Passive Voice – Present Tenses

We must focus on the object instead of the subject.

 Exchange the object with the Subject

 If the sentence is in present simple use “IS” as auxiliary, and de main verb in Past Participle
 If the sentence is in present progressive, use aux + being + Past participle verb
 Is the sentence is in present Perfect, use have/has + been + Past Participle
 Use "By" to indicate who is doing the action

Example 01: Mother writes an email. (active)

An email is written by mother. (passive)

Example 02: Sam is fixing the computer. (active)

The computer is being fixed by Sam.

Example 03: John has helped Maria. (active)

Maria has been helped by John. (passive)

For Question we need take care about the structure.

Example 04: Why does your brother sing such sad songs? (active)
Why are such sad songs sung by your brother? (passive)

Example 05: Who is doing the dishes? (active)

By whom are the dishes being done? (passive)

Example 06: Why have you called me here? (active)

Why have I been called here by you? (passive)
Passive Voice – Past Tenses

We must focus on the object instead of the subject.

 Exchange the object with the Subject

 If the sentence is in past simple use “was/were” as auxiliary, and de main verb in Past Participle
 If the sentence is in past progressive, use aux + being + Past participle verb
 Is the sentence is in past Perfect, had + been + Past Participle
 Use "By" to indicate who is doing the action

Example 01: The man cut down the tree. (active)

The tree was cut down by the man. (passive).

Example 02: The boys were helping the wounded man. (active)
The wounded man was being helped by the boys. (passive)

Example 03: He had given me a bouquet. (active)

I had been given a bouquet by him. (passive)

In the above example, ‘me’ is the object as action of giving a bouquet had been done on ‘me’. People
often get confused with ‘bouquet’ as the object. To clear the confusion while identifying the object,
always ask the question-on whom is the action done.

Example 04: Who broke the jar? (active)

By whom was the jar broken? (passive)

Example 05: Why were you doing the work? (active)

Why was the work being done by you? (passive)

Example 06: Why had you done the work? (active)

Why had the work been done by you? (passive)

There is no “past perfect continuous” tense for the passive voice.

Passive Voice - Imperative sentences

Are requests, commands, orders and instructions. The subject is hidden in an imperative sentence.
Example: Get out of the class! (‘you’ is hidden)

A very simple rule is to be followed when you make imperative passive sentences:

Let + Object + be + past participle verb (verb in the third form)

In case of a negative sentence, use:

Let + Object +not + be + past participle verb (verb in the third form)
Remember, the object is the person/thing on which action is done.

Active: Keep it there.

Passive: Let it be kept there.

Active: Take it home.

Passive: let it be taken home.

Please help me.

Passive: Let me be helped.

Active: Do not touch it.

Passive: Let it not be touched.

Active: Do not beat the dog.

Passive: Let the dog not be beaten.

Active: Let me do it.

Passive: Let it be done by me.