The passive voice is used when the action is more important than the person performing it, when the person is unknown, or when we want a more formal or objective style. Passive structures are common in academic writing, reports, and news articles.

• The proposal is being reviewed.
• The bridge was completed last year.
• The highway will be expanded next summer.
• Several improvements have been introduced recently.

Our city has changed considerably over the past decade. Several parks have been renovated, new bike lanes were added last year, and another recreation centre will be constructed next spring. As a result, the community is served more effectively than before.

Use the present passive for facts and routines, the past passive for completed actions, and the future passive for actions that will happen later.

• Many products are manufactured overseas.
• The building was renovated last year.
• The new policy will be introduced next month.

Use the present perfect passive to describe actions that have already been completed and are still important or relevant now.

• Several improvements have been made this year.
• The bridge has been repaired successfully.
• New safety measures have been introduced across the city.

The passive voice is often used when the action is more important than the person performing it. It is especially common in formal writing, academic reports, business communication, scientific research, and news articles.

• Several new policies have been introduced this year.
• The bridge was completed ahead of schedule.
• A new medical centre will be opened next spring.

Sometimes we include the person or thing that performs the action by using by + agent. We usually do this only when the agent is important to the meaning.

• The award was presented by the mayor.
• The report was written by an independent researcher.
• The new software has been developed by a Canadian company.

To change an active sentence into a passive sentence, move the object to the beginning of the sentence, choose the correct tense of be (or have been), and use the past participle. Include by + agent only when it adds important information.

• Researchers have discovered a new treatment.
  • → A new treatment has been discovered.
• The company will launch the product next month.
  • → The product will be launched next month.

Choose the passive tense according to the time of the action. Use the present passive for facts and routines, the past passive for completed actions, the future passive for future events, and the present perfect passive for actions that remain relevant now.

• The reports are reviewed every month.
• The office was renovated last year.
• The expansion will be completed next spring.
• Several improvements have been implemented recently.