Active:

S+V+O

Passive: S + Be + PP(V3ed) +
by + O
(tense)
EX: My father planted this tree
last year.
This tree was planted by my

Present tense

Past tense

1st
person

I am

We are

I was

2nd
person

You are

You are You were

You were

3rd
person

He, she, it
is

They
are

They
were

He, she, it
was

We were

When the agent is unknown,

unimportant or obvious from the context
To make more polite or formal
statements
When the action is more important than
the agent, as in processes, instructions,
events, reports, headlines, news items,
and advertisements
To put emphasis on the agent

Active Voice
Subject
(doer)
Mrs Chan

Active
Verb
washes

Object
(receiver)
the dishes.

Passive Voice
Object
Active
Subject
(receiver)
Verb
(doer)
The dishes are washed by Mrs Chan

The Simple Present Tense

Active: S + V(s/es) + O

Passive: S + am/is/are + PP +
by + O
EX: He reads books every day.
Books are read (by him) every day.

The Present Continuous Tense

Active: S + am/is/are + V-ing + O

Passive: S + am/is/are + being +PP + by +
O

EX: He is writing a novel at the

moment.
A novel is being written (by him) at the
moment.

The Present Perfect Tense

Active: S + Has/Have + V3ed + O

Passive: S + has/have + been +PP +
by + O

EX: He has just finished a novel.

A novel has just been finished
(by him).

The Simple Past Tense

Active: S + V2ed + O
Passive: S + was/were + PP + by + O

EX: He gave Tom a book.

A book was given to Tom (by
him).
Tom was given a book (by him).

The Past Continuous Tense

Active: S + was/were + V-ing + O

Passive: S + was/were + being + PP +

by + O

EX: He was writing a letter at 8.00

yesterday.
A letter was being written (by him).

The Past Perfect Tense

Active: S + had + V3ed + O

Passive: S + had + been + PP + by
+O
EX: He had finished his homework
before 8.00 yesterday.
His homework had been finished (by
him) before 8.00 yesterday.

The Simple Future Tense

Active: S + will/shall + V + O
Passive: S + will/shall + be + PP + by
+O

EX: He will finish the homework.

The homework will be finished.

The Future Continuous Tense

Active: S + will/shall + be + V-ing + O

Passive: S + will/shall + be + being + PP
+ by + O

EX: Tom will be cooking lunch at

10.00 tomorrow.
Lunch will be being cooked by
Tom at 10.00 tomorrow.

The Future Perfect Tense

Active: S + will/shall + have + V3ed + O

Passive: S + will/shall + have + been + PP
+ by + O

EX: By the end of next week, he will

have written 10 letters to her.

By the end of next week, 10 letters
will have been written to her.

Modal Verbs can be used in either

the present or past forms.
Active: S + MV (not) + V + O
Passive: S + MV (not) + Be + PP + by
+O
EX: We cant solve this problem .

This problem cant be solved.

There is a dog which 1)_______

is called
(call)
is owned
Bubbles. It 2) ___________
is(own)
kept
by Michael Johnson. It 3)_________
is fed
(keep) in his home. It 4)___________
(feed) everyis
day
by Michael Johnson
dressed
himself. It 5) __________(dress) in
is said
funny clothes. It 6)_________(say)
that Bubbles is Johnsons only
friend.

Active Voice

Passive voice

I finish a project in
eight hours.

A project is finished in
eight hours.

I finish three projects

in eight hours

Three projects are finished

in eight hours

I finished a project in
eight hours.

A project was finished in

eight hours.

I finished three
Three projects were
projects in eight hours. finished in eight hours.

Active Voice

Passive voice

I finish a project in
eight hours.

A project is finished in
eight hours.

I finish three projects

in eight hours

Three projects are finished

in eight hours

I finished a project in
eight hours.

A project was finished in

eight hours.

I finished three
Three projects were
projects in eight hours. finished in eight hours.

Active Voice

Passive voice

I finish a project in
eight hours.

A project is finished in
eight hours.

I finish three projects

in eight hours

Three projects are finished

in eight hours

I finished a project in
eight hours.

A project was finished in

eight hours.

I finished three
Three projects were
projects in eight hours. finished in eight hours.

Active Voice

Passive voice

I finish a project in
eight hours.

A project is finished in
eight hours.

I finish three projects

in eight hours

Three projects are finished

in eight hours

I finished a project in
eight hours.

A project was finished in

eight hours.

I finished three
Three projects were
projects in eight hours. finished in eight hours.

Active Voice

Passive voice

I finish a project in
eight hours.

A project is finished in
eight hours.

I finish three projects

in eight hours

Three projects are finished

in eight hours

I finished a project in
eight hours.

A project was finished in

eight hours.

I finished three
Three projects were
projects in eight hours. finished in eight hours.

Active Voice

Passive voice

I finish a project in
eight hours.

A project is finished in
eight hours.

I finish three projects

in eight hours

Three projects are finished

in eight hours

I finished a project in
eight hours.

A project was finished in

eight hours.

I finished three
Three projects were
projects in eight hours. finished in eight hours.

Active Voice

Passive voice

I finish a project in
eight hours.

A project is finished in
eight hours.

I finish three projects

in eight hours

Three projects are finished

in eight hours

I finished a project in
eight hours.

A project was finished in

eight hours.

I finished three
Three projects were
projects in eight hours. finished in eight hours.

Active Voice

Passive voice

I finish a project in
eight hours.

A project is finished in
eight hours.

I finish three projects

in eight hours

Three projects are finished

in eight hours

I finished a project in
eight hours.

A project was finished in

eight hours.

I finished three
Three projects were
projects in eight hours. finished in eight hours.

1) The policemen catch the thief.

Ans: The thief is caught by the policemen.
2) The girl puts on a beautiful dress.
Ans: A beautiful dress is put on by the girl.

Exercise 3
: Change passive to active
1) The dishes are washed by Amy.
Ans: Amy washes the dishes.
2) The car is repaired by John and Peter.
Ans: John and Peter repair the car.