Active and Passive Voice – Rules with Examples
‘Voice’ – What Is It?
Voice refers to the form of a verb that shows whether the subject of a sentence is performing an action (Active Voice) or receiving the action (Passive Voice).
Simply put:
Active Voice = Subject does the action.
Passive Voice = Subject receives the action.
There are two voices in the English language and they are as follows:
- Active Voice
- Passive Voice
Let us look into the two voices a little in detail with the help of the meaning and definition given below.
What is Active Voice?
In Active Voice, the subject of the sentence performs the action.
Structure:
Subject + Verb + Object
Examples:
Ram plays cricket.
The teacher explains the lesson.
She is writing a letter.
What is Passive Voice?
In Passive Voice, the subject of the sentence receives the action.
Structure:
Object + Form of “to be” + Past Participle + (by + Subject)
Examples:
Cricket is played by Ram.
The lesson is explained by the teacher.
A letter is being written by her.
Here, the focus is on the action or the receiver of the action, not the doer.
Difference between the Active Voice and the Passive Voice
Converting Active to Passive
To change a sentence from Active to Passive, follow these steps:
1. Identify Subject, Verb, and Object.
2. Move the Object to the Subject’s place.
3. Use the correct form of “to be” + Past Participle of the Verb.
4. Place the Subject at the end with ‘by’ (if necessary).
Examples:
Active: She sings a song.
Passive: A song is sung by her.
Active: They will complete the project.
Passive: The project will be completed by them.
Active: The cat is chasing the mouse.
Passive: The mouse is being chased by the cat.
When to Use Passive Voice?
When the doer is unknown
The window was broken. (We don’t know who broke it.)
When the doer is unimportant
English is spoken worldwide.
To emphasize the action or object
The road was repaired yesterday.
In formal/scientific writing
Water is heated to 100°C.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Wrong: A letter written by her.
Correct: A letter is written by her.
Wrong: The project will completed.
Correct: The project will be completed.
Wrong: He is teach by the teacher.
Correct: He is taught by the teacher.
8. Special Notes
1. Only transitive verbs (verbs with objects) can be changed into passive.
Active: He sleeps. (No object → cannot be passive)
2. Passive sentences sometimes omit “by” when the doer is obvious.
Active: People speak Hindi in India.
Passive: Hindi is spoken in India.
3. Questions also change:
Active: Did she finish the work?
Passive: Was the work finished by her?
Active and Passive Voice – Rules with Examples
1. Basic Structure
Active Voice: Subject + Verb + Object
Passive Voice: Object + Auxiliary Verb + Past Participle + (by + Subject)
Example:
Active: The teacher teaches English.
Passive: English is taught by the teacher.
2. Rules by Tenses
A. Present Tense
1. Simple Present
Active: Subject + V1(s/es) + Object
Passive: Object + is/are + V3 + (by + Subject)
Example: She writes a letter. → A letter is written by her.
2. Present Continuous
Active: Subject + is/are/am + V1+ing + Object
Passive: Object + is/are/am + being + V3 + (by + Subject)
Example: He is reading a book. → A book is being read by him.
3. Present Perfect
Active: Subject + has/have + V3 + Object
Passive: Object + has/have + been + V3 + (by + Subject)
Example: They have finished the work. → The work has been finished by them.
Note: Present Perfect Continuous has no passive form.
B. Past Tense
1. Simple Past
Active: Subject + V2 + Object
Passive: Object + was/were + V3 + (by + Subject)
Example: He wrote a letter. → A letter was written by him.
2. Past Continuous
Active: Subject + was/were + V1+ing + Object
Passive: Object + was/were + being + V3 + (by + Subject)
Example: She was cooking food. → Food was being cooked by her.
3. Past Perfect
Active: Subject + had + V3 + Object
Passive: Object + had + been + V3 + (by + Subject)
Example: They had completed the task. → The task had been completed by them.
Note: Past Perfect Continuous has no passive form.
C. Future Tense
1. Simple Future
Active: Subject + will/shall + V1 + Object
Passive: Object + will/shall + be + V3 + (by + Subject)
Example: She will help you. → You will be helped by her.
2. Future Continuous No passive form.
3. Future Perfect
Active: Subject + will/shall + have + V3 + Object
Passive: Object + will/shall + have + been + V3 + (by + Subject)
Example: He will have completed the project. → The project will have been completed by him.
Note: Future Perfect Continuous has no passive form.
3. Rules for Modals (can, may, might, should, must, etc.)
Active: Subject + Modal + V1 + Object
Passive: Object + Modal + be + V3 + (by + Subject)
Example:
Active: She can solve the problem.
Passive: The problem can be solved by her.
4. Rules for Imperatives
1. Positive Command / Request
Passive: Let + Object + be + V3
Example: Open the door. → Let the door be opened.
2. Negative Command
Passive: Let + Object + not + be + V3
Example: Do not touch it. → Let it not be touched.
3. With “Please”
Example: Please help me. → You are requested to help me.
5. Rules for Interrogatives
1. Questions starting with “Wh”
Active: Who wrote this book?
Passive: By whom was this book written?
2. Yes/No Questions
Active: Did he complete the work?
Passive: Was the work completed by him?
6. Rules for Infinitives & Gerunds
1. Infinitive (to + V1)
Active: I want to help her.
Passive: I want her to be helped.
2. Gerunds (V+ing as object)
Active: I like people praising me.
Passive: I like being praised.
7. General Rules
Only transitive verbs (with objects) can be changed into passive.
The object of the active becomes the subject of the passive.
Sometimes the subject is omitted in passive if not important.
Example: People speak English everywhere. → English is spoken everywhere.
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