Change of Voice

Change of Voice
 Those forms of verb that show the ‘subject doing an action’ or ‘an action done on the
subject’ is called voice
Active voice
In active voice, the verb expresses the action of the subject upon the object.
General formula: Sub + verb + obj
Passive voice
In passive voice, the verb expresses the object being acted upon.
General formula: obj + helping verb(according to tense) + V3 + by + sub
 Passive voice is used in the following cases:

1. When the subject cannot do an action.
E.g. Tea grows both in Assam and Ceylon (Incorrect).
Tea is grown both in Assam and Ceylon (correct).
2. When the action is important and not the doer although the doer is quite known.
E.g:- He was rushed to the hospital where he was declared brought dead.
 In the above sentence, the action is more important. The people and doctor involved in
the process are irrelevant.
3. When the subject or the doer of the action is either unknown or irrelevant.
E.g:- People were relocated from the flood affected villages.
Different tense in Active voice and Passive voice:
Indefinite Tense Active Passive

Simple present Subject + V1 + object Object + is/am/are + V3 +
by + subject
Simple past Subject + V3 + Object Object = was/were + V3 +
by + subject
Simple future Subject + shall/will + V1 + Object + shall/will + be + V3
object + by + subject
Modal Subject + modal + V1 + Object + modal + be + V3 +
object by + subject
Change the voice:
Active Passive
1. Police arrested him. He was arrested.
2. People speak English all over the English is spoken all over the world.
world.
3. A teacher teaches English here. English is taught here.
4. No one desires riots. Riots are not desired.
5. I will not tolerate his nonsense. This nonsense will not be tolerated by me.
Explanation of sentences 1, 2 and 3:

 Certain actions are done by a particular subject only. In such cases, ‘by sub’ must not be
mentioned in the passive voice (see sentences 1 and 3). And if the sentence is given in
passive voice without ‘by subject’, use that subject in active voice that generally does
that work.
E.g: The room was cleaned.
The cleaner cleaned the room.
 If the subject is not clear, (vague noun/indefinite pronoun), the agent (by + subject)
need not be mentioned in passive voice. (see sentences 2 and 4).
 If any form of ‘be’ is used as main verb, the sentences cannot be turned into passive.
E.g. 1. I am (M.V.) happy. (A.V.)
2. He should be (M.V.) polite. (A.V.).
The above sentences cannot be converted into passive voice.
CONTINUOUS TENSE
Continuous Tense Active Passive

Present Continuous Sub + is/am/are V1 + ing + Obj + is/am/are + being + V3
obj + by + sub
Past Continuous Sub + was/were + V1 + ing + Obj + was/were+ being + V3
obj + by + sub
Future Continuous Sub + shall/will + V1 + ing + Passive voice not possible.
obj
Modal Continuous Sub + modal + be + V1 + ing Passive voice not possible.
+ obj
Note: Do not forget to use ‘being’ in passive voice of continuous tense.
Change the voice:
1. The committee is looking into the matter. (Active)

The matter is being looked into by the committee. (Passive)
Note: Do not forget to use the preposition in passive voice that follows the verb in active
voices.
2. They are laughing at you. (Active).

You are being laughed at by them. (Passive).
3. The accused is being produced before the court. (Passive)

The police are producing the accused before the court. (Active)
4. Right to protest peacefully is being demanded by the revolutionaries. (Passive)
5. You were not taking the exam seriously. (Active)
The exam was not being taken seriously by you. (Passive)
PERFECT TENSE
Perfect Tense Active Passive

Present Perfect Sub +has/have+V3+obj Obj+ has/have+been+V3+by+sub
Past Perfect Sub+ had+V3+obj Obj+ had+been+V3+by+sub
Future Sub+ shall/will+ have+V3+obj Obj+ shall/will+have+been+V3+by+sub
Modal Perfect Sub+Modal+have+V3+obj Obj+ modal+have+been+V3+by+sub
Note: If passive voice is used in perfect tense, then “been” must be used.
CHANGE THE VOICE

E.g. 1. Who has seen him? (Active)
By whom has he been seen? (Passive)

2. The news has surprised us. (Active)
We have been surprised at the news. (Passive)
3. He will have understood your ulterior motive by that time. (Active)
Your ulterior motive will have been understood by him by that time. (Passive)
4. The committee had looked into the matter impartially before he was found guilty.
The matter had been looked into by the committee impartially before it found him
guilty.
Note: Certain verbs take fixed preposition after them that replaces the ‘by’ of ‘by + sub’.
Known to, surprised at/by, amazed at, astonished at, startled at, vexed at, annoyed with
somebody, annoyed at something, contained in, embodied in, crammed with, decorated with,
filled with, ornamented with, thronged with, tired of, engulfed in.
Note: ‘Surprised’ is followed by ‘at’ when the action was contrary to our expectation.
E.g. I was surprised at his impudent behavior.
In all other cases ‘surprised by’ is used.
E.g. I was surprised by his result.
E.g. 1. The fire engulfed the building.
The building was engulfed in the fire.
2. This bx contains ten cigars.
Ten cigars are contained in this box.
PASSIVE VOICE OF INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES

In the Passive Voice of Interrogative Sentences, we start the sentence with the helping verb
that goes with the object.
Active: Have you broken the glass?
Passive: Has the glass been broken by you?
If we want to make an Interrogative sentence of ‘WH family’ we add the ‘Wh’ word
before the interrogative form of the sentence.
Active: Why have you broken the window pane?
Passive: Why has the window pane broken by you?
Interrogative Interrogative form of tense
This rule is only applicable to ‘why’, ‘how’, ‘when’, ‘where’ and ‘what’.
In case of who and whom, the rules are different and the Passive Voice is made as
Illustrated below:
Active: Who wrote the Ramayana?
Passive: By whom was the Ramayana written?
Or
Who was the Ramayana written by?
['Whom was the Ramayana written by?’ is wrong]
Active: Whom have you invited?
Passive: Who has been invited by you?
IMPERATIVE SENTENCES
1. With obj 2. Without obj 3. Moral Suggestion
(i) Shut the door (A.V) (ii) Go away. (A.V.) (i) Help the poor. (A.V.)
1st way Let the door be shut. (P.V) You are ordered/requested/ Obj+ should+ be + V3
Let+ obj + be+ V3 Forbidden etc. + to + V1 +obj
2nd way You are ordered to shut
the door (P.V)
You are ordered/requested/
Forbidden etc. + to + V1 +obj

INFINITIVE (TO + V1)
Active: To+V1
Passive: To + be+ V3
1. Active: I am to do it.
Passive: It is to be done by me.
2. Active: You are to write it in ink.
Passive: It is to be written in ink.
Note: To+V2 is changed into to +be+V2 in Passive Voice but this is not a
universal rule. If we change to+V1 into to+be+V2, we open the option of
‘by + sub’ and if the same subject is repeated in the sentence that has already
come in the sentence earlier, we do not change ‘to +V2’ into ‘to+be+V2’
E.g.: Active: The teacher gave me a book to read.
Passive: I was given a book by my teacher to read.
‘HAVE/HAS/HAD+TO+V1’
Active: Sub + have/has/had+to+V1+Obj
Passive: Obj + have/has/had+to+be+v3+by+sub
E.g.: (1) Active I have to finish this work.
Sub have to v1 obj
Passive: This work has to be finished by me.
Obj has to be V3 by sub
(2) Active: You have to choose a dress.
Passive: A dress has to be chosen by you.
VERB- LET, BID, HELP, MAKE

 Verb- Let, bid, help and make are used in Active Voice followed by a Bare
Infinitive.
E.g. 1. She let me go.
2. I bade him leave the room.
3. They must help me finish the work.
4. I made him wash all the clothes.
 Bid, help and make are used in Passive Voice followed by Infinitive not Bare
Infinitive.
E.g. 1. He was bidden to leave the room by me.
2. I must be helped to finish the work.

Change of Voice

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Change of Voice

General formula: Sub + verb + obj

General formula: obj + helping verb(according to tense) + V3 + by + sub

 Passive voice is used in the following cases:

E.g. Tea grows both in Assam and Ceylon (Incorrect).

Tea is grown both in Assam and Ceylon (correct).

E.g:- People were relocated from the flood affected villages.

Different tense in Active voice and Passive voice:

Indefinite Tense Active Passive

Change the voice:

Explanation of sentences 1, 2 and 3:

E.g: The room was cleaned.

The cleaner cleaned the room.

E.g. 1. I am (M.V.) happy. (A.V.)

2. He should be (M.V.) polite. (A.V.).

The above sentences cannot be converted into passive voice.

Continuous Tense Active Passive

Change the voice:

1. The committee is looking into the matter. (Active)

2. They are laughing at you. (Active).

3. The accused is being produced before the court. (Passive)

4. Right to protest peacefully is being demanded by the revolutionaries. (Passive)

5. You were not taking the exam seriously. (Active)

The exam was not being taken seriously by you. (Passive)

Perfect Tense Active Passive

CHANGE THE VOICE

By whom has he been seen? (Passive)

We have been surprised at the news. (Passive)

3. He will have understood your ulterior motive by that time. (Active)

E.g. I was surprised at his impudent behavior.

In all other cases ‘surprised by’ is used.

E.g. I was surprised by his result.

E.g. 1. The fire engulfed the building.

The building was engulfed in the fire.

2. This bx contains ten cigars.

Ten cigars are contained in this box.

PASSIVE VOICE OF INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES

Active: Have you broken the glass?

Passive: Has the glass been broken by you?

Active: Why have you broken the window pane?

Passive: Why has the window pane broken by you?

Interrogative Interrogative form of tense

Active: Who wrote the Ramayana?

Passive: By whom was the Ramayana written?

Who was the Ramayana written by?

['Whom was the Ramayana written by?’ is wrong]

Active: Whom have you invited?

Passive: Who has been invited by you?

1. With obj 2. Without obj 3. Moral Suggestion

Let+ obj + be+ V3 Forbidden etc. + to + V1 +obj

2nd way You are ordered to shut

the door (P.V)

You are ordered/requested/

Forbidden etc. + to + V1 +obj

Passive: It is to be done by me.

2. Active: You are to write it in ink.

Passive: It is to be written in ink.

universal rule. If we change to+V1 into to+be+V2, we open the option of

E.g.: Active: The teacher gave me a book to read.

Passive: I was given a book by my teacher to read.