Active and passive voice

A Transitive verb has two voices: Active and Passive.

These tenses cannot be changed into passive form

 Present Perfect Continuous (or Progressive) Tense.
 Past Perfect Continuous (or Progressive) Tense.
 Future Perfect Continuous (or Progressive) Tense.
 Future Continuous (or Progressive) Tense.
 Sentences having Intransitive verbs.


Types of Voice:

Active Voice: the subject performs the action expressed by the verb
Usage: when more clarity and straightforward relation is required between
verb and subject.
Passive Voice: the subject receives the action expressed by the verb
Usage: when the action is the focus, not the subject or when the doer is
unknown.
Examples:
Active :Eddie kicked the ball.

Passive :The ball was kicked by Eddie.

Active Voice: Sameer wrote a letter.

(Subject) + (verb) + (object).
Passive Voice: A letter was written by Sameer.
(Object) + (auxiliary verb) + (past participle) + (by subject).

Rules of Conversion from Active to Passive Voice:

1. Identify the subject, the verb and the object: S+V+O
2. Change the object into subject
3. Put the suitable helping verb or auxiliary verb
4. Change the verb into past participle of the verb
5. Add the preposition "by“
6. Change the subject into object

1. The following pronouns are used in the passive voice as:

Active Voice Passive Voice

I
me

He him

You you

We us

She her

They them

It it

Who whom
Passive Voice Rules for All Tenses
1. Present Simple Tense

Active : S + V1(base form of verb)

Passive : S + am/is/are + V3(Past Participle form)

Example : I make a cake. (Active)

A cake is made by me. (Passive )

2. Present Continuous Tense

Active : S + am/is/are +V-ing

Passive : S+ am/is/are +being + V3

Example : They are planting some trees.(Active)

Some trees are being planted.(Passive)

3. Present Perfect Tense

Active : S +has/have + V3
Passive : S + has/have + been + V3

Example : Someone has eaten my apple. (Active)

My apple has been eaten. (Passive)

4. Present Perfect Continuous (RARE)

Active : S + has/ have +been +V-ing

Passive : S + has/ have +been + being +V3

Example : Sophia has been playing Violin.

Violin has been being played by Sophia.

5. Future (with ‘will’)

 Active : S + will/shall +V1
Passive : S + will be +V3

Example : My parents will take me to the party.

I will be taken to the party by my parents.

6. Future (with ‘going to’)

Active : S + am/is/are +going to +V1

Passive : S + am/is/are +going to be + V3

Example : Emma is going to make a dinner tonight.

A dinner is going to be made by Emma tonight.

7. Future Continuous (with ‘will’) (RARE)

Active : S + will/shall + be +V-ing

Passive : S + will/shall +be + being +V3

Example : Liam will be washing the dishes ate 7:00 pm tonight.

The dishes will be being washed by Liam at 7:00pm tonight.

8. Future Continuous (with ‘be going to’ ) (RARE)

Active : S + am/is/are +going to + be + V-ing

Passive : S + am/is/are +going to + be + being + V3

Example : Isabella is going to be preparing dinner.

Dinner is going to be being prepared by Isabella.

9. Future Perfect (with ‘will’)

Active : S + will +have +V3
Passive : S + will have been +V3

Example :They will have completed the project before the deadline.
The project will have been completed by them before the deadline.

10. Future Perfect (with ‘be going to’)

 Active : S + am/is/are +going to + have +V3
Passive : S + am/is/are +going to + have + been + V3

Example : They are going to have completed the project before the
deadline.
The project is going to have been completed before the deadline.

11. Past Simple

Active : S + V2
Passive :S + was/ were + V3
Example : They restored the building. (Active)
The building was restored by them. ( passive)

12. Past Continuous

Active : S + was/were + V-ing
Passive :S + was/ were + being + V3
Example : Emma was writing a letter.
A letter was being written by Emma.

13. Past Perfect

Active : S + had + V3
Passive :S + had been + V3
Example : He had delivered the pizzas.
The pizzas had been delivered by him.

14. Past Perfect Continuous (RARE)

Active : S + had been + V-ing
Passive :S + had been + being + V3
Example : Chef Liam had been preparing the restaurant’s dinners for three
years before he moved to London.
The restaurant’s dinners had been being prepared by Chef Liam
for three years before he moved to London.

15. Future in the past (Would)

Active : S + would +V1
Passive :S + would + be + V3
Example : She would type the letters.
The letters would be typed by her.
16. Causative Form
Active : S + has/have somebody + V1 + something
S + get(s) somebody + to + V1 + something

Passive : S + has/have/ get(s) something + V3 + (by +someone)

Example : My father had Liam wash his car.

My father had his car washed by Liam .
17 .Modal Verbs (Present)
Active :S + modal verb + V1

Passive : S + modal verb + be + V3

Example : I can solve the problem.
The problem can be solved by me.

18. Modal Verbs (Present Perfect)

 Active :S + modal verb + have + V3

Passive : S + modal verb + have + been+ V3

Example : The snake might have killed him.

He might have been killed by the snake.

Rules for conversion of interrogative sentences into passive voice:

Interrogative sentence starting with:

(a)Is/ am/ are

Passive rule: Is/ am/ are + subject + 3rd form of verb + by + object ?

Eg.-

Active: Is he writing a letter?

Passive: Is a letter being written by him?

Active: Are you preparing the meal?

Is the meal being prepared by you?

(b)Does/ do

Passive rule: Is/ am/ are + subject + 3rd form of verb + by + object?

Eg.-

Active: Does he need a pen?

Passive: Is a pen needed by him?

(c) Did

Passive Voice: was/ were + subject + 3rd form of verb + by + object?

Eg.-

Active: Did Ram write a letter?

Passive: Was a letter written by Ram?

Did they eat paratha?

Was the paratha eaten by them?

(d) was/were

Passive Rule: was/ were + subject + being + 3rd form of verb + by + object?

Eg.-

Active: Was she cooking food?

Passive: Was food being cooked by her?

(e) Has/ have/ had

Passive Rule: Has/ have/ had + subject + been + 3rd form of verb + by +
object?

Eg.-

Active: Has she written a book?

Passive: Has a book been written by her?

(f) Modal auxiliary verb Eg.- may/ can etc.

Passive Rule: Modal Auxiliary + subject + be + 3rd form of verb + by +

object?
Eg.-

Active: Can she control the situation?

Passive: Can the situation be controlled by her?

(g) ‘Wh’ words eg. Why, when, where etc.

Eg.-

Active: Who broke this beautiful glass?

Passive: By whom was this beautiful glass broken?

Imperative sentences


(a) Order

Passive Rule: let+ subject+ be+ 3rd form of verb

Eg.-

Active: shut the window.

Passive: Let the window be shut.

Open the door

Let the door be opened

(b) Request

Passive Rule: You are requested + to + 1st form of verb + object.

Eg.- Active: Please open the door.

Passive: You are requested to open the door.

(c) Suggestion

Passive Rule: subject + should be + 3rd form of the verb

Eg.-

Active: Always speak the truth.

Passive: The truth should always be spoken.

(d) Advice

Passive Rule: You are advised + to + object

Eg.-Active: Work hard.

Passive: You are advised to work hard.

 The sentences which express the state of mind or feelings we don’t use
by in them.
 Sentences starting with ‘there’

Passive Rule: there.. +to be + 3rd form of verb

Eg.- Active: There is no milk to waste.

Passive: There is no milk to be wasted.