What is Voice?
Voice is the quality of a verb that indicates whether its subject acts (active voice) or is acted
upon (passive voice).
For Example, when the subject of the verb is doing the action of the verb (e.g., The dog bit
the police), the verb is said to be in the active voice.
When the subject of the verb is being acted upon (e.g., The police was bitten), the verb is said
to be in the passive voice.
Passive voice is used when the focus is on the action. It is not important or not known,
however, who or what is performing the action.
For example, My bike was stolen.
In this example, the focus is on the fact that my bike was stolen. I do not know, however,
who did it.
Uses of Passive Voice
1. Passive voice is used when the actor needs to know the job. In this case “by” is used
in the passive voice.
Example: “Love addicted” was sung by Vamps.
2. Passive voice is used if it doesn’t need to know the perpetrator work.
Example: the streets are cleaned every day.
3. Passive voice is used if we don’t know or forget who the perpetrator work.
Example: The police was murdered.
4. Passive voice is used if we are more interested in the job than the actors who work.
Example: A new departmental store is being built.
5. Passive voice is used to avoid an awkward sentence or inappropriate with grammar.
Example: When she arrived home police arrested her — it’s better: when she arrived
home she was arrested (by the police).
When a sentence has one auxiliary verb, such as am, are, is, been, being, be, and past participle of verbs
like written, driven, drawn, known, learned, broken, discovered; the sentence is a passive voice.
The Rules to Change the Sentences from Active to Passive
Form
1. The places of subject and object are interchanged i.e. the object shifts to the place
of subject and subject shifts to the place of object in passive voice.
Example:
• Active voice: I write a letter.
• Passive voice: A letter is written by me.
Subject (I) of sentence shifted to the place of the object (letter) and object (letter) shifted to
the place of the subject (I) in passive voice.
2. Sometimes subject of the sentence is not used in passive voice. The subject of a sentence
can be omitted in passive voice, if without subject it can give enough meaning in passive
voice.
Example:
• Passive voice: cloth is sold in yards
3. 3rd form of verb (past participle) is always used as main verb in sentences of passive voice
for all tenses. Base form of verb or present participle will be never used in passive voice. The
word “by” is used before subject in sentences in passive voice.
Example:
• Active voice: He sings a song.
• Passive voice: A song is sung by him.
4. The word “by” is not always used before the subject in a passive voice. Sometimes words
“with, to, etc” may also be used before the subject in passive voice.
Examples:
• Active voice: The water fills the tub.
• Passive voice: The tub is filled with water.
• Active voice: He knows me.
• Passive voice: I am known to him.
5. Auxiliary verbs are used in passive voice according to the tense of the sentence.
Changes of Pronouns
The following are the changes occurred in the pronouns while converting a sentence from
active to passive voice:
Active Voice Passive Voice
I me
we us
you you
he him
she her
it it
they them
The Form of Active Voice and Passive
Voice in Tenses
Passive voice in Simple Present Tense
Active Voice Passive Voice
Formula: Subject + infinitive + object Formula: S + to be + past participle + by object
Examples:
Simson cares the lion The lion is cared by Simson
Ana does the homework The homework is done by Ana
They sell that house That house is sell by them
Jessica always plays the piano The piano is always played by Jessica
She buys a book A book is bought by her
Passive voice in Present Continuous Tense
Active Voice Passive Voice
Formula: Subject + to be (is, am, are) + present Formula: S + to be (is, am, are) + being + past
participle + object participle + by object
Examples:
She is doing her homework The homework is being done by her
He is waiting for Dewi Dewi is being waited by him
They are giving the present The present is being given by them
Bobby is drawing a nice scenery A nice scenery is being drawn by Bobby
Ratna is writing the letter The letter is being written by Ratna
Passive voice in Present Perfect Tense
Active Voice Passive Voice
Formula: Subject + have/has + past participle + Formula: S + have/has been + past participle + by
object object
Examples:
Kerrie has paid the bill The bill has been paid by Kerrie
We have cycled five miles Five miles have been cycled by us
They have not read the book The book has not been read by them
We have not agreed to this issue This issue has not been agreed to by us
Has she phoned him? Has he been phoned by her?
Passive voice in Simple Past Tense
Active Voice Passive Voice
Formula: Subject + past participle + object Formula: S + was/were + past participle + by object
Examples:
She cleaned the house The house was cleaned by her
Jeffri bought a new car A new car was bought by Jeffri
The teacher called the students The students were called by the teacher
She saved her money Her money was saved by her
Rina paid all her purchase Her purchase were paid by Rina
Passive voice in Past Continuous Tense
Active Voice Passive Voice
Formula: S + was/were + present participle + Formula: S + was/were + being + past participle +
object by object
Examples:
I was waiting for Dina Dina was being waited by me
She was reading a novel A novel was being read by her
Andi was learning an English An English was being learnt by Andi
They were building the house The house was being built by them
He was playing a kite A kite was being played by him
Passive voice in Past Perfect Tense
Active Voice Passive Voice
Formula: Subject + had + past participle + Formula: S + had been + past participle + by
object object
Examples:
He had left that place That place had been left by him
I had finished my work My work had been finished by me
She had missed the last bus The last bus had been missed by her
He had posted the letter The letter had been posted by him
Rudi had completed his speech His speech had been completed by Rudi
Passive voice in Simple Future Tense
Active Voice Passive Voice
Formula: Subject + will + infinitive + object Formula: S + will + be + past participle + by object
Examples:
I shall read a newspaper A newspaper will be read by me
She will sing a beautiful song A beautiful song will be sung by her
Budi will repair his bicycle His bicycle will be repaired by Budi
They will pay the tax The tax will be paid by them
We shall start this meeting This meeting will be started by us
Passive voice in Future Continuous Tense
Active Voice Passive Voice
Formula: Subject + will be + present participle + Formula: S + will + be + ing + past participle +
object by object
Examples:
He will be doing a test tomorrow A test will be being done by him tomorrow
They will be watching movie on next The movie will be being watched by them on next
Saturday Saturday
Mita will be increasing her value next time Her value will be being increased by Mita next time
She will be applying a job tomorrow A job will be being applied by her tomorrow
Sinta will be learning her lesson next week Her lesson will be being learnt by Sinta
Passive voice in Past Future Tense
Active Voice Passive Voice
Formula: Subject + would + infinitive + Formula: S + would + be +past participle + by
object object
Examples:
I would buy a book tomorrow A book would be bought by me
They would play football next time Football would be played by them next time
Mita would wash her shoes tomorrow Her shoes would be washed by Mita tomorrow
My father would use Blackberry tomorrow Blackberry would be used by my father tomorrow
I would sell my laptop next week My laptop would be sold by me next week
Sentences which cannot be changed into passive voice
Tenses which cannot be changed into passive voice
The sentences of following tenses cannot be converted into Passive Voice:
1. Present Perfect Continuous Tense
2. Past Perfect Continuous Tense
3. Future Perfect Continuous Tense
4. Future Continuous Tense
Intransitive verb cannot be changed into passive voice
What is Transitive and Intransitive Verb?
A verb can be either transitive or intransitive. A transitive verb needs an object (in sentence)
to give complete meaning while intransitive verb does need an object (in sentence) to give
complete meaning.
Example of Transitive and Intransitive Verb:
Transitive verb: He sent a letter. (Here sent is a transitive verb as it needs an object i.e. letter
to express full meaning.)
Intransitive Verb: He laughs. (Laugh is an intransitive verb and it does not need an object
for expressing full meaning.)
e.g. Sleep, go, reach, sit, die, are examples of intransitive verbs.
The sentences having intransitive verbs (belonging to any tense) cannot be changed into
passive voice. The reason is that there is not any object in such sentences
and without object of sentence passive voice is not possible.
Examples:
• He is sleeping.
• He has gone.
• He died in 2005.
Active and Passive voice using Modals
Active and Passive voice using Can
This modal applies to all subjects. The sentence patterns are:
Active Voice Passive Voice
S + can + infinitive + object S + can be + past participle + by object
Examples:
She can sell the car every time. The car can be sold by her every time.
Can she play a violin? Can a violin be played by her?
To change the above sentence into a negative sentence, then place the word not after can.
The sentence patterns are:
S + can not + infinitive + object S + can not be + past participle + object
Risky can not buy this car every time. This car can not be bought by Risky every time.
Active and Passive voice using May
This modal applies to all subjects. The sentence patterns are:
Active Voice Passive Voice
S + may + infinitive + object S + may be + past participle + by object
Examples:
He may sell the house. The house may be sold by him.
May I buy the computer? May the computer be bought by me?
To change the above sentence into a negative sentence, then place the word not after may.
I may not buy the computer. The computer may not be bought by me.
Active and Passive voice using Must
This modal applies to all subjects. The sentence patterns are:
Active Voice Passive Voice
S + must + infinitive + object S + must be + past participle + by object
Examples:
He must finish his duty in a week. His duty must be finished by him in a week.
To change the above sentence into a negative sentence, then place the word not after must.
Dewi must not open the gate every morning. The gate must not be opened by Dewi every morning.
Active and Passive voice using Might
This modal applies to all subjects. The sentence patterns are:
Active Voice Passive Voice
S + might + infinitive + object S + might be + past participle + by object
Examples:
He might meet Dewi. Dewi might be met by him.
To change the above sentence into a negative sentence, then place the word not after might.
Guests might not play chess. Chess might not be played guests.
Passive voice for “May Have, Might Have, Should Have, Must
Have, Ought To Have”
Active voice: MAY HAVE Active voice: MAY HAVE BEEN
You may have availed the opportunity. The opportunity may have been availed by you.
You may not have availed the opportunity. The opportunity may not have been availed by you.
Active voice: MIGHT HAVE Active voice: MIGHT HAVE BEEN
He might have eaten meal. Meal might have been eaten by him.
He might not have eaten meal. Meal might not have been eaten by him.
Active voice: SHOULD HAVE Active voice: SHOULD HAVE BEEN
You should have studied the book. The book should have been studied by you.
You should not have studied the book. The book should have not been studied by you.
Active voice: MUST HAVE Active voice: MUST HAVE BEEN
He must have started job. Job must have been started by you.
He must not have started job. Job must not have been started by you.
Active voice: OUGHT TO HAVE Active voice: OUGHT TO HAVE BEEN
You ought to have helped him. He ought to have been helped by you
Verbs Followed by Modals (Can, could, may, might, would,
should, ought)
The form of the verb is the same as that of a verb in the Simple Future Tense, i.e., modal
auxiliary + be + III form.
Active Voice Passive Voice
You can do this work. This work can be done by you.
Police could not catch the thief. The thief could not be caught by police.
You may read this book. This book may be read by you.
He might suffer a great loss. A great loss might be suffered by him.
You should respect your parents. Your parents should be respected by you.
She would teach us today. We would be taught by her today.
We must help the poor. The poor must be helped by us.
We ought to respect our elders. Our elders ought to be respected by us.
Passive Voice Active Voice
A scholarship may be won by her. She may win a scholarship.
Could this sum be solved by you? Could you solve this sum?
Should cards be played at by us? Should we play at cards.
By whom could he be helped? Who could help him?
Imperative Sentences
A sentence that expresses a command, or a request or an advice, or an entreaty is called an
Imperative Sentence or Desire.
Characteristics of Imperative Sentences
1. The object you is generally missing in Imperative Sentences. The structure of such
sentences in Passive Voice is: Let + object + be/not be + V3
2. In sentences which express request, advice and order, such phrases as, You are
requested to/advised to /ordered to are used.
3. Word kindly/please are dropped.
Active Voice Passive Voice
Do it. Let it be done.
Call in the doctor. Let the doctor be called in.
Never tell a lie. Let a lie be never told
Shut the door. Let the door be shut.
Do not starve the cow. Let the cow not be starved
Stand up. You are ordered to stand up.
Kindly lend me some money. You are requested to lend me some money.
Work hard. You are advised to work hard
Don not do it. You are forbidden to do it. or Let it be not done
Passive Voice Active Voice
You are ordered to open the door. Open the door.
You are requested to come here. Come here please.
Let the light be witched on. Switch on the light.
Let your parents be obeyed. Obey your parents.
Change of Voice in the Infinitive Verbs
Active Voice Passive Voice
to + V1 to + be + V3
I have to do this work. This work has to be done.
I want to buy this book. I want this book to be bought.
Women like men to flatter them. Women like to be flattered by men.
There is no shop to let. There is no shop to be let.
Verbs/phrases
I made him stand up. He was made to stand up by me.
I saw him cross the road. He was seen to cross the road (by me).
It is time to
It is time to do this work. It is time for this work to be done.
It is time to call the roll. It is time for the roll to be called.
Passive Voice Active Voice
I expect her to be brought round. I expect to bring her round.
A pen is to be written with. A pen is to write with.
It is time for the race to be run. It is time to run the race.
They should be invited by us. We should invite them.
