Active//Passive Voice

• In active voice sentences the subject does the action.

Example: Liz played the piano.
• In passive voice sentences the subject receives the action.
Example: The piano was played by Liz.
• Sometimes the doer of the action is omitted in passive voice sentences.
Example: The piano was played.

Directions: Decide whether the following sentences are written in the active or passive voice.
Then write the doer of the action on the line to the right. If the doer is unknown, write a
question mark (?).
1) Thomas feeds his dog. active / passive ____________
2) The dog is fed by Thomas. active / passive ____________
3) The family went to the beach. active / passive ____________
4) The letter was written by Marshall. active / passive ____________
5) The game had been won by the blue team. active / passive ___________ _
6) The problem was solved. active / passive ____________
7) The stunt man risked his life. active / passive ____________
8) The fire was extinguished. active / passive ____________
9) The car was being cleaned by its owner. active / passive ____________
10) It gets cold here during the winter. active / passive ____________

Directions: Rewrite the passive voice sentences as active voice sentences.

Passive: The dog was hit by the car.
Active: _________________________________________________________________________
Passive: The house will be built by the construction crew in five months.
Active: _________________________________________________________________________
Directions: Rewrite the active voice sentences as passive voice sentences.
Active: Julie answered the question.
Passive: ________________________________________________________________________
Active: The dolphins have learned many tricks.
Passive: ________________________________________________________________________

Active and passive voice with tenses :

1. Simple Present Tense: is,am,are+3rd verb

Active Voice Passive Voice

He lights the candle. The candle is lighted by him.
He does not light the candle. The candle is not lighted by him.
Do you eat meat? Is meat eaten by you?

2. Present Continuous Tense :is,am,are+being+3rd verb

Active Voice Passive Voice

I am driving a car. A car is being driven by me.
I am not driving a car. A car is not being driven by me.
Am I driving a car? Is a car being driven by me?
3. Present Perfect Tense:has,have+been+3rd verb

Active Voice Passive Voice

She has stolen my book. My book has been stolen by her.
 She has not stolen my book. My book has been stolen by her.
Has she stolen my book? Has my book been stolen by her?

4. Simple Past Tense : was,were+3rd verb

Active Voice Passive Voice

She finished work. Work was finished by her.
She did not finish work. Work was not finished by her.
Did she finish work? Was work finished by her?

5. Past Continuous Tense: was,were+being+3rd verb

Active Voice Passive Voice

He was revising his books. His books were being revised by him.
He was not revising his books. His books were not revising by him.
Was he revising his books? Were his books revising by him?

6. Past Perfect Tense : had+been+3rd verb

Active Voice Passive Voice

I had completed the assignment. The assignment had been completed by me.
I had not completed the assignment. The assignment had not been completed by me.
Had I completed the assignment? Had the assignment been completed by me?

7. Simple Future Tense: will,shall+be+3rd verb

Active Voice
My uncle will pay my tuition fee. Passive Voice
My uncle will not pay my tuition fee. My tuition fee will be paid by my uncle.
Will my uncle pay my tuition fee? Will my tuition fee be paid by my uncle?

Note: To make passive voice, first of all you have to use following rules.
1. Change the object into subject. If in object, we have a pronoun (What is a Pronoun?) of object case
convert that by following rules.
me I
him He
her She
it It
us We
you You
them They
2. Change the subject into object. And use by before the object. If in subject, we have a pronoun of
nominative case convert that by the following rules.
I by me
He by him
She by her
It by it
We by us
You by you
They by them
Task: Turn the following sentences into Passive Voice

1. We may do it tomorrow.
2. They teach foreign languages here.
3. You can't find such things in England.
4. The government must take measures to increase productivity,
5. The concert disappointed everybody.
6. She gave me a nice gift.
7. My brother has sent me many letters.
8. I will show her my stamp collection.
9. He was showing Mary some photos when I met them.
10. The examiner is giving the candidates a very difficult test

Task: Turn the following sentences into Passive Voice

1. We may do it tomorrow.
2. They teach foreign languages here.
3. You can't find such things in England.
4. The government must take measures to increase productivity,
5. The concert disappointed everybody.
6. She gave me a nice gift.
7. My brother has sent me many letters.
8. I will show her my stamp collection.
9. He was showing Mary some photos when I met them.
10. The examiner is giving the candidates a very difficult test

Task: Turn the following sentences into Passive Voice

1. We may do it tomorrow.
2. They teach foreign languages here.
3. You can't find such things in England.
4. The government must take measures to increase productivity,
5. The concert disappointed everybody.
6. She gave me a nice gift.
7. My brother has sent me many letters.
8. I will show her my stamp collection.
9. He was showing Mary some photos when I met them.
10. The examiner is giving the candidates a very difficult test

Task: Turn the following sentences into Passive Voice

1. We may do it tomorrow.
2. They teach foreign languages here.
3. You can't find such things in England.
4. The government must take measures to increase productivity,
5. The concert disappointed everybody.
6. She gave me a nice gift.
7. My brother has sent me many letters.
8. I will show her my stamp collection.
9. He was showing Mary some photos when I met them.
10. The examiner is giving the candidates a very difficult test