- Simple Present:
- Active: The teacher explains the lesson.
- Passive: The lesson is explained by the teacher.
- Present Continuous:
- Active: The chef is cooking a delicious meal.
- Passive: A delicious meal is being cooked by the chef.
- Simple Past:
- Active: Mahi solved the puzzle.
- Passive: The puzzle was solved by Mahi.
- Present Perfect:
- Active: They have built a new bridge.
- Passive: A new bridge has been built by them.
- Future Simple:
- Active: The team will complete the project.
- Passive: The project will be completed by the team.
Tips and Tricks to Help you Master the Skill of Changing Voices
Changing from active voice to passive voice can be challenging for some learners, but with practice and understanding of the rules, it becomes easier. Here are some tips and tricks to help you master the skill of changing voices:
- Identify the Subject, Verb, and Object:
- Recognize who or what is performing the action (subject), what the action is (verb), and who or what is receiving the action (object) in the active sentence.
- Understand the Passive Voice Structure:
- The passive voice is formed using a form of the verb “to be” (am, is, are, was, were, will be, etc.) along with the past participle of the main verb.
- Switch the Positions:
- In a passive construction, the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence. The subject of the active sentence becomes the agent (or is omitted).
- Maintain Tense Consistency:
- Pay attention to the tense of the active sentence and maintain the same tense in the passive voice. Use the appropriate form of “to be” according to the tense.
- Adjust Pronouns:
- Change pronouns accordingly. For example, “he” in the active voice becomes “him” or “he” in the passive voice.
- Remove the Agent (Optional):
- In some cases, you might omit the agent (the one performing the action) in the passive voice, especially if it’s not crucial or known.
- Practice Regularly:
- The more you practice, the more comfortable you’ll become with recognizing when and how to change the voice.
- Beware of Intransitive Verbs:
- Not all sentences can be converted to the passive voice, especially those with intransitive verbs that do not have a direct object.
- Consider the Context:
- Think about the context and what information is essential. Sometimes, the active voice may be more appropriate for conveying the intended meaning.
- Review Examples:
- Study various examples of active and passive sentences to understand how different sentence structures can be transformed.
Common Mistakes in Changing Voices:
- Forgetting to include “by” in passive sentences.
- Changing the tense incorrectly while transforming.
- Misplacing the subject and object in passive constructions.
How to Get Full Marks in Voices:
- Clearly understand the tense and structure required.
- Pay attention to the correct use of auxiliary verbs.
- Maintain consistency in the transformation throughout the passage.
Sentences (Active and Passive):
- The cat chased the mouse. (Active)
- The mouse was chased by the cat. (Passive)
- She is writing a novel. (Active)
- A novel is being written by her. (Passive)
- They repaired the car. (Active)
- The car was repaired by them. (Passive)
- The storm destroyed the village. (Active)
- The village was destroyed by the storm. (Passive)
- People speak English globally. (Active)
- English is spoken globally by people. (Passive)
What are active and passive voices? What are their different functions?
Sentence 1. Ram solved the question paper.
Sentence 2. The question paper was solved by Ram.
In sentence 1, the structure of the sentence is clear and straightforward. Here, the subject is “Ram”. It needs an object, “the question paper”. Here, the subject is “Ram”. It needs an object, “the question paper.” Let us note the position of the subject and object in the first sentence; it is done in sentence 2, where the position of the subject and object are interchanged. In sentence 2, the number of words is increased as compared to sentence 1, and it seems detached and awkward. Both active and passive voices are appropriate in different conditions. In certain circumstances, the active voice is appropriate, while in other situations, the passive voice plays an important role.
In active voice, the subject of the sentence acts, and in passive voice, the subject receives the action. Let us understand the definition of voices with an example:
7 Rules to change active voice into passive voice in English grammar.
Note the change from active voice to passive voice in the following sentences:
Here are some active and passive voice examples to help!
Active Voice: She passed the examination.
Passive Voice: The examination was passed by her.
Active Voice: He sings a song.
Passive Voice: A song is sung by him.
Active Voice: Who did this act of cowardice?
Passive Voice: By whom was this act of cowardice done?
Active Voice: She will finish her dinner in five minutes.
Passive Voice: Her dinner will be finished in five minutes by her.
7 Rules to change active into passive voice in English grammar
After analysing the above sentences, we derived some rules to follow while changing active into passive voice.
Rule 1. Subject of Active Voice is changed into object in Passive Voice. ( ‘She’ becomes object and converted into ‘her’)
Rule 2. The object of the transitive verb in the active voice becomes the subject in passive voice. ( In first sentence, the object’examination’ becomes subject in passive voice.)
Rule 3. Add ‘by’ in passive voice before object.( ‘by’ is added before object in passive voice)
Rule 4. Tense is not changed in voices, as we see in direct and indirect.
Rule 5. The sense of the sentence is not changed. ( Interrogative will remain interrgative in passive voice)
Rule 6. S+V+O is changed into O+V+S in passive voice.
Rule 7. Some time the subject is missing in passive form and it should be assumed. ( The order is passed–Passive voice without object or assume- The Police passes the order. )
Rule 8. Pronouns are changed into active and passive voices in English grammar.
Nominative Pronouns of active voice are changed into Objective Pronouns in passive voice.
| Nominative | Possessive | Objective | Reflexive |
|---|---|---|---|
| I ( First Person Pronoun) | my | me | myself |
| We ( First Person Pronoun) | our | us | ourselves |
| You ( Second Person Pronoun) | yours | you/yours | yourself |
| He ( Third Person Pronoun) | his | him | himself |
| She ( Third Person Pronoun) | her | her | herself |
| They ( Third Person Pronoun) | their | them | themselves |
ReadLearnExcel English Grammar:
- 12 Tenses in English Grammar: The Beginning of the English Learning Language
- English Grammar: Active and Passive Voices with Examples of 12 Tenses
- Direct and Indirect Speech: Steps & Rules to Change Narration
- Modal Auxiliaries for all Classes: PDF
- Articles in English: The Beginning of Learning English Grammar PDF
- Articles in English: The Beginning of Learning English Grammar
Active & Passive Voices with Examples of 12 Tenses
The proper verb tense must be followed by the past participle to form the passive voice.
Rule 1. Active & Passive Voices with Examples of Present Indefinite Tense
The passive voice in the present indefinite uses the verbs is, am, and are + the past participle of the main verb.
Present Indefinite Tense: S+V1+O
Active Voice: V1 with ‘s’ or ‘es’
Passive Voice: is/am/are + V3
Examples:
Active Voice: She plays hockey.
Passive Voice: Hockey is played by her.
Active Voice: Soldiers fight wars.
Passive Voice: Wars are fought by soliders.
Active Voice: He teaches us English
Passive Voice: English is taught to us by him. or We are taught English by him.
Active Voice: We like apples.
Passive Voice: Apples are liked by us.
Active & Passive Voices with Examples of 12 Tenses Chart
The proper verb tense must be followed by the past participle to form the passive voice.
| Tense(or Modal+base) | Active Voice | Passive Voice | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple Present( She plays hockey) | Play/plays | am played/is played/are played | Hockey is played by her. |
| Present Continuous(She is playing hockey) | is/am/are playing | is/am/are+being+played | Hockey is being played by her. |
| Present Perfect(She has played hockey)
Present Perfect Continuous Tense |
has/have played
Has/have+been+v1+ing |
has/have+been+played
No Passive Voice |
Hockey has been played by her.
No Passive Voice |
| Past Indefinite( She played hockey) | played(V2) | was/were+played(V3) | Hockey was played by her. |
| Past Continuous Tense(She was playing hockey.) | was/were+playing(V1+ing) | was/were+being+played(V3) | Hockey was being played by her. |
| Past Perfect(She had played hockey.)
Past Perfect Continuous Tense Future Indefinite( She will play hockey) Future Continuous Tense( She will be playing hockey) Future Perfect Tense( You will have done your homework.) Future Perfect Continuous Tense Can/may/must+base(She can play hockey) |
Had+V3
S+HAD+BEEN+V1+ING+O Will/shall+V1 S+WILL/SHALL+BE+V1+ING+O Will/shall+Have+V3 S+WILL/SHALL+HAVE+BEEN+V1+ING+O Can/may/must+V1 |
Had +Been+V3
No Passive Voice Will/shall+Be+V3 No Passive Voice Will/shall+have+been+V3 No Passive Voice Can/may/must+Be+V3 |
Hockey had been played by her.
No Passive Voice Hockey will be played by her. No Passive Voice Your homework will have been done by you. No Passive Voice Hockey can be played by her.
|
Active & Passive Voices with Examples of 12 Tenses
Rule 2. Active & Passive Voices with Examples of Present Continuous Tense
The passive voice in the present continuous uses the verbs is, am, and are +being+ the past participle of the main verb.
The Present Continuous Tense: S+IS/AM/ARE+V1+ING+O
Active Voice: is/am/are+V1+ING+O
Passive Voice: is/am/are +BEING+ V3
Examples:
Active Voice: Sita is writing a letter.
Passive Voice: A letter is being written by Sita.
Active Voice: A nurse is dressing his wounds.
Passive Voice: His wounds are being dressed by a nurse.
Active Voice: He is teaching us English.
Passive Voice: We are being taught English by him. or English is being taught to us by him.
Active Voice: They are playing football.
Passive Voice: Football is being played by them.
Rule 3. Active & Passive Voices with Examples of Present Perfect Tense
The passive voice in the present perfect uses the verbs has/have+V3+ the past participle of the main verb.
The Present Perfect Tense: S+HAS/HAVE+V3+O
Active Voice: S+HAS/HAVE+V3+O
Passive Voice: HAS/HAVE+BEEN+V3
Active Voice: Someone has stolen my pen.
Passive Voice: My pen has been stolen by someone.
Rule 4. Active & Passive Voices with Examples of Past Indefinite Tense
The passive voice in the past indefinite uses the verbs was/were+played(V3) the past participle of the main verb.
Past Indefinite Tense: S+V2+O
Active Voice: S+V2+O
Passive Voice: Was/were+V3
Examples:
Active Voice: Who broke this cup ?
Passive Voice: By whom this cup was broken?
Active Voice: When did you buy it ?
Passive Voice: When was it bought by you?
Rule 5. Active & Passive Voices with Examples of Past Continuous Tense
The passive voice in the past contnuous uses the verbs was/were+being+played(V3), the past participle of the main verb.
Past Contnuous Tense: S+WAS/WERE+VI+ING+O
Active Voice: S+WAS/WERE+VI+ING+O
Passive Voice: was/were+being+played(V3)
Examples:
Active Voice: She was plying football.
Passive Voice: Football was being played by her.
Rule 6. Active & Passive Voices with Examples of Past Perfect Tense
The passive voice in the past contnuous uses the verbs Had +Been+V3 the past participle of the main verb.
Past Perfect Tense: S+HAD+V3
Active Voice: S+HAD+V3
Passive Voice: Had +Been+V3
Examples:
Active Voice: They had finished their homework.
Passive Voice: Their homework had been finished by them.
Rule 7. Active & Passive Voices with Examples of Future Indefinite Tense
The passive voice in the past contnuous uses the verbs Will/shall+Be+V3, the past participle of the main verb.
Future Indefinite: S+WILL/SHALL+O
Active Voice: S+WILL/SHALL+O
Passive Voice: Will/shall+Be+V3
Examples:
Active Voice: She will attend the class.
Passive Voice: The class will be attended by her.
Rule 8. Active & Passive Voices with Examples of Future Perfect Tense
The passive voice in the past contnuous uses the verbs Will/shall+have+been+V3 , the past participle of the main verb.
Future Perfect Tense: S+WILL/SHALL+HAVE+V3+O
Active Voice: S+WILL/SHALL+HAVE+V3+O
Passive Voice: Will/shall+have+been+V3
Active Voice: You will have done your homework.
Passive Voice: Your homework will have been done by you.
Rule 9. The following tenses are not changed into passive voice:
- Present Perfect Continuous Tense
- Past Perfect Continuous Tense
- Future Continuous Tense
- Future Perfect Continuous Tense
Rule 10. Active & Passive Voices with Examples of can/may/must
The passive voice in the past contnuous uses the verbs Can/may/must+Be+V3, the past participle of the main verb.
Examples:
Active Voice: You can solve this sum.
Passive Voice: This sum can be solved by you.
Rule 11. Active & Passive Voices of Interrogative Sentences with Examples
Keep the following points in mind before changing the passive voice of interrogative sentences:
- In the passive voice, interrogative sentences will remain interrogative.
- Always keep helping verbs before the subject.
- Tenses will be changed as discussed before.
Examples:
Active Voice: Does she like you?
Passive Voice: Are you liked by her?
Active Voice: Who will win the elections ?
Passive Voice: By whom will the election be won?
Active Voice: Who broke this cup ?
Passive Voice: By Whom was this cup broken?
Active Voice: When did you buy it ?
Passive Voice: When were you bought it?
Active Voice: Do you like coffee ?
Passive Voice: Is coffee liked by you?
Active Voice: Could you solve this sum ?
Passive Voice: Could this sum be solved by you?
Rule 12. Active & Passive Voices of Sentences having Preposition Examples
Prepositions in the active voice will be used in the passive voice and ‘by’ will be used with prepositions.
Active Voice: He knocked at the door.
Passive Voice: The door was knocked at by him.
Active Voice: The students were listening to the teacher.
Passive Voice: The teacher was being listened to by the students.
Rule 13. Active & Passive Voices of Imperative Sentences with Examples
Order, request,please, and advice come under imperative sentences and they are changed as “You are ordered”; “you are requested”; and “you are advised”; and the passive voice is converted with the help of “to”.
Active Voice: Do your duty.
Passive Voice: You are ordered to do your duty.
Active Voice: Please help me.
Passive Voice: You are requested to help me.
Active Voice: Open the door.
Passive Voice: Let the door be opened.
Active Voice: Let me do me my work.
Passive Voice: Let my work be done by me.
Rule 14. Active & Passive Voices containing Prepositions with Examples
Examples:
Active Voice: She was listening to the music.
Passive Voice: Music was being listened to by her.
Active Voice: He talked to me.
Passive Voice: I was talked to by him.
Rule 15. Active & Passive Voices containing both Object and Object Complement with Examples
Examples:
Active Voice: They elected him President.
Passive Voice: He was elected President by them.
Rule 16. Active & Passive Voices of infinitives with Examples
Examples:
Active Voice: You have to pay the money.
Passive Voice: The money has to be paid by you.
Rule 17. Active & Passive Voices Beginning with “It is time to……” with Examples
Examples:
Active Voice: It is time to say prayer.
Passive Voice: It is time for the prayer to be said.
Rule 18. Active & Passive Voices Having two objects with Examples
Examples:
Active Voice: She gave me a book.
Passive Voice: I was given a book by her. or A book was given to me by her.
Rule 19. Active & Passive Voices of special types with Examples
Examples:
Active Voice: Rose smells sweet.
Passive Voice: Rose is sweet when it is smelt.
Active Voice: Sit down.
Passive Voice: Be seated.
Active Voice: Your car needs repairing.
Passive Voice: Your car needs to be repaired.
Active Voice: I hope to meet you.
Passive Voice: It is hoped that I shall meet you.
Active & Passive Voices Exercises for Students
Change the voices of the following sentences INTO PASSIVE VOICES of HBSE Class 12 English Previous Years’ Question Papers:
HBSE 2017 CLASS 12 ENGLISH
- The typist had typed four letters.
- Sita is writing a letter.
- Who broke this cup ?
- Seeta writes a letter.
- A nurse is dressing his wounds.
- Who will win the elections ?
- When did you buy it ?
- Do not insult your elders.
- The thief has been caught
- Rajni sang a song.
- Do you like coffee ?
- The road was repaired.
HBSE 2018 CLASS 12 ENGLISH
- Who will pay the bill ?
- Someone has stolen my pen.
- They play handball.i) He killed a snake.
- I can answer the question.
- He must fill in the form.i) Has he done his work.
- This mango tastes great.
- Someone types the letters2019i) He encourages me.
- Please come soon.
- It is impossible to do.
- I would like someone to help me.
- I don’t know the answer.
- Don’t stay here.i) There is nothing to lose.
- Shall I eat the fruit ?
- The fruit tastes sweet
- Ganesh lifted the cat.
- Do the work.
- Then they put it on the table
HBSE 2017 CLASS 12 ENGLISH
- The typist had typed four letters.
- Active: The typist had typed four letters.
- Passive: Four letters had been typed by the typist.
- Sita is writing a letter.
- Active: Sita is writing a letter.
- Passive: A letter is being written by Sita.
- Who broke this cup?
- Active: Who broke this cup?
- Passive: Was this cup broken by?
- Seeta writes a letter.
- Active: Seeta writes a letter.
- Passive: A letter is written by Seeta.
- A nurse is dressing his wounds.
- Active: A nurse is dressing his wounds.
- Passive: His wounds are being dressed by a nurse.
- Who will win the elections?
- Active: Who will win the elections?
- Passive: Will the elections be won by?
- When did you buy it?
- Active: When did you buy it?
- Passive: When was it bought by you?
- Do not insult your elders.
- Active: Do not insult your elders.
- Passive: Elders should not be insulted.
- The thief has been caught.
- Active: The thief has been caught.
- Passive: Has the thief been caught?
- Rajni sang a song.
- Active: Rajni sang a song.
- Passive: A song was sung by Rajni.
- Do you like coffee?
- Active: Do you like coffee?
- Passive: Is coffee liked by you?
- The road was repaired.
- Active: The road was repaired.
- Passive: Was the road repaired?
HBSE 2018 CLASS 12 ENGLISH
- Who will pay the bill?
- Active: Who will pay the bill?
- Passive: Will the bill be paid by?
- Someone has stolen my pen.
- Active: Someone has stolen my pen.
- Passive: Has my pen been stolen by someone?
- They play handball.
- Active: They play handball.
- Passive: Is handball played by them?
- He killed a snake.
- Active: He killed a snake.
- Passive: A snake was killed by him.
- I can answer the question.
- Active: I can answer the question.
- Passive: Can the question be answered by me?
- He must fill in the form.
- Active: He must fill in the form.
- Passive: Must the form be filled in by him?
- Has he done his work?
- Active: Has he done his work?
- Passive: Has his work been done by him?
- This mango tastes great.
- Active: This mango tastes great.
- Passive: Is great taste found in this mango?
- Someone types the letters.
- Active: Someone types the letters.
- Passive: Are the letters typed by someone?
To be continued…
HBSE 2019 CLASS 12 ENGLISH
- The thief stole a number of things.
- When will he return your money ?
- Kindly call in the doctor.
- People play cricket all over the world.
- Do not waste your time.
- He might have saved your life.
- It is impossible to do it.
- How did you cross the road ?
- I take tea every morning.
- Where did they see you ?
- Could you solve this sum ?
- Summon the peon.
ReadLearnExcel Tip: Active and Passive Voice
ReadLearnExcel English Grammar:
- 12 Tenses in English Grammar: The Beginning of the English Learning Language
- English Grammar: Active and Passive Voices with Examples of 12 Tenses
- Direct and Indirect Speech: Steps & Rules to Change Narration
- Modal Auxiliaries for all Classes: PDF
- Articles in English: The Beginning of Learning English Grammar PDF
- Articles in English: The Beginning of Learning English Grammar
