VERBS (Active and Passive Voice ) ENGLISH GRAMMAR

Active and Passive Voice

A verb is in the active voice when its form shows that the person or thing
denoted by the subject does something, or, is the doer of the action.
The active voice is so called because the person denoted by the subject acts.

Example:
My grandfather planted this tree.
A Verb in the Passive Voice when its form shows that something is done to
the person or thing denoted by the Subject.
The Passive Voice is so called because the person or thing denoted by the
Subject is not active but Passive, that is, suffers, or receives some action.

Form
The subject in the active sentences becomes the object in the passive
sentence. The verb forms also change in the passive voice. The verb form
changes are given in the table below.

Active Voice Passive Voice

Simple present take am taken
takes is taken
are taken
Present Continuous am taking am being taken
is taking is being taken
are taking are being taken
Present perfect has taken has been taken
have taken have been taken
Simple past took was taken
were taken
Past Continuous was taking was being taken
were taking were being taken
Past perfect had taken had been taken
Simple future will take will be taken
shall take shall be taken
Can/may/must, etc. +base can take , must take can be taken , must be
taken

Uses

The Passive is used:

A. When it is not necessary to mention the doer of the action as it is obvious
who he is / was / will be:
The rubbish hasn’t been collected. 

The streets are swept every day.

Your hand will be X-rayed.

B. When we don’t know, or don’t know exactly, or have forgotten who did the
action:

he minister was murdered.


You will be met at the station.

My car has been moved!

I have been told that...
C. When the subject of the active verb would be ‘people’:
He is suspected of stealing. (People suspect him of stealing.)
D. When we are more interested in the action than in who does it.
A new public library is being built.

The house next door has been sold.
E. To avoid an awkward or ungrammatical sentence:
When he arrived home, he was arrested. 

When their mother was ill, the children were looked after by the neighbors.

Worksheet
Change the following sentences into their passive voice form.
• Duffy painted this picture.
• They threw away the old newspapers.
• John is writing a book.
• They carried the injured player out safely.
• I was writing a letter when the bell rang.
• Who will take the cat to the vet?
• I had done the project myself.
• Will you be watering the plants later?
• Can they create a new plan?
• You have to write an apology.

Answers
• This picture was painted by Duffy.
• The old newspapers were thrown away by Duffy.
• A book is being written by John.
• The injured players was carried out safely by them.
• A letter was being written by me when the bell rang.
• By whom will the cat be taken to the vet?
• The project had been done by myself.
• Will the plants be watered by you later?
• Can a new plan be created by them?
• An apology has to be written by you.