ENGLISH GRAMMAR

ACTIVE
ACTIVE AND
AND PASSIVE
PASSIVE
VOICE
VOICE
Use in day-to-day language
We use a lot of sentences in our day-to-day life to
converse.Most of the sentences which we say are in
active voice as they are shorter.Examples for the same
would be discussed later in the session.
So let us understand the meaning of Active voice and
Passive voice and then go ahead with the examples while
we discuss the rules for the same.
In grammar, Voice refers to the form of a verb that
shows whether the subject of a sentence performs the
action or is affected by it.
 ACTIVE VOICE

• Def
• A verb is in the Active Voice when its form
shows that the person or thing denoted by
the Subject does something ; or, in other
words , is the doer of the action.
• The Active Voice is so called because the
person denoted by the Subject acts.
• E.g. Jim killed a snake.
 PASSIVE VOICE

• Def
• A verb is in the Passive Voice when its
form shows that something is done to the
person or thing denoted by the Subject.
• The Passive Voice is so called because the
person or thing denoted by the Subject is
not active but passive ,that is ,suffers or
receives some action.
• E.g. A snake was killed by Jim.
 General Rule
Normally , only those verbs can be passivized which have an object.
Such verbs are called Transitive verbs i.e. verbs with objects. Thus , a
typical active voice sentence should have the following parts in order
for it to be passivized.

Subject ( Doer ) + Verb + Object

It is noticed that when the verb is changed from the Active Voice to the
Passive Voice , the Object of the Transitive verb in the Active Voice
becomes the Subject of the Verb in the Passive Voice.
Tense Active Voice Passive Voice

Simple take is taken

takes are taken
Present

am taking is being taken

is taking are being taken
Present are taking
Continuous
has taken has been taken
have taken have been taken
Present
Perfect
 Tense Active Voice Passive Voice

Simple Past took was taken

were taken

was taking was being taken

Past were taking were being taken
Continuous

Past Perfect had taken had been taken

 Tense Active Passive voice
voice

will take will be taken

Simple
Future shall take shall be taken

Should take should be taken

Can take Can be taken
Could take Could be taken
MODALS May take May be taken
Might take Might be taken
Must take Must be taken
Ought to take Ought to be taken
 SOME MORE RULES

You may have to use an I by me

appropriate preposition We by us
like ‘by’ before the passive You by you
object whenever it is
He by him
mentioned.
She by her
It by it
They by them
Sid by Sid
 Some more rules

When we change a sentence from active voice to

passive voice , the tense of the verb remains the
same.

The verb has to agree with the subject of the

sentence.
 Passive of imperative sentences

Commands
form : let + subject +be (not) +past participle
e.g. Active : Shut the door.
Passive : Let the door be shut.
Requests
In these sentences the action does not pass to
the object. The advice remains limited to the
subject only.
e.g. Active : Kindly help him.
Passive : You are requested to help him.
 TIME FOR EXAMPLES
• LET US TAKE
SOME EXAMPLES
TO UNDERSTAND
ACTIVE VOICE
AND PASSIVE
VOICE MORE
CLEARLY.
 ACTIVE

Mark wrote a letter.

 PASSIVE

A letter was written by Mark.

 Change from active to passive
voice
• My uncle looks after • I am looked after by
me. my uncle.
• The boys are running a • A race is being run by
race. the boys.
• Floods have destroyed • Crops have been
crops. destroyed by floods.
• Do you like her? • Is she liked by you?
• Are they flying kites? • Are kites being flown
by them?
 Contd;
• He shot a bird. • A bird was shot by
him.
• A letter was being
• He was writing a written by him.
letter .
• The clerk had been
• They had bribed bribed by them.
the clerk.
• Was my cheese
• Did you eat my eaten by you?
cheese?
 Contd;
• You must reveal the • The facts must be
facts. revealed by you.
• Someone must have • The necklace must
stolen the necklace. have been stolen by
you.
• Children ought to • The elders ought to
obey the elders. be obeyed by
children.
• The letter may not
• They may not have have been sent by
sent the letter. them.
 Contd ;

• Inform the police. • Let the police be

informed.
• Work hard. • You are advised to
work hard.
• You are requested to
• Please wait for me. wait for me.
• You are requested to
• Kindly do me a favour. do me a favour.
Any doubts??
THANK YOU STUDENTS!