ACTIVE & PASSIVE

VOICE
ACTIVE & PASSIVE VOICE

Sentence 1: The hunter killed the lion.

Sentence 2: The lion was killed by the hunter.

ACTIVE & PASSIVE VOICE

Voice is the form of the verb which shows whether the subject acts or is acted
upon.

ACTIVE
VOICE (Subject is the doer of the action)
The hunter killed the lion.
PASSIVE
(Subject is acted upon)
The lion was killed by the hunter.
ACTIVE & PASSIVE VOICE
❖ Changing the voice

VOICE SUBJECT OBJECT

Active: The hunter killed the lion.
Passive: The lion was killed by the hunter.
Examples:
Active: Sheetal reads a book.
Passive: A book is read by Sheetal.
STEP 1:The object of the active verb is put in the
Subject Position.
STEP 2: The Passive Form of the Verb is to be supplied.
We always use Participle form of the main verb in Passive
Voice.
STEP 3: The Number of the Verb is changed according to
the number and person of the Subject.

Active: He did the job.

Passive: The job was done by him.
ACTIVE & PASSIVE VOICE
❖ Changing the voice
SUBJECT OBJECT POSITION
Change of pronoun: POSITION
I me
you you
we us
he him
she her
it it
they them

For example: Active: I read a book. She read the same book.
Passive: A book was read by me. The same book was read by her.
 ACTIVE & PASSIVE VOICE
❖ Changing the voice
Change of tense (Rules):
Note: We always use Participle form of the main verb in Passive Voice.
Tense Active voice Passive forms
Simple Present do; does is/am/are + done
Present Continuous am/is/are doing am/is/are+ being+ done
Present Perfect has/ have done has/have + been + done
Simple Past did was/were + done
Past Continuous was/were doing was/were + being +done
Past Perfect had done had+ been+ done
Simple Future will/shall do will/shall+ be+ done
Future Perfect will/shall have done Will/shall+ have+ been+ done
Can/May/Must (Modals) do Can/may/must +be +done
ACTIVE & PASSIVE VOICE
❖ Changing the voice
Change of tense (Examples):

Tense Voice Simple Continuous Perfect

Present Active I do it. I am doing it. I have done it.

Tense Passive It is done by me. It is being done by me It has been done by me

Past Tense Active I did it. I was doing it. I had done it.
Passive It was done by me. It was being done by me. It had been done by me.

Future Tense Active I shall do it. I shall be doing it. I shall have done it.
Passive It will be done by me. (No form) It will have been done by me.
ACTIVE & PASSIVE VOICE
❖ Changing the voice
Interrogative Sentences:

Active Passive

Do you know him? Is he known to you?

Did he take tea? Was tea taken by him?

Who will do the work? By whom will the work be done?

Why have you bought this? Why has this been bought by you?

Are you reading the book? Is the book being read by you?

Where did you see him? Where was he seen by you?

ACTIVE & PASSIVE VOICE
EXCEPTIONS
➢ Verbs in Present/ Past/ Future Perfect Continuous Tense and Future Continuous Tense cannot have
a Passive Form
Examples: I have been studying for three hours.
He had been drinking milk out of the carton .
At five o’clock, I will have been waiting for thirty minutes.
Michael will be running a marathon this Saturday.

➢ Universal Truth generally do not have a Passive Form.

Example: The sun rises in the East.

➢ Sentences having Intransitive Verbs, cannot be converted to Passive Voice. The reason for this is
that such sentences do not have a Direct Object.
Example: He is sleeping.
ACTIVE & PASSIVE VOICE
USES OF PASSIVE VOICE

➢ Formal documents like invitations, newspaper reports, requests and announcements

Example: Passengers are requested not to smoke in the bus.
Calcutta was lashed by a thunderstorm.

➢ When we wish to emphasize on the receiver rather than the performer

Example: A man was knocked down by a lorry here.

➢ When it is preferable not to mention the performer

Example: Rahul was told that his English was not satisfactory for college work.

➢ In situations of social and historical importance

Example: America was discovered by Columbus.
ACTIVE & PASSIVE VOICE
Exercise:
Change the voice of the following sentences.
1. It is time to play the match.
2. What is contained in this box?
3. May I take your book?
4. The poor should be helped.
5. Do you teach Mohan?
6. It is said that the minister has arrived.
7. The masons are building the house.
8. The enemy has captured the city.
9. Ink is contained in the pot.
10. Corn is ground in the mill.