Lesson #14 • 10 Practice Exercises Included
Passive Voice & Impersonal Academic Formulations Shifting focus to actions, processes, and objective arguments using passive constructions.
## Impersonal Academic Passive
Academic writing values objectivity over subjective personal statements. The passive voice removes the informal first-person pronoun (*'I', 'we'*).
### Formulations:
- *It is widely argued that...* (Replaces *"I think that..."*)
- *It has been empirically established that...*
- *Measures must be implemented to...* (Replaces *"Governments must do..."*)
- *The specimens were collected and analyzed in duplicate.* (Task 1 Process)
"I think that we should ban smoking in public parks."
"It is widely contended that smoking should be prohibited in public parks."
Why: Replaces informal first-person opinion with formal impersonal passive framing.
"The tea leaves harvest by workers and then dry in the sun."
"The tea leaves are harvested by workers and subsequently dried in the sun."
Why: Passive formation requires auxiliary 'be' + past participle ('are harvested... dried').
"Mistakes was made during the initial exploratory drilling."
"Mistakes were made during the initial exploratory drilling."
Why: Plural subject 'Mistakes' requires plural auxiliary 'were'.
"The data was analyze by researchers."
"The data was analyzed by researchers."
Why: Passive requires the past participle form ('analyzed').
"It is believe that technology will advance."
"It is believed that technology will advance rapidly."
Why: 'It is believed...' requires the past participle 'believed'.
1 Convert to formal academic passive: 'Scientists discovered new antibiotics in deep-sea sediment.'
New antibiotics were discovered in deep-sea sediment by scientists. New antibiotics discovered by scientists. Scientists were discovering new antibiotics. Sediment was discovered new antibiotics.
2 Choose the impersonal passive opening:
It is frequently asserted that tertiary education ought to be subsidized. I think education should be free. We all know education is good. People say education must have money.
3 Complete the Task 1 process step: 'The raw silica sand ___ in a furnace at 1500°C.'
is melted melts melting is melt
4 Select the sentence with correct modal passive:
Immediate remedial measures must be enacted by municipal authorities. Immediate remedial measures must enacted by authorities. Immediate remedial measures must to be enacted. Immediate remedial measures must be enacting.
5 Fill in the blank: 'It has been widely ___ that carbon taxation reduces fossil fuel reliance.'
demonstrated demonstrating demonstrate demonstrates
6 Which of the following avoids the informal pronoun 'you'?
When one analyzes global economic indicators... When you look at charts... If you want to understand economics... You can see that...
7 Convert active 'Authorities should widen roads' into passive:
Road networks should be expanded to alleviate congestion. Authorities must widen roads. Roads should expand by authorities. Widen roads should be done.
8 Complete the sentence: 'The ancient manuscript ___ preserved in a climate-controlled vault.'
is currently is currently being has been all of the above are valid passives
9 Choose the correct sentence regarding medical trials:
The pharmaceutical compound was administered to eighty volunteer patients. The pharmaceutical compound administered to eighty patients. Compound was administering to patients. Patients were administer compound.
10 Why is the passive voice dominant in Task 1 process diagrams?
Because the action and stages matter more than the human workers performing them To make sentences longer Because active voice is illegal in IELTS To confuse the reader
Practice "Passive Voice & Impersonal Academic Formulations" in Targeted Tests Practice Passive Voice