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  4. Incorrect Passive Voice Usage
Sentence Structure & Word Order

Incorrect Passive Voice Usage

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We use the passive voice when the action or the thing it happens to is more important than the person who does it. But it can sound wrong or unnatural when the grammar is wrong or when the sentence doesn’t need it.

Passive voice structure

The basic form is:

  • be (in the right tense) + past participle of the main verb (the form like sent, made, given, repaired)

Examples:

  • The email was sent yesterday.
  • The documents have been signed.

Common mistakes

  • ❌ The letter was send on time.
  • ✅ The letter was sent on time. (past participle needed)
  • ❌ The books was returned late.
  • ✅ The books were returned late. (“be” must match the plural “books”)

When to avoid passive voice

When we know who did the action and it matters, the active voice is shorter and clearer:

  • Passive: The car was repaired by John yesterday.
  • Active (better): John repaired the car yesterday.

💡 Tip

If you use the passive, check two things: the form of “be” matches the subject (was/were, is/are), and the main verb is a past participle (sent, made, given). If you know who did the action and it matters, the active voice is often clearer.

Test your knowledge 📝

Question 1 sur 8Score: 0/8

The kitchen ___ by my brother before the guests arrived.

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