Passive with Prepositions

The passive voice is often used to focus on the action rather than the person or thing performing it. In some cases, we use prepositions with passive verbs to give more information about the cause, method, or reason behind the action. In discussions about global problems, passive structures with prepositions help us describe causes, effects, and responsible parties in a more formal and impersonal way.

1. When do we use passive with prepositions?

We use passive with prepositions to:

  • Emphasize the result rather than the cause
    • Many forests have been destroyed by wildfires.
    • Severe flooding was caused as a result of climate change.

 

  • Describe causes and reasons for global problems
    • Many animal species are endangered due to deforestation.
    • Thousands of people were displaced through natural disasters.

 

  • Make information more formal and objective
    • The situation has been worsened by economic instability.
    • New laws have been introduced as a result of increasing pollution.

2. How to form passive with prepositions?

Structure: Subject + BE (in the correct tense) + Past Participle + Preposition + Object

Passive + “by” (to indicate the agent, the one responsible for the action):

  • Many forests have been destroyed by human activity.
  • Global warming is being accelerated by excessive carbon emissions.

Passive + “as a result of” (to indicate the cause):

  • Coastal cities have been affected as a result of rising sea levels.
  • Millions of people were left homeless as a result of the earthquake.

Passive + “due to” (to explain the reason):

  • Several species have gone extinct due to habitat loss.
  • The air quality has worsened due to increased pollution.

Passive + “through” (to describe the method or process):

  • Solutions can be found through international cooperation.
  • Awareness is being raised through global campaigns.

3. Tips

Use “by” to focus on the agent (who/what did the action).

Use “due to”, “as a result of” and “through” to explain the reason.

4. Examples

Describing environmental problems:

  • Many forests have been burned by wildfires in recent years.
  • The destruction of the ozone layer has been caused as a result of air pollution.
  • Marine life is being severely affected due to plastic waste.
  • Climate awareness is being spread through social media campaigns.

Talking about social and economic issues:

  • Millions of jobs were lost as a result of the economic crisis.
  • New policies have been implemented by the government to reduce poverty.
  • Many traditions have been preserved through cultural education.

Explaining global health concerns:

  • Many diseases have been eradicated through medical research.
  • A rise in respiratory illnesses has been recorded due to poor air quality.

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