Here's the thing most students get wrong about passive voice in formal letters: they either avoid it completely out of fear, or they use it in every sentence and sound like a robot.
Let me be straight with you. Band 7 isn't about being perfect. It's about control. And control means knowing exactly when passive voice makes your letter stronger and when it makes it weaker.
The IELTS examiners mark Grammatical Range and Accuracy as one of your four scoring areas. Passive voice matters here, but only if you're using it on purpose. A Band 6 letter might have zero passive constructions. A Band 7 letter will have 2-4, placed exactly where they should be. This guide works alongside any IELTS writing checker, helping you understand the reasoning behind each correction.
This guide shows you how to spot passive voice problems in your own writing, fix them, and write formal letters that examiners see as controlled and sophisticated.
Task 1 formal letters need a specific tone: professional, polite, sometimes diplomatic. Passive voice is the tool for that. It lets you soften requests, depersonalize problems, and avoid sounding accusatory.
Look at these two versions:
Too direct (sounds angry): You made a mistake on my invoice. You charged me twice for the same item.
Professional (passive softens blame): A mistake appears to have been made on my invoice. I have been charged twice for the same item.
The second one isn't rude. It's firm but professional. That's the Band 7 tone right there.
Here's the trap though: write every single sentence in passive voice and your letter becomes hard to read and sounds artificial. The IELTS band descriptors for Band 7 want to see "a wide range of structures." That means mixing active and passive, using each one for the right reason.
Not every passive sentence works equally well in a formal letter. Use passive voice in these three situations, and you'll sound Band 7.
If you don't know who caused the problem, or it honestly doesn't matter, passive voice is the way to go.
Works well: I was informed that my application has been rejected. (You don't need to name who told you.)
Awkward: Someone informed me that someone rejected my application. (Vague and clunky.)
Rules and procedures naturally live in passive voice. This is where passive actually feels most natural in formal writing.
Natural: According to the terms and conditions, payments are processed within 5-7 business days.
Less formal: According to the terms and conditions, the company processes payments within 5-7 business days. (Fine grammatically, but not as formal.)
This is the diplomatic move. Passive voice lets you complain without coming across as angry.
Diplomatic: It was noted that my reservation was cancelled without notification. I would appreciate if this could be rectified.
Too direct: You cancelled my reservation without telling me. I want you to fix it. (Sounds angry.)
Overusing passive voice is where most students stumble.
Three problems show up:
Too much passive: I am writing to lodge a complaint about a service that was provided to me last week. An error was made in the billing process. I was overcharged by £50. It was expected that this would be corrected immediately, but no action has been taken. A response is requested at your earliest convenience.
Better balance: I am writing to lodge a complaint about a service I received last week. An error was made in the billing process, and I was overcharged by £50. I expected this to be corrected immediately, but nothing has happened. I would appreciate your prompt response.
Notice the difference. The second one mixes active voice (I am writing, I received, I expected) with passive (was made, was overcharged, be corrected). It flows better, shows grammatical variety, and lands in Band 7 territory. This is exactly what an IELTS writing correction tool would flag as an improvement.
Pro tip: Read your letter out loud when you're done. If you're hearing "was" or "were" constantly, rewrite at least half of those sentences in active voice. Your ear will tell you if something's off.
Mistake 1: Adding "by" phrases when you don't need them.
In passive voice, the "by" clause tells you who did the action. Usually, you don't need it.
Unnecessary: I was not notified by your staff about the delay.
Cleaner: I was not notified about the delay. (Stronger. The agent is obvious.)
Mistake 2: Mixing passive voice with vague pronouns.
Confusing: My booking was made on your website, and it was cancelled without explanation. This was very frustrating. (Who cancelled it? That matters.)
Clear: I made my booking on your website, but it was cancelled without explanation. This was very frustrating. (Now we know who booked. The cancellation stays passive because you don't know who cancelled it.)
Mistake 3: Using passive voice for your own actions.
Weak: A complaint was submitted by me on March 15th.
Strong: I submitted a complaint on March 15th. (Own your actions.)
You don't need any special tool. This method works and is exactly what an IELTS writing checker would prioritize.
Step 1: Find every "be" verb in your letter (am, is, are, was, were, been, being).
Step 2: Check what comes right after each one. If it's a past participle (verb ending in -ed, or irregular forms like "given", "made", "written"), that's passive voice.
Step 3: Write down that sentence.
Step 4: Ask yourself: "Does this sentence actually need to be passive?" Check against the three situations above. If not, flip it to active voice.
Here's a real example.
What you wrote: I am writing to inform you that I was disappointed by the quality of the accommodation. The room was dirty, and the heating was not working. I was told by the receptionist that repairs would be made, but nothing was done.
Passive sentences: "was disappointed", "was dirty", "was not working", "was told", "would be made", "was done".
Problems: "was disappointed" adds nothing (just say you were disappointed). "was told by the receptionist" is clearer if the receptionist is the subject. "would be made" and "was done" are vague about what actually happened.
After you fix it: I am writing to inform you that I was deeply disappointed with the quality of the accommodation. The room was dirty, and the heating did not work. The receptionist told me repairs would be carried out, but nothing has been done.
Better balance. Still professional. Much easier to read. You sound more engaged.
Target number: Aim for 20-35% passive voice in your letter. That shows grammatical range without sounding unnatural.
Complaint letters: Use passive voice to soften the complaint (1-2 times per paragraph max), but stay active when you describe what you did and what you want next. "I have attached the receipt" not "The receipt has been attached by me."
Request letters: Passive voice works well here. "I would appreciate if my request could be considered" sounds more polite than "Please consider my request." This feels natural.
Apology or explanation letters: Mix both voices. Explain what happened (often passive: "The deadline was missed"), but own your responsibility (active: "I failed to plan ahead"). When you're explaining tone in a formal letter, our formal letter tone guide breaks down how to balance honesty with professionalism.
Enquiry or application letters: Minimal passive voice needed. These look forward, not backward. Stay active to sound direct and interested.
Prompt: You stayed at a hotel recently and found a problem with your room after you left. Write to the manager.
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am writing to inform you of a problem I encountered during my stay at your hotel last month. Upon returning home, I discovered that a valuable item was missing from my room. I am confident this item was left in the safe, but it has not been returned to me.
I stayed in Room 307 from 12th to 14th June. The item in question is a silver watch, which holds significant sentimental value. I would be grateful if you could investigate this matter and arrange for the item to be returned.
I look forward to your prompt response.
Yours faithfully,
John Smith
Passive voice count: "was missing", "was left", "has not been returned", "to be returned". That's four passive constructions in roughly 100 words.
Why so few? This is a straightforward complaint focused on facts, not blame. Passive voice shows up exactly where it belongs: describing the missing item and the action needed. The writer uses active voice for personal actions ("I am writing", "I discovered", "I stayed", "I would be grateful"). That's Band 7 control in action, the kind of formal letter structure evaluation that separates successful writers from those stuck at Band 6.
Use our free IELTS writing checker to analyze your Task 1 letter including passive voice patterns, band score prediction, and line-by-line corrections.
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