How to use the passive voice detector
Paste your text. Passive phrases are highlighted and the tool counts them and shows the share of sentences that contain passive voice.
What is the passive voice?
In the passive voice the subject receives the action: “The report was written by the manager.” In the active voice the subject does the action: “The manager wrote the report.”
When to avoid and when to use the passive
- Prefer the active voice for clear, direct writing.
- The passive is useful when the doer is unknown or unimportant: “The window was broken.”
- It is common in science and formal writing: “The samples were heated.”
Frequently asked questions
How do you form the passive voice?
Use a form of “to be” (is, was, were, been) followed by the past participle: was written, is made, has been eaten.
Is passive voice always wrong?
No. It is a normal part of English. Use it on purpose, not by accident.
Why are some phrases highlighted that are not passive?
Phrases like “is tired” use an adjective, not a verb. The tool is a guide, so use your judgement.