ACTIVE and PASSIVE VOICE

In grammar, the voice (also called diathesis) of a verb describes the

relationship between the action (or state) that the verb expresses and
the participants identified by its arguments (subject, object, etc.).
When the subject is the agent or doer of the action, the verb is in the
active voice. When the subject is the patient, target or undergoer of
the action, the verb is said to be in the passive voice.
For example, in the sentence:
The cat ate the mouse.
the verb "ate" is in the active voice, but in the sentence:
The mouse was eaten by the cat.
the verbal phrase "was eaten" is passive.
The hunter killed the bear.
the verb "killed" is in the active voice, and the doer of the action is the
"hunter". To make this passive:
The bear was killed by the hunter.
the verbal phrase "was killed" is followed by the word "by" and then by
the doer "hunter".
There are two ways to express an action of a subject in relation to its
object
Messiah Sastry
 • Active voice
• Passive voice
In “active voice” subject acts upon object, while in “passive voice” object
is acted upon by subject. It can also be said, in “active voice” subject
does a work on object, while in “passive voice” object is worked on by
subject. The normal structure of an active voice sentence is
subject+verb+object but in passive the normal structure of sentence is
reversed according to certain rules and becomes like
object+verb+subject. The real meaning of a sentence does not change
if the sentence is expressed either by active voice or by passive voice.
The active voice is mostly used in writing because it gives a direct and
more concise meaning. Passive voice is used sometimes due to the
following reasons.
1. When intentionally hiding the subject of sentence. For example, a
student who failed in exam might say, some chapters were not
studied.
Another example. Women were not treated as equals
2. When passive voice better explain thought of sentence. For
example, to say, cloth is sold in yards, is more meaningful than to
say, Shop keepers sell cloth in yards.

Messiah Sastry
 3. When passive voice better emphasizes the main though of the
sentence. For example, a man who is being teased by another
person might say in anger, “you will be beaten by me”
4. When subject is not exactly known. For example, His watch was
stolen. It is not known that who stole his watch, the subject (thief)
is not exactly known so it is better to use passive voice for such
sentence. There are certain rules for expressing a thought in
passive voice or for changing a sentence from active voice to
passive voice.
Fundamental Rules for changing from active voice to passive voice
1. The places of subject and object are interchanged i.e. the object
shifts to the place of subject and subject shifts to the place of
object in passive voice.
Active voice: I write a letter.
Passive voice: I letter is written by me.
Subject (I) of sentence shifted to the place of object (letter) and
object (letter) shifted to the place of subject (I) in passive voice.

Messiah Sastry
 2. Sometimes subject of sentence is not used in passive voice.
Subject of sentence can be omitted in passive voice, if without
subject it can give enough meaning in passive voice.
Passive voice: cloth is sold in yards

3. 3rd form of verb (past participle) is always used as main verb in

sentences of passive voice for all tenses. Base form of verb or
present participle will be never used in passive voice.
The word “by” is used before subject in sentences in passive voice.
Active voice: He sings a song.
Passive voice: A song is sung by him.

4. The word “by” is not always used before subject in passive voice.
Sometimes words “with, to, etc” may also be used before subject
in passive voice.

Like know (to), surprise (at), annoy (with),contain (in), vex (with),
please (with), displease (at), alarm (at), line (with), throng (with).

Active voice: The water fills the tub.

Passive voice: The tub is filled with water.
Messiah Sastry
 Active voice: He knows me.
Passive voice: I am known to him.

5. Auxiliary verbs are used passive voice according to the tense of

sentence.
Note: First 5 rules are usually same for all tenses in passive voice.
Rule No. 6 is about the use of auxiliary verb in passive voice which
differs for each tense. The auxiliary verbs of passive voice are used
according to tense of sentence of its active voice form. The
auxiliary verb for each tense is given in the following table with
explanation and examples. Click on the following links.

Active voice and passive voice

Change the form of the verb

Present Active voice Passive voice

tense

Simple V1 / V 1 + s/es Am/ is / are + V3

present He sings a song. A song is sung by him.
Messiah Sastry
 tense He does not sing a A song is not sung by him.
song. Is a song sung by him?
Does he sing a song?

Present Am/ is/ are + V1 +ing Am/ is/ are +being +V3
continuous/ I am writing a letter A letter is being written by
progressive I am not writing a me.
tense letter. A letter is not being written
Am I writing a letter? by me.
Is a letter being written by
me?

Present Have/ has+V3 Have/ has + been +V3

perfect She has finished his Her work has been finished
work by her.
She has not finished Her work has not been
her work. finished by her.
Has she finished her Has her work been finished
work? by her?

Messiah Sastry
 *Present Have/ has + been + Have/ has + been + being +
perfect V1+ ing V3
continuous She has been writing The exam has been being
tense the exam written by her
She has not been The exam has not been
writing the exam being written by her
Has she been writing Has the exam been being
the exam? written by her
Worksheet 1

1. Are they talking about the meeting?

2. Does the police officer catch the thief?
3. Does your mum pick you up?
4. Farmer Joe is milking the cows.
5. Has she phoned him?
6. Have they noticed us?
7. He doesn't open the book.
8. He is not wearing a tie.

9. He opens the door.

10. I am writing a poem.

Messiah Sastry
 21. I draw a picture.
22. I have eaten a hamburger.
23. I have opened the present.
24. Is she preparing the party?
25. Is she watering the flowers?
9. Kerrie has paid the bill.
10. My father is washing the car.
11. She is taking a picture of him.
12. She pays a lot of money.
13. Sheila is drinking a cup of tea.
14. They don't help you.
15. They have not caught the thieves.
16. They have not read the book.
17. They wear blue shoes.
18. We are not playing football.
26. We have cycled five miles.
27. We have not agreed to this issue.
28. We set the table.
29. You do not write the letter.
30. You have not sent the parcel.
Messiah Sastry
 Past tense Active voice Passive voice

Simple past V2 Was/ were + V3

tense I killed a snake A snake was killed by me.
I did not kill a snake. A snake was not killed by
Did I kill a snake? me.
Was a snake killed by me?

Past Was/ were + V1 +ing Was/ were +being +V3

continuous/ He was driving a car. A car was being driven by
progressive He was not driving a him.
tense car. A car was not being driven
Was he driving a car? by him.
Was a car being driven by
him?

Past perfect Had+V3 Had + been +V3

Messiah Sastry
 They had completed The assignment had been
the assignment. completed by them.
They had not The assignment had not
completed the been complete by them.
assignment. Had the assignment been
Had they completed completed by them?
the assignment?

*Past Had + been + V1+ ing Had + been + being + V3

perfect She had been playing Chess had been being
continuous chess played by her
tense She had not been chess had not been being
playing chess played by her
Had she been playing Had chess been being
chess? played by her

Messiah Sastry
 Worksheet 2

1. A thief stole my car.

2. Did he send the letter?
3. Did you tell them?

4. Had he recorded that song?

5. Had she solved the problem?
6. He was not feeding the dogs.
7. He was playing the guitar.

8. I did not tell them.

9. I had been reading an article.

10. I had not closed the window.
11. I had worn blue shoes.
12. I was repairing their bikes.
13. Joe had cleaned the tables.

27. She didn't win the prize.

28. She had not noticed me.

14. She sang a song.

15. She was watching a film.

16. Somebody hit me.

Messiah Sastry
 17. They didn't let him go.
18. They didn't make their beds.

19. They had not bought the paper.

20. They had started a fight.
21. They were not eating dinner.
22. Was she reading these lines ?
23. We had lost the key.

24. We stopped the bus.

25. We were not painting the gate.

26. We were talking about Francis
29. Were they carrying bags? -
30. You were not driving him home.

Messiah Sastry
 Modals Active voice Passive voice

Modals Modal +V1 Modal + V3

She will buy a car. A car will be bought by her.
She will not buy a A car will not be bought by
car. her.
Will she buy a car? Will a car be bought by her?

*Modal + Modal +be + V1 +ing Modal + be +being +V3

continuous/ I will be reading a A book will be being read by
progressive book me.
I will not be reading A book will not be being read
a book. by me.
Will I be reading a will a book be being read by
book? me?

Modal + Modal + Have +V3 Modal + Have + been +V3

perfect You will have started The job will have been started
Messiah Sastry
 the job. by you.
You will have not The job will not have been
started the job. started by you.
Will you have started Will the job have been started
the job? by you?

*Modal + Modal + have + Modals+ Have + been + being

perfect been + V1+ ing + V3
continuous She will have been T.V will have been being
/ modals watching T.V watched by her
She will have not T.V will not have been being
been watching T.V watched by her
Will she have been Will T.V have been being
watching T.V watched by her
Modals: 1. Central modals :will, would, shall, should, can, could, may,
might, must.
2. Marginal modals: dare, need, ought to, used to.
3. Modal idioms : had better, would rather/ sooner
Which marked with ‘*’ are rarely used in passive voice

Messiah Sastry
 Worksheet 3

1. Can you answer the question?

2. Could Jenny lock the door?
3. Frank will have ordered the drinks.
4. He could not read the sentence.
5. He must fill in the form.

6. He won't see Sue.

7. Her boyfriend will install it.

8. I will have taken the dog for a walk.

9. Jane will buy a new computer.

10. Mario would have bought a paper.

11. Millions of people will visit the museum.

12. Our boss will sign the contract.

13. She will have sold the car.

14. She would carry the box.
15. She would have called the police.
16. They need not buy bread.
17. They will have solved the problem.

Messiah Sastry
 18. They will not ask him.
19. They will not show the new film.

20. They would have told you.

21. We might play cards.
22. We would have painted the walls green
23. We would have spoken English.

24. Will the company employ a new worker?

25. Will the plumber repair the shower?

26. Will the teacher test our English?

27. You ought to wash the car.
28. You should open the window.
29. You will have spent all the money.

30. You will not do it.

Messiah Sastry
 To – Actives voice Passive voice
infinitives

Semi Semi auxiliaries +to + Semi auxiliaries + to + be +

auxiliaries V1 V3
He is going to give an a A award is going to be given
award by him
Semi auxiliaries : have to, about to, able to, bound to, going to,
obelised to, supposed to, willing to.

Messiah Sastry
Pay attention
1. Gerunds in passive

Gerunds Active voice Passive voice

V + gerund( V+ing) Be + V3 + being +

V3

They forgot doing the exercises last night.

⇒ The exercises were forgotten being done last night.
Some people suggested making cakes for the party.
⇒ Cakes were suggested being made for the party.
Mary hates anyone forcing her to dance.
⇒ Mary hates being forced to dance.
People don’t like politicians’ fooling them.
⇒ People don’t like being fooled by politicians.
2. Verbs with prepositions in passive

Messiah Sastry
When we put an active sentence, where a preposition follows after the
verb (e.g. break into, look after), into passive - the preposition remains
immediately after the verb.

Active sentence Passive sentence

Someone broke into the pet

The pet shop was broken into.
shop.

3. Active sentences with two objects in passive

When there are two objects in an active sentence, there are two
possible active sentences and two possible passive sentences.
Possibility 1: The professor explained the students the exercise.
Possibility 2: The professor explained the exercise to the students.
There are two objects in each of the following sentences:
object 1 = indirect object: the students
object 2 = direct object: the exercise
An indirect object is very often a person, a direct object a thing. When
a direct object is followed by an indirect one, we put to in front of the
indirect object.

Messiah Sastry
active sentence - possibility 1

subject verb indirect object direct object

The professor explained the students the exercise.

active sentence - possibility 2

subject verb direct object indirect object

The professor explained the exercise to the students.

Each of the objects (direct and indirect) can be the subject in the
passive sentence.

passive sentence - possibility 1

subject verb object (by-agent)

were
The students the exercise. (by the professor).
explained

Messiah Sastry
passive sentence - possibility 2

subject verb object (by-agent)

was
The exercise to the students (by the professor).
explained

Worksheet 4

1. Rachel will give you some advice.

2. I sent him a letter.
3. The police officer showed us the way.
4. Our neighbour gave me a lift.
5. We have asked him a favour.
6. She told me a lie.
7. They have written her a postcard.
8. Kerrie will make you a cup of tea.
9. The waiter has not brought us the coffee.
10. They did not offer her a seat.

Messiah Sastry
4. Impersonal Passive - It is said ...
The phrase It is said ... is an impersonal passive construction. We often
use it in news.
Active sentence: People say that children are afraid of ghosts
Passive sentence - version 1:
It is said that children are afraid of ghosts.
Passive sentence - version 2:
Children are said to be afraid of ghosts.

Worksheet 5

1. People know that she is a good swimmer.

2. They say that Francis is in hospital.
3. They think that the children are in bed.
4. People believe that the robber has worked in the bank.
5. People believe that nuclear power stations are dangerous.
6. His colleagues thought that he was on holiday.
7. People know that cars pollute the environment.
8. They suppose that the new product will come out soon.
9. They found that the mission was impossible.
10. They believe that she will win a gold medal.
Messiah Sastry
5. Passive voice of imperative sentences

(command and request)

A sentence which expresses command or request or advice is called

imperative sentence.

Note: passive imperatives are infrequent. More ever using ‘let’ and
changing into passive has no meaning. There is no usage of ‘let’ in
passive. But somehow Indian grammarians started using it.
Open the door.
Turn off the television.
Learn your lesson.
For changing these sentences in to passive voice, auxiliary verb “be” is
used. The word “Let” is added before sentence in passive voice.
Auxiliary verb “be” is added after object in sentence in passive voice.
Main verb (base form) of imperative sentence is changed to 3rd form
of verb (past participle) in passive voice. For best understand read the
following examples.

Messiah Sastry
 Passive voice of “Imperative Sentences”
Active Voice Passive Voice
Open the door. Let the door be opened.
Complete the work. Let the worked be completed.
Turn off the television. Let the television be tuned off.
Learn your lesson. Let your lesson be learnt.
Kill the snake. Let the snake be killed.
Punish him. Let him be punished.
Speak the truth. Let the truth be spoken.
Let the poor be helped please
Please help the poor. You are requested to help the
poor
Revise your book. Let your book be revised.

Intransitive verbs do not have passive forms.

I go to school.
Go is intransitive verb.
Sono passive form.
What is done, cannot be undone.
What people do, they cannot undo.

Messiah Sastry
Quasi Passive Verbs:
The rose smells sweet. (Active)
The rose is sweet when smelt. (Passive)
Quinine tastes bitter. (active)
Quinine is bitter when tasted. (passive)
Lemons taste sour. (active)
Lemons are sour when tasted.( Passive)

Mixed sentences
1. Many people begin new projects in January
2. You must wash that shirt for tonight’s party.
3. Mum is going to prepare the food.
4. They make shoes in that factory.
5. We will have to examine you again.
6. They had finished preparations by the time the guests
arrived.
7. The delegation will meet the visitors at the airport.
8. We have produced skis here since 1964.
9. All workers will read the memo.

Messiah Sastry
 10. Nobody can beat Tiger Woods at golf.
11. They also speak German at EU meetings.
24. We must look into the question.
25. Someone reads the newspaper to him every day.
26. The Chinese discovered acupuncture thousands of years
ago.
27. Has he given you back the book yet?
28. The police locked up the criminals.
29. They must have left the keys behind.
30. The robbers made up the story.
31. The boy is eating the cake.
32. Dad promised by a box of chocolates.
33. The spider scared her.
34. The guide will show us the Natural History Museum in the
afternoon.
35. The dentist is cleaning the woman’s teeth.
36. She showed her relatives the new house.
37. 25. C.M is going to award the winner.
38. The Browns have built the large house.
39. A jellyfish stung her while she was swimming.
Messiah Sastry
 40. They gave her a nice present.
41. Jane is singing the new song.
42. The storm destroyed the house.
43. People spent a lot of Monday on the first shopping Saturday.
44. How do you write that word?
45. She watered the flowers every day.
46. The headmaster called his parents to the office.
47. Ben will direct the show.
48. The dog has broken the window pane.
49. You must pay the bill first.
38. They were interviewing her for the job.
39. The professor told him not to talk in class.
40. You shouldn’t speak to your neighbor.
41. Do not leave your bicycle in the hall.
42. Can you learn French easily?
43. Your impolite tone surprises me.
44. James will repair the car.
45. An unknown author wrote the book.
46. They forced him to steal the money out of his dad’s room.
47. Our neighbours have invited us to dinner.
Messiah Sastry
 48. Why are they tearing down the old theatre?
49. I will present my ideas at the conference tonight.
50. She would have told you.

Mixed sentences
Passive to active
Change the sentences from passive to active

1. A piece of plastic had been swallowed by the child.

2. Two separate people were given rides in the new models by the
designer.
3. Our dog is frightened by loud thunderstorms.
4. The store was kept open until 11:00 p.m. by the overtired
workers.
5. The ball is hit straight into the bleachers by the batter.
6. New insecticides are produced each year by chemical companies.
7. The old shed was painted bright blue by the man's son.
8. Resources for the project were not included in the budget by the
legislature.

Messiah Sastry
 9. The vibrant colours in the painting are immediately noticed by
museum goers.
10. The story is presented in a dispassionate way by the author.
11. The rock star was constantly chased by photographers.
12. Our vehicle had been stolen from our garage by the same
burglary team.
13. Melissa was taken to Disney World by the people in the office.
14. All of the data on the hard drive was erased by the careless
blogger.
15. All Siamese cats are held by the SPCA for four days.
16. Allison was stunned by the actions of her classmates.
17. A good insurance plan can now be gotten by all drivers.
18. An election was held by the township to determine the
boundaries of all districts
19. A full tuition scholarship is presented to the winner each year by
the judges.
20. A good deal of money will be made by that investment.
21. The television was purchased by a young man as a Father's Day
gift.

Messiah Sastry
 22. A colorful blanket for the new baby was knitted by a family
friend
23. Three finalists will be given prizes by the film festival judges
tonight.
24. Peter Rabbit has been told by his mother not to play in Mr.
McGregor's garden.
25. The mittens were lost by the three little kittens
26. Sally and I were treated to an old blues tune by the pianist while
we ate
27. The man was rescued by a mysterious woman in a cape.
28. Ella complains that she is always given a million excuses by her
daughter.
29. When the bread arrived, it was gobbled down by the hungry
guests.
30. In this picture, my brother is being given a violin lesson by our
cousin, Jessica
31. Our petition has been signed by thousands who want to protect
the Bay
32. When Alice, a scrawny tabby, was first presented by our kids, we
resisted keeping her.

Messiah Sastry
 Mixed sentences
1. Government will computerize rail bookings all over the country by
2004.
2. People speak English all over the world.
3. The police are questioning several people in connection with
bomb blast.
4. They are going to award the best student a gold medal.
5. They marketed the first video disk in U.S.A. in 1980.
6. One should keep one’s promises.
7. Open the window.
8. Please help the poor man
9. Children were throwing stones at the dogs.
10. He had read the lesson.
11. The winning run was scored by Azaruddin
12. He will be made president by the people
13. They found him guilty of murder.
14. Automobile accidents over the Memorial Day week end killed
four motorists.
Messiah Sastry
 1 5. Many tigers had been killed by Jim Corbett
16. The kennel on 3 rd Avenue breeds and raises English sheepdogs
1 7. They would have praised you if you had succeeded in the task.
18. Are the mountaineers not climbing the mountain?
19. The villagers caught the thieves and handed them over to the
police.
20. The legislature did not include resources for the project in the
budget
2 1. All drivers can now get a good insurance plan.
22. Who has broken the mirror?
23. Which hook did you like?
24. How can people tolerate such a person in our society?
25. They say that god is omnipotent.
26 Did he break the window pane?
27. It is time to stop the work.
28. I am told that I am lucky.
29. The patients at this hospital arc being given the best available
treatment. (The best )
30. I know him.

Messiah Sastry
 31. Speak the truth.
32. He married me.
33. He is not a man to be imitated.
34. The poor man used to carry’ his heavy load to the market every
day.
35. If they found him guilty. they’ didn’t come on the trip. (If he .......

Messiah Sastry