Why Passive Voice Mistakes Happen
The passive voice is tricky because it requires you to think about who or what receives the action, not who performs it. Many B1 learners make mistakes because they forget the correct auxiliary verb, use the wrong tense form, or include unnecessary information. Understanding these common errors will help you use passive voice with confidence.
Passive Voice Formula
Passive Voice Formula
Formula 1: Positive Form
Subject + be (correct tense) + Past Participle + (by + agent - optional)
Example:
The letter was written by Sarah.
Formula 2: Negative Form
Subject + be (correct tense) + not + Past Participle + (by + agent - optional)
Example:
The windows have not been cleaned.
Formula 3: Question Form
be (correct tense) + Subject + Past Participle + (by + agent - optional) + ?
Example:
Was the report submitted by the team?
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Missing Auxiliary 'be'
Using only the past participle without the auxiliary verb 'be' creates an incomplete passive sentence.
Incorrect:
The project completed yesterday.
Correct:
The project was completed yesterday.
The auxiliary verb 'be' in the correct tense is essential. Without it, the sentence is grammatically incomplete.
Mistake 2: Incorrect Tense of 'be'
Using 'be' in the wrong tense does not match the time reference of the sentence.
Incorrect:
The email is sent yesterday.
Correct:
The email was sent yesterday.
Match the tense of 'be' to the time context: 'is' for present, 'was' for past, 'will be' for future.
Mistake 3: Using Present Participle or Base Form
Using the base form or present participle (-ing) instead of the past participle creates a grammatical error.
Incorrect:
The house was building last year.
Correct:
The house was built last year.
Always use the past participle (built, written, broken) not the present participle (building, writing, breaking).
Mistake 4: Missing 'not' in Negative Sentences
Omitting 'not' results in an affirmative sentence instead of a negative one.
Incorrect:
The work was completed on time.
Correct:
The work was not completed on time.
Place 'not' after the first auxiliary verb: be + not + past participle.
Mistake 5: Incorrect Word Order in Questions
Placing the subject before the auxiliary verb creates a statement rather than a question.
Incorrect:
The letter was sent by the secretary?
Correct:
Was the letter sent by the secretary?
In questions, invert: put 'be' before the subject: be + subject + past participle.
Examples
The meal was prepared by a professional chef.
Past passive · Clear agent
English is spoken by over 1.5 billion people worldwide.
Present passive · General fact
The website is being redesigned by the IT department.
Present continuous passive · Ongoing action
The documents must be signed before Friday.
Modal passive · Obligation
When to use it
News & Formal Writing
Passive voice is common in news articles and reports when the action is more important than the agent.
"Three people were injured in the accident yesterday."
Describing Processes
Use passive to explain how something is made or done without focusing on who does it.
"The chocolate is manufactured in Switzerland and distributed worldwide."
Formal or Polite Speech
Passive voice sounds more objective and professional in official documents and formal contexts.
"It has been decided that the meeting will be rescheduled to next month."
Signal words
was / were
is / are
past participle (-ed or irregular)
by + agent
at / on / in + time
can / must / should + be
being (for continuous passive)
Common Mistakes
✕
Wrong
The letter was wrote by the manager.
✓
Correct
The letter was written by the manager.
Use the past participle (written), not the simple past (wrote), after the auxiliary verb 'was'.
✕
Wrong
The house is build in 1985.
✓
Correct
The house was built in 1985.
Use 'was' for past passive, not 'is'. The building happened in the past, so use past tense.
✕
Wrong
The report must be finish by tomorrow.
✓
Correct
The report must be finished by tomorrow.
After modal verbs (must, can, should), use the past participle (finished), not the base form (finish).
✕
Wrong
The package was delivered by the postman at 2 PM.
✓
Correct
The package was delivered at 2 PM. / The package was delivered by the postman.
Don't include both the agent (by the postman) and exact time unless both are important. Focus on one or simplify.
✕
Wrong
English is spoke by millions of people.
✓
Correct
English is spoken by millions of people.
Use the past participle (spoken), not the simple past form (spoke), in present passive structures.
✕
Wrong
The meal was prepared and cook by my mother yesterday.
✓
Correct
The meal was prepared and cooked by my mother yesterday.
In passive voice with multiple verbs, both verbs must use the past participle form, not just the first one.
✕
Wrong
The project is being completed by the team last week.
✓
Correct
The project was completed by the team last week.
Don't mix continuous passive (is being completed) with past time expressions (last week). Use simple past passive instead.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
What to Remember
- Remember to include the correct auxiliary verb (be) with the past participle form.
- Always match the auxiliary verb's tense to the time reference in your sentence.
- Focus on who or what receives the action, not on who performs it.
- Avoid adding unnecessary agent information introduced by "by" unless it's important context.
- Use "by" only when stating who performs the action is essential to the meaning.