Active and Passive Voice

Learning Objectives: The students should:

a. Differentiate active and passive voice.
b. Identify the voice of the verb in given sentence.
c. Rewrite the sentence changing the voice from active to passive.
Learning Outcomes: The students will be able to:
a. Appreciate the lesson by showing active participation towards the
lesson.
b. Construct sentences in the active voice and change them to passive
voice.
https://youtu.be/TZd7rDVNi58?t=20
Voice: Voice is that form of the verb which shows whether the subject is given
more emphasis, or the action done by the subject.
A transitive verb has two voices:
1. Active Voice
2. Passive Voice
Active Voice: In simple words, when the subject of a sentence is the doer or
actor, the verb 'Active Voice'. It is so because the subject is active.
The sentence begins with the doer of the action (i.e., the subject). Thus, the
subject is active in the sentence. So, the verb is in the active voice.
Example: • The man picked up a brown book.
The action performed is 'picked'. Action is done by 'the man'. So 'the man' is
the subject. The action is done on 'a brown book'. So 'the brown book' is the
'object'. (Receiver of the action)
Thus, we see the structure of verb in active voice is:
Subject of the Verb (The man) + Verb (picked up) + Object of the Verb (a brown
book)
Passive Voice: When the subject of a verb receives the action named in the
verb, the verb is; to be in the 'passive voice'. This means, the receiver of the
action is placed in the beginning oft, sentence and the doer of the action is
placed at the end. Thus, the doer of the action is passive: not active, so the
verb is in the passive voice.
Example: • A brown book was picked by the man.
A brown book (Subject)+ was picked(verb)+ by the man(object).
Here, the active subject 'the man' (in sentence 1) has become the passive
object and we use preposition 'by' before the agent / doer of the action.
There are few things to remember about the Passive Voice: -
1. The passive voice always contains more verbs than the active voice. So, if
the active one verb, the passive voice will have two verbs.
Example: • Mr. Cook's pet dog followed (one verb) him wherever he went.
(Active voice)
• Mr. Cook was followed (two verbs) by his pet dog wherever he went.
(Passive voice)

2. We always use the past participle with passive voice.

3. The helping verb used with the main verb is a form of the verb (be).
We must always ensure that the above points are followed while writing a
sentence in the passive voice.
Identifying active and passive voice
The most obvious may to identify a sentence in the active voice is to know
whether the sentence begins with the 'DOER OF THE ACTION'.
Also, in case of passive voice, most of us would feel that the sentence which
ends in 'by someone' is in passive voice. But, many a time the 'by'_______ is
omitted i.e., the agent (doer of the action) is not mentioned.
Example: • The house was painted.
In such sentences, we should understand what the action is and then who the
doer of the action is.
Here, the sentence is in passive voice, but the doer is not mentioned.
A good way is to read such sentences by adding 'by someone' in your mind.
So, while you read the sentence, add 'by' to the end of the sentence, if it
makes sense, the verb is in the passive voice.
Interchange from Active to Passive and Vice-Versa
When we change the voice, it is only the structure of the sentence that we
change, WE MUST NOT CHANGE: -
1. the meaning
2. the form (Imperative & Interrogative)
3. the tense
1. The first thing to be borne in mind is that we always use 'past participle' in
the passive voice.
2. The next point is that the passive voice will always contain more verbs than
the active voice.
3. The Object of the Verb in the Active Voice becomes the Subject of the Verb
in the Passive Voice.
Example: • The travellers carried goods. (Active Voice)
• Goods were carried by the travellers. (Passive Voice)
Thus, the Object of the verb ('goods') in the Active Voice becomes the Subject
of the verb in the Passive Voice.
4. The doer of the action in the Passive Voice, at the end and we write 'by'
before it.
5. The main verb is changed into the Past Participle form, and it is preceded by
the correct form of the verb 'to be' in Passive Voice.
6. While changing sentences from active to passive voice, we have to be
careful about the use personal pronouns:
Example:
I witnessed an accident. (Active) (subject form of the pronoun ‘I’.
An accident was witnessed by me. (Passive) [object form of the pronoun ‘I’.
• The policeman called him. (Active) (object form of the pronoun 'he)
He was called by the policeman. (Passive) [subject form of the pronoun 'he.'
7. The object or the subject may be a long phrase instead of a single word. But
when the sentence in the active voice is rewritten in the passive voice, the
whole phrase will change its position:
Example: • A panel of judges monitors the movement of the horses. (Active)
The movement of the horses is monitored by a panel of judges (Passive)
• Today both male and female contestants participate in the Pentathlon.
(Active)
Today the Pentathlon is participated by both male and female contestant:
(Passive)
8. When the verb in the active voice takes two objects, there are two forms in
the passive.
Example: • John teaches me Math. (Active)
(indirect object) me- (direct object)- math
• I am taught Math by John. OR Math is taught to me by John. (Passive)
The first form is preferred.
9. Active verbs followed by prepositions retain them when they are changed
into passive.
Example:
Active Passive
• Rajeev was staring at the sky. The sky was being stared at by
Rajeev
• The principal gave away the prizes. The prizes were given away by the
principal.
10. When interrogative sentences are changed into passive voice, they retain
their interrogative form.
Active Passive
Did you finish your work? Was the work finished by you?
How does she do all this? How is all this done by her?
Changing as per the Tenses
Simple Present:
Look at these examples of changing verbs in the simple present tense into
passive voice.
Active Passive
He/She does the work. The work is done by him/her.
I/You/We/They write stories. Stories are written by me/you/us/them.
First root form of the verb (sometimes with '—s or '—es'). [ does, write.]
Passive Voice: is/are/am + past participle of the verb. (is done, are written.)
5. Simple Past:
Active Passive
The boy owned a bicycle. A bicycle was owned by the boy.
Did you like the film? Was the film liked by you?
Voice: Second form of the verb (owned)
Passive Voice: Was/were + past participle of the verb. (Was owned)
Simple Future:
Active Passive
The beauty will captivate you. You will be captivated by the
beauty.
Will you cook dinner at home? Will dinner be cooked by you at home?
Active Voice: Shall/will + first form of the verb. (Will captivate)
Passive Voice: Shall be/will be + past participle of the verb. (Will be captivated)
Present Continuous:
Active Passive
We are enjoying the pleasant weather. The pleasant weather is being enjoyed
by us.
Why are you chopping vegetables? Why are the vegetables being
chopped by you?
Active Voice: Is/are/am + '-ing' form of the verb. (is enjoying).
Passive Voice: Is/are/am + being + past participle of the verb. (is being enjoyed)
Past Continuous:
Active Passive
Why were you troubling your brother? Why was your brother being
troubled by you?
A man was fixing metal poles. Metal poles were being fixed by a
man.
Active Voice: Was/were + '-ing' form of the verb. (was fixing)
Passive Voice: Was/were + being + past participle of the verb. (were being
fixed)
6. Future Continuous: Verbs in the future continuous tense cannot be
expressed in the passive voice.
7. Present Perfect:
Active Passive
I have baked quite a few cakes. Quite a few cakes have been baked by
me.
What type of baking tray have you used? What type of baking tray has been
used by you?

Active Voice: Has / have + third form of the verb (have used)
Passive Voice: Has / have + been + past participle of the verb. (has been used) '
8. Past Perfect:
Active Passive
Dinosaurs had inhabited the The earth had been inhabited by
earth millions of years ago dinosaurs millions of years ago.
Had they already flown kites? Had kites already been flown by
them?
Active Voice: Had + past participle of the verb (had inhabited)
Passive Voice: Had + been + past participle of the verb. (had been inhabited)
9. Future Perfect:
Active Passive
The minister will have delivered The speech will have been
delivered the speech. by the minister.
Will you have attended the meeting Will the meeting have been
attended by then? by you by then?

Active Voice: Shall / will = + have + past participle of the verb (will have
delivered) Passive Voice: Shall / will + have been + past participle of the verb.
(will have been delivered)

Changing the voice in case of Imperative sentences

If the verb in the Active Voice expresses orders, requests, advice etc.
If the word 'Let' is usually placed at the beginning of the Passive Voice and the
'be' Verb is placed before the Past Participle of the main verb, if the sentences
begin with 'Please' in Active Voice, 'You are requested to’ is used in the Passive
Voice.
Passive: Let + Object + be + Past Participle of the verb (Or, (should) be / get +
Past Participle)
Active Passive
Carry this bag. Let this bag be carried.
Treat them with respect. They should be treated with
respect.
Please speak softly. You are requested to speak softly.
Take rest. You are advised to take rest.
Go away You are ordered to go away.
‘Let' in Active and Passive Voice:
'Let' may be used in both Active and Passive Voice.
'Let' takes the Objective-type of Pronouns (me, us, him, her, them)
'Let' may be replaced by 'may be allowed' in the Passive Voice.
Active Passive
Let us have lunch Let lunch be had by us.
Let her write the exam. Let the exam be written by her.
Let her come in. She may be allowed to come in.
Interrogative Sentences-
Interrogative Sentence in Active Voice keeps its Interrogative form in its
Passive Voice.
If the interrogative Sentence begins with the Auxiliary Verb 'Do', the process of
changing is convenient by changing it into Assertive first and then into
Interrogative.
But if the Interrogative sentence begins with any other Auxiliary Verb or a 'Wh
— word', it can be directly changed into Passive.
Yes — No Questions (By placing the helping verb first)
Active Passive
Do you like chocolates? Are chocolates liked by you?
Did you fix the leaking tap? Was the leaking tap fixed by you?
Has he solved the sum? Has the sum been solved by him?
‘Wh’Questions (By placing the Wh – word first)
Active Passive
Who brought those lovely flowers? By whom were these lovely
flowers brought?
Whom did you speak to? Who was spoken to by you?
Why did you throw it away? Why was it thrown away by you?
How did you make this dish? How was this dish made by you?