Active and Passive Voice
Voice in grammar is a study of the relationship of the verb with its
subject and object. So, we learn, Active and Passive Voice:
When the subject of a sentence performs the action, the
sentence has an Active voice.
When the subject of the sentence merely receives the
action, the sentence has a Passive voice.
Examples
Peter cut a tree.
The subject in this sentence isPeter who performs the
action of cutting a tree. Hence, the sentence is in the
active voice.
A tree was cut by Peter.
The subject in this sentence treedoes not seem to
perform the action. Instead, it seems to have received
the action of ‘being cut’. Hence, the sentence is in the
passive voice.
Active And Passive Voice
Active Voice
The active voice is widely used in English and is preferred over the
passive voice. It is direct and concise in nature and it makes the
sentences sound assertive. In the active voice, the subject or doer is
in focus and not the object.
Examples of Active Voice
The people selected the representative.
Helen sang a song.
Krishna took a bus to the station.
In the above sentences, the words people, Helenand Krishna are
in the focus; the words representative, song, and bus are in the
background. Hence, the active voice is used.
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Passive Voice
The passive voice has a tendency to render the sentences weak,
unlike the active voice. Although it is generally considered
undesirable in writing, there are instances where the passive voice
is desired.
Examples of Passive Voice
The representative was selected by the people.
A song was sung by Helen.
A bus was taken by Krishna to the station.
In the above cases, the words representative, song, and bus are
highlighted and the wordspeople, Helen, and Krishna are not
given importance. Hence, the sentences are in the passive voice.
Rules For Changing Active Voice Into
Passive Voice
The Object of the Active is Changed into the Subject of
the Passive.
The Subject of the Active is changed into the Object of
the Passive.
According to the Subject made in the Passive, there is a
usage of the helping verb. If it is not the helping verb ‘to
be’, then according to the helping verb present there, a
form of ‘to be’ is taken into usage.
After ‘to be’ there is the usage of Verb3 ( Verb in the Past
Participle)
The preposition ‘by’ is used after the Object made in the
Passive. This (by + Object) is also known as (by + agent),
which is completely optional.
Examples of Active and Passive Voice
Active: Sujata called Soumili.
Passive: Soumili was called by Sujata.
Rules Of Passive Voice
Passive Voice Rules for Present Tense
Subject + Verb ‘To be’/’To have’ + Past Participle of the main verb +
(by + Object)
SimplePresent Subject + am/is/are + Verb in the
Tense Past Participle + (by + Object)
Subject + am/is/are + being +
Present
Verb in the Past Participle + (by +
Continuous Tense
Object)
Subject + has/have + been + Verb
Present Perfect
in the Past Participle + (by +
Tense
Object)
Examples
VOICE SIMPLE CONTINUOUS PERFECT
You have
Active You do it. You are doing it.
done it.
It is done It is being done It has been
Passive
by you. by you. done by you.
Passive Voice Rules for Past Tense
Subject + Verb ‘To be’/’To have’ + Past Participle of the main verb +
(by + Object)
SimplePast Subject + was/were + Verb in the
Tense Past Participle + (by + Object)
Past Continuous Subject + was/were + being + Verb
Tense in the Past Participle + (by + Object)
Past Perfect Subject + had + been + Verb in the
Tense Past Participle + (by + Object)
Examples
VOICE SIMPLE CONTINUOUS PERFECT
you was doing You had
Active You did it.
it. done it.
It was
you were doing It had been
Passive done by
it. done by you.
you.
Passive Voice Rules for Future Tense
Subject + Verb ‘To be’ + Past Participle of the main verb + (by +
Object)
Simple Future Subject + shall/will + be + Verb in
Tense the Past Participle + (by + Object)
Future
Continuous Not in use
Tense
Subject + shall/will +have been +
Future Perfect
Verb in the Past Participle + (by +
Tense
Object)
Examples
VOICE SIMPLE CONTINUOUS PERFECT
You shall You shall be You shall
Active
do it. doing it. have done it.
It will be It would have
Passive done by ……….. been done by
you. you.
Active And Passive Voice Of Modal Verbs
* Note that can, could, may, might, shall, should, will, would, must,
ought to, used to, need not, dare not, etc are Modal Auxiliary Verbs
Active: Subject + Modal (can/could etc.) + Verb + Object
Passive: Subject + Modal (can/could etc.) +be + Verb in the Past
Participle + (by + Object)
CAN
ACTIVE I can help your father.
PASSIVE Your father can be helped by me.
MAY
ACTIVE He may permit you to go home.
PASSIVE You may be permitted by him to go home.
COULD
ACTIVE I could do the project.
PASSIVE The project could be done by me.
SHOULD
ACTIVE We should obey our parents.
PASSIVE Our parents should be obeyed by us.
NEED
ACTIVE You needn’t do the homwork.
PASSIVE The homework needn’t be done by you.
MUST
ACTIVE You must maintain a healthy life.
PASSIVE A healthy life must be maintainedby you.
Pronoun Rules
SUBJECT OBJECT POSSESSIVE
FORM FORM FORM
I Me My
We Us Our
You You Your
He Him His
She Her Her
They Them Their
It It Its
SUBJECT OBJECT POSSESSIVE
FORM FORM FORM
One One One’s
More Rules and Examples of Active and Passive Voice
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