Active Voice - Passive Voice

-Anjoe-

In active voice subject is

given importance, in passive voice

object is given importance.

Active & Passive Voice

• The sentence that which gives importance to the subject (doer of an action) is called active voice and that which gives importance to the object is called passive voice.
• E.g., Dharshik watched a movie. (active voice)
• The above sentence is in active voice.
• The same sentence, without changing the tense can be said in a different way by giving importance to the object:
• A movie was watched by Dharshik. (passive voice)

Rules for changing Active to Passive Voice

1. Passive voice must begin with the object of a sentence (A movie…)
2. The subject of active voice becomes the agent in passive voice.
3. The word ‘by’ must be added (can be avoided in certain occasions) before the agent.
4. While changing a sentence from active to passive, the tense shall not be changed. (The tense must be the same)
5. Only the past participle form of the verb (V3 form) of the verb shall be used in changing active to passive voice.

Rules for changing Active to Passive Voice

6. In accordance with the sentence any be form like is, am, are, was, were, being, been must be used before the past participle form of the verb (V3).

7. In the case of imperative sentences (starting with ‘verb’) Passive is formed using the word ‘Let’.

• Cut the mangoes Let the mangoes be cut.

Example (changing active to passive)

• She eats mangoes. (active voice)
• Subject: She
• Verb: eats
• Object: mangoes

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Example (changing active to passive)

1. Object becomes the subject, therefore we take the object first.

Mangoes

2. The next step is to add the proper ‘be’ form. (Since it is simple present we used are)

Mangoes are

3. Now we need to add the past participle form (V3 form)

Mangoes are eaten

4. Then we need to add the word by before the agent (the earlier subject)

Mangoes are eaten by

5. Finally, we need to add the agent (subject of the first sentence comes in the last part)

Mangoes are eaten by her.

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She (S) eats (V) mangoes (O).

Example (changing active to passive)

1. Object becomes the subject, therefore we take the object first.

Mangoes

2. The next step is to add the proper ‘be’ form. (Since it is simple present we used are)

Mangoes are

3. Now we need to add the past participle form (V3 form)

Mangoes are eaten

4. Then we need to add the word by before the agent (the earlier subject)

Mangoes are eaten by

5. Finally, we need to add the agent (subject of the first sentence comes in the last part)

Mangoes are eaten by her.

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Notable changes.

• She eats mangoes Mangoes are eaten by her.
• Here, we must note that the word ‘she’ became ‘her’.
• In passive voice certain pronouns change to their possessive forms.

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Notable changes.

• Not every tense can be changed to passive voice. The following tense cannot be changed to passive voice.
• Present perfect continuous
• Past perfect continuous
• Future continuous
• Future perfect continuous

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Active & Passive formation – at a glance

Exercises

1. Our college day ____ by MT Vasudevan Nair last week.

a) has inaugurated b) had inaugurated c) was inaugurated d) was being inaugurated

2. The passive voice of ‘He issued the orders’ is?

a) He was issued the orders b) The orders were issued by him c) The orders was issued by him.

d) He had been issued orders

3. The passive voice of ‘Someone has locked the room’ is.

a) The room has been locked b) The room is being locked c) The room locked

d) The room is locked.

Answers

1. was inaugurated.
2. The orders were issued by him.
3. The room has been locked.

Exercises

4. I ate the banana is the active form of___�a) I had been eaten a banana b) I was eaten by a banana c) A banana has eaten by me d) A banana was eaten by me.

5. I am reading a book is the active form of.

a) I am read a book (b) A book was being read by me. C) A book is being read by me (d) A book has been read by me.

6. Let this letter be posted (Change into active)

a) Please post the letter (b) Post this letter. (c) Please post that letter (d) Post that letter

7. Somebody pasted the poster on the wall (change into passive)

a) The poster on the wall is pasted by somebody. (b) The poster on the wall has been pasted. (c) The poster on the wall has been pasted by somebody. (d) The poster was pasted on the wall.

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Answers

4. d) A banana was eaten by me.

5. C) A book is being read by me

6. (b) Post this letter.

7. (d) The poster was pasted on the wall.

Exercises

8. Mahatma Gandhi in ______ 1948.

1. Is killed b) has been killed c) was killed d) had been killed

9. “Someone stole my watch” is the active form of

a) My watch is stolen (b) My watch was stolen

(c) My watch has been stolen (d) My watch had been stolen

10. The picture ____ on the wall.

a) was hung b) was hanged (c) was being hanged 

d) had been hanged

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Exercises

11. “People all over the world speak English’ is the active form

1. English has been spoken all over the world. (b) People are spoken all over the world. C) English is spoken all over the world. (d) English was spoken all over the world.

12. People always admire this portrait’, is the active form of

1. This portrait was always admired. (b) This portrait admired always by people. c) This portrait has been always admired (d) This portrait is always admired.

13. ‘I was given a book’ is the passive form of:

1. Someone gives me a book. (b) Someone gave me a book. (c) Someone is giving me a book (d) Someone give me a book.

14. They make a book of paper is the active form of:

(a) A book is being made of paper. (b) A book of paper was made by them. C) A book of paper is made by them. (d) A book is made.

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Answers

8. c) was killed

9. (b) My watch was stolen

10. a) was hung

11. C) English is spoken all over the world.

12. (d) This portrait is always admired.

13. (b) Someone gave me a book.

14. C) A book of paper is made by them.

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