Level 1 — Foundation · Clauses & Paragraph Architecture
Lesson 13: Passive Voice & Information Focus
'Researchers conducted the study' versus 'The study was conducted by researchers' — why an author chooses one over the other, and how to read a passive sentence for what it puts in focus, not just for who did what.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
- Recognise the be + past participle pattern, including with modals and perfect aspect, as passive voice
- Mentally convert a passive sentence to active to check its core meaning
- Explain why 'by + doer' is often dropped from a passive sentence, without assuming the doer is unknown
- Tell a genuine passive verb apart from a linking verb + adjective that happens to look similar
- Explain why an author chooses passive voice: to put the receiver of an action, not the doer, in focus
Introduction
Today's grammar point is passive voice — but the real goal isn't the grammar itself. It's learning to look at a passive sentence and see exactly what information the author is putting in focus. This matters enormously, because academic books, research papers, history, science, technology documentation, and business writing all lean on passive voice constantly.
Active Voice vs. Passive Voice
Compare two sentences with nearly the same underlying meaning:
Researchers conducted the study. The study was conducted by researchers.
Both describe: Researchers → conducted → the study. But their focus is different.
Same event, different focus
Active: Researchers conducted the study. Focus: who did the action? → Researchers. Structure: Subject + Verb + Object.
Passive: The study was conducted by researchers. Focus: what happened to the study? what was done? → The study. Structure: Object → be + past participle (+ by + doer).
In passive voice, the thing an action was done to moves into the sentence's subject position.
The Core Passive Formula
Subject + be + V3 (V3 = past participle)
| Active | Passive |
|---|---|
| Researchers conduct the study. | The study is conducted by researchers. |
| Researchers conducted the study. | The study was conducted by researchers. |
| Researchers have conducted the study. | The study has been conducted by researchers. |
| Researchers will conduct the study. | The study will be conducted by researchers. |
Notice: the form of be changes with tense, but the main verb always stays in its V3 (past participle) form.
Recognising Passive Voice
Watch for the shape be + V3:
is influenced · are affected · was developed · were conducted · has been studied · have been observed · will be examined · can be explained · may be influenced · should be considered
Passive in real sentences
Human behavior is influenced by many factors. The experiment was conducted in 2024. Several factors have been identified. The problem can be solved through careful analysis.
"By + Doer" Is Optional
A passive sentence doesn't have to name who did it
The experiment was conducted by researchers. — the doer is named.
The experiment was conducted. — the doer is not named, and this is extremely common.
Why? The writer may feel the doer isn't important, is already obvious, is unknown to them, or that the result matters far more than who produced it — a common priority in academic writing.
Example: Research Writing
Passive lets a writer keep the data in focus
Active: Researchers collected data from 500 participants.
Passive: Data were collected from 500 participants.
Both are grammatically correct. But the second sentence keeps the reader's attention on data — who did the collecting becomes secondary. This is exactly why research writing relies so heavily on passive voice.
Reading Trick: Convert Passive to Active in Your Head
Mentally rebuild the active sentence to check the core meaning
The participants were asked to complete a questionnaire.
Don't let the passive shape confuse you. Convert it mentally: Someone asked the participants to complete a questionnaire.
Core meaning: participants completed a questionnaire because someone asked them to. The real information here: participants → were asked → to complete a questionnaire.
Another Worked Example
The passive can deliberately leave the doer out of focus
Several factors were identified during the study.
were identified → passive verb. Several factors → subject. Who identified them? The sentence doesn't say.
An active equivalent would be: Researchers identified several factors during the study. But the author chose not to foreground the researchers — the focus stays on several factors were identified, because the finding itself matters more here than who found it.
Passive + Modal
Very common in books and documentation. Pattern: modal + be + V3
Reading modal + passive together
The problem can be solved. — solving it is possible. The results may be interpreted differently. — interpretation could vary. The evidence should be considered carefully. — careful consideration is recommended. The information must be verified. — verification is necessary.
Passive + Perfect
Pattern: has/have been + V3
Present Perfect combined with passive
The relationship has been studied extensively.
has → present perfect · been → passive marker · studied → main verb. Meaning: a great deal of research has already gone into this relationship.
Several explanations have been proposed.
Active: Researchers have proposed several explanations. Passive: Several explanations have been proposed. — focus stays on the explanations, not the researchers.
Passive + Past Perfect
Lesson 5's Past Perfect, combined with today's passive
The data had been collected before the experiment began.
had + been + collected. Meaning: the data collection was finished before the experiment started.
earlier: Data collected
later: Experiment began
Passive Inside a Relative Clause
A passive verb can sit inside a relative clause, describing a noun
The study that was conducted in Germany produced interesting results.
Main subject: The study. Main verb: produced. Relative clause: that was conducted in Germany — and inside it, was conducted is passive.
Core: The study produced interesting results. Extra: the study in question is the one that was conducted in Germany.
Passive Voice and Information Focus
This is today's central idea.
Where a sentence starts tells you what the author wants in focus
A: The researchers analyzed the data carefully. — focus: researchers.
B: The data were analyzed carefully. — focus: data.
C: The results were analyzed carefully. — focus: results.
D: The data were analyzed carefully by the researchers. — focus is still mostly on data; by the researchers is simply additional, secondary information.
A Reading Principle Worth Remembering
What opens a sentence often carries the paragraph's current focus
Researchers discovered a significant pattern. — new focus: researchers.
The pattern was later examined in detail. — the author has now shifted focus onto pattern.
Watching this shift is a direct window into how the author is guiding the reader's attention across a paragraph.
Information Flow Across Sentences
Old information first, then new information, sentence after sentence
Researchers conducted an experiment. The experiment was designed to examine memory.
Sentence 1: Researchers (new) · an experiment (new). Sentence 2: The experiment (now known) → then new information about it.
Researchers identified several problems. These problems were later examined in detail.
These problems carries forward exactly what the previous sentence introduced — directly connected to Lesson 10's pronoun and reference tracking.
Three Questions to Ask When You See a Passive
Reading any passive sentence
Applying the three questions
The building was constructed in 1890.
What happened? → the building was constructed. Who constructed it? → not stated. Is the doer important? → probably not, for this sentence's purpose. Focus: the building and its construction.
Myth: "Passive Always Means the Doer Is Unknown"
Not true — passive is a choice about focus, not about missing information
The law was introduced by the government.
Here the doer is stated clearly. Passive voice was chosen simply because the focus of the sentence is the law, not because the writer didn't know who introduced it.
Myth: "Passive Always Means Formal English"
Passive shows up constantly in everyday English too
My phone was stolen. · The window was broken. · I was invited to the meeting. · He was given a warning.
Academic and scientific writing simply uses it more frequently than casual speech — it isn't exclusive to formal contexts.
Passive vs. Adjective
Not every be + past-participle-looking word is passive
He is tired. — tired functions here as an adjective describing a state, not a passive verb.
He was invited to the meeting. — was invited is genuinely passive: someone invited him.
A Trickier Case
Some sentences genuinely allow both readings
The door was closed by the guard. — clearly passive, since The guard closed the door makes complete sense as the active version.
The door was closed. — this could be read as passive (someone closed it) or as a simple description of its current state (an adjective-like reading). Context has to decide; the formula alone won't always settle it.
A Master Decoding Method for Passive Sentences
Seven steps for any passive sentence
Vocabulary in Context
proposeverb
to put forward an idea or explanation for consideration (প্রস্তাব করা)
“Researchers proposed several explanations for the unexpected result.”
publishverb
to make research, writing, or information publicly available (প্রকাশ করা)
“The findings were published in a peer-reviewed journal.”
constructverb
to build or put something together (নির্মাণ করা)
“The building was constructed in 1890.”
verifyverb
to check that something is true or accurate (যাচাই করা)
“Important claims should be verified before they are accepted.”
focusnoun
the main point of attention in a sentence or paragraph (কেন্দ্রবিন্দু)
“Passive voice lets a writer control which noun becomes the sentence's focus.”
receiveverb
to be given, sent, or handed something (গ্রহণ করা)
“The department received several complaints about the new system.”
Chunks worth learning as whole units
conduct a study · conduct an experiment · collect data · analyze data · identify a factor · examine a relationship · observe a pattern · provide evidence · support a conclusion · propose an explanation · reach a conclusion · be influenced by · be affected by · be associated with · be based on · be explained by · be considered important · be widely accepted · be carefully examined · be extensively studied
Especially useful: be influenced by · be affected by · be associated with · be based on · be considered
Guided Reading Practice
Read the paragraph once, slowly, for structure — not word by word.
Human behavior is influenced by a wide range of factors. Some of these factors can be observed directly, while others are difficult to identify. In many studies, participants are asked to complete specific tasks, and their behavior is carefully recorded. The collected data are then analyzed to determine whether particular patterns can be identified. Although researchers may propose several explanations for their findings, these explanations must be supported by evidence. As a result, conclusions should be interpreted carefully, especially when the available evidence is limited.
Sentence 1 — is influenced → passive. Core: human behavior ← factors influence it.
Sentence 2 — these factors → refers back to the factors just mentioned. can be observed → passive. to identify → infinitive.
Sentence 3 — Two passives: are asked and is recorded. Focus: participants and their behavior.
Sentence 4 — are analyzed → passive. can be identified → also passive. Main focus: data → patterns.
Sentence 5 — Although → contrast. may propose → possibility. must be supported → passive + modal. Focus: explanations must be supported by evidence.
Sentence 6 — As a result → conclusion. should be interpreted → passive + modal. when → time/condition. Main message: with limited evidence, conclusions should be interpreted carefully.
Golden Rule
Reading a passive sentence for its focus, not just its meaning
The results were interpreted differently by different researchers.
Structure it mentally:
The results
↓ were interpreted
↓ by different researchers
Then convert to active: Different researchers interpreted the results differently.
Then ask the real question: why did the author choose to open with "The results"? — almost certainly because results is the paragraph's current focus.
Golden Rule
When you see a passive sentence, ask not only "who did this?" but "why did the author put the receiver of the action at the front?" That second question is what turns a grammar learner into a strong English reader.
Lesson Summary
Today you learned to recognise passive voice — be + V3, with modals and perfect aspect layered on top — and to convert it mentally to active whenever the core meaning feels unclear. You learned that "by + doer" is optional and its absence doesn't mean the doer is unknown, that passive isn't reserved for formal writing, and that a be + adjective shape can look like a passive without being one. Most importantly, you practised reading passive voice for what it reveals about an author's focus — which noun they've chosen to place at the front of the sentence, and why.
Practice: Test What You've Learned
Work through every question yourself before checking anything.
Before you start
Do not use Google Translate or any other translation tool for these questions. Converting a passive sentence to active in your head, even if you get it slightly wrong, is more valuable than skipping the step.
Part A — Active or Passive?
- Researchers examined the evidence.
- The evidence was examined carefully.
- The results have been published.
- Scientists developed the technology.
- The technology was developed in Germany.
Part B — Rewrite as Active
- The data were collected from 500 participants.
- The results were analyzed by the researchers.
- Several factors have been identified.
Part C — Information Focus
- Which sentence puts researchers more in focus — A: "Researchers conducted the experiment." or B: "The experiment was conducted by researchers."?
- Which sentence puts experiment more in focus — A: "Researchers conducted the experiment." or B: "The experiment was conducted by researchers."?
Part D — Decode
- Identify the main subject, main verb, passive part, and information focus of: The relationship between stress and decision-making has been extensively studied by psychologists.
Part E — Reading Comprehension
Based on the guided reading passage above:
- Why should conclusions be interpreted carefully?
- What does "these explanations" refer to?
- What would "can be identified" become if rewritten as active?
Next: Lesson 14 — Gerunds & Infinitives: "Reading English," "to understand English," "learning through practice." We'll look at why real English books are full of forms like to understand, to improve, learning, reading, by practicing, without knowing — and exactly what job each one is doing inside its sentence.