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Basics OF English Language
There are two ways to express an action of a subject in relation to its object
Main Page of Grammar
Active and Passive Voice
Active voice
Active and Passive Voice
Passive voice
Passive Voice for TENSES
In active voice subject acts upon object, while in passive voice object is acted
Passive Voice for MODALS
upon by subject. It can also be said, in active voice subject does a work on object,
while in passive voice object is worked on by subject. The normal structure of an
active voice sentence is subject+v erb+object but in passive the normal structure of
sentence
is
reversed
according
to
certain
rules
and
becomes
like
Passive Voice for Imperative
Sentences
Sentence
which
can't
be
changed into Passive
object+v erb+subject. The real meaning of a sentence does not change if the
Grammar
sentence is expressed either by active voice or by passive voice. The active voice is
Articles "a/an and the"
mostly used in writing because it gives a direct and more concise meaning. Passive
Sentence
voice is used sometimes due to the following reasons.
Subject, Predicate, Object
Kinds of Sentences
1. When intentionally hiding the subject of sentence. For example, a student
who failed in exam might say, some chapters were not studied.
Another example. Women were not treated as equals
2. When passive voice better explain thought of sentence. For example, to say,
cloth is sold in yards, is more meaningful than to say, Shop keepers sell cloth in
yards.
3. When passive voice better emphasizes the main though of the sentence. For
example, a man who is being teased by another person might say in anger,
you will be beaten by me
4. When subject is not exactly known. For example, His watch was stolen. It is
not known that who stole his watch, the subject (thief) is not exactly known
so it is better to use passive voice for such sentence.There are certain rules
for expressing a thought in passive voice or for changing a sentence from
active voice to passive voice.
Fundamental Rules for changing from active voice to passive voice
Phrase and Clause
Clause
Types of Clauses
Types of Subordinate Clause
Phrase
Types of Phrase
Kinds of Sentences (form)
Parts of Speech
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Preposition
Conjunction
Interjection
Tenses
1. The places of subject and object are interchanged i.e. the object shifts to the
Tenses
place of subject and subject shifts to the place of object in passive voice.
Present Simple Tense
Example.
Present Continuous Tense
Active voice: I write a letter.
Present Perfect Tense
Passive voice: I letter is written by me.
Subject (I) of sentence shifted to the place of object (letter) and object
(letter) shifted to the place of subject (I) in passive voice.
Present Perfect Continuous
Tense
Past Simple Tense
Past Continuous Tense
2. Sometimes subject of sentence is not used in passive voice. Subject of
Past Perfect Tense
sentence can be omitted in passive voice, if without subject it can give
Past Perfect Continuous
enough meaning in passive voice.Examples.
Future Simple Tense
Passive voice: cloth is sold in yards
Future Continuous Tense
Future Perfect Tense
3. 3rd form of verb (past participle) is always used as main verb in sentences
Future Perfect Continuous
of passive voice for all tenses. Base form of verb or present participle will be
Direct and Indired
never used in passive voice.
Narration
The word by is used before subject in sentences in passive voice.Example.
Direct and Indirect Speech
Active voice: He sings a song.
Indirect Speech for TENSE
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Active and Passive Voice
Active voice: He sings a song.
Indirect Speech for TENSE
Passive voice: A song is sung by him.
4. The word by is not always used before subject in passive voice. Sometimes
Indirect
Speech
Indirect Speech for MODALS
words with, to, etc may also be used before subject in passive voice.
Indirect
Examples.
for
Interrogative Sentences
Speech
for
Exclamatory and Imperative
Active voice: The water fills the tub.
Sentences
Passive voice: The tub is filled with water.
Active voice: He knows me.
Change
in
Pronoun
and
Time in Indirect Speech
Passive voice: I am known to him.
5. Auxiliary verbs are used passive voice according to the tense of sentence.
Note: First 5 rules are usually same for all tenses in passive voice. Rule No. 6
is about the use of auxiliary verb in passive voice which differs for each tense.
The auxiliary verbs of passive voice are used according to tense of sentence
of its active voice form. The auxiliary verb for each tense is given in the
following table with explanation and examples. Click on the following links.
Click on the following links to study each aspect of active and passive voice.
Active and Passive Voice
Passive voice for all TENSES - Rules, use of auxiliary verbs and examples.
Passive voice for Present Modals like CAN, MAY, MIGHT, SHOULD, MUST,
TO and Past Modals like MAY HAVE, MIGHT HAVE, SHOULD HAVE,
OUGHT
MUST HAVE,
OUGHT TO HAVE
Passive voice of imperative sentences (command and request)
Sentences which cannot be changed into passive voice Intransitive verbs.
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