Passive voice

In the passive voice, the subject of the sentence receives the action instead of performing it, as in the ball was chased by the dog, or simply the ball was chased. The passive is formed with a part of the verb to be plus a past participle. The doer of the action may be named at the end or left out entirely.

The passive can sound more formal or impersonal. It is useful when the action matters more than who performed it, or when a writer wants to avoid naming the person responsible.

In the reading paper, recognising the passive voice helps you discuss how a writer creates a formal, objective or evasive tone. It also shows why they might hide who is responsible. In your own writing, the passive suits formal reports and situations where the doer is unknown or unimportant.

But relying on it too heavily makes prose feel flat and vague. Examiners reward knowing when each voice is the better choice.

Mistakes were made avoids saying who made them, so the passive quietly removes responsibility. That is why it often appears in careful official statements.

In analysis, point out a passive construction and explain its effect, such as sounding formal, objective, or conveniently vague about who is responsible. In your own writing, use the passive deliberately for formal tasks or when the doer is unknown. Keep most sentences active for clarity.

Being able to switch between the two shows real control of tone.

You may also find writing formats and annotated model responses useful. Next, visit our skills guides for IGCSE English to see terms like this used in real answers. Our IGCSE English tuition page explains how lessons run. When you are ready, the paid one-hour trial is the first step.