ACTIVE AND PASSIVE VOICE

 

Active and Passive Voice:- This is an important topic of Grammar for all classes and competition exams. It is very easy to understand the voices , if it is studied step by step .

What is Voice:- " Voice" is that form of a verb which shows whether what is denoted by the subject " does something or has something done to it " 

we know very well that verb has two types in respect of object :-

1. Transitive Verb ( Verb that takes/requires an Object .)

He plays cricket. 

I sing a song.

They purchased a new car . 

2. Intransitive Verb ( Verb that does not take/require an Object ) 

I laugh .

The birds fly.

The baby sleeps. 

Transitive verb has two Voices:-

Active Voice :- A verb is said to be in the Active Voice (AV) when its form shows that the person or thing denoted by the subject acts or  does something . To express ' Importance of Subject' AV is used. In AV , the verb is decided according to the Subject.

He helps his friends .

They help the old beggar.

The above sentences are in AV and the verb is decided according to the Sub.

Passive Voice :- A verb is said to be in the Passive Voice (PV) when its form shows that something is done to the person or thing denoted by the subject . To express ' Importance of Object' PV is used. In PV , the verb is decided according to the Object.

His friends are helped by him.

The old beggar is helped by them.  

The above sentences are in PV and the verb is decided according to the Object.

 

Rules for changing a verb into Passive voice from Active voice:-

(i) Object of Active voice is placed at the place of Subject of Passive voice.

(ii) Now according to the " number, person and tense" of Passive voice, suitable auxiliary is used.

(iii) Main verb of Active voice is always changed into 'V3' ( past participle) . Before ' V3' any form of verb " to be" is used.

(iv) Subject of Active Voice is made "agent" or object of Passive voice. Before this object, Preposition" by" is used to clear the meaning. In a few cases, some other prepositions are used before the object.

(v) When Pronoun is used as subject, then it remains in Nominative Case and when Pronoun is used as object, then it's form changes into Objective Case.

Nominative Case      Objective Case

I                                    me

We                                us

You                               you

He                                 his

She                               her

It                                   it

They                             them

Who                             whom

(vi) when -- one, someone, anyone, somebody, nobody, anybody, everyone, everybody, we, people or any vague/ indefinite -- are used as subject of Active Voice, then it is removed/ hidden in Passive voice.

(vii) With following verbs, Preposition "by" is not used. These verbs take different prepositions:-

known to             pleased with

interested in       prepared for

amazed at           contained in

surprised at        shocked at

knocked at          annoyed at

compared to       disappointed at

satisfied with      etc.

Note:- The voice can be changed from the voice of TRANSITIVE verb only.

(Transitive verb:- Verb ,that always takes an object with it , is called Transitive verb.)

Tense wise change of Voice:-

1) Present Indefinite Tense:-

AV= V1

PV= is/am/are + V3

AV- I write a letter.

PV- A letter is written by me.

AV- He doesn't  write a letter.

PV- A letter is not written by him.

AV- Do they build a new house?

PV- Is a new house built by them?

AV- Where do you teach him?

PV- Where is he taught by you?

AV- Who makes a noise?

PV- By whom a noise is made?

2) Present Continuous Tense:-

AV=is/are/am +V+ing

PV=is/am/are+being+V3

AV- They are eating apples.

PV- Apples are being eaten by them.

AV- She is not making a doll.

PV- A doll is not being made by her.

AV- Am I reading a book?

PV- Is a book being read by me?

AV- What are you doing?

PV- What is being done by you?

As

3) Present Perfect Tense:-

AV=  has/have+V3

PV= has/have+been+V3

AV- We have helped you.

PV- You have been helped by us.

AV- She has completed her painting.

PV- Her painting has been completed by her.

AV- Have they purchased a new car?

PV- Has a new car been purchased by them?

AV- Why have you taken my book?

PV- Why have my book taken by you?

AV- Who has done this mistak

PV- By whom this mistak been done?

4) Past Indefinite Tense :-

AV= V2

PV= was/were+ V3

AV- The teacher taught the lesson.

PV- The lesson was taught by the teacher.

AV- Mohan delivered a speech in school.

PV- A speech was delivered by Mohan in school.

AV- The Gardener planted a rose plant.

PV- A rose rose plant was planted by the gardener.

AV- They gave many toys to the kid .

PV- Many toys were given to the kid by them.

AV- Did the students complete their homework?

PV- Was their homework completed by the students?

AV- Who supported you?

PV- By whom were you supported?

5) Past Continuous Tense :-

AV- was /were+ V1+ing

PV- was/were+ being+V3

AV- The Principal was inspecting the classes.

PV- The classes were being inspected by the Principal.

AV- She was helping me .

PV- I was being helped by her.

AV- The driver was driving the bus .

PV- The bus was being driven by the driver.

AV- The Chief Guest was distributing the prizes.

PV- The prizes were being distributed by the Chief Guest.

AV- Was he writing a letter?

PV- Was a letter being written by him?

6) Past Perfect Tense:-

AV- Had+V3

PV- Had +been+ V3

AV- The fire had destroyed the building.

PV- The building had been destroyed by the fire.

AV- Mohan had not paid his bill.

PV- His bill had not been paid by Mohan.

AV- Had the captain selected the team?

PV- Had the team been selected by the captain?

AV- What had you done?

PV- What had been done by you?

AV- How had you done such a mistake?

PV- How had such a mistake done by you?

7) Future Indefinite Tense:+

AV- shall/will+V1

PV- shall/will + be+V3

AV- She will draw a picture.n

PV- A picture will be drawn by her.

AV- Our school will celebrate the Independence Day.

PV- The Independence Day will be celebrated by our school.

AV- Shall we open the gate?

PV- Will the gate be opened by us?

AV- Will they not help the beggar?

PV- Will the beggar not be helped by them?

AV- When will Ankita pass the final exam?

PV- When will the final exam be passed by Ankita?

8) Future Perfect Tense:-

AV- shall/will+have+V3

PV- shall/will+ have+been+V3

AV- The players will have taken the exercise.

PV- The exercise will have been taken by the players.

AV- The postman will not have delivered the letters.

PV- The letters will not have been delivered by the postman.

AV- Will my brother have painted the wall?

PV- Will the wall have been painted by my brother?

AV- Shall we not have been completed the project?

PV- Will the project not  have been completed by us?

AV- When will he have given this card to him?

PV- When will this card have been given to him by us?

Note:- Both "have not been" and " not have been" are correct.

Steps to change a voice of Interrogative Sentence:-

These kinds of sentence are of two types :-

(1) Starting with Helping Verb:- do, does, did, is , am , are etc.

(2) Starting with WH - words :- what , when, where, why , who,  how etc.

Type (1)

AV- Does he write a letter?

Change Int. into Assertive:-

He writes a letter.

Now change the voice:-

A letter is written by him.

Now put the helping verb first :-

PV- Is a letter written by him?

AV- Will they help the poor?

-- They will help the poor.

-- The poor will be helped by them.

PV- Will the poor be helped by them?

Type (2)

AV- When does she teach the children?

-- (When) does she teach the children?

-- (When) She teaches the children.

-- (When) the children are taught by her.

-- (When) are the children taught by her.

PV- When are the children taught by her?

Others rules and steps will be same .

*Some other types of Sentences*

 

9) Passive voice with Double Object:-

Many sentences have TWO objects. In these sentences, one is Direct Object and the second is Indirect Object. Passive voice can be formed in TWO ways using both the objects. But it will be better to use Direct Object first.

For example--

AV-Mohit offered me a chair. ( two objects)

PV- (i) A chair  was offered to me by Mohit. 

(ii) I was offered a chair by Mohit.

Note - Both the sentences/ voices are correct but example (i) is more proper.

10) Passive voice of Modal auxiliary:-

AV- Sub.+Modal aux.+V1+Obj.

PV- Sub.+Modal aux.+be+V3+Obj.

AV-He can solve the problem.

PV- The problem can be solved by him.

AV- I should help him.

PV- He should be helped by me.

AV- We must follow the rules.

PV- The rules must be followed (by us).

AV- One should keep one's promise.

PV- Promise should be kept.

(see point no (vi)

(10-a)

AV- Sub+ Modal aux. +have + V3+ Obj

PV- Sub+Modal aux. + have + been +V3 +Obj

AV- I could have passed the exam.

PV- The exam could have been passed by me

AV- She must have taken the medicine.

PV- The medicine must have been taken by her.

11) Passive voice of Imperative Sentences:- 

Imperative Sentences always start with a Verb and subject "You" is hidden/ understood.

AV- V1+Obj.+other words.

PV- Let+ Obj.+ be+ V3 + other words.

(a) Imp. Sentences with a command:-

AV- Open the window.

PV-Let the window be opened.

AV- Bring a glass of water.

PV- Let a glass of water be brought.

AV- Don't touch the wires.

PV- Let the wires not be touched.

(b) Imp. Sentences with an advice :-

AV- Help the poor.

PV- The poor should be helped.

AV- Respect your parents.

PV- Parents should be respected.

AV- Don't hurt the animals.

PV- The animals should not be hurt.

(c) Imperative Sentences with kindly/please:-

AV- Kindly help me.

PV- You are requested to help me.

AV- Please give a pen.

PV- You are requested to give a pen.

(d) Imperative Sentences with Intransitive verb:-

AV- Stand up.

PV- You are ordered to stand up.

AV- Don't shout.

PV- You are ordered not to shout.

AV- Run.

PV- You are ordered to run.

(e) Imperative Sentences starting with " Let".

AV- Let me complete this chapter.

PV- Let this chapter be completed by me.

AV- Let us take tea.

PV- Let tea be taken. (by us).

12) Miscellaneous Sentences:-

(a) There + verb....................

AV- There is no money to pay.

PV- There is no money to be paid.

AV- There is time to study.

PV- There is time to be studied.

(b) It+ verb......./ It is time to....

AV- It is time to take tea.

PV- It is time for the tea to be taken.

AV- It is time to prepare for the exams.

PV- It is time for the exams to be prepared.

(c) No use of " by" -

AV- I know him

PV- He is known to me.

AV- She pleased her mother.

PV- Her mother was pleased with her.

AV- This file contains important letters.

PV- Important letters are contained in this file.

(d) Quasi - Passive verbs:-

AV- Rose smells sweet.

PV- Rose is sweet when smelt.

AV- This milk tastes good.

PV- This milk is good when tasted.

AV- The snow feels soft.

PV- The snow is soft when felt.

(e) Passive voice of Infinitive:-

AV- I am to help him.

PV- He is to be helped by me.

AV- You are to forget this.

PV- This is to be forgotten by you.

(f) Passive voice having ' bare infinitive' :-

AV- I made him laugh.

PV- He was made to laugh.(by me)

AV- I saw him go.

PV- He was seen to go. ( by me)

Rajender Tanwar

Lect in English

GGSSS Kairu ( Bhiwani)