Are there times when passive voice is required in formal writing?

In one line

The rule

In passive voice, the subject receives the action, often focusing on the action or the result, not the doer.

Formula: Subject + form of 'to be' + Past Participle + (by + Agent)

Let's understand it simply

Imagine you are writing a report about a cricket match. You want to say, “The ball was hit for a six.” Here, who hit the ball is not important — the action (hitting a six) matters more. This is where passive voice helps. It lets you talk about what happened, not always who did it.

How it works

1. Decide what you want to focus on: the action or the doer.
2. If the action/result is more important, use passive voice.
3. Change the object of the active sentence into the subject of the passive sentence.
4. Add the correct form of 'to be' (is, was, are, etc.) and the past participle (V3) of the verb.
5. Add 'by + agent' only if you need to mention who did the action.

The story behind it

Passive voice has been used in English for hundreds of years. It became popular in formal writing, like reports and scientific papers, because it helps focus on facts and results, not on people. For example, in science, the result is more important than the scientist.

Where you see it in real life

• Scientific reports: “The experiment was conducted at 10 AM.” (Who did it is not important.)
• Official notices: “The school will be closed tomorrow.” (Focus is on the closure, not who decided.)
• News headlines: “A new bridge was built over the river.” (The action matters more than the builders.)
• Instructions: “The form must be filled in blue ink.” (Anyone can fill it; focus is on the action.)
• Results: “The match was won by India.” (Focus on the win, not only the players.)

Why it matters

• Used in formal letters, reports, and scientific writing.
• Makes writing more objective and less personal.
• Helps when the doer is unknown, unimportant, or obvious.
• Needed for certain exam questions and official documents.

Common mistakes

• Using passive voice everywhere makes writing dull. Use it only when needed.
• Forgetting to change the verb to the past participle (V3) form.
• Missing the correct form of 'to be' (is, was, were, etc.).
• Adding 'by' when it is not needed (if the doer is not important, leave it out).

Remember it

Use passive voice in formal writing when the action or result is more important than who did it.