Adding “was” does not automatically create a correct passive sentence. “The letter was send” still needs a different verb form: “The letter was sent.” The auxiliary and the past participle work together.
The formation and common-errors sections of Jobin Thomas’s English Grammar for Nurses: Passive Voice Focus explain this pattern. This guide uses original paperwork examples so you can concentrate on the grammar before applying it to a course writing task.
Identify what receives the action
In “The receptionist sent the letter,” the letter receives the action. It can become the subject of a passive sentence: “The letter was sent by the receptionist.” The focus changes, but the event and its time remain the same.
Keep the person responsible when that information matters. If the task identifies who sent something and the recipient needs to know, changing to passive does not give you a reason to remove that detail.
Use the past participle after the auxiliary
Regular verbs often use an “-ed” participle, as in “checked” or “completed.” Irregular verbs need particular forms: send–sent, write–written, take–taken and give–given. Learn these as usable phrases rather than isolated spellings.
Original verb-form check
Incorrect: The message was wrote yesterday.
Correct: The message was written yesterday.
Incorrect: The documents were gave to the administrator.
Correct: The documents were given to the administrator.
“Wrote” is a past-tense form; “written” is the participle needed here. The passive construction needs more than a verb that sounds past.
Match the auxiliary to the new subject
When the original object becomes the passive subject, check whether it is singular or plural. “The office checks the forms” becomes “The forms are checked by the office.” The plural “forms” takes “are,” even though “office” is singular.
In the past, compare “The form was checked” with “The forms were checked.” In a present perfect passive, compare “The form has been checked” with “The forms have been checked.”
Repair the passive verb phrases
1. The instructions was written clearly.
2. The letter has been send.
3. The appointment details were gave to the learner.
Answers: 1 were written — plural subject. 2 has been sent — correct participle. 3 were given — correct participle.
Preserve the time and completion status
“The office is checking the form” describes an activity in progress. “The form is being checked” preserves that meaning. “The form has been checked” instead presents the check as complete.
Do not change the time or completion status while concentrating on voice. A useful review separates the decisions: first identify the event’s time and status, then form the passive that expresses them.
Build a small correction bank
Collect three passive patterns you personally find difficult. Record a correct full phrase, its active counterpart and the meaning it expresses. For example: “The letter has been sent” corresponds to a completed sending action with present relevance.
Use those patterns in fresh sentences at the next practice session. This checks whether you have learned the form rather than merely recognised the answer in one exercise.
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Source: OET GRA NUR 02 passiive.epub, Jobins Training. Examples labelled original or illustrative were written for this article. Independent exam preparation; no affiliation with or endorsement by the examining body. Practice does not predict an official score.