Why the Passive & Nominalisation Matter (কেন গুরুত্বপূর্ণ)
Academic English is impersonal and object-focused. The passive voice and nominalisation are the two tools that give your Writing a mature, formal register — essential for Task 1 processes ("the beans are dried") and for objective Task 2 claims ("it is widely believed that…"). They lift both your grammar and your style.
একাডেমিক ইংরেজি নৈর্ব্যক্তিক ও বস্তু-কেন্দ্রিক। passive ও nominalisation লেখাকে পরিণত, আনুষ্ঠানিক কণ্ঠ দেয় — Task 1 প্রক্রিয়া ও নৈর্ব্যক্তিক Task 2-এর জন্য অপরিহার্য।
Balance is key. The passive is powerful, but an essay written entirely in the passive sounds heavy and unclear. Use it where it fits — mix active and passive.
ভারসাম্য জরুরি। পুরো রচনা passive-এ ভারী ও অস্পষ্ট শোনায়। প্রয়োজন-মতো ব্যবহার করুন — active ও passive মেশান।
Part of the Band 7+ grammar series: Complex Sentences · Conditionals · Articles · Comparison & Modality · Cohesion.
How the Passive Works (গঠন)
The passive moves the object to the front and uses be + past participle. The "doer" (agent) is often dropped. passive object-কে সামনে আনে ও be + past participle ব্যবহার করে; "কে করল" প্রায়ই বাদ যায়।
| Tense | Active | Passive (be + p.p.) |
|---|---|---|
| Present simple | They roast the beans. | The beans are roasted. |
| Past simple | Engineers built the airport. | The airport was built. |
| Present perfect | Scientists have mapped the genome. | The genome has been mapped. |
| Present continuous | They are clearing the forest. | The forest is being cleared. |
| Modal | We must control waste. | Waste must be controlled. |
| Future | They will complete it in 2030. | It will be completed in 2030. |
When (and Why) to Use the Passive (কখন ব্যবহার করবেন)
| Use it when… | Academic example |
|---|---|
| the process/result matters, not the doer (Task 1 processes) প্রক্রিয়াই মুখ্য | The honey is extracted and then is packed. |
| the doer is unknown or obvious কে করল অজানা/স্পষ্ট | English is spoken across the world. |
| you want an objective, formal tone নৈর্ব্যক্তিক সুর | Several policies have been introduced to cut pollution. |
| describing a map's changes (Task 1 maps) ম্যাপের পরিবর্তন | The forest was cleared and houses were built. |
| to keep the topic at the front (cohesion) বিষয় সামনে রাখা | The document is criticised because it was written hastily. |
Task 1 process rule of thumb: most stages are passive because the "who" does not matter. "First, the ore is extracted; it is then transported and crushed." Add sequencers (first, then, subsequently) for cohesion.
Task 1 process: বেশির ভাগ ধাপ passive কারণ "কে" গুরুত্বপূর্ণ নয়। সঙ্গে first/then/subsequently যোগ করুন।
Impersonal Reporting Structures (নৈর্ব্যক্তিক রিপোর্টিং)
These passive patterns let you present a claim objectively, without saying "some people". They are gold for Task 2 introductions and Speaking Part 3. এই passive প্যাটার্নে দাবি নৈর্ব্যক্তিকভাবে উপস্থাপন করা যায়। Task 2 ও Speaking Part 3-এ দারুণ।
Subject + is + said / believed / thought + to + verb
| Pattern | Academic example |
|---|---|
| It is believed that… | It is widely believed that education reduces poverty. |
| It is argued that… | It is often argued that zoos do little for conservation. |
| It has been shown that… | It has been shown that passive smoking harms non-smokers. |
| X is thought to… | The project is thought to cost billions. |
| X is said to have… | Early societies are said to have made fire by friction. |
| It cannot be denied that… | It cannot be denied that technology has transformed work. |
Nominalisation (ক্রিয়া → বিশেষ্য)
Nominalisation turns a verb or adjective into a noun. It makes writing denser, more formal and more academic — a hallmark of Band 7–8 style. Nominalisation একটি ক্রিয়া/বিশেষণকে বিশেষ্যে বদলায় — লেখা ঘন, আনুষ্ঠানিক ও একাডেমিক করে।
| Verb / adjective | Noun form | Verb / adjective | Noun form |
|---|---|---|---|
| decide | decision | reduce | reduction |
| grow | growth | develop | development |
| pollute | pollution | consume | consumption |
| improve | improvement | fail | failure |
| expand | expansion | analyse | analysis |
| able | ability | available | availability |
| argue | argument | lose | loss |
Do not overdo it. Too much nominalisation becomes hard to read. Aim for one or two per sentence, not a chain of abstract nouns.
অতিরিক্ত নয়। বেশি nominalisation পড়া কঠিন করে — বাক্যে এক-দুইটি যথেষ্ট।
Band 6 → Band 7 Errors (সাধারণ ভুল)
Your Turn — Rewrite in the Passive (অনুশীলন)
Rewrite each sentence in the passive (drop the doer where it does not matter). প্রতিটি বাক্য passive-এ লিখুন; অপ্রয়োজনীয় doer বাদ দিন।
Show a model answer
The beans are dried in the sun.
Show a model answer
The old factory was demolished in 2015.
Show a model answer
Several new species have been discovered.
Show a model answer
It is believed that tourism boosts the economy. (or: Tourism is believed to boost the economy.)
Show a model answer
The city's rapid growth made it impossible for planners to cope. (grew → growth)
Next guide: Articles & Determiners — the biggest accuracy fix. Practise process passives with the Writing vocabulary guide.
পরের গাইড: Articles।