What is active and passive
Voices?
Compiled by Ugyen Wangda
Lamgon HSS, Paro
2022
Lesson Objectives
By the end of the lesson, you should be able
to:
Define active and passive voice.
Memorize/know the rules for conversion
of active voice to passive voice.
Convert active voice to passive voice
using five steps.
What is voice in English
grammar?
A voice is the way in which (one) chooses
to describe an action performed by the
subject.
For instance,
Tshering kicks the ball.
The ball is kicked by Tshering.
There are two ways to express an action; active
and passive voice.
What is an active voice?
Form/structure: Subject + Verb + Object
• An active voice is a voice which focuses on the subject
of the sentence.
• In active voice, the subject is performing an action, so
the focus is on the actor.
• A verb is said to be in active voice when the subject
actively does something/act on the object.
For example, I am watching this video.
Agent of the verb: I
Recipient: ball
What is a passive voice?
Form/structure: Object + Helping Verb+ V3 + by
+ Subject
• A passive voice is a voice which focuses on the
object of the sentence.
• In active voice, subject is receiving the action, so
the focus is on the object.
• A verb is said to be in passive form when the
object receives the action of the subject.
• An agent is optional. It is the one who does the
action, but takes the object’s place.
For example, This video is being watched by me.
When or why do we use passive voice?
1. When the action is more important or interesting than
the person who does the action.
Nu. 100, 000 were donated to the children’s hospital (by the
Prime Minister).
The Prime Minister donated Nu.100000 to the children’s
hospital.
2. When you want to avoid identifying the actor.
Mistakes were made (by us).
We made mistake.
The car was stolen (by Puku).
3. The person who does the action is not known, or not
important.
This beautiful bridge was built in 1732.
John Taylor Thomas built the bridge in 1732. (active)
My bike was stolen (by someone).
Someone stole my bike.
My chocolates were eaten (by someone).
Someone ate my chocolates.
A 25 year-old woman was murdered!
Someone murdered a 25 year-old woman.
4. The person doing the action is obvious.
Bill was arrested last night! (by the police)
The police arrested Bill last night. (active)
5. The object cannot do the action itself.
100 chocolate cakes were sold on Sunday.
(object cannot perform an action, so it has to be in
passive voice.)
6. When you want to have a firm tone and give a
command.
We do not allow talking.
Talking is not allowed (by us).
6. To sound impersonal(more professional/academic)
It has been brought to my attention…
It could be suggested …
Points to remember
Some sentences cannot change from passive to active voice.
They are the following:
1. If a sentence has intransitive verb (that doesn’t take an
object), then it cannot be changed to the passive voice.
In order to change a sentence from active to passive, we need
to have an object.
For instance,
• She laughs at the joke.
• She laughs immediately.
• The man died peacefully.
• I arrived late.
The above four sentences can not change to passive voice
because the verbs used are all intransitive.
2. If the sentences is in the following tenses, then voice cannot be
changed to passive voice.
Present perfect continuous tense
I have been eating chocolates.
Past perfect continuous tense
I had been eating chocolates.
Future continuous tense
I will be eating chocolates.
Future perfect continuous tense
I will have been eaten chocolates.
The above sentences cannot be changed to passive voice.
5 steps to convert Active into Passive voice
1. Identify subject, verb and the object.
2. SWAP/switch the position of subject with the object
and object with the subject.
3. Add proper helping verb after the subject.
4. Convert main verb to V3/past participle
5. Add by before the object
Structure of passive voice is: Object + Primary auxiliary
+ V3 + by + Subject
Example: A thief stole my money.
My money was stolen by a thief.
Rules for Pronouns in Active to Passive
conversion
Active voice Passive voice
(subjective pronoun) (objective pronoun)
He Him
She Her
It/You IT/You
I Me
They Them
We Us
Rules for Active to Passive conversion
Sl. Tense Active Voice Passive Voice
No.
1 Simple Present Write/writes Is/am/are written
Tense
2 Present Continuous Is/am/are writing Is/am/are being
Tense written
3 Present Perfect Has/havewritten Have been written
Tense
4 Simple Past Tense wrote Was/were written
5 Past Continuous Was/were writing Was/were being
Tense written
6 Past Perfect Tense Had written Had been written
7 Simple Future Tense Will write Will be/going to be
written
8 Future Perfect Tense Will have written Will have been
written.
For instance,
•Simple present tense
He writes a letter
A letter is written by him.
•Present continuous tense
Karma is reading a book.
A book is being read by Karma.
•Present perfect tense
Namgay has eaten a pizza.
A pizza has been eaten by Namgay.
•Past simple tense
He bought a car.
A car was bought by him.
•Past continuous tense
She was singing a song
A song was being sung by her.
•Past perfect tense
Tshering had finished homework.
Homework had been finished by Tshering.
•Future simple
She will accept the offer
The offer will be accepted by her.
•Future Perfect tense
I will have charged the battery.
The battery will have been charged by me.
Revision
1. What is voice in English grammar?
2. What is passive voice?
3. What is an active voce?
4. What do we need to do when we
convert active voice to passive
voice? List the steps in proper
order.
5. What are rules for conversion of
active voice to passive voice?
Activity I
Direction: Convert following sentences
into passive voice.
1. The grocer sells fresh vegetables.
2. Math's teacher is giving many
assignments.
3. She has scolded the students.
4. He built a large house.
6. She was cooking dinner.
7. She has posted the letter.
Answers for Activity I
1. Fresh vegetables are sold by the grocer.
2. Many assignments are being given by math’s
teacher.
3. The students has been scolded by her.
4. A large house was built by him.
5. Dinner was being cooked by her.
6. The letter has been posted by her.
Activity II
Direction: change the following active voice into
passive voice.
1. Someone asked me to repair the window.
2. The chef told us to clean the kitchen before
starting to cook.
3. Jack didn’t invite me to his party.
4. The artist created this sculpture in 1950.
5. The marketing farm paid me to hand out leaflets in
the street.
6. The milliner made this hat last year.
7. Someone asked me to explain active and passive
voice.
Answer for Activity II
1. I was asked to repair the window (by someone).
2. We were told to clean the kitchen the kitchen
before starting to cook.
3. I wasn’t invited me to the/Jack’s party (by Jack).
4. This sculpture was created in 1950 (by the artist).
5. I was paid the hand out leaflets in the street (by
the marketing farm).
6. This hat was made last year (by the milliner).
7. I was asked to explain active and passive voice
(by someone).
Extended Learning Questions and Answers
Sl. Active Voice Passive Voice
No.
1 My ancestors farmed this This land was farmed by my
land. ancestors.
2 They will put their dog to Their dog will be put to sleep (by
sleep. them).
3 Has anyone fed the cat? Has the cat been fed (by anyone)?
4 We prohibit smoking. Smoking is prohibited.
5 The family enjoyed the movie. The movie was enjoyed by the
family.
6 Famous vloggers organized a A feeding program was organized by
feeding program. famous vloggers.
Sl. Active Voice Passive Voice
No.
7 Anna painted the house The house was painted by Anna
8 The teachers always answers the The students’ questions are always
students’ questions. answered by the teacher.
9 Ali posted the video online. The video was posted online by Ali.
10 The boy kicked the ball. (The ball was kicked (by the boy).
11 Truelpai Zow Balep built the The Punakha dzong was built built in
Punakha Dzong in 1960. 1960.
12 He had published the book last The book was published last year. (by
year. him).
13 Jack hasn't invited me to the I haven’t been invited to the party.
party.
14 I wrote that email. That email was written by me.
Sl. Active Voice Passive Voice
No.
15 My older sister took me to my first I was taken to my first concert by my
concert older sister.
16 The baker delivers the cake himself. The cake is delivered by the baker
himself.
17 She milks her cow twice a day. He r cow is milked by her twice a day.
18 The students organized a Christmas A Christmas party was organized by
party. the students.
19 The teacher sends a lot of emails A lot of emails are sent by the teacher
everyday. everyday.
20 William Shakespeare wrote Romeo Romeo and Juliet was written by
and Juliet. William Shakespeare.
21 The lifeguard saved a man. A man was saved by the life guard
22 Decorators are painting my house. My house is being painted by
decorators.
Sl. Active Voice Passive Voice
No.
23 Apple sells thousands of Thousands of apples are
iPhones everyday. sold everyday (by Apple)
24 I bought a coffee. A coffee was bought (by me)
