Future simple passive voice

There are several reasons why we use the passive voice in English. In these notes, we are going to focus on the future simple in the passive voice. Generally, we use the passive voice when the focus is on the action and NOT on WHO or WHAT is performing the action.

Future simple passive voice construction: will + be + past participle.

Example verb: to carry

I will be carried	We will be carried
You will be carried	You (guys) will be carried
He/she/it will be carried	They will be carried

The agent is unknown. We don’t know who or what is the agent 

• The future of great art like the Mona Lisa will be done by artists which I cannot name.
• I wish I knew the bride that I’ll be married to. 

We use the passive to emphasise the subject

• Henry will be chosen to represent Great Britain in the Olympics next year (the emphasis is on Henry, hence, the passive).   
• Mark will be selected for the championships.

We use the passive to talk about general truths

• The laws of physics will soon be altered when we provide these mathematical proofs.
• Quantum mechanics won’t be changed at all.

We can use the passive if we want to be unclear or vague about the subject 

• Experiments will be realised, that’s all I can say for now.
• Results will be achieved. 
• Mistakes shall be made…

We use the passive when the subject is irrelevant

(We don’t care who or what has caused the action to be). 

• The new oil rig will be built by the end of this month.
• Somebody will be finished with my work when I’m done, and I don’t care who.

We use the passive in a more formal atmosphere like a thesis or an important piece of writing, especially scientifically speaking

• By the conclusion of this thesis, adequate results will be met with evidence.
• Having looked at the math, results will be drawn from this conclusion.

Future simple passive voice with context and analysis

Explanation

Construction: will + be + past participle (washed, explained).

Example verb: to see

I will be seen	We will be seen
You will be seen	You (guys) will be seen
He/she/it will be seen	They will be seen

Context

• In your opinion Mr. Stewart, what changes will be made¹ to our education system in the future, and how do you view our current education system?
• Well, in my opinion, many changes will be realised to our education system² in order to keep up³ with technology and an ever more developed society.
• Could you elaborate?
• Yes, by 2040 the world will be seen as unrecognisable⁴ in comparison to today’s society.
• In which specific fields?
• First of all, technology is the main factor. Ten years from now, computers will be more advanced,⁵ much more advanced than they are today. For instance, we shall see⁶ the birth of quantum computers, big data and blockchain technology, all of which shall be purely amazing.
• What about the loss of jobs due to automation?
• If you look back to the first industrial revolution in England in the eighteenth century, some people went around destroying the farming equipment because they feared the new technology. We always fear the unknown, but generally, technology turns out to be highly advantageous and beneficial to all.

Analysis

1. What changes will be made… ‘Will be made’ is the future simple in the passive voice and is being used to focus on the action of ‘changes being made’ rather than ‘who’ or ‘what’ is performing the action.
2. Many changes will be realised to our education system. ‘Will be realised’ is the future simple in the passive voice.
3. In order to keep up with technology. ‘Keep up’ is a phrasal verb meaning ‘continue the same pace’.
4. By 2040 the world will be seen as unrecognisable. ‘Will be seen’ is the future simple in the passive voice and is being used to put emphasis on the subject ‘world’.
5. Computers will be more advanced. ‘Will be advanced’ is the future simple in the passive voice. The emphasis is on ‘computers’.
6. We shall see. This is the future simple (active). We can also use the verb ‘shall’ with the future simple. You can say either we shall see, or we will see.

See also