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B1 · Intermediate15 min

Active vs Passive Voice

Syllabus topic 21: Active vs Passive Voice

Active vs Passive Voice. Use active voice when the agent is your focus and passive when the action's recipient or result matters.

How it works

Use active voice when the agent is your focus and passive when the action's recipient or result matters. In a passive, the active object becomes the subject and the tense is preserved. Omit unknown or unimportant agents; add by for the agent when needed.

Examples in context

Notice how each form fits its sentence. Read the context before choosing a form.

  • Someone stole my bike. My bike was stolen.
  • A storm damaged the roof. The roof was damaged by a storm.
  • They clean it daily. It is cleaned daily.
  • arrive
  • The chef cooked the meal. The chef cooked the meal.

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Someone stole my bike. My bike ___.

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