The Passives have three main structures: The Passive Voice, Passive Reporting Structures, and The Causative Form. Check what you know first, try this practice:
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The Passive Voice
In English, the passive voice is used when we want to focus on the action or the receiver of the action, rather than on who or what performs the action. It is especially common in formal writing, scientific contexts, and situations where the agent is unknown or unimportant.
Structure: Subject + be (in correct tense) + past participle + (by + agent, optional)
Examples:
- The cake was baked by Maria.
- The documents are signed every morning.
- The window has been broken.
Click here for exercises and a full article on Passive Voice
Passives Reporting Structures
Passive Reporting Structures are used to report beliefs, opinions, or information in a formal and neutral way, often without mentioning who the source is. They are especially common in news reports, academic writing, and official contexts, where the focus is on the information itself rather than on the people who said it.
These structures usually appear in two forms: “It is believed that…” and “The subject is believed to…”. Both allow speakers to sound more objective, avoid repeating vague sources such as people or experts, and create distance from the information being reported. Compare the following examples:
It is believed that the suspect left the country.
The suspect is believed to have left the country.
The reporting verb (believe, say, report, expect) is used in the passive voice, while the time of the action is shown through the infinitive (to leave, to have left, to be leaving).
Click here for exercises and a full article about Passive Reporting Structures
The Causative Form
The causative form is used when someone causes another person to do something, or when something is done for someone, often as a service. It’s commonly used with have or get in a passive-like construction.
Structure with “have”: Subject + have + object + past participle
Examples: I had my hair cut yesterday. (I didn’t cut it myself – someone did it for me.)
Structure with “get” (more informal): Subject + get + object + past participle
Example: They got their car fixed.
Both passive and causative forms allow us to shift focus from who performs the action to the action or its result.