Passive Voice in English: Rules, Examples & Exercises

Updated: • Level: A1–B1 • Length: ~10 min

Quick idea: Passive focuses on the receiver of the action. be + V3 (past participle).

الفكرة سريعاً: المبني للمجهول يركز على المفعول به. الصيغة: be + التصريف الثالث للفعل.

Passive voice formula and tense table
Formula + common tense patterns • الصيغة وأنماط الأزمنة

When to Use

  • Doer is unknown/obvious/unimportant: The window was broken.
  • نستخدمه عندما يكون الفاعل مجهولًا/واضحًا/غير مهم: تمّ كسر النافذة.
  • Process or result matters more than the doer: Rice is grown in many countries.
  • نهتم بالعملية أو النتيجة أكثر من الفاعل: يُزرع الأرز في بلدان كثيرة.
  • Rules, signs, news style: Smoking is not allowed.
  • القواعد والإشعارات والأخبار: التدخين غير مسموح.

Keep “by + agent” only when the doer is important: The vaccine was discovered by Dr. X.

نذكر by + الفاعل فقط عندما تكون هويته مهمة: تم اكتشاف اللقاح على يد الدكتور كذا.

How to Form (by tense)

Rule: subject + be (correct tense) + past participle (V3).

القاعدة: الفاعل + be (بزمن مناسب) + التصريف الثالث.

TensePassive FormExample
Present Simpleam/is/are + V3The room is cleaned daily.
Past Simplewas/were + V3The letter was sent yesterday.
Present Continuousam/is/are + being + V3The car is being repaired now.
Past Continuouswas/were + being + V3The house was being painted.
Present Perfecthas/have + been + V3The report has been finished.
Future (will)will be + V3The results will be announced tomorrow.
Be going toam/is/are going to be + V3The road is going to be closed.
Modal (can/must/should…)modal + be + V3Seatbelts must be worn.

Active → Passive: S V O → O + be + V3 (+ by + S)

من المبني للمعلوم إلى المجهول: فاعل + فعل + مفعول ← المفعول + be + التصريف الثالث (+ by + الفاعل)

Examples (EN ⇄ AR)

  • Active: They make phones here. → Passive: Phones are made here.
  • المعلوم: يصنعون الهواتف هنا. ← المجهول: تُصنع الهواتف هنا.
  • Active: The chef cooked the meal. → Passive: The meal was cooked (by the chef).
  • المعلوم: طبخ الشيف الوجبة. ← المجهول: طُبخت الوجبة (بواسطة الشيف).
  • Active: Someone is fixing the door. → Passive: The door is being fixed.
  • المعلوم: يقوم شخص بإصلاح الباب. ← المجهول: يتم إصلاح الباب.
  • Active: They have completed the project. → Passive: The project has been completed.
  • المعلوم: قد أنجزوا المشروع. ← المجهول: قد تم إنجاز المشروع.
  • Active: People will recycle the bottles. → Passive: The bottles will be recycled.
  • المعلوم: سيُعيد الناس تدوير الزجاجات. ← المجهول: سيُعاد تدوير الزجاجات.

Common Mistakes

  1. Forgetting “be”. ❌ The room cleaned daily. → ✅ The room is cleaned daily.

    نسيان فعل be. ❌ الغرفة نُظفت يوميًا. → ✅ الغرفة تُنظف يوميًا.

  2. Wrong tense of “be”. ❌ The letter is sent yesterday. → ✅ The letter was sent yesterday.

    زمن خاطئ لـ be. ❌ الرسالة تُرسل أمس. → ✅ الرسالة أُرسلت أمس.

  3. Using “by” when not needed. Prefer: English is spoken in many countries. (omit agent)

    استخدام by بلا داعٍ. الأفضل: تُتَكَلَّم الإنجليزية في بلدان كثيرة. (بدون الفاعل)

  4. Confusing “get” passive. Informal/result: He got promoted. (similar meaning to “was promoted”)

    الخلط مع المبني للمجهول بـ get. أسلوب غير رسمي/نتيجة: تمّت ترقيةُه. (قريب من “was promoted”)

Exercises

1) Change to Passive (keep the same tense)

  1. They sell fresh bread every morning.
  2. The police found the wallet.
  3. They are building a new bridge.
  4. They have finished the report.
  5. People will watch the match.

2) Fill in the blanks

  1. The cake ___ (make) yesterday.
  2. The house ___ (build) in 1990.
  3. This road ___ (close) every Friday.
  4. Your order ___ (prepare) now.
  5. Seatbelts ___ (must/wear) at all times.

3) Choose the correct option

  1. The email (is sending / was sent) yesterday.
  2. The rooms (are cleaned / is cleaned) every day.
  3. The laptop (is being repaired / was being repair).
Answers

1) Change to Passive

  1. Fresh bread is sold every morning.
  2. The wallet was found (by the police).
  3. A new bridge is being built.
  4. The report has been finished.
  5. The match will be watched.

2) Fill in the blanks

  1. was made
  2. was built
  3. is closed
  4. is being prepared
  5. must be worn

3) Choose

  1. was sent
  2. are cleaned
  3. is being repaired

FAQ

Do we always need “by + agent”?

No. Use it only if the doer is important or new information.

لا. نستخدمها فقط إذا كانت هوية الفاعل مهمة أو معلومة جديدة.

Can every active sentence become passive?

No. We need an object to become the passive subject.

لا. نحتاج مفعولًا به ليصبح فاعل الجملة المبنية للمجهول.

Is “get + V3” the same as passive?

Often yes (informal/result): got married / got stuck. Prefer “be” in formal writing.

غالبًا نعم (أسلوب غير رسمي/نتيجة): تم الزواج / تعلق. استخدم “be” في الأسلوب الرسمي.