The results were reviewed by two scientists.
Show answer
Answer: The results were reviewed by two scientists.
Were reviewed is be plus a past participle, and the results receive the action. Were surprising describes the results with an adjective, and the other two have the scientists as the subject doing the action.
Frequently asked questions
Is passive voice wrong?
No. It is correct grammar. Writing guides, including Purdue OWL, say most writers prefer active voice because it is clearer and shorter, and use passive only when it helps, such as when the doer is unknown or does not matter.
Should I use passive voice in a science lab report?
It depends on your teacher or the style guide. Older lab reports often used passive (The solution was heated). Many style guides, including APA, now encourage active voice and even we where it is clearer. Ask what your class expects.
How can I find passive voice in my essay quickly?
Search for was, were, is, are and been, then look at the next word. If it is a past participle like made, given or chosen, and the subject is not doing the action, the sentence is passive. Ask whether naming the doer would make it clearer.
Sources
- Purdue OWL, Active Versus Passive Voice, accessed October 1, 2026
- Purdue OWL, Changing Passive to Active Voice, accessed October 1, 2026
