Using Active and Passive Voices in IELTS Writings (Exercise)

Objective:

Use active and passive voice accurately and appropriately in IELTS Writing and Speaking to show grammatical range and control.

🔹 Overview

✅ 1. What is Voice?

Voice in grammar shows whether the subject performs or receives the action.

Active Voice: The subject does the action.
👉 The teacher corrected the essays.
Passive Voice: The subject receives the action.
👉 The essays were corrected by the teacher.

✅ 2. Structure of Passive Voice

Formula:
👉 Subject + be (in correct tense) + past participle (V3) + [by + doer]

Tense	Active Example	Passive Example
Present Simple	People eat rice in Asia.	Rice is eaten in Asia.
Past Simple	The company launched a product.	A product was launched by the company.
Present Continuous	They are building a new school.	A new school is being built.
Present Perfect	Scientists have discovered a cure.	A cure has been discovered.
Future	The government will announce the plan.	The plan will be announced by the government.

✅ 3. When to Use Passive Voice in IELTS

Use active voice when:

The doer of the action is important.
👉 Researchers conducted an experiment.
Use passive voice when:
The receiver of the action is more important, or
The doer is unknown, unimportant, or obvious from context.

Examples:

The bridge was constructed in 1990. (focus on the bridge)
A new policy has been introduced to reduce emissions.

✅ 4. Common Passive Structures in IELTS

Form	Example in IELTS Context
Process Descriptions (Task 1)	The mixture is heated until it reaches 100°C.
Data Reports (Task 1)	The information was collected from 200 respondents.
Formal Writing (Task 2)	It is believed that education improves social equality.
Academic Phrases	It has been observed that crime rates are falling.

🔹 Examples: Active vs Passive in IELTS Context

🧾 Task 1 Examples (Process & Data Description)

Active: Engineers install solar panels on the roof.
Passive: Solar panels are installed on the roof.
Active: The chart shows the changes in population.
Passive: Changes in population are shown in the chart.

✍️ Task 2 Examples (Formal Essay)

Active: People believe that technology improves lives.
Passive: It is believed that technology improves lives.
Active: The government should provide free healthcare.
Passive: Free healthcare should be provided by the government.

🔹 Practice Activities

🧩 Activity 1: Identify the Voice

Label each sentence as Active or Passive.

The report was published last year.
Scientists are developing a new vaccine.
A new airport will be constructed near the capital.
The company employs over 200 workers.
Several students have been awarded scholarships.

🔄 Activity 2: Convert from Active to Passive

Rewrite the following sentences in the passive voice.

The government controls pollution through strict laws.
Researchers will analyze the survey data.
People use social media to express opinions.
The manager has approved the new budget.
The teacher is marking the essays.

✏️ Activity 3: Fill-in-the-Blanks

Complete each sentence with the correct form of “be” and past participle (V3).

The data (collect) from various countries.
The report (submit) yesterday.
The city (develop) rapidly in the past decade.
New technologies (use) in modern classrooms.
The products (export) to several Asian countries.

Activity 4: IELTS Writing Task 1 Drill — Process Description

Convert the active sentences into passive for formal tone.

Workers collect raw materials from the site.
They mix the ingredients in large containers.
They heat the mixture at 200°C.
They package the final product for export.

Activity 5: IELTS Speaking Practice — Switching Voice for Emphasis

Practice expressing the same idea using both active and passive.

Prompt	Active	Passive
How is plastic waste managed in your country?	The government collects and recycles waste.	Waste is collected and recycled by the government.
Who designed the new smartphone?	A team of engineers designed it.	It was designed by a team of engineers.
What has changed in your hometown recently?	The council built new parks.	New parks were built by the council.

Try recording yourself giving both versions. Passive voice can help you sound formal and academic — perfect for Speaking Part 3 answers!

Drag and Drop File Here or Browse

✍️ Activity 6: IELTS Writing Task 2 Mini-Practice

Rewrite the following active sentences to make them more formal for an essay:

People say that smoking is harmful.
Experts believe online education is effective.
People think robots will replace humans.

💬 IELTS Grammar Tip

In Task 1, passive voice is extremely useful for describing processes, trends, and reports — especially when the agent (the “doer”) is unknown or irrelevant.

Example:
❌ People add chemicals to the mixture.
✅ Chemicals are added to the mixture.

Why it matters:
✔ Sounds more objective and academic
✔ Avoids unnecessary repetition of “people” or “they”
✔ Improves coherence and formality

🧠 Quick Comparison Chart

Purpose	Active Voice Example	Passive Voice Example	Best For IELTS Task
Clear subject focus	The government increased taxes.	—	Task 2 (Argument)
Object focus / Process	—	Taxes were increased by the government.	Task 1 (Process/Data)
Academic tone	—	It is believed that… / It has been reported that…	Task 2 (Formal essays)

✨ Final IELTS Writing Insight

Examiners love seeing variety in sentence structures. Mix active and passive voices to show grammatical range and control — crucial for Band 8+ Grammar.

Example Upgrade:
❌ People make efforts to reduce air pollution.
✅ Efforts are being made to reduce air pollution.

Click Here to Learn How to Use Modal Verbs in IELTS to Score Higher Bands (Exercise)

Click Here for Common Sentence Errors & How to Fix Them for Band 8+