Active and Passive Voice

 

 Active and Passive Voice

As an English learner or speaker, understanding active and passive voice is essential for effective communication. On the basis of form, there are two types of voice: active voice and passive voice.

Understanding Active and Passive Voice

• Active Voice: In active sentences, the subject is the one performing the action.

  • Example: The cow (Subject) is eating (Verb) grass (Object).

• Passive Voice: In passive sentences, the subject is acted upon by the verb, meaning the subject is no longer active.

  • Example: Grass (Subject) is being eaten (Verb) by the cow (Object).

Rules for Conversion

To change an active voice sentence to passive voice, you must follow some basic rules

1. Find SVO: First, find the Subject, Verb, and Object (SVO) in the active sentence

2. Object to Subject: Convert the object of the active sentence into the subject of the passive sentence.

3. Use Helping Verb: Use a suitable helping verb or auxiliary verb according to the tense (even if a helping verb is already given in the active voice).

   • Note: The helping verb used must agree with the new subject (the original object).

4. $3^{rd}$ Form of Verb: Convert the main verb into its past participle (3rd) form.

5. Use "by": Use the preposition "by".

6. Subject to Object: Convert the original subject into the object of the passive sentence.

Note on Pronouns: When changing the object to the subject, a pronoun of the object case (like me, her, them) converts to a nominative case (like I, she, they). Conversely, when changing the subject to the object, a nominative case pronoun (like I, she, they) converts to an object case preceded by "by" (like by me, by her, by them).

Tense	Passive Voice Structure	Active Voice Example	Passive Voice Example
Simple Present Tense	is/am/are + 3rd verb	He lights the candle.	The candle is lighted by him.
Present Continuous Tense	is/am/are + being + 3rd verb	I am driving a car.	A car is being driven by me.
Present Perfect Tense	has/have + been + 3rd verb	She has stolen my book.	My book has been stolen by her.
Simple Past Tense	was/were + 3rd verb	She finished work.	Work was finished by her.
Past Continuous Tense	was/were + being + 3rd verb	He was revising his books.	His books were being revised by him.
Past Perfect Tense	had + been + 3rd verb	I had completed the assignment.	The assignment had been completed by me.
Simple Future Tense	will/shall + be + 3rd verb	My uncle will pay my tuition fee.	My tuition fee will be paid by my uncle.
Future Perfect Tense	will/shall + have been + 3rd verb	We shall have done our home-work.	Our home -work shall have been done by us.

Tenses Not Changed in Passive Form:

Note that Present perfect continuous tense, Past perfect continuous tense, Future continuous tense, and Future perfect continuous tense generally use the same sentence structure in passive voice and therefore cannot be changed into a passive form

Modal	Auxiliary Verb in Passive Voice	Active Voice Example	Passive Voice Example
Can/Could	Can/Could + be + 3rd verb	I can solve these sums.	These sums can be solved by me.
Has to/Have to	Has to/Have to + be + 3rd verb	He has to complete his assignment.	His assignment has to be completed by him.
Must	Must + be + 3rd verb	You must learn this book.	This book must be learnt by you.
May	May + be + 3rd verb	I may buy the book.	The book may be bought by me.
Might	Might + be + 3rd verb	They might play chess.	Chess might be played by them.
Should	Should + be + 3rd verb	Students should learn all lessons.	All lessons should be learnt by students.

Active to Passive Voice Practice Sentences

Simple Tenses

1. He buys a new car. (Simple Present)

2. She taught the students history. (Simple Past)

3. My uncle will pay my tuition fee. (Simple Future)

Continuous Tenses

4. I am driving a car. (Present Continuous)

5. He was revising his books. (Past Continuous)

Perfect Tenses

6. She has stolen my book. (Present Perfect)

7. I had completed the assignment. (Past Perfect)

8. We shall have done our home-work. (Future Perfect)

Solve your answers in comment box and get the score.