VOICE
Voice refers to the way a verb expresses the relationship between the subject and the action
(verb) in a sentence. There are two main types of voices in English grammar:
1. Active Voice
2. Passive Voice
1. Active Voice
In active voice, the subject of the sentence performs the action. The focus is on the doer of
the action (subject).
Structure: Subject + Verb + Object
Example:
The cat (subject) chased (verb) the mouse (object).
In this sentence, the subject (the cat) is doing the action (chasing), and the action is happening
to the object (the mouse).
2. Passive Voice
In passive voice, the subject of the sentence receives the action. The focus is on the action
itself or the recipient of the action, rather than the doer.
Structure: Object (subject in passive) + Verb (form of "to be" + past participle) + (By +
Subject)
Example:
The mouse (subject) was chased (verb) by the cat (doer of the action).
In this sentence, the mouse is the subject, but it is receiving the action, and the doer (the cat)
can be mentioned at the end using "by" (optional).
Why is Voice Important?
The active voice is more direct and often clearer. It tells us who is doing what.
The passive voice is useful when the doer is unknown, unimportant, or you want to focus
more on the action or the recipient of the action.
Examples of Active and Passive Voice:
Active Voice:
John (subject) writes (verb) a letter (object).
The teacher (subject) explains (verb) the lesson (object).
Passive Voice:
A letter (subject) is written (verb) by John (optional).
The lesson (subject) is explained (verb) by the teacher (optional).
1. Present Simple Tense
Active Voice: The subject performs the action in the present.
o Example: She reads a book.
Subject: She
Verb: reads
Object: a book
Passive Voice: The object becomes the subject of the sentence, and the verb is in the
present tense form of "to be" (am/are/is).
o Example: A book is read by her.
Subject: A book
Verb: is read
By phrase (optional): by her
2. Present Continuous Tense
Active Voice: The subject is currently performing an action.
o Example: They are building a house.
Subject: They
Verb: are building
Object: a house
Passive Voice: The object becomes the subject, and the verb is in the present
continuous form of "to be" (am/are/is + being).
o Example: A house is being built by them.
Subject: A house
Verb: is being built
By phrase (optional): by them
3. Present Perfect Tense
Active Voice: The subject has performed the action at some point in the past and is
relevant in the present.
o Example: He has finished the homework.
Subject: He
Verb: has finished
Object: the homework
Passive Voice: The object becomes the subject, and the verb uses "has/have been"
with the past participle.
o Example: The homework has been finished by him.
Subject: The homework
Verb: has been finished
By phrase (optional): by him
4. Past Simple Tense
Active Voice: The subject performed the action at a specific time in the past.
o Example: She wrote a letter.
Subject: She
Verb: wrote
Object: a letter
Passive Voice: The object becomes the subject, and the verb is in the past tense form
of "to be" (was/were).
o Example: A letter was written by her.
Subject: A letter
Verb: was written
By phrase (optional): by her
5. Past Continuous Tense
Active Voice: The subject was performing an action at a specific moment in the past.
o Example: They were playing football.
Subject: They
Verb: were playing
Object: football
Passive Voice: The object becomes the subject, and the verb is in the past continuous
form of "to be" (was/were + being).
o Example: Football was being played by them.
Subject: Football
Verb: was being played
By phrase (optional): by them
6. Past Perfect Tense
Active Voice: The subject had performed the action before another event in the past.
o Example: She had read the book.
Subject: She
Verb: had read
Object: the book
Passive Voice: The object becomes the subject, and the verb is in the past perfect
form of "to be" (had been).
o Example: The book had been read by her.
Subject: The book
Verb: had been read
By phrase (optional): by her
7. Future Simple Tense
Active Voice: The subject will perform the action in the future.
o Example: He will write a letter.
Subject: He
Verb: will write
Object: a letter
Passive Voice: The object becomes the subject, and the verb is in the future form of
"to be" (will be).
o Example: A letter will be written by him.
Subject: A letter
Verb: will be written
By phrase (optional): by him
8. Future Continuous Tense
Active Voice: The subject will be performing the action at a specific time in the
future.
o Example: They will be watching a movie.
Subject: They
Verb: will be watching
Object: a movie
Passive Voice: The object becomes the subject, and the verb is in the future
continuous form of "to be" (will be + being).
o Example: A movie will be being watched by them.
Subject: A movie
Verb: will be being watched
By phrase (optional): by them
9. Future Perfect Tense
Active Voice: The subject will have completed the action before a certain point in the
future.
o Example: She will have finished the project.
Subject: She
Verb: will have finished
Object: the project
Passive Voice: The object becomes the subject, and the verb is in the future perfect
form of "to be" (will have been).
o Example: The project will have been finished by her.
Subject: The project
Verb: will have been finished
By phrase (optional): by her
Summary of Active to Passive Voice Conversion by Tense:
Tense Active Voice Passive Voice
Present Simple She reads a book. A book is read by her.
Present
They are building a house. A house is being built by them.
Continuous
The homework has been finished by
Present Perfect He has finished the homework.
him.
Past Simple She wrote a letter. A letter was written by her.
Past Continuous They were playing football. Football was being played by them.
Past Perfect She had read the book. The book had been read by her.
Future Simple He will write a letter. A letter will be written by him.
Future Continuous They will be watching a movie. A movie will be being watched by them.
She will have finished the The project will have been finished by
Future Perfect
project. her.
Practice Exercises:
1. Active: She eats the cake.
Passive: ___________________________________________
2. Active: The cat is chasing the mouse.
Passive: ___________________________________________
3. Active: They will solve the problem tomorrow.
Passive: ___________________________________________
4. Active: The team had completed the match before the rain started.
Passive: ___________________________________________
