Active and Passive Voice

Voice
Any sound which comes out of human’s throat for speaking purpose is called voice.
Sound
Any disturbance is called sound.
Subject: It is a part of a sentence about which something is said.
Examples:
There is a teacher in the class.
He is playing soccer at the park.
Object: Affected person or thing is called object.
Examples:
Ali killed Bilal.
She watches TV every Friday night.
I called Hamza hotak last night.
Note: object can’t be place, adjective, adverb, preposition etc.
Complement: It is a word which completes the meaning of a verb.
Examples:
I went to school. (School is a complement because it completed the meaning of ‘’went
to’’ and school is a place as well.)
A Complement Can Be
1. Location/ place He lied under the tree.
2. Time expressions He checked the papers at noon
3. Adjective/ adverb. He works efficiently.
 Voice From Grammar
It is that form which shows
 What the subject does?

Examples:

Ahmad plays cricket. (Active)

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  What is done to the subject?

Examples:

Ahmad is hit. (Passive)

Note: Verbs are divided into three Kinds according To Active Voice and Passive Voice

Transitive verbs Intransitive verbs Irrigative verb

 Transitive verbs: are those verbs which take/need object. Transitive verbs are divided
into three kinds
 Mono-verb transitive
 Di- verb transitive
 Complex- verb transitive

 Mono-verb transitive: it is a verb which needs one object.

Examples:
Laila drinks a cup of tea.
Ali eats dinner.
 Di- verb transitive: It is a verb which needs or takes two objects.

Examples:
Laila sent a precious gift to her mother in law.
Ali bought a pen to her
 Complex-Verb Transitive: It is a verb that can take an object and a complement.

Examples:
Khalid studies English at Al-Hedaya Institute.

Intransitive Verbs
 Intransitive verbs are those verbs which do not take or need object.

Examples:
I slept well. (Intransitive verb)
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I went to school. (Intransitive verb)

She studies hard. (Intransitive verb)

Irrigative Verbs:
 Are those verbs that take object and sometimes used in a way that no object is needed.

Examples:

He broke the glass. It was a good break.

I played soccer.
It was a good play.
How to convert an active sentence into passive?
 Find subject, verb and object.
 Turn the object of the active sentence to the subject of the passive sentence.
 Used (Be + past participle) for all passive sentences.
 Move the subject of active sentence to the end and put it as the complement of (by).
 Change all subject pronouns into object pronouns and vice versa.

1 Subject Pronoun I You We They He She It

2 Object Pronoun Me You Us Them Him Her It

 Only change the (To be) according the main verb form of the active voice.
 Do not change the position of adverb and adverbials.
 Do not convert passive if the verb is in- transitive.
 For imperative sentences use: Let+ sub+ to be+ 3rd (v).

Active: Do it (active)
Passive: Let it be done.
 If a verb contain two objects (Direct and indirect) make one passive each.

Active: I wrote a letter to Ali

Passive: A letter was written to Ali by me.

Common uses of passive voice

 We use it when it is not necessary to mention the doer of an action.

Examples
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 Rice is grown in India.
 When we do not know who did the action.

Examples

The man was killed mercilessly.

My bike has been stolen.
 When we have forgotten who did the action.

Examples

Alhedaya was built in 2000.

This book was given to me as a gift.
 When subject of active voice is people, someone or indefinite pronoun etc.

Examples

Active: Someone killed him last night.

Passive: He was killed last night.
 When it is obvious who does something.

Examples

I was given a prescription.(I know that only doctors give prescription so I don’t need to say
by doctor).
Tenses subject Auxiliaries Auxiliaries Past participle
Present An apple/ Is are Eaten
apples
Present An Is being Are being Eaten
progressive apple/apples
Past An apple/ was were Eaten
apples
Future An Will be Will be Eaten
apple/apples
Present perfect An Has been Have been Eaten
apple/apples
Past An Was being were being Eaten
progressive apple/apples
Future perfect An Will have Will have Eaten
apple/apples been been
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 Simple Present Active and Passive Voice
To form passive structure we use the present form of ‘’ to be’’.
General structure: (is, am, are) + past participle.
Positive:
Active: subject + verb + s/es + object
Examples

Laila grows flowers.

Passive: object of active+ am, is, are+ p.p.
Examples

Flowers are grown by Laila.

Negative:
Active: subject + do/does + not + verb + object.
Examples

Laila doesn’t grow flowers.

Passive: object of active+ is, am, are+ not+ p .p
Examples

Flowers are not grown by Laila.

Question:
Active: Do/does + subject + verb + object + ?
Examples

Does Laila grow flowers?

Passive: Are/is/am+ object of active+ p.p+?
Examples

Are flowers grown by Laila?

Take alook at the following examples:
Active: The farmer sows the grain. Active: she buys gum.
Passive: The grain is sown by the farmer. Passive: Gum is bought by her.

Present Progressive/ Continuous Active and Passive

General structure: Be (is, am, are) + being + past participle.
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Affirmative:
Active: subject + is, am, are + verb + ing + object
Examples

Ali is playing cricket.

Passive: object of active + is, am, are + being + past participle
Examples

Cricket is being played by Ali.

Negative:
Active: subject + is, am, are + not + verb + ing + object.
Examples

Ali is not playing cricket.

Passive: object of active + am, is, are + not + being + past participle
Examples

Cricket is not being played by Ali.

Question:
Active: is, am, are + subject + verb + ing + object?
Examples

Is Ali playing cricket?

Passive: is, am, are+ object of active + being + past participle +?

Examples

Is cricket being played by Ali?

Take A Look At The Following Examples:
Active: A shepherd boy is chasing a flock of sheep.
Passive: A flock of sheep is being chased by a shepherd boy.
Active: A group of worker is repairing the road.
Passive: The road is being repaired by a group of worker.

Present Perfect Active and Passive Voice

General structure: has/have been+ past participle.
Positive:

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 Active structure: subject + has/have + past participle + object/ complement.
Example:
He has watered all the flowers.
Passive structure: object of active + has / have + been + past participle.
Example:
All the flowers have been watered by him.

Negative:
Active structure: subject + have/has + not + past participle + object / complement.
Example:
He has not watered all the flowers.
Passive structure: object of active + have/ has + not + been + past participle.
Example:
All the flowers haven’t been watered by him.

Interrogative:
Active structure: Have / has + subject + past participle + object / complement + ?
Example:
Has he watered all the flowers?
Passive structure: Have/ has + object of active + been + past participle.
Example:
Have all the flowers been watered by him?
Present Perfect Progressive Active and Passive
General formula: Have/ has + been + being + past participle.
Affirmative
Active: Subject + have/has + been + verb + ing + object/complement.
Examples
He has been calling me.
They have been reading a newspaper.
Passive: object of active + have/has + been + being + past participle.
Examples
I have been being called by him.
A newspaper has been being read by them.
Negative
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Active: subject + have/has + been + verb +ing + object/complement.
Examples
He has not been calling me.
They have not been reading a newspaper.
Passive: Object of active + have/has + not +been + being + past participle.
Examples
I have not been being called by him.
A newspaper has not been being read by them.
Interrogative
Active: Has/have + been + verb + ing + object/complement.
Examples
Has he been calling me?
Have they been reading a newspaper?
Passive: have/ has + object of active + been + being + past participle.
Examples
Have I been being called by him?
Has a newspaper been being read by them?

Simple Past Active and Passive Voice

General Structure: be (was/were) + past participle
Affirmative:
Active: subject+ past form+ object.
Examples
Ali threw the ball.
Passive: object of active+ was/were+ past participle.
Examples
The ball was thrown by Ali.

Negative:

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 Active: subject+ did+ not+ base form of a verb+ obj
Examples
Ali did not throw the ball.
Passive: object of active+ was/were + not+ past participle.
Examples
The ball was not thrown by Ali.

Question:
Active: Did + subject+ base form of a verb+ object/complement + ?
Examples
Did Ali throw the ball?
Passive: was/ were+ object of active + past participle.
Examples
Was the ball thrown by Ali?

Take A Look At The Following Examples:

Active: A car struck a child. Active: slaves built the pyramids.
Passive: A child was struck by a car. Passive: the pyramids were built by slaves.

Past Progressive/ Continuous Tense Active and Passive

The past progressive tense follows the same pattern in the passive voice as the present
continuous tense, but we use past form of (be).
General structure: Be (was/were) + being + past participle.
Affirmative:
Active: subject + was /were + verb + ing + object.
Examples
Sohail was teaching the class.
Passive: object of active + was / were + being + past participle
Examples
The class was being taught by Sohail.

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Negative:
Active: subject + was / were + not + verb + ing + object.
Examples
Sohail was not teaching the class.
Passive: object of active + was/were + not + being + past participle
Examples
The class was not being taught.
Question:
Active: was/were + subject + verb + ing + object +?
Examples
Was Sohail teaching the class?
Passive: was/were + object of active +being + past participle
Was the class being taught by Sohail?
Take A Look At The Following Examples:
Active: The doctor was suturing the wound.
Passive: The wound was being sutured by the doctor.
Active: Mujahedeen were laying mine on the road.
Passive: Mine was being laid by Mujahedeen on the road.
Note:
What should we do if the sentence contains two sentences, each with a different tense?
The answer is simple. If there are two sentences joined with the help of conjunction and both
sentences have got different tenses then you must certify that both sentences must contain
transitive verbs. If they have transitive verbs then respectively change each sentence according
to the rules mentioned above, but if a sentence contains object and the other does not then you
only have to change the sentence that contains the object and the other remains unchanged.
Past Perfect Tense Active and Passive
General Structure: Had + Been + Past Participle.
Affirmative

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Active: subject + had + past participle + object/complement.
Examples
The students’ team had beaten the teachers’ team.
We had eaten lunch.
Passive: object of active + had + been + past participle.
Examples
The teachers’ team had been beaten by students’ team.
Lunch had been eaten by us.
Negative
Active: Subject + had + not + past participle + object/complement.
Examples
The students’ team had not beaten the teachers’ team.
We had not eaten lunch.
Passive: object of active+ had + not + been + past participle.
Examples
The teachers’ team had not been beaten by students’ team.
Lunch had not been eaten by us.
Interrogative
Active: Had + subject + past participle + object/complement.
Examples
Had the students’ team beaten the teachers’ team?
Had we eaten lunch?
Passive: Had + object of active + been + past participle.
Examples
Had the Teachers’ Team been beaten by students’ team?
Had the lunch been eaten by us?

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 Past Perfect Progressive/ Continuous Tense Active And Passive
General Structure: Had + Been + Being + Past Participle.
Affirmative
Active: Subject + had + been + verb + ing + object/complement
Examples
He had been calling me before I came here.
She had been studying book before I knock the door.
Passive: object of active + had + been + being + past participle.
Examples
I had been being called by him before I came here.
Book had been being studied by her before I knock the door.
Negative
Active: Subject + had + not + been + verb + ing + object/complement.
Examples
He had not been calling me before I came here.
She had not been studying book before I knocked the door.
Passive: object of active + had + not + been + being + past participle.
Examples
I had not been being called by him before I came here.
Book had not been being studied by her before I knocked the door.
Interrogative
Active: Had + subject + been + verb + ing + object/complement.?
Examples
Had he been calling me before I came here?
Had she been studying book before I knocked the door?
Passive: Had + object of active + been + being + past participle?
Examples

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Had I been being called by him before I came here?
Had book been being studied by her before I knocked the door?

Simple Future Tense Active And Passive

General Structure: Will+ Be+ Past Participle
Affirmative:
Active: sub+ will+ base form of a verb+ object.
Examples
Ali will buy a car.
Passive: object of active+ will+ be+ past participle.
Examples
A car will be bought by Ali.

Negative:
Active: subject + will + not + base form of a verb+ objects
Examples
Ali will not buy a car.
Passive: object of active + won’t + be + past participle.
Examples
A car will not be bought by Ali.

Question:
Active: will + subject + base form of a verb+ object.
Examples
Will Ali buy a car?
Passive: will + object of active + be + past participle.
Examples
Will a car be bought by Ali?
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 Take A Look At The Following Examples:
Active: The movie will surprise them.
Passive: They will be surprised by the movie.
Active: She will clean the patio.
Passive: The patio will be cleaned by her.
Future progressive/ continuous tense active and passive
General Structure: Will + Be + Being + Past Participle
Affirmative
Active: Subject + will + be + verb + ing + object/complement.
Examples:
He will be calling me.
She will be studying English at Al- Hedaya.
Passive: object of active + will + be + being + past participle.
Examples:
I will be being called by him.
English will be being studied by her at Al- Hedaya.
Negative
Active: Subject + will + not + be + verb + ing + object/complement.
Examples:
He will not be calling me.
She will not be studying English at Al-Hedaya.
Passive: object of active + will + not + be + being + past participle.
Examples:
I will not be being called by him.
English will not be being studied by her at Al-Hedaya
Interrogative
Active: Will + subject + be + verb + ing + object /complement?

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Examples:
Will he be calling me?
Will she be studying English at Al- Hedaya?
Passive: Will + object of active + be + being + past participle?
Examples:
Will I be being called by him?
Will English be being studied by her at Al- Hedaya?
Future Perfect Tense Active And Passive
To change a future active sentence to passive sentence, we must change ‘’ have ‘’ to ‘’ have
been’’.
General Structure: Will + Have + Been + Past Participle
Affirmative:
Active: subject + will + have + past participle +object.
Examples:
Jawed will have called Asad.
Passive: object of active + will + have + been + past participle
Examples:
Asad will have been called by Jawed.
Negative:
Active: sub + will +not + have + past participle.
Examples:
Jawed will not have called Asad.
Passive: object of active + will + not + have + been + past participle
Examples:
Asad will not have been called by Jawed
Question:
Active: will + subject + have + past participle + object

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Examples:
Will Jawed have called Asad?
Passive: Will + object of active + have + been + past participle
Examples:
Will Asad have been called by Jawed?

Take A Look At The Following Examples:

Active: Sohail Ahmadzai will have written homework.
Passive: Homework will have been written by Sohail Ahmadzai.
Active: Mujahedeen will have attack enemies’ base.
Passive: Enemies’ base will have been attack by Mujahedeen.

Future perfect continuous/ progressive active and passive

General Structure: Will + Have + Been + Being + Past Participle
Affirmative:
Active: subject +will + have + been + verb + ing + object/complement
Examples:
Ahmad will have been calling Sohail.
Passive: object of active + will + have + been + being + past participle form of a verb.
Examples:
Sohail will have been being called by Ahmad.
Negative:
Active: subject + will + not + have + been + verb + ing + object.
Examples:
Ahmad will not have been calling Sohail Ahmadzai.
Passive: object of active + will + not + have + been + being + past participle.
Sohail Ahmadzai will not have been being called by Ahmad.
Interrogative
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Active: will + subject + have + been + verb + ing + object.
Examples:
Will Ahmad have been calling Sohail Ahmadzai?
Passive: will + object of active + have + been + being + past participle.
Examples:
Will Sohail Ahmadzai have been being called by Ahmad?

Take A Look At The Following Examples:

Active: He will have been riding the bicycle.
Passive: The bicycle will have been being ridden by him.
Active: The harvester will have been reaping wheat.
Passive: Wheat will have been being reaped by the harvester.
WH Questions in Passive Voice
We take the following steps for changing an active question beginning with a wh-question
word to passive.
 We use the same wh-question word in passive except ( who)
 Auxiliary verbs may come after wh-question
 Use the form of (be) for (be) and (have) for ( have)
 Omit the forms of (do) and use a form (be) in place of the form of (do)
 Use the same modal auxiliary in passive if there is any.
Examples:
Active: Where will he submit the forms?
Passive: Where will the forms be submitted by him?
Active: Why did the teacher stick off his student?
Passive: Why was the student struck off by the teacher?
Active: When does someone clean this room?
Passive: When is this room cleaned?
Note: if a sentence begins with ( who) we change ( who) to ( whom) and we use ( by) before
( whom) and we bring (by whom) at the beginning of the sentence.
Examples:
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Active: Who should erase the board?
Passive: By whom should the board be erased?
Active: Who broke down my car?
Passive: By whom was my car broken down?
Agentless Passive
The doer of an action is called (agent). We use the preposition (by) before the agent in passive
voice.
Examples:
The passenger was robbed by Bob. (Bob is agent because he is the doer of the action.)
We don’t use the by phrase in the following cases
 When the agent is clear and we know who the agent is.
Examples:
He was born in Afghanistan. (By mother isn’t important and we know the agent is mother.)
English is taught at English centers. (By teachers isn’t important and we know the agent)
 When the speaker doesn’t know who performed the action or when the agent is an
indefinite pronoun such as ( someone, somebody, no one, no body, anyone,
anybody..etc)
Examples:
Active: someone will paint this room.
Passive: this room will be painted. (By someone isn’t important)
Active: Anybody will sign that paper.
Passive: That paper will be signed. (By anybody isn’t important)
 When the focus is on the action and it isn’t important to know who performed the action.
Examples:
Rice is grown throughout the world. (It isn’t important to say by people.)
 When we want to hide the name of a person who is responsible for an unpleasant decision
or result.
Examples:

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Government was criticized for price- hike. (No agent)
Imperative Sentences in Passive Voice
Those sentences, which express a command, a request or an advice are called imperative
sentences.
Formula: Let + object + be + past participle
Examples:
Active: Polish my shoes. Passive: Let my shoes be polished.
Active: Help the poor. Passive: Let the poor be helped.
Negative imperatives
Formula: Let + object + not + be + past participle
Examples:
Active: Don’t open the door. Passive: Let the door not be opened.
Active: Don’t play baseball. Passive: Let baseball not be played.
Note: Imperative sentences are not common in passive voice.
Sensory Verbs in Passive Voice
We can use (hear and see) in passive voice, but we use to-infinitive in passive and not bare
infinitive.
Examples:
Ted was seen to swim in the pool.
He was never heard to sing in a concert.
Note: We can also use (being + past participle) after sensory verbs to talk about an action in
progress.
Examples:
I saw him being taken away by the police.
I heard him being hit in the jail.
Reflexive Verbs in Passive Voice
Reflexive verbs can be used in passive voice but reflexive pronouns are normally omitted.
Active: I burned myself in the fire. Passive: I was burned in the fire.
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Active: I hurt myself in a car crush last year. Passive: I was hurt in a car crush last year.
Active Verbs with Passive Meaning
A few active verbs sometimes have a passive meaning.
Examples:
The books are selling quickly. (The books are being sold quickly.)

What is showing at the movies this week? (What is being showed at the movies?)

His novel is representing at the conference. (His novel is being represented at the conference.)

Verbs Which Are Generally Used In Passive Voice

A small number of verbs are used more frequently in the passive than active. These verbs are
(be, born, be married, be obliged.)
Examples:
Ahmad Shah Abdali was born in Afghanistan.
I obliged to check all the assignments.
She is married with a businessman.
Negative Subject in Passive Voice
When an active sentence has a negative subject like ( nothing, no one, no body) then in this
case the passive sentence must be negative and the vague subject (nothing, nobody, no one)
can’t be used. We use ( not ) in passive voice.
Examples:
Active: No one will help that quarrelsome widow.
Passive: That quarrelsome widow won’t be helped.
Active: nothing can cure my disease.
Passive: My disease can’t be cured.
Verbs with Two Objects (Di-Transitive) In Passive Voice
Some verbs can have two objects. One is direct while the other is indirect object. Direct object
is usually the name of something and indirect object usually the name of someone for whom or
to whom something is done. We have two patterns for verbs of two objects in active voice.
Pattern 1: verbs + direct object + to/ for + indirect object
Examples:
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I bought a book for Asadullah. I taught English to Ali Akbar Mahmoodi.
Pattern 2:verb + indirect object + direct object
Examples:
I bought Asadullah a book. I taught Ali Akbar Mahmoodi English.
Note: We have two patterns for di-transitive verbs in passive voice too.
Pattern 1: Direct object + be + past participle + to/ for + indirect object
Examples:
Active: I gave a book to Ali. Passive: A book was given to Ali (by me).
Pattern 2: Indirect object + be + past participle + direct object
Examples:
Active: I gave Jawed a book. Passive: Jawed was given a book by me.

Cognate/ Kindred Object In Passive Voice

Active sentence having cognate object can be changed into passive voice. However, changing
cognate object to passive voice is not common and generally considered awkward.
Active: He dreamed a dream. Passive: A dreamed was dreamed by him.
Active: Najeeb fought a fight. Passive: A fight was fought by Najeeb.
Active: She sings a song. Passive: A song is sung by her.
Phrasal Verb in Passive
When we change a sentence in which the participle has been separated from the verb into
passive, then we again bring the particle and put it right after the verb because the object is
brought at the beginning of the passive voice sentence and nothing remains between the verb
and its particle.
Examples:
Active: Nasrat switched the light off. Passive: The light was switched off by Nasrat.
Active: Jaffar took the notes down. Passive: The notes were taken down by Jaffar.
Stative Passive Voice

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When the passive form expresses an existing state rather than action, it is called stative passive.
Examples:
Active: Ali broke the chalk.
Dynamic passive: The chalk was broken by Ali. (Describes an action)
Stative passive: Now the chalk is broken. (Describes an existing state)

Action: I close the door.

Dynamic passive: The door was closed by me. (Describes an action)
Stative passive: Now the is closed. (Describes an existing state)
Stative Passive Verbs Show
 Location Kabul is situated in Afghanistan.
 Manner of method Temperature is measured in degrees.
 Part-whole relationship A set is divided into subsets.
 Purpose: Keyboard is used for typing
 Defining or naming: Noun is also called substantive

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