How to Use the Passive Voice in the Past Perfect Tense to Score High in IELTS Test
Using the passive voice in the past perfect tense in the IELTS speaking and writing tests can significantly enhance your grammatical range, demonstrating your proficiency in English. The past perfect passive is particularly useful for discussing actions that were completed before another action or point in time in the past, especially when the focus is on the action or its results rather than the doer.
Understanding Passive Voice in Past Perfect Tense
The structure of a passive sentence in the past perfect tense is:
Subject + had been + past participle of the verb
For example:
- Active: “The company had completed the project before the deadline.”
- Passive: “The project had been completed by the company before the deadline.”
When to Use Passive Voice in IELTS
- To Emphasize the Action or Result: Use the passive voice when the action or its result is more important than who performed it.
- E.g., “By the time the meeting started, the report had been prepared.”
- When the Doer is Unknown or Unimportant: If the person or entity performing the action is not important or is unknown, the passive voice is a good choice.
- E.g., “Before the discovery, the artifact had been considered lost for centuries.”
- To Describe Sequential Past Actions: It’s useful for describing actions that were completed before another past action or event.
- E.g., “The guests had been seated by the time the speaker arrived.”
- To Vary Sentence Structure: Using a mix of active and passive sentences, especially in different tenses, can make your speech or writing more dynamic and engaging.
- E.g., “We had finished the analysis, and the data had been compiled into a report.”
Tips for Using Passive Voice in IELTS
- Practice Regularly: Familiarize yourself with the structure and use it in various contexts to become comfortable with it.
- Balance Your Usage: While it’s important to demonstrate your ability to use complex structures, use them appropriately and ensure clarity in your communication.
- Contextual Learning: Learn and practice this structure in context. It’s easier to remember and use correctly when you understand how and when it’s typically used.
- Seek Feedback: Get feedback from a proficient English speaker or teacher, especially on whether you’re using this structure naturally.
- Listen and Read Actively: Pay attention to how native speakers and writers use the past perfect passive, particularly in academic and formal contexts.