Problem: passive teaching splits into formation drills (no judgement) and usage advice (no forms) — writers can do neither under pressure. Answer in brief: learn understanding, formation and use as one unit: what the passive means, how it forms in every needed tense, and the why-and-when test for deployment. This guide teaches the triple unit with a conversion workout, and OET Grammar — Course 12 trains passive understanding across 11 topic sections.
Understanding: what passive means
Passive demotes the doer and promotes the done-to: “The nurse gave the injection” (doer matters) vs “The injection was given at 08:00” (timing matters). Understanding means feeling that shift — passive is a spotlight control, not a formality device. Writers who grasp the spotlight choose correctly; writers who memorise rules choose randomly.
Forming it in every tense you need
Seven forms cover OET: is/are + done (present), was/were + done (past), has/have been + done (perfect), is being + done (continuous), will be + done (future), should be + done (modal), had been + done (past perfect, rare). Drill each from the same active sentence so the pattern, not the example, is learned. Formation gaps always reveal themselves under time — close them first.
Learn the triple unit supervised? The full OET Grammar — Course 12 teaches passive understanding, formation in every tense and deployment judgement across 11 topic sections with mock tests. Explore the course →
Why and when: the deployment test
Deploy passive when the doer is unknown, irrelevant or obvious — and the done-to matters. Withhold it when responsibility, requests or stories need agents. The test in one question: “If I name the doer, does the sentence improve?” Yes → active. No → passive. Run the test per sentence for a week; judgement becomes reflex.
Conversion workout (worked)
Fictional base, newly written: “The GP (reviewed the wound / will review the wound / has reviewed the wound)…” Workout: “The wound was reviewed” (past — dated event); “The wound is reviewed” is wrong for a single event — use “The wound was reviewed on Friday”; “The wound has been reviewed with good healing” (perfect + relevance); “The wound will be reviewed on Friday” (future plan); “The wound should be reviewed sooner if redness spreads” (modal + condition). Five conversions, five judgements — the workout in miniature.
FAQs
Is “is reviewed” ever correct?
For routines and truths (“Wounds are reviewed weekly on this ward”), yes. For single dated events, no — past tense owns them. Routine vs event is the distinction.
How do I stop overusing passive?
Apply the deployment test ruthlessly for a week and count densities: over 40% passive means defaults, not decisions. Agency restores itself under testing.
What is in the course?
Eleven topic sections on understanding, forming and deploying passive voice across every needed tense, with 5 complete mock tests.
The matching course
OET Grammar — Course 12 unites meaning, form and judgement: understand the spotlight, form every tense, deploy on purpose — 11 topic sections with 5 mock tests. For passive with understanding, train here.
Sources and note
- OET Writing criteria per the official OET site: oet.com — Writing. Check current format guidance before the exam.
- Course details verified from its public staging page (read-only): 11 topic sections, 5 mock tests.
- Examples are newly written and fictional; other valid structures exist.