Active and Passive Voice in English

English grammar includes two types of voice: active voice and passive voice. These voices are used to show whether the subject of a sentence performs or receives the action. Understanding the difference between active and passive voice is essential for improving communication skills and clarity in writing and speaking.

Active Voice

In active voice, the subject of the sentence performs the action. It is the most straightforward and commonly used voice in English because it is clear and direct.

Structure of Active Voice

• Subject + Verb + Object
  • Example: The teacher (subject) explains (verb) the lesson (object).

When to Use Active Voice

• To make sentences clear and direct.
• When focusing on who is doing the action.
• In informal and conversational settings.

Examples of Active Voice:

1. She baked a cake.
2. The dog chased the ball.
3. We are watching a movie.
4. The children cleaned the room.

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Passive Voice

In passive voice, the focus is on the action or the object receiving the action rather than the subject performing it. The subject is either omitted or mentioned after the verb, preceded by “by.”

Structure of Passive Voice

• Object of the Active Sentence + Be (in correct tense) + Past Participle + (by + Subject, if needed)
  • Example: The lesson (object) is explained (verb) by the teacher (subject).

When to Use Passive Voice

• When the doer (subject) is unknown or unimportant.
• To emphasize the action or the recipient of the action.
• In formal writing or scientific reports.

Examples of Passive Voice:

1. A cake was baked by her.
2. The ball was chased by the dog.
3. A movie is being watched by us.
4. The room was cleaned by the children.

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Active vs. Passive Voice

• Active Voice: Subject performs the action.
  • Example: The chef cooked the meal.
• Passive Voice: The action is received by the subject.
  • Example: The meal was cooked by the chef.

Chart for Active and Passive Voice

Below is a helpful chart that shows how different tenses change in active and passive voice:

Tense	Active Voice Structure	Passive Voice Structure	Examples
Present Simple	Subject + Verb (s/es) + Object	Object + is/am/are + Past Participle + (by…)	Active: He writes a letter. Passive: A letter is written by him.
Past Simple	Subject + Verb (ed/irregular) + Object	Object + was/were + Past Participle + (by…)	Active: They cleaned the house. Passive: The house was cleaned by them.
Future Simple	Subject + will + Verb + Object	Object + will be + Past Participle + (by…)	Active: She will finish the report. Passive: The report will be finished by her.
Present Continuous	Subject + is/am/are + Verb (-ing) + Object	Object + is/am/are + being + Past Participle	Active: I am reading a book. Passive: A book is being read by me.
Past Continuous	Subject + was/were + Verb (-ing) + Object	Object + was/were + being + Past Participle	Active: They were watching a movie. Passive: A movie was being watched by them.
Present Perfect	Subject + have/has + Past Participle	Object + have/has been + Past Participle	Active: He has completed the project. Passive: The project has been completed by him.
Past Perfect	Subject + had + Past Participle	Object + had been + Past Participle	Active: She had written the letter. Passive: The letter had been written by her.
Future Perfect	Subject + will have + Past Participle	Object + will have been + Past Participle	Active: They will have repaired the car. Passive: The car will have been repaired by them.

Example Sentences of Active and Passive

Present Simple Tense

1. Active: She waters the plants.
   Passive: The plants are watered by her.
2. Active: He delivers the newspaper.
   Passive: The newspaper is delivered by him.

Past Simple Tense

3. Active: They painted the house.
   Passive: The house was painted by them.
4. Active: She fixed the computer.
   Passive: The computer was fixed by her.

Future Simple Tense

5. Active: He will build a new school.
   Passive: A new school will be built by him.
6. Active: They will host the meeting.
   Passive: The meeting will be hosted by them.

Present Continuous Tense

7. Active: She is teaching the students.
   Passive: The students are being taught by her.
8. Active: We are cleaning the kitchen.
   Passive: The kitchen is being cleaned by us.

Past Continuous Tense

9. Active: He was repairing the bike.
   Passive: The bike was being repaired by him.
10. Active: They were organizing the event.
    Passive: The event was being organized by them.

Present Perfect Tense

11. Active: She has decorated the room.
    Passive: The room has been decorated by her.
12. Active: He has sent the invitations.
    Passive: The invitations have been sent by him.

Past Perfect Tense

13. Active: They had completed the project.
    Passive: The project had been completed by them.
14. Active: She had made the cake.
    Passive: The cake had been made by her.

Future Perfect Tense

15. Active: He will have finished the homework.
    Passive: The homework will have been finished by him.
16. Active: They will have planned the trip.
    Passive: The trip will have been planned by them.

Additional Sentences (Everyday Use)

1. Active: The chef cooks delicious meals.
   Passive: Delicious meals are cooked by the chef.
2. Active: The team won the match.
   Passive: The match was won by the team.
3. Active: She is reading a novel.
   Passive: A novel is being read by her.
4. Active: He has written a letter to his friend.
   Passive: A letter to his friend has been written by him.
5. Active: They are organizing a charity event.
   Passive: A charity event is being organized by them.
6. Active: We watched an interesting documentary.
   Passive: An interesting documentary was watched by us.

By using the chart and examples provided, mastering active and passive voice becomes simpler. Remember to choose the voice that suits the purpose of your sentence for clarity and effectiveness.

Practice Exercise: Active and Passive Voice

Below are 10 questions to practice converting sentences between active and passive voice. Try to answer them on your own before checking the answers provided at the end.

Questions

1. Convert to Passive Voice:
   The chef prepares the meal.
2. Convert to Active Voice:
   The book was read by the students.
3. Convert to Passive Voice:
   She will complete the project.
4. Convert to Active Voice:
   The room is cleaned by the janitor every morning.
5. Convert to Passive Voice:
   They are repairing the bridge.
6. Convert to Active Voice:
   The letter has been written by John.
7. Convert to Passive Voice:
   The artist painted a beautiful portrait.
8. Convert to Active Voice:
   The house will be renovated by the construction team.
9. Convert to Passive Voice:
   We saw a rare bird in the forest.
10. Convert to Active Voice:
    The homework is being done by the children.

Answers

1. Passive Voice: The meal is prepared by the chef.
2. Active Voice: The students read the book.
3. Passive Voice: The project will be completed by her.
4. Active Voice: The janitor cleans the room every morning.
5. Passive Voice: The bridge is being repaired by them.
6. Active Voice: John has written the letter.
7. Passive Voice: A beautiful portrait was painted by the artist.
8. Active Voice: The construction team will renovate the house.
9. Passive Voice: A rare bird was seen by us in the forest.
10. Active Voice: The children are doing the homework.

How to Use These Exercises

• Write down your answers and compare them to the correct ones.
• Focus on understanding the sentence structure changes in each conversion.
• Practice similar sentences to improve fluency in switching between active and passive voice.

FAQs

1. What is the difference between active and passive voice?

• In active voice, the subject does the action.
  Example: She writes a letter.
• In passive voice, the subject receives the action.
  Example: A letter is written by her.

2. When should I use active voice?

• Use active voice for clear and direct sentences, especially in everyday conversations or informal writing.

3. When should I use passive voice?

• Use passive voice when the focus is on the action or when the subject is unknown, unimportant, or implied.
  Example: The work was finished on time.

4. How do I form a passive sentence?

• Start with the object of the active sentence, use the correct form of “to be,” add the past participle of the verb, and include “by” if needed.
  Example: Active: She sings a song.
  Passive: A song is sung by her.

5. Can all sentences be changed to passive voice?

• No. Only sentences with a direct object can be changed into passive voice.
  Example: She sleeps. (No object, so it can’t be passive.)

6. Is passive voice wrong to use?

• No, it is not wrong, but overusing it can make writing less engaging. Use it only when necessary.

7. How does tense affect passive voice?

• Tense affects the form of “to be” in passive sentences.
  Example:
  Active: They eat apples (Present Simple).
  Passive: Apples are eaten by them (Present Simple).

8. What are common verbs used in passive sentences?

• Common verbs include make, write, clean, prepare, build, finish, etc.
  Example: The report was prepared by the team.

9. Is “by” always needed in passive voice?

• No, you can omit “by” if the subject is unknown or unimportant.
  Example: The cake was eaten.

10. How can I improve at using active and passive voice?

• Practice converting sentences between active and passive voice and focus on identifying the subject, verb, and object in each sentence.

The PDF book of this lesson helps you to revise this lesson. You can download it for free. Just click on the given link below and download a free PDF book:

Active Voice and Passive Voice.pdf

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