Academic writing uses passive voice far more often than everyday English. Understanding how it works — and why it sometimes changes what a sentence emphasizes — helps you avoid misreading key information.
What is passive voice? In active voice, the subject performs the action: "Researchers conducted the study." In passive voice, the subject receives the action: "The study was conducted by researchers," or even "The study was conducted" — with the researchers left out entirely.
Why academic writing prefers passive voice. Academic text often focuses on findings, processes, or results rather than who performed an action. "The samples were analyzed using a new technique" sounds more objective and keeps the focus on the analysis, not on who did it — this style is very common in IELTS Academic passages, especially science-based ones.
The tricky part: the "doer" is often missing. In "The bridge was completed in 1932," you know when it was completed, but not who built it. If a question asks about who was responsible for something, and the passage only uses passive voice without naming an agent, the correct answer may be NOT GIVEN — not because the information doesn't exist somewhere, but because the passage genuinely does not state it.
How to read passive sentences carefully. Identify what the sentence's subject actually is (the thing receiving the action, not necessarily performing it), and check whether the "who" or "what caused this" is stated or missing. This distinction is often exactly what a True/False/Not Given question is testing.
Practice recognizing this pattern. As you read Readlify's practice passages, notice when sentences use passive voice, and specifically check whether the responsible party is named or omitted — this awareness prevents a common source of Not Given mistakes.