What is Voice?

In English language the word voice can be translated into two ways.
1. According to dictionary.
2. According to grammar
According to dictionary: The word “voice” means “sound of human either in
speaking or singing”.
Difference between Sound and Voice
Sound: What cause sensation in our eyes is called sound.
Voice: The sounds that you make when you speak, or the ability to make these sounds.
According to Grammar: The word “voice” is the form of verb “which denotes
whether the subject of a sentence is the doer or the receiver of an action”.
Ex: Ali killed a bird. (Active voice)
Ex: A bird was killed by Ali. (Passive voice)

Voice According to grammar is divided into two types

1. Active voice/ Active sentences
2. Passive voice/ Passive sentences
Active Voice:
The word “Active” means “awake, alert, dynamic or energetic”.
Active voice is a voice in which the subject is the doer of an action.
Or: Is a voice which shows what the subject does.
Or: Is a voice in which both the subject and object are used in their own places.
Ex: Ali washed the car.
Ex: She opened the door.
Ex: I teach you.

General Formula of Active Voice

Subject + Verb + Object

Passive Voice:
The word “passive” means “inert” or “inactive”.
Passive voice is a voice in which the subject is the receiver of an action.
Or is a voice which denotes what happens to people or things.
Or is a voice in which neither the subject nor the object is used in its own place.
Ex: A bird was killed by Ali.
Ex: The door was opened by her.
Ex: You are taught by me.

General Formula for Passive Voice

Subject + to be verb + 3rdV + (by phrase)

 
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Why Do We Use Active Voice?
  1. We use active voice when it is important to know who does the action.
  2. We use active voice when we want to show who performs the action.
  3. We use active voice when the subject is more important than object.
  4. In academic writing active voice is used because passive create confusion.

Why Do We Use Passive Voice?

1. When the actor is unknown:
Ex: The Daronta Dame is made in the 20th century . [We don’t know who made them.]
2. When the actor is irrelevant:
An experimental solar power plant will be built in the Australian desert. [We are not
interested in who is building it.]
3. When you want to be vague about who is responsible:
Ex: Mistakes were made.
4. When you are talking about a general truth:
Rules are made to be broken. [By whomever, whenever.]
5. When you want to emphasize the person or thing acted on. For example, it may
be your main topic:
Insulin was first discovered in 1921 by researchers at the University of Toronto. It is still
the only treatment available for diabetes.
6. When you are writing in a scientific genre that traditionally relies on passive
voice. Passive voice is often preferred in lab reports and scientific research
papers, most notably in the Materials and Methods section:
Ex: The sodium hydroxide was dissolved in water. This solution was then titrated with
hydrochloric acid.

7. We use passive voice when it is not important to know who does the action.
8. We use passive voice when we don’t want to show who performs the action.
9. We use passive voice when the object is more important than the subject.
10. We use passive voice when we want our speech to be considered more formal.

How to change active sentences into passive??

  While changing an active sentence into passive remember the followings.
1. A sentence containing a transitive verb can be changed into passive.
2. The object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence.
3. The form of verb is changed (a form of Be verb + past participle)

 
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 4. The subject of the active sentence becomes the object of the passive sentence or is
dropped.
5. Do not change the position of the adverbs if there is anyone.
Tense Cases
All active tenses have two cases
1. Simple Case: Is a case which show the occurrence of an action.
Ex: Rehan speaks English.
2. Progressive Case: Is a case which show the continuation of an action.
Ex: Rehan is speaking English.
Thus we have two main structures for passive sentences.
Structure for Simple Tenses:
 Be + 3rdv
Ex: Rehan speaks English. (Active Voice)
Ex: English is spoken by Rehan. (Passive Voice)
Structure for Progressive Tenses:
 Be + being + 3rdv
Ex: Rehan is speaking English. (Active Voice)
Ex: English is being spoken by Rehan. (Passive Voice)

TABLE OF ENGLISH TENSES IN PASSIVE VOICE

Simple Present Tense:
Active: S + V(s/es) + O
Passive: S + am/is/are + PP + by + O
Active: He reads books every day.
Passive: Books are read (by him) every day.

Present Continuous Tense:

Active: S + am/is/are + V-ing + O
Passive: S + am/is/are + being +PP + by + O
Active: He is writing a novel at the moment.
Passive: A novel is being written (by him) at the moment.

Present Perfect Tense:

Active: S + Has/Have + V3ed + O
Passive: S + has/have + been +PP + by + O
Active: He has just finished a novel.
Passive: A novel has just been finished (by him).

Present perfect continuous tense:

Active: S + Has/Have + been + verb ing + O
Passive: S + has/have + been + being +P.P + by + O

 
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Active: She has been teaching English.
Passive: English has been being taught by her.

Simple Past Tense:

Active: S + V2ed + O
Passive: S + was/were + PP + by + O
Active: Ali played tennis.
Passive: Tennis was played (by Ali).

Past Continuous Tense:

Active: S + was/were + V-ing + O
Passive: S + was/were + being + PP + by + O
Active: He was writing a letter at 8.00 yesterday.
Passive: A letter was being written (by him).

Past Perfect Tense:

Active: S + had + V3ed + O
Passive: S + had + been + PP + by + O
Active: He had finished his homework before 8.00 yesterday.
Passive: His homework had been finished (by him) before 8.00 yesterday.

Past perfect continuous Tense:

Active: S + had + been + verb ing + O
Passive: S + had + been + being + P.P + by + O
Active: I had been watching the movie till my father came.
Passive: Movie had been being watched by me till my father came.

Simple Future Tense:

Active: S + will/shall + V.1+ O
Passive: S + will/shall + be + PP + by + O
Active: He will finish the homework.
Passive: The homework will be finished.

Future Continuous Tense:

Active: S + will/shall + be + V-ing + O
Passive: S + will/shall + be + being + PP + by + O
Active: Tom will be cooking lunch at 10.00 tomorrow.
Passive: Lunch will be being cooked by Tom at 10.00 tomorrow.

Future Perfect Tense

Active: S + will/shall + have + V3ed + O
Passive: S + will/shall + have + been + PP + by + O

 
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Active: By the end of next week, he will have written 10 letters to her.
Passive: By the end of next week, 10 letters will have been written to her.

Future perfect continuous tense:

Active: S + will/shall + have + been + ving + O
Passive: S + will/shall + have + been + being + PP + by + O
Active: She will have been teaching English.
Passive: English will have been being taught by her.
Interrogative passive: will/shall+subject+have+been+being+V-3+co+?
Ex: Will English have been being taught by her?

Types of Passive Voice

In English grammar passive voice has the following sex (6) main types.
 Main passive
 Stative passive
 Modal passive
 Full Passive:
 Agentless Passive: 
 Noticed Passive:
 Pseudo Passive:
 Impersonal Passive:
 Present passive infinitive
 Past passive infinitive
 Present passive gerund
 Past passive gerund

1. Main Passive:
Is a passive which is used almost in all tenses.
 Ex: They play football.
 Football is played by them.
 Ex: She has cooked special food today.
 Special food has been cooked by her today.

2. Stative passive:
 Stative passive: Is a passive which expresses a state not an action.
 It shows a state which exists because of an earlier action.
 There is no by phrase in the stative passive.
 Is a passive which does not have active form.
 The preposition “by” can’t be used, but other prepositions can be used.
  Ex: The chair is broken. (Stative passive)
  Ex: She was born in 1990. (Stative passive)
 

 
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 3. Modal Passive:
Is a passive that contains a modal auxiliary verb.
Ex: He can play football very well.
 Football can be played very well by her.
Ex: They should win the match.
 Match should be won by them.
4. Full Passive:
Is also called dynamic or long passive.
It is a type of passive voice which contains a “by phrase”.
Ex: I teach English. Grammar.
Ex: English Grammar is taught by me. P.V
5. Agentless Passive:
Is a passive which doesn’t need “by phrase”.
Ex: Rice is grown in India.
Ex: The speech was given at the end.
6. Noticed Passive:
Is a passive which is used in advertisements without the auxiliary.
Ex: Wanted
Ex: Required
Ex: Needed
7. Pseudo Passive:
It is a passive voice having 3rdv and the preposition “by” and the doer isn’t mentioned.
Ex: Written by
Ex: Prepared by
Ex: Composed by
8. Impersonal Passive:
Is a voice in which the subject is “it” and the doer is not known.
Ex: It is said that exercise is good for health.
Ex: It is accepted that black Americans are strong.

Forms of Gerund
1. Present
 Present Active Gerund
 Present Passive Gerund
2. Past
 Past Active Gerund
 Past Passive Gerund

 PRESENT ACTIVE GERUND: We use present active gerund when the

subject performs the action of gerund.
Structure: Sub + gerund verb + gerund

 
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 Ex: She enjoys playing tennis.
Ex: I love teaching grammar.
 PRESENT PASSIVE GERUND: We use present passive gerund when the action of
gerund is performed by someone else not the subject.

1. Structure: Sub + gerund verb + being + 3rd V

Ex: I admit being deceived.
Ex: He appreciates being trained in Pakistan.
2. Structure: Sub + to be verb + adjective + preposition + being + 3rd V
Ex: She is happy about being gifted.
Ex: She is proud of being given the scholarship.

 PAST ACTIVE GERUND: We use past active gerund when the subject
performed the action of gerund in the past.
1. Structure: Sub + gerund verb + having + 3rd V
Ex: He enjoys having taught English.
Ex: She regrets having stolen the money.

2. Structure: Subject + to be verb + adjective + preposition + having + 3rd V

Ex: I am happy about having studied in Pakistan.
Ex: They are accused of having supported Americans.

 PAST PASSIVE GERUND: We use past passive gerund when the action of
gerund was performed by someone else not the subject. The subject receive the action
of gerund.

Structure: Subject + gerund verb + having + been + 3rd V

Ex: She appreciates having been told the truth by her friend.
Ex: I enjoy having been taught English by Sir Nasrullah.

Forms of Infinitive
3. Present
 Present Active Infinitive
 Present Passive Infinitive
4. Past
 Past Active Infinitive
 Past Passive Infinitive

 Present Active Infinitive: We use present active infinitive when the subject
performs the action of infinitive.
Structure: Subject + infinitive verb + full infinitive
Ex: He decides to go to Kabul.

 
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Ex: She wants to learn English.
 Present Passive Infinitive: We use present passive infinitive when the action
of the infinitive is performed by someone else not the subject. The subject receives the
action.
1. Structure: Subject + infinitive verb + to be verb + 3rd V
Ex: She hopes to be called by me.
Ex: I love to be given the chance to present the speech.
2. Structure: Subject + infinitive verb + object + to be verb + 3rd V
Ex: She wants me to be invited to the party
3. Structure: Subject + to be verb + adjective + to be + 3rd V
Ex: We are happy to be invited.
Ex: She is excited to be appreciated.

 Past Active Infinitive:

We use past active infinitive when the subject performed the action of infinitive in the past.
1. Structure: Subject + infinitive verb +_to have + 3rd V
Ex: She seems to have failed the test.
Ex: They refuse to have stolen the money.

2. Structure: Subject + to be verb + adjective + to have + 3rd V

Ex: She is happy to have eaten lunch.
Ex: I am proud to have passed TOEFL test.

 Past Passive Infinitive: We use past passive infinitive when the action of the infinitive
ws performed by someone else not the subject. The subject received the action of
infinitive.

1. Structure: Subject + infinitive verb + to have + been + 3rd V

Ex: He seems to have been given the loan by the bank.
Ex: They agree to have been trained by us.

2. Structure: Subject + to be verb + adjective + to have + been + 3rd V

Ex: We are fortunate to have been governed by Hamid Karzai.
Ex: She is happy to have been introduced to the president by her secretary.

How to change imperative sentence into passive

  When we want to change imperative sentences from active voice into passive, we use the
structure:
  (+) Structure: Let + object + be + 3rd verb.
  (-) Structure: Let + object + not + be + 3rd Verb.
  Ex: Close the door. (A.V)
  Ex: Let the door be closed. (P.S)

 
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  Ex: Do not open the door. (A.V)
  Ex: Let the door not be opened. (P.S)
  Ex: Answer the following questions. (A.V)
  Ex: Let the following questions be answered. (P.S)
  Note: sometimes a sentence has two objects (direct & indirect), here either object can be
used as the subject of the passive sentence.
  Ex: He gave a flower to a girl.
  Ex: A flower was given to a girl by him.
  Or: A girl was given a flower by him.

  How to change infinitive into passive voice?

  Ex: He decided to buy a car. (A.V)
  Ex: It was decided by him to buy a car. (P.S)
  Or: To buy a car was decided by him.
  Ex: I want to have a three-door car. (A.V)
  Ex: It is wanted by me to have a three-door car. (P.V)
  Or: To have a three-door car is wanted by me.
 
  How to change gerund into passive voice?
  Ex: He enjoys playing football at school. (A.V)
  Ex: It is enjoyed by him playing football at school. (P.S)
  Or: Playing football at school is enjoyed by him.
  Ex: She loves watching movies. (A.V)
  Ex: It is loved by her watching movies. (P.S)
  Or: Watching movies is loved by her.

  By Phrase
  By Phrase: Is also called “passive agent”.
  By Phrase: Is a phrase which is composed of two parts.
  1. The preposition “By”
  2. The subject of active sentence.
  Note: “by phrase” is used when it is important to know who performs the action.
  Ex: People speak Arabic in India.
  Ex: Arabic is spoken in India. (No by phrase)

Sometimes the object of a sentence is a complete clause, here

complete clause is used as the subject of passive sentence.
Ex: She heard what her father said. (A.V)
Ex: What her father said was heard by her. (P.S)
Ex: He knows what I want to buy. (A.V)

 
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 Ex: What I want to buy is known to him. (P.S)

How to Change Causative Verbs into Passive Voice?

To change causative verbs into passive voice we have two patterns.

1. Actor + be + make/let/help + (to) infinitive + by + causer

Ex: I made Ali clean the board. (A.V)
Ex: Ali was made to clean the board by me. (P.V)
Ex: My mother helped me (to) study Quran. (A.V)
Ex: I was helped to study the Quran by my mother. (P.V)
Ex: Our teacher let us go home early. (A.V)
Ex: We were let go home early by our teacher. (P.V)

NOTE:
 We use bare infinitive after “make” in active voice, but we use full infinitive after it in
passive voice.
 Let is always followed by bare infinitive either in active and passive voice.

2. Causer + get/have + object + past participle + by + actor.

Ex: I had Rehan wash the car. (A.V)
Ex: I had the car washed. (P.V)
Ex: She got me to clean my room. (A.V)
Ex: She got my room cleaned. (P.V)

NOTE:
 Have is generally used in passive voice in the sense of “experience and allow”

Changing W.H Question into Passive Voice

To change W.H Question into passive voice we use the following structure;

Structure: W.H Word + auxiliary verb + subject + 3rdv + by phrase

Ex: Why did you break the peomise? A.V

Ex: Why was the promise broken by you? P.V

Ex: When will PFI start a new semester? A.V

Ex: When will a new semester be started? P.V

Changing Linking Verbs into Passive Voice

We don’t have any special rules or structures for linking verbs in passive voice, but it is
possible to change them.

 
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NOTE: It is very rare to use linking verbs in passive voice.
Ex: The flowers smell good. A.V
Ex: The flowers are good when they are smelled. P.V

Ex: The soup tastes delicious. A.V

Ex: The soup is delicious when it is tasted. P.V

Changing Semi Modals into Passive Voice

Structure: Subject + semi modal aux + be + 3rdv + by phrase

Ex: I have to invite him. A.V

Ex: He has to be invited by me. P.V

Ex: They are going to play cricket. A.V

Ex: Cricket is going to be played by them. P.V

Phrasal Verbs in Passive Voice

Few verbs with certain meanings are always used with the prepositions which are called
phrasal verbs in such situation the preposition should not be omitted.

Ex: We are looking at the game. A.V

Ex: The game is being looked at by us. P.V

Ex: I will set up the room. A.V

Ex: The room will be set up by me.

Using Other Prepositions Instead of “by” in Passive Voice

 In passive voice “with” is usually used when the subject is something.

Ex: Smoke filled the class. A.V
Ex: The class was filled with smoke.

 We also use “with” with parts of body.

Ex: The picture was drawn with fingers.
Ex: He was punched on his nose with fist.

NOTE: When the part of the body “hand” is meant a person then we use the preposition
“by” and when it means the part of the body then “with” is used.
Ex: This carpet has been woven by hand. (By person not a machine)
Ex: The snaked was killed with bare hands. (Part of body)

 
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  We use “with” not “by” with instruments.
Ex: The tree was chopped with an axe.

 We use “with” in passive voice to show the method of doing something. “by” shows
that an action was accidental and “with” shows that the action was deliberate.
Ex: He was killed by stone. (Accidental)
Ex: He was killed with the stone. (Deliberate)

 We often use “with” an agent especially after the past participles (packed, covered,
crowded, crammed, filled)
Ex: The stadium was filled with many students.
Ex: The bus was crowded with the school children.

 The preposition “to” is used after “known”.

Ex: I know Ali. A.V
Ex: Ali is known to me. P.V

 We use some special fixed prepositions after some certain verbs, especially when they
are used in stative passive.
Ex: She is interested in English.
Ex: I am finished with my homework.
Ex: Our teacher is engaged to a beautiful girl.

Reflexive Verbs in Passive Voice

Reflexive verbs can be used in passive voice, but reflexive pronouns are normally omitted.
Ex: I burned myself in the fire. (A.V)
Ex: I was burned in the fire. (P.V)

 
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