A large organised competition in which many teams or players compete over multiple rounds to determine a champion.
"The tournament was held in front of 20,000 fans — the largest crowd in the game's history."
Ranked and placed in a competition bracket based on past performance — the best teams are seeded to avoid meeting each other early.
"They were seeded first going into the championship — everyone expected them to make the final."
Officially removed from a competition for breaking rules — the team or player loses all results from that event.
"The team was disqualified after a player was found using unauthorised software during the match."
A company that provides financial or material support to a team or player in exchange for brand promotion and visibility.
"The team was sponsored by three major brands — their jerseys were covered in logos."
To transmit a live event to an audience via TV, streaming platform, or online channel — esports events are broadcast globally.
"The final was broadcast live to over 2 million viewers across three different streaming platforms."
The official list of players who are part of a competitive team — changes to the roster are major news in the esports world.
"Three players were released from the roster before the season — the rebuild was complete."
The most effective strategies, characters, or tactics in the current competitive environment — what the best players are using right now.
"The meta was completely shifted by the latest patch — three characters were removed from every pro team's lineup."
An official software update released by developers that changes game balance, fixes bugs, or adjusts the competitive meta.
"The patch was released two days before the tournament — teams had almost no time to adjust their strategies."
Opens a news report without naming who made the announcement. The passive voice keeps the focus on the news itself, not the source — standard in professional journalism and esports reporting.
"It was announced that the world championship would be held in Seoul for the second year in a row."
Reports a disciplinary action using the passive voice. The focus is on the player and the reason — not on who issued the ban. This structure is used in every esports news story involving rule violations.
"The player was banned for six months after testing positive for a prohibited substance during the tournament."
Describes how a match ended using passive voice. Puts the outcome and cause first — essential for match reports and post-event analysis where the key factor matters more than who did what.
"The match was decided by a single mistake in the final round — a missed shot that cost the team everything."
Used when a journalist reports information that is not yet confirmed. The passive voice distances the writer from the claim — they're reporting what others think, not stating it as fact. Critical for responsible reporting.
"It is believed that the star player's contract was not renewed, though neither side has confirmed this officially."
Reports a player or team signing using the present perfect passive. The focus is on the team being signed — not on the organisation doing the signing. Used in every transfer announcement across esports.
"The team has been signed by one of the largest esports organisations in North America in a multi-year deal."
Explains why a game update was made, using passive voice to put the focus on the patch and its purpose — not on the developers who made it. Standard in game analysis and esports journalism.
"The patch was introduced to address the dominant strategy that had made the last three tournaments predictable and repetitive."
Attributes information to an unnamed or general source — giving credibility to the claim without needing to identify a specific person. Common in breaking news and transfers where sources are confidential.
"According to reports, the organisation has been in negotiations with three international players for the past month."
Reports anticipated future events without stating them as certain facts. The passive form sounds objective and journalistic — this is how upcoming events, prize pools, and schedules are discussed in esports media.
"The tournament is expected to attract over a million live viewers and offer a prize pool of five million dollars."
💡 Grammar Focus — The Passive Voice
The passive voice puts the action or result at the front of the sentence — not the person doing it. This is why news and journalism use it constantly: sometimes the subject is unknown, unimportant, or deliberately withheld.
Present Passive
is / are + past participle"The player is suspended.""Teams are seeded by ranking."Past Passive
was / were + past participle"The player was banned.""The match was decided in overtime."Perfect Passive
has / have been + past participle"The team has been signed.""Three players have been released."Active → Passive — gaming examples
"It was announced that one of the most decorated rosters in the game's history would be disbanded at the end of the season. According to reports, contract negotiations had broken down over salary disputes that began three months ago. It is believed that the star player will be free to sign with any organisation from January. The team has been signed by a new sponsor in the meantime, though the future of the competitive lineup remains unclear. The tournament next month is expected to be the squad's final appearance together."
"People keep asking what went wrong in the final. Here's the honest breakdown: the match was decided by a single draft decision in game three — they picked into a losing composition and never recovered. The patch was introduced to weaken exactly the style of play they relied on, and they hadn't adapted their strategy at all. The player was banned from the last qualifier, so this was their first major event without him. The roster showed gaps. It's that simple. They were seeded first, and nobody expects to lose to a team ranked eighth. But that's esports."
"And we are moments away from the end of this incredible final. This tournament was expected to be close — nobody predicted it would come down to the wire like this. The position has been taken, the objective has been secured, and the crowd here is on their feet. According to the analysts, this was the play all along — they had prepared this exact rotation in practice. The title is about to be claimed — and the trophy will be lifted by the team that was told, before the season started, that they had no chance."
| Context | Register | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Live commentary Twitch, YouTube, TV broadcast |
Informal / Dramatic | "It's been taken! The objective's been secured! The crowd can't believe it!" |
| Reddit / Community posts Forums, fan analysis |
Neutral / Analytical | "The match was decided by the draft. The patch was introduced to stop exactly this — they just didn't adapt." |
| Esports news article ESPN, Dot Esports, The Loadout |
Formal / Journalistic | "It was announced that the player has been signed. It is believed that the deal is worth a seven-figure sum." |
| Official press release Team statements, developer updates |
Formal / Institutional | "The player has been released from their contract following a mutual agreement between all parties involved." |
| Social media (X / Twitter) Announcements, reactions |
Informal / Punchy | "Roster dropped. Three players released. Season over. More to follow." |
It was announced that Storm Rising had qualified for the World Championship after defeating the defending champions in a five-game series that left the esports world in disbelief. The team, which was seeded eighth going into the playoff bracket, overcame odds of more than twenty to one to reach the final.
According to reports, the team's preparation had been exceptional — they had studied the opponent's patterns for six weeks before the event. The patch was introduced to reduce the dominance of high-damage compositions, and Storm Rising were one of the few teams that had fully adapted their roster strategy to the new meta. The match was decided by a coordinated rotation in round four that the opponents had clearly not anticipated.
It is believed that several top organisations have already reached out to the team's management following the victory. The team has been signed by a new equipment sponsor effective immediately. The tournament final replay is expected to be among the most-watched esports broadcasts of the year, with the organisation's social media following having grown by 300 percent in the 48 hours since the match ended.
Comprehension Questions
Think about why each passive structure is used — not just what it means.
Debate: Is Esports a Real Sport?
Your partner argues the opposite position. Build a clear argument using evidence, passive voice structures, and at least three phrases from the lesson. Then swap sides — argue the other position with equal conviction.
Live Commentator
You are casting the final minute of a championship match. Describe what is happening — who has the objective, what decisions are being made, what is at stake. Use passive voice to build tension and active sentences to deliver the big moments.
Press Conference
You are a team manager. Three players have been released. A sponsor has dropped the team. Your partner plays a journalist asking difficult questions. Explain what happened — using passive voice to sound professional and measured under pressure.
Useful reminders while you speak
- Use passive voice when the action or outcome matters more than who did it — this is the key instinct to develop.
- In the debate, "It is believed that…" and "According to reports…" make your arguments sound sourced and credible rather than personal opinion.
- In the press conference, "The player was released" is far more professional than "We fired him." Passive voice manages difficult news without pointing blame.
- In commentary, mix passive (for setup and context) with sharp active sentences (for the moment of action). The contrast creates energy.
Match Active to Passive
Click a sentence on the left, then match it to its passive version on the right.
Complete the News Report
Click a phrase from the bank, then click the blank where it belongs.
Correct or Incorrect?
Is each passive structure correct? If not, what's the error?