Active & Passive

Active Voice Form

• Subject of a sentence does the action

• e.g. A man is cutting down a tree.

‘A man’ = subject – “does the action” -- cutting -

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 Active & Passive
Passive Voice Form

• Object receives the action

e.g. A tree is being cut down by a man.

‘A tree’ = cut down. Passive

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Active-Passive Voice – example 1

■ The boy is carrying the girl. Active Voice

The boy = subject

the girl = object of the verb
Who is doing the action of carrying? = The boy

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 Active-Passive Voice –
example 2

• The girl is being carried by the boy. Passive Voice

The girl = subject

is being carried = verb
the boy = object of the preposition ‘by’
Who is RECEIVING the action of carrying? = The girl

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 Active-Passive Voice –
changes 1

• John reads a book every day. Active Voice

A book is read every day by John. Passive Voice

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Active-Passive Voice – changes 3

□ John reads a book every day. Active Voice

A book is read every day by John. Passive voice

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Active-Passive Voice – note 1
He cooks food. Active Voice

‘food’ singular

Food is cooked by him. Passive Voice

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 Active-Passive Voice – note
2

He carried some books.Active Voice

‘some books’ – Plural

Some books were carried by him. Passive Voice

‘were carried’

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 Active-Passive Voice -- note 3

• She has signed ten letters. Active Voice

‘She’ – subject; singular

Ten letters have been signed by her. Passive Voice

‘Ten letters’ – plural

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Active-Passive Voice – Tense Change 1
• She bakes cakes. Active
‘bakes’ – verb –
Simple Present Tense

Cakes are baked by her. Passive Voice

‘are baked’ – verb –
Simple Present Tense

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 Active-Passive – Tense Change 2
• He is building a sand castle.
‘is building’ – verb –
present continues tense –
ACTIVE VOICE FORM

A sand castle is being built by him.

‘is being built’ – verb
PASSIVE VOICE FORM

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Active-Passive -- Tense Change 3
• He has drawn a picture.
‘has drawn’ – verb –
present perfect tense
ACTIVE VOICE

A picture has been drawn by him.

‘has been drawn’ – verb –
present perfect tense
PASSIVE VOICE

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 Active-Passive Voice –
Tense Change 5

• She told me a secret. Active Voice

‘told’ – verb – simple past tense

A secret was told (to) me by her.

Passive Voice
‘was told’ – verb – simple past tense

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 Active-Passive Voice –
Tense Change 6

• The postman was delivering the post.

ACTIVE VOICE FORM

The post was being delivered by the postman.

PASSIVE VOICE FORM

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Active-Passive Voice – Tense Change 9

They will give the beggar some money.

‘will give’ -- Active

The beggar will be given some money by them.

‘will be given’ -- Passive

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 Active-Passive Voice – Tense Change 13

The Modal Auxiliary (helping) Verbs in

Passive Voice Form take ‘be’:
e.g. He will give you a book. Active Voice
You will be given a book by him. Passive
e.g. They can pick a number. Active Voice
A number can be picked by them. Passive
e.g. We must finish this job. Active Voice
This job must be finished by us. Passive

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ACTIVE INTO PASSIVE

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