Active and Passive Voice

A transitive verb has two voices:

1.Active Voice

2.Passive Voice

* When the subject of a verb also performs the action named in the verb, the verb is said to be in the active voice.

Example: Lata obeys the teacher.

In the above sentence, the subject of the verb ( Lata) also performs the action named in the verb( obeys). So this sentence is said to be in an active voice

* When the subject of the verb receives the action named in the verb, the verb is said to be in the passive voice.

Example: The teacher is obeyed by Lata

Let's compare the two forms to understand what changes take place.

   Lata obeys the teacher.  ( Active voice)

   The teacher is obeyed by Lata.( Passive voice)

1. The active object the teacher has become the passive subject.

2. The active subject Lata has become the passive object. And we have used the preposition by before it. However, if this subject is not important, we may omit it:

 Somebody wants Amit on the mobile phone. ( Active)

Amit is wanted on the mobile phone. (Passive)

( Here we have omitted the words by somebody as this subject is not important)

3. An appropriate form of the verb be ( is) has been  followed by the past participle form of the verb ( obeyed)

* We need to be careful about using personal pronouns while changing sentences from active to passive voice or passive to active.

 Active              Passive

I                         me

We                     us

He                      him

They                  them

She                     her

You                     you ( remains same)

Example: I help her. ( Active)

                She is helped by me. (Passive)

* When the verb in the active voice takes two objects, there are two forms in the passive voice:

 His aunt teaches us( indirect object)  French ( direct object). (Active)

We are taught French by his aunt.

                   Or

French is taught to us by his aunt. ( Passive voice)

How to change sentences from Active voice to Passive voice?

1. Present Simple Tense.

   

Rule: Object+ is, are ,am + IIIrd form of the verb( past participle)+by+ object

Examples:  They teach me. ( active)

                    I am taught by them. ( passive)

                

                    No one likes terrorism. ( active)

                    Terrorism is not liked. (passive)

                   ( Here subject is not important so avoid using 'by no one) 

                     

                    Do you obey your parents? ( active)

                    Are your parents obeyed by you? ( passive)

                    How does he do all this? ( active)

                    How is all this done by him? ( passive)

                   Who keeps the accounts?

                   By whom are the accounts kept?

2. Present Continuous Tense.

 

Rule: Object+ is, are, am + being+ past participle+ by+ object

Examples: She is washing the clothes. ( active)

                   The clothes are being washed by her. ( passive)

                   We are eating the food. ( active)

                   The food is being eaten by us. ( passive)

   

                   Are you leaving the doors unlocked? ( active)    

                   Are the doors being unlocked? ( passive)

3. Present Perfect Tense.

   Rule: Object+ has, have + been+past participle+ by+ object

  Examples: He has bought some clothes from the mall. ( active)

                    Some clothes have been bought from the mall by him. ( passive)

                    They have shut the door. ( active)

                    The door has been shut by them. ( passive) 

      

                    Who has used my pen? (active)

                    By whom has my pen been used? ( passive)

 

Note. Helping verbs are changed according to the subject. So be careful while changing object to subject. 

* When interrogative sentences are changed into passive voice, they retain their interrogative form.

 

Simple Past Tense.

Rule: Object+ was, were +past participle+ by+ object

Examples:    They hit the ball. ( active

                      The ball was hit by them. ( passive)

                      Did you receive my letter in time? ( active)

                      Was my letter received by you in time? ( passive)

                      Who organized the function? ( active)

                      By whom was the function organized? ( passive)

                      Who was the function organized by? ( passive)

                      ( Both are right)

Past Continuous Tense.

Rule: Object. +was, were +being+past participle+by+ object

Examples:   They were discussing a big matter. ( active)

                     A big matter was being discussed by them. ( passive)

                     She was washing the utensils. ( active)

                     The utensils were being washed by her. ( passive)

                     Were the artists rehearsing the play? ( active)

                     Was the play being rehearsed? (passive)

Past Perfect Tense.

Rule: Object.+had+ been+past participle+by+object

Examples:  We had already purchased the tickets. (active)

                    The tickets had already been purchased by us. ( passive)

                    Had you taken all the precautions? (active)

                    Had all the precautions been taken? (passive)

How to change voice( Active to passive)

Future Simple.

Rule: Object+ will be , shall be+root form( 1st form) of the verb

Example:

                 We shall post the letters tomorrow.( active)

                 The letters will be posted tomorrow. ( passive)

                When will they hold the examinations?( active)

                When will the examinations be held? ( passive)

Future Perfect.

Rule: Object+ will have been, shall have been + past participle form of the verb.

Example: They will have finished the task before night. ( active)

                 The task will have been finished before night. ( passive)

                 Will they have selected the cricket team by next month? ( active)

                  Will the cricket team have been selected by the next month? ( passive)

Note. Verbs in the future continuous and future perfect cannot be expressed in the passive voice

Modal auxiliaries ( can, could, may, might, should, would, must, ought to)

Rule:  ( Active Voice) the auxiliary+root form of verb.

           ( Passive Voice) the auxiliary+ be+past participle

Examples:

1.They should punish the guilty. ( active)

   The guilty should be punished. ( passive)

2. We ought to preserve our heritage.( active)

    Our heritage ought to be preserved. ( passive)

3. May God bless you with health!( active)

    May you be blessed with health! ( passive)

4.Can you prove this law experimentally? (active)

   Can this law be proved experimentally? ( passive)

5.How can you ignore such a serious matter? ( active)

   How can such a serious matter be ignored? ( passive)

Commands.

Rule:( active)  The sentence begins with the root form of the verb.

         ( passive)  Let+object+ be+ past participle form of the verb

                                    or

                           object+ should be+ past participle form of the verb.

       Examples: 

                        1. Open the door.( active)

                         Let the door be opened.

                        Sell this old bicycle off.( active)

                         Let this old bicycle be sold off.  ( passive)

                                           or

                         This old bicycle should be sold off.( passive)

     Sentences beginning with let

Rule: ( Active voice) Let +the infinitive without 'to'

           ( Passive voice) Let+ be+ past participle for,m of the verb

      Examples:

                         1.Let her take the food.( active)

                            Let the food be taken by her. ( passive)

                          2. Let us forget the past.( active)

                              Let the past be forgotten.( passive)