English Grammar Active and

Passive
Class : 8
Abha Kakar
Speech Rules

In English, the verb form which indicates whether the subject

(person or object) of a sentence do something or something
has been done on the subject called the voice. A sentence that
begin with the subject or the object to determine whether the
sentence was categorized as active or passive voice
sentences.
For example, when a sentence has one auxiliary verb, such as
am, are, is, been, being, be, and past participle of verbs like
written, driven, drawn, known, learned, broken, discovered; the
sentence is a passive voice.

What is Voice of a verb?

The voice of a verb expresses whether the subject in the
sentence has performed or received the action.
Example:
• The watchman opens the door.
• The door is opened by the watchman.
Types of Voices of Verb
Verbs have two voices (i) Active Voice (ii) Passive Voice
Active Voice – When an action performed by the subject is
expressed by the verb, it is an active voice. Active voice is
used when more straightforward relation and clarity is
required between the subject and the verb.
Active Voice example:
• Hens lay eggs.
• Birds build nests.
Passive Voice –  When the action expressed by the verb is
received by the subject, it is passive voice. Passive voice is
used when the doer of the action is not known and the focus
of the sentence is on the action and not the subject.
Passive Voice Examples:
• Eggs are laid by hens.
• Nests are built by birds.

Uses of Passive Voice

1. “By” is used in the passive voice when the actor needs to
know the job.
2. Example: “Love addicted” was sung by Vamps.
3. Passive voice is used if it doesn’t need to know the
perpetrator work.
4. Example: the streets are cleaned everyday
5. Passive voice is used if we don’t know or forget who the
perpetrator work.
6. Example: The police was murdered.
 7. Passive voice is used if we are more interested in the job
than the actors who work.
8. Example: A new departmental store is being built.
9. Passive voice is used to avoid an awkward sentence or
inappropriate with grammar.
10.Example: When she arrived home a police arrested her —
it’s better: when she arrived home she was arrested (by a
police).
The Rules to Change the Sentences from Active to
Passive Form
1. The sentence must have objects (transitive verb). If there
is no object then there must be question word who asks
the object.
2. Object active sentence became the subject of passive
sentences.
3. Subject or active sentences into passive sentences that
preceded the object word “by”.
4. The verb used is verb III (past participle) which preceded
by to be.
5. The adjusted sentence structure by tenses.

Fundamental Rules
1. The places of subject and object are interchanged i.e. the
object shifts to the place of subject and subject shifts to the
place of object in passive voice.
Example:
• Active voice: I write a letter.
• 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.
2. Sometimes subject of sentence is not used in passive voice.
Subject of sentence can be omitted in passive voice, if without
subject it can give enough meaning in passive voice.
Example:
 • Passive voice: cloth is sold in yards
3. 3rd form of verb (past participle) is always used as main verb
in sentences of passive voice for all tenses. Base form of verb
or present participle will be never used in passive voice.
The word “by” is used before subject in sentences in passive
voice.
Example:
• Active voice: He sings a song.
• Passive voice: A song is sung by him.
4. The word “by” is not always used before subject in passive
voice. Sometimes words “with, to, etc” may also be used before
subject in passive voice.
Examples:
• Active voice: The water fi lls the tub.
• Passive voice: The tub is fi lled with water.
• Active voice: He knows me.
• Passive voice: I am known to him.
5. Auxiliary verbs are used passive voice according to the tense
of sentence.
Changes of Pronouns
Active Voice Passive Voice

I me

we us

you you

he him

she her

it it

they them
The Form of Active Voice and
Passive Voice in Tenses
Passive voice in Simple Present Tense
Active Voice Passive Voice

Formula: Subject + Formula: S + to be + past

infinitive + object participle + by object
Examples:
Simson cares the lion The lion is cared by Simson

Ana does the The homework is done by

homework Ana

They sell that house That house is sell by them

Jessica always plays The piano is always played

the piano by Jessica

She buys a book A book is bought by her

Passive voice in Present Continuous Tense

Active Voice Passive Voice

Formula: Subject + to be Formula: S + to be (is, am,

(is, am, are) + present are) + being + past
participle + object participle + by object
Examples:
She is doing her The homework is being done
homework by her

He is waiting for Dewi Dewi is being waited by him

They are giving the The present is being given

present by them
 Bobby is drawing a nice A nice scenery is being
scenery drawn by Bobby

Ratna is writing the The letter is being written by

letter Ratna

Passive voice in Simple Past Tense

Active Voice Passive Voice

Formula: Subject + past Formula: S + was/were +

participle + object past participle + by object
Examples:
She cleaned the house The house was cleaned by
her

Jeffri bought a new car A new car was bought by

Jeffri

The teacher called the The students were called by

students the teacher

She saved her money Her money was saved by her

Rina paid all her Her purchase were paid by

purchase Rina

Passive voice in Past Continuous Tense

Active Voice Passive Voice

Formula: S + was/were + Formula: S + was/were +

being + past participle + being + past participle +
by object by object
Examples:
I was waiting for Dina Dina was being waited by
me
 She was reading a A novel was being read by
novel her

Andi was learning an An English was being learnt

English by Andi

They are building the The house being built by

house them

He was playing a kite A kite was being played by

him

Passive voice in Past Perfect Tense

Active Voice Passive Voice

Formula: Subject + had + Formula: S + had been +

past participle + object past participle + by object
Examples:
He had left that place That place had been left by
him

I had finished my work My work had been finished

by me

She had missed the The last bus had been

last bus missed by her

He had posted the The letter had been posted

letter by him

Rudi had completed his His speech had been

speech completed by Rudi

Passive voice in Simple Future Tense

Active Voice Passive Voice

Formula: Subject + will + Formula: S + will + be +

infinitive + object past participle + by object
Examples:
I shall read a A newspaper will be read by
newspaper me

She will sing a beautiful A beautiful song will be sung

song by her

Budi will repair his His bicycle will be repaired

bicycle by Budi

They will pay the tax The tax will be paid by them

We shall start this This meeting will be started

meeting by us

Passive voice in Future Continuous Tense

Active Voice Passive Voice

Formula: Subject + will be Formula: S + will + be +

+ present participle + ing + past participle + by
object object
Examples:
He will be doing a test A test will be being done by
tomorrow him tomorrow

They will be watching The movie will be being

movie on next watched by them on next
Saturday Saturday

Mita will be increasing Her value will be being

her value next time increased by Mita next time

She will be applying a A job will be being applied by

job tomorrow her tomorrow

Sinta will be learning Her lesson will be being

her lesson next week learnt by Sinta

Passive voice in Past Future Tense

 Formula: Subject + Formula: S + would + be
would + infinitive + +past pasrticiple + by object
object
Examples:
I would buy a book A book would be bought by
tomorrow me

They would play football Football would be played by

next time them next time

Mita would wash her Her shoes would be washed

shoes tomorrow by Nita tomorrow

My father would use Blackberry would be used

Blackberry tomorrow by my father tomorrow

I would sell my laptop My laptop would be sold

next week next week
The following tenses cannot be changed into passive voice.
1. Present perfect continuous tense
2. Past perfect continuous tense
3. Future perfect continuous tense

Active and Passive voice using

Modals
Active and Passive voice using Can
This modal applies to all subjects. The sentence patterns are:
Active Voice Passive Voice

S + can + infinitive + S + can be + past participle +

object by object
Examples:
She can sell the car The car can be sold by her
every time. every time.
 Can she play a violin? Can a violin be played by
her?
To change the above sentence into a negative sentence, then
place the word not after can. The sentence patterns are:
S + can not + infinitive S + can not be + past
+ object participle + object

Risky can not buy this This car can not be bought
car every time. by Risky every time.

Active and Passive voice using May

This modal applies to all subjects. The sentence patterns are:
Active Voice Passive Voice

S + may + infinitive + S + may be + past participle +

object by object
Examples:
He may sell the The house may be sold by
house. him.

May I buy the May the computer be bought

computer? by me?
To change the above sentence into a negative sentence, then
place the word not after may.
I may not buy the The computer may not be
computer. bought by me.

Active and Passive voice using Must

This modal applies to all subjects. The sentence patterns are:
Active Voice Passive Voice

S + must + infinitive + S + must be + past participle +

object by object
Examples:
To change the above sentence into a negative sentence, then
place the word not after must.
Dewi must not open the The gate must not be
gate every morning. opened by Dewi every
morning.

Active and Passive voice using Might

This modal applies to all subjects. The sentence patterns are:
Active Voice Passive Voice

S + might + infinitive + S + might be + past participle

object + by object
Examples:
He might meet Dewi. Dewi might be met by him.
To change the above sentence into a negative sentence, then
place the word not after might.
Guests might not play Chess might not be played
chess. guests.

Passive voice for “May Have, Might Have, Should

Have, Must Have, Ought To Have”

Active voice: MAY Active voice: MAY HAVE

HAVE BEEN

You may have availed The opportunity may have

the opportunity. been availed by you.

You may not have The opportunity may not

availed the opportunity. have been availed by you.

Active voice: MIGHT Active voice: MIGHT HAVE

HAVE BEEN
 He might have eaten Meal might have been eaten
meal. by him.

He might not have Meal might not have been

eaten meal. eaten by him.

Active voice: SHOULD Active voice: SHOULD

HAVE HAVE BEEN

You should have The book should have been

studied the book. studied by you.

You should not have The book should have not

studied the book. been studied by you.

Active voice: MUST Active voice: MUST HAVE

HAVE BEEN

He must have started Job must have been started

job. by you.

He must not have Job must not have been

started job. started by you.

Active voice: OUGHT Active voice: OUGHT TO

TO HAVE HAVE BEEN

You ought to have He ought to have been

helped him. helped by you

Verbs Followed by Modals (Can, could, may, might,

would, should, ought)
The form of the verb is the same as that of a verb in the Simple
Future Tense, i.e., modal auxiliary + be + III form.
Active Voice Passive Voice

You can do this work. This work can be done by

you.
 Police could not catch The thief could not be caught
the thief. by police.

You may read this This book may be read by

book. you.

He might suffer a great A great loss might be

loss. suffered by him.

You should respect Your parents should be

your parents. respected by you.

She would teach us We would be taught by her

today. today.

We must help the poor. The poor must be helped by

us.

We ought to respect Our elders ought to be

our elders. respected by us.

Passive Voice Active Voice

A scholarship may be won by She may win a

her. scholarship.

Could this sum be solved by Could you solve this

you? sum?

Should cards be played at by Should we play at

us? cards.

By whom could he be Who could help him?

helped?

Imperative Sentences
A sentence that expresses a command, or a request or an
advice, or an entreaty is called an Imperative Sentence or
Desire.
Characteristics of Imperative Sentences
1. The object you is generally missing in Imperative
Sentences. The structure of such sentences in Passive
Voice is: Let + object + be/not be + V3
2. In sentences which express request, advice and order,
such phrases as, You are requested to/advised to /ordered
to are used.
3. Word kindly/please are dropped.
Active Voice Passive Voice

Do it. Let it be done.

Call in the doctor. Let the doctor be called in.

Never tell a lie. Let a lie be never told

Shut the door. Let the door be shut.

Do not starve the Let the cow not be starved

cow.

Stand up. You are ordered to stand up.

Kindly lend me You are requested to lend me

some money. some money.

Work hard. You are advised to work hard

Don not do it. You are forbidden to do it. or Let

it be not done

Passive Voice Active Voice

You are ordered to open the Open the door.

door.

You are requested to come here. Come here please.

Let the light be witched on. Switch on the light.

 Let your parents be obeyed. Obey your parents.

Change of Voice in the Infinitive Verbs

Active Voice Passive Voice

to + V1 to + be + V3

I have to do this work. This work has to be done.

I want to buy this book. I want this book to be

bought.

Women like men to Women like to be flattered

flatter them. by men.

There is no shop to let. There is no shop to be let.

infinitive ‘to’
Verbs/phrases
I made him stand up. He was made to stand up by
me.

I saw him cross the He was seen to cross the road

road. (by me).
It is time to
It is time to do this work. It is time for this work to
be done.

It is time to call the roll. It is time for the roll to be

called.

Passive Voice Active Voice

I expect her to be brought I expect to bring her

round. round.

A pen is to be written with. A pen is to write with.

 It is time for the race to be It is time to run the race.
run.

They should he invited by We should invite them.

us.

Sentences which cannot be changed into passive

voice
Transitive and intransitive verb
A verb can be either transitive or intransitive. A transitive verb
needs an object (in sentence) to give complete meaning while
intransitive verb does need an object (in sentence) to give
complete meaning.
For example:
Transitive verb: He sent a letter.   (Send is a transitive verb and
it needs an object i.e. letter to express full meaning.)
Intransitive Verb: He laughs.  (Laugh is an intransitive verb and
it does not need object for expressing full meaning.)
e.g. Sleep, go, reach, sit, die, are examples of intransitive
verbs.
Intransitive verb cannot be changed into passive voice
The sentences having intransitive verbs (belonging to any
tense) cannot be changed into passive voice. The reason is that
there is not any object in such sentences and without object of
sentence passive voice is not possible.
A sentence can be changed into passive voice if it has subject
and object. Sometimes subject may not be written in passive
voice but it does not mean that it has no subject. Such
sentences have subject but the subject is so common or
familiar or known that if even it is not written in passive voice, it
gives full meaning.

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