The Passive Voice

The active voice shows what the subject of the sentence does. The passive voice shows what is done to
the subject of the sentence. We need passive voice when we think the action is more important than
who did it.

Every sentence can not be made passive. We can change an active verb to
passive if it is transitive, i.e., if it has an object.

Active: Rani cooked fish. (‘fish’ is object of ‘cooked’ – verb is transitive)

Passive: Fish was cooked by Rani.

Active: Rani sat there. (verb is intransitive – you can not make passive)
Passive:

When a verb has two objects we get 2 passive sentences.

Active: Mr. Krishna taught me grammar.
Passive: I was taught grammar by Mr. Krishna.
Grammar was taught to me by Mr. Krishna.

How is passive voice different from active voice? See this example.

Active: Shakespeare
subject
wrote Hamlet.
object

Passive: Hamlet
subject
was written by Shakespeare.
agent
used the
past
participle used the
form of the preposition
verb ‘by’

Rules:
1. Object of the active voice becomes subject of the passive voice. Subject of the active voice
becomes the agent of action in the passive voice.
2. The preposition ‘by’ is used, but not always. We do not mention the agent if it is obvious.
We were taught English in school. (obviously, ‘by teachers’)
Paper is made in factories. (obviously, ‘by people’)
3. Past participle form of the verb is used.
Table of Tense Changes in Passive Voice
Present Tense
tense active
simple I write the letter.
I don’t write the letter.
Do I write the letter?
Don’t I write the letter?
All like Rani.
People speak Hindi in India.
Does this shop sell books.
When do farmers harvest wheat?
continuous I am writing the letter.
I am not writing the letter.
Am I writing the letter?
Am I not writing the letter?
The men are painting the house.
Are they building another house?
Aren’t you posting the letter today?
What are they selling here?
perfect simple I have written the letter.
I haven’t written the letter.
Have I written the letter?
Haven’t I written the letter?
The men have just finished it.
We have sent the orders.
Has somebody broken your window?
passive
The letter is written by me.
The letter isn’t written by me.
Is the letter written by me?
Isn’t the letter written by me?
Rani is liked by all.
Hindi is spoken in India.
Are books sold in this shop?
When is wheat harvested?
The letter is being written by me.
The letter is not being written by me.
Is the letter being written by me?
Isn’t the letter being written by me?
The house is being painted.
Is another house being built?
Isn’t the letter being posted today?
What is being sold here?
The letter has been written by me.
The letter hasn’t been written by me.
Has the letter been written by me?
Hasn't the letter been written by me?
It has just been finished.
The orders have been sent.
Has your window been broken?
Past Tense
tense active
simple I wrote the letter.
I didn't write the letter.
Did I write the letter?
Didn't I write the letter?
Where did they find him?
Did they call the police?
They did not finish it in time.
continuous I was writing the letter.
I wasn't writing the letter.
Was I writing the letter?
Wasn't I writing the letter?
Were they selling fish yesterday?
Why were they not informing the manager?
Where were they building the house?
perfect simple I had written the letter.
I hadn't written in the letter.
Had I written the letter?
Hadn't I written the letter?
The men had just finished it.
We had sent the orders.
Had they informed you?
Where had they seen Jim?
passive
The letter was written by me.
The letter wasn't written by me.
Was the letter written by me?
Wasn't the letter written by me?
Where was he found?
Were the police called?
It was not finished in time.
The letter was being written by me.
The letter wasn't being written by me.
Was the letter being written by me?
Wasn't the letter being written by me?
Was fish being sold yesterday?
Why was the manager not being informed?
Where was the house being built?
The letter had been written by me.
The letter hadn't been written by me.
Had the letter been written by me?
Hadn't the letter been written by me?
It had just been finished.
The orders had been sent.
Had you been informed?
Where had Jim been seen?
Future Tense
tense active
simple I will write the letter.
I won't the letter.
Shall I write the letter?
Shall I not write the letter?
The men will paint the house soon.
Will the teacher ever praise me?
Where will they take the lion?
Will the doctor examine the patient first?
When will they call the police?
continuous I will be writing the letter.
I won't be writing the letter.
Shall I be writing the letter?
Shall I not be writing the letter?
passive
The letter will be written by me.
The letter won't be written by me.
Will the letter be written by me?
Won't the letter be written by me?
The house will be painted soon.
Shall I ever be praised by the teacher?
Where will the lion be taken to?
Will the patient be examined first?
When will the police be called?
The letter will be being written by me.
The letter will not be being written by me.
Will the letter be being written by me?
Won't the letter not be being written by me?
Modals
active
can I can write the letter.
I can't write the letter.
Can I write the letter?
Can't I write the letter?
We can not forget you.
Can you finish it in 3 days?
No one can climb this coconut tree.
What can they do?
should I should write the letter.
I shouldn't write the letter.
Should I write the letter?
Shouldn't I write the letter?
They should call the police.
Should you blame me?
Where should they keep the books?
may I may write the letter.
I mayn't write the letter.
May I write the letter?
May I not write the letter?
People may not forgive him.
They may not like our proposal.
must I must write the letter.
I mustn't write the letter.
They must punish the thief.
You must not tease animals.
could I could write the letter.
I couldn't write the letter.
Could I write the letter?
Couldn't I write the letter?
Could you do it?
No one could climb the tree.
Why could they not finish it in time?
passive
The letter can be written by me.
The letter can't be written by me.
Can the letter be written by me?
Can't the letter be written by me?
You can not be forgotten.
Can it be finished in 3 days?
This coconut tree can not be climbed.
What can be done?
The letter should be written by me.
The letter shouldn't be written by me.
Should the letter be written by me?
Shouldn't the letter be written by me?
The police should be called.
Should I be blamed?
Where should the books be kept?
The letter may be written by me.
The letter mayn't be written by me.
May the letter be written by me?
Mayn't the letter be written by me?
He may not be forgiven.
Our proposal may not be liked.
The letter must be written by me.
Mustn't the letter written by me?
The thief must be punished.
Animals must not be teased.
The letter could be written by me.
The letter couldn't be written by me.
Could the letter be written by me?
Couldn't the letter be written by me?
Could it be done by you?
The tree could not climbed.
Why could it not be finished in time?