to be able to + 'passive voice'

When "able to" is followed by a passive (able to be + past participle), sentences often grow wordy or vague. A quick fix: find the actor and make it the subject, or swap to a modal (can/could) or a direct active verb.

Below: a short diagnostic, a compact editing checklist, many concrete wrong/right pairs across work, school and casual contexts, and quick memory tricks so you can fix sentences immediately.

Quick answer

Spot "able to be" + past participle (for example, "able to be understood"). Fix it by naming the actor as the subject (Actor + can + verb) or by choosing an active verb. Use passive only when the actor is genuinely unknown or you must foreground the result.

Find: search for the exact sequence "able to be", "is able to be", "was able to be".
Fix: make the actor the subject → Actor + can + verb (or Actor + verb in active voice).
Exception: keep passive when the actor is irrelevant or you deliberately want the result in focus.

Is "He is able" correct?

"He is able" alone is grammatical. The common problem is when it's followed by a passive clause: "He is able to be + past participle." That construction is often wordy or unclear.

Problem form: He is able to be understood by everyone. (awkward)
Cleaner: Everyone can understand him. or He can be understood by everyone.
Choose the version that highlights the actor or the result depending on intent.

Everyone is able, He is able, or something else?

Pick the subject that reflects who performs the action. If you mean "people in general," use everyone. If a team or person is doing the action, name them. That keeps sentences direct and avoids odd phrasing.

If the actor matters, put it first: Our team can solve the problem.
If the result matters and the actor is unknown, a passive is acceptable: The problem can be solved.
When speech habits conflict with spelling, trust the standard written form and prefer clarity.

Why writers make this mistake

Writers slip into "able to be" constructions when they focus on sound rather than sentence structure, or when drafting quickly without checking who the actor is.

Sound-based guessing: the phrase feels right in speech but creates a clunky passive in writing.
Rushed drafting: you leave the actor unspecified and default to a passive.
Overcorrection: trying to be formal leads to unnecessary passive constructions.

How it sounds in real writing

Seeing correct forms in context makes the choice clearer. Below are natural rewrites that remove "able to be" passives.

Work - Incorrect: The report is able to be finalized by Friday. → The team can finalize the report by Friday.
School - Incorrect: The article is able to be improved with one more source. → One more source can improve the article.
Casual - Incorrect: The bike is able to be fixed this afternoon. → I can fix the bike this afternoon.

Try your own sentence

Ask "who does this?" If you can name that actor, make it the subject and use an active verb. If the actor is unknown or irrelevant, keep a short passive like "can be" or rephrase for brevity.

Wrong vs right examples you can copy

Concrete pairs make the fix immediate. Below are several common wrong/right rewrites you can adapt.

Wrong: The feature is able to be enabled by users.
Right: Users can enable the feature.
Wrong: The problem is able to be solved by our team.
Right: Our team can solve the problem.
Wrong: The message is able to be understood by everyone.
Right: Everyone can understand the message.
Wrong: The experiment was able to be repeated by the lab.
Right: The lab repeated the experiment.
Wrong: The assignment is able to be completed with one more week.
Right: We can complete the assignment with one more week.
Wrong: The invitation is able to be accepted online.
Right: You can accept the invitation online.

How to fix your own sentence

Don't only swap phrases-re-read to check tone and clarity. Sometimes a simple modal helps; sometimes a fresh active verb reads best.

Step 1: Identify the actor (who performs the action?).
Step 2: Make that actor the subject or use "can" for a quick fix.
Step 3: Replace with a stronger active verb when possible and reread for tone.

Rewrite:
Original: This plan is able to be achieved if everyone stays late.
Rewrite: We can achieve this plan if everyone stays late.
Rewrite:
Original: The assignment is able to be improved with one edit.
Rewrite: One edit can improve the assignment.
Rewrite:
Original: Is the test able to be taken this afternoon?
Rewrite: Can the test be taken this afternoon?

A simple memory trick

Connect form to meaning: if you can ask "who does this?" and answer it, that actor should usually be the subject. If not, prefer a short passive like "can be" or an alternative phrasing.

Ask "who does this?"-if answer exists, use it as subject.
Prefer "can" for a quick active fix: can + verb.
Search drafts for "able to be" and fix in bulk.

Similar mistakes to watch for

Once one spacing, form, or passive problem appears, related slips often follow. Scan nearby sentences for the same patterns.

Other split phrases and spacing errors.
Unnecessary passives that obscure the actor.
Confusing verb forms where a modal would be clearer.

FAQ

Is "able to be" grammatically incorrect?

No - it's grammatical. The concern is clarity and concision. Prefer active rewrites in most contexts unless you deliberately need the passive focus.

Can I always replace "is able to be" with "can"?

"Can" often improves flow, but check nuance: "can" can imply permission as well as ability. If that difference matters, name the actor or use a precise verb.

What if the actor is genuinely unknown?

If the actor is unknown or irrelevant, a passive may be fine. Even then, prefer shorter alternatives like "can be" or rephrase to keep the sentence tight.

Should I avoid this in academic writing?

Academic style sometimes accepts passives, but clarity still matters. Use the passive when it serves a rhetorical purpose; otherwise, prefer active constructions to aid readability.

How can I check many documents quickly?

Search for "able to be" and related strings ("is able to be", "was able to be") to flag candidates. Use grammar checks for suggestions, but review each change for nuance.

Try the fix on your next draft

Search your draft for "able to be". For each hit, ask "who does this?" and rewrite with that actor as subject or swap in "can" or an active verb. Use the example pairs above as templates and keep your original meaning while tightening the sentence.