Active & Passive Voice
By Mohit Sir
Active and Passive Voice
Voice in grammar refers to the relationship between the subject
and the action (verb) in a sentence.
There are two main voices in English:
Active Voice
Passive Voice
Active Voice
In active voice, the subject of the sentence performs the action (verb) on the object.
The focus is on who or what is doing the action.
Structure of Active Voice:
Subject + Verb + Object
Example Sentences (Active Voice):
She (subject) writes (verb) a letter (object).
The teacher (subject) explains (verb) the lesson (object).
They (subject) built (verb) a new house (object).
Passive Voice
In passive voice, the object of the action becomes
the subject of the sentence. The focus is shifted from the doer of the
action to the receiver of the action.
Structure of Passive Voice:
Subject + Form of 'Be' + Past Participle of Verb + (by + Agent)
The "by + agent" part is often optional, especially when the agent (doer of the action) is
unknown, unimportant, or implied.
Rules of Active and Passive Voice
To help you understand when and how to convert sentences between active and
passive voice, here are some key rules and guidelines:
Before converting an active sentence to passive, identify:
Subject (who or what is doing the action?)
Verb (what action is being performed?)
Object (who or what is receiving the action?)
Rules for Converting Active to Passive Voice
To change an active voice sentence to passive voice, follow these steps:
Move the Object to the Subject Position: The object of the active sentence becomes
the subject in the passive sentence.
Use the Correct Form of the Verb "To Be": The verb "to be" is added before the past
participle of the main verb, and it must match the tense of the original active
sentence.
Example: In present simple, use is/are.
Example: In past simple, use was/were.
Use the Past Participle of the Main Verb:
The main verb in the active voice changes to its past participle
form in the passive voice (e.g., write → written, build → built).
Add "by" (Optional):
The doer of the action (the agent) can be included at the end
with "by" (but this is optional and often omitted when the doer is unimportant or
unknown).
Convert in Passive voice
She writes a novel.
They clean the room every morning.
He is watching a movie.
The chef is preparing a delicious meal.
She has completed the assignment.
They have invited all the guests.
The manager checks the reports regularly.
The mechanic is repairing the car.
The scientist has discovered a new species.
The teacher explains the lesson clearly.
Convert in Active voice
A letter is written by her.
The floors are cleaned every day by them.
A new road is being built by the workers.
The problem is being solved by the engineers.
The cake has been baked by the baker.
The documents have been submitted by the employees.
The project is managed by the team leader.
The invitations have been sent by Sarah.
The song is sung beautifully by the singer.
The house is painted every year by the owners.
Rewrite the following active voice questions in the passive voice.
1. Did she complete the project on time?
2. Is he writing a novel?
3. Will they organize the event next month?
4. Have they repaired the road?
5. When did he send the email?
6. Who taught you English?
7. Is she watching the movie?
8. Had they finished the work before the deadline?
9. Will they invite us to the party?
10. Did the manager approve your leave request?
6. Who taught you English?
7. Is she watching the movie?
8. Had they finished the work before the deadline?
9. Will they invite us to the party?
10. Did the manager approve your leave request?
