Passive Voice Detector
The Guide

Passive voice, explained.

How to spot it, when to keep it, and how to rewrite it — with examples.

The definition, in one pair of sentences

In an active sentence, the subject performs the action. In a passive sentence, the subject receives it — and the performer either trails behind in a “by …” phrase or disappears entirely.

PassiveThe report was approved by the board.
ActiveThe board approved the report.

Grammatically, the passive voice is built from a form of to be (am, is, are, was, were, be, been, being) plus a past participle (approved, written, broken, taken). Informal English adds the get-passive: “he got promoted.”

The 30-second test

If you can append “by zombies” after the verb and the sentence still works, it’s passive. “The village was destroyed by zombies” — passive. “The zombies destroyed the village by zombies” — nonsense, so it was active. (The trick comes from linguist Rebecca Johnson.)

Why editors limit it

Three costs, all cumulative:

  • It hides the actor. “Mistakes were made” is the classic evasion — nobody made them, apparently. Readers sense the dodge even when none is intended.
  • It adds words. Every passive needs an auxiliary verb, and often a “by” phrase, to say what the active form says shorter.
  • It drains momentum. Sentences that lead with the doer move; sentences that lead with the done-to sit still. One is fine. Paragraphs of them read like fog.
PassiveIt was decided that the launch would be postponed.
ActiveWe postponed the launch.
PassiveYour application will be reviewed by our team within five days.
ActiveOur team will review your application within five days.

When passive voice is the right choice

Passive voice is a tool, not a sin. Keep it when:

  • The actor is unknown. “My bike was stolen last night.” You don’t know the thief; the passive is the honest form.
  • The actor is irrelevant. “The bridge was built in 1932.” Nobody needs the contractor’s name.
  • The receiver is the topic. “The vaccine was approved in record time.” The story is the vaccine, not the agency — the passive keeps the spotlight where it belongs.
  • Convention demands it. Methods sections (“samples were incubated…”), legal drafting, and diplomatic phrasing all use the passive deliberately.

Three rewrite recipes

1 · Promote the “by” phrase

If the sentence already names the actor after “by,” move it to the front and let it drive the verb.

PassiveThe melody was hummed by every child in the room.
ActiveEvery child in the room hummed the melody.

2 · Name the missing actor

If the actor is absent, ask who did this? and write them in. This is where passive voice most often hides accountability.

PassiveThe budget was cut.
ActiveThe finance committee cut the budget.

3 · Swap the verb

Sometimes the fix is a stronger verb rather than a reshuffle. “Is located in” becomes “sits in”; “was in possession of” becomes “held.”

PassiveThe cottage is located at the edge of the forest.
ActiveThe cottage sits at the edge of the forest.

Two myths worth retiring

“Passive voice is ungrammatical.” It isn’t, and never was. Style guides ask for restraint, not abstinence.

“Any form of ‘to be’ is passive.” No — “She is a pilot” and “They were happy” are plain active sentences with linking verbs. Passive needs the participle: be + done-to.

Frequently asked questions

Is passive voice grammatically wrong?
No. It is fully grammatical — it becomes a problem only as a habit, because it hides who acts, adds words, and weakens momentum. Editors typically aim for fewer than 10% passive sentences.
How do I recognize passive voice?
Look for a form of “to be” followed by a past participle: “was approved,” “has been broken.” If you can add “by someone” after the verb and it still makes sense, it’s passive.
When should I keep the passive voice?
When the actor is unknown or irrelevant, when the receiver of the action is the true topic, or when the genre’s convention (science, law, diplomacy) expects it.
How does this checker work?
It is rule-based and transparent: it splits your text into sentences, finds be/get auxiliaries followed by past participles, filters common adjectival uses (“she is tired” is not passive), and grades the share of passive sentences from A to F — entirely in your browser.
Is my text uploaded or stored?
No. Analysis runs locally on your device; nothing is transmitted, and the site sets no cookies and runs no analytics. See the privacy policy.
What percentage of passive voice is acceptable?
Under 5% reads crisp (grade A on our card); under 10% is the common editorial target (grade B). Above roughly 18%, the passive starts to dominate the texture of your prose.

Put it to work

Theory absorbed? Run your own text through the detector →