INDERPRASTHA ENGINEERING COLLEGE, GHAZIABAD

DEPARTMENT OF APPLIED SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES

SUBJECT: SOFT SKILLS (BAS 105)

Voice of a verb

The voice of a verb is the form of the verb that indicates whether the subject of the
sentence is performing the action or the subject is receiving the action. In the
English Language, verbs can be classified into two types of voices – Active
voice and Passive voice.

What is Active Voice?

 When the subject of the sentence performs the action expressed by the
verb then it is Active Voice.
 For Example: “Nisha ate the apple”. Here “Nisha” is the subject
performing the action “ate” .
What is Passive Voice?
 When the subject of the sentence receives the action expressed by the verb
or is acted upon then it is Passive Voice.
 For Example: “The apple was eaten by Nisha.” Here” The apple” is the
subject receiving the action “was eaten”.

“Active voice defines that the subject is doing the action and the passive voice
refers to that the subject is being acted upon.”

Active and Passive Voice Rules Chart

Tense Active voice Passive voice

Present Indefinite Does/Do Is/Are/Am

Present Continuous Is/Am/Are Is/Am/Are + Being

Present Perfect Has / Have Has been / Have been

Present Perfect Continuous Has / Have been Has / Have been + Being

Past Indefinite Did Was / Were

Past Continuous was/were was/ were + being

 INDERPRASTHA ENGINEERING COLLEGE, GHAZIABAD
DEPARTMENT OF APPLIED SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES
SUBJECT: SOFT SKILLS (BAS 105)

Tense Active voice Passive voice

Past Perfect had had been

Past Perfect Continuous had been had been + being

Future Indefinite Will Will be

Future Continuous Will be Will be + Being

Future Perfect Will have Will have been

Future Perfect Continuous Will have been Will have been + being

Active And Passive Voice Rules For Conversion :

 The object of the active verb becomes the subject of the passive verb.
 The active sentence’s subject becomes the object of the passive sentence
(or is dropped). The finite form of the verb is changed to past participle or
V3 form.
 The preposition “by” is used before the passive object.

TENSE Active Voice Passive Voice

Simple Present I write a letter. A letter is written by me.

Present Continuous I am writing a letter. A letter is being written by me.

Present Perfect I have written a letter. A letter has been written by me.

Present Perfect I have been writing a A letter has been being written
Continuous letter. by me.

Simple Past I wrote a letter. A letter was written by me.

Past Continuous I was writing a letter. A letter was being written by

 INDERPRASTHA ENGINEERING COLLEGE, GHAZIABAD
DEPARTMENT OF APPLIED SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES
SUBJECT: SOFT SKILLS (BAS 105)

TENSE Active Voice Passive Voice

me.

Past Perfect I had written a letter. A letter had been written by me.

Past Perfect I had been writing a A letter had been being written
Continuous letter. by me.

Simple Future I will write a letter. A letter will be written by me.

I will be writing a A letter will be being written by

Future Continuous
letter. me.

I will have written a A letter will have been written

Future Perfect
letter. by me.

Future Perfect I will have been writing A letter will have been being
Continuous a letter. written by me.

Exercise 1: Change the following active voice sentences into passive voice:
1. The teacher teaches the students.
2. They built a new house.
3. She will sing a song.
4. The chef cooked a delicious meal.
5. The company has developed a new product.

Exercise 2: Rewrite the following sentences in passive voice:

1. The cat chased the mouse.
2. He has completed the assignment.
3. They are repairing the car.
4. The gardener is planting flowers.
5. She will bake a cake.

Exercise 3: Identify whether the following sentences are in active or passive voice:
1. The letter was written by Mary.
2. They are watching a movie.
3. The door was opened by John.
 INDERPRASTHA ENGINEERING COLLEGE, GHAZIABAD
DEPARTMENT OF APPLIED SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES
SUBJECT: SOFT SKILLS (BAS 105)
4. She will be awarded a prize.
5. He fixed the computer.