Rules of Active and Passive Voice with examples

Active and Passive Voice is an integral part of any of the exams, whether you are taking Board Exam, Non-Board Exam or any Competitive Exams held by Staff Selection Commission, IBPS, Railways, FCI and States’ Recruitment Boards.

As you know examweb.in is trying to cover all Grammar Topics, Question Papers of all Exams, Preparation Tips et al, we shall cover this very significant topic in this post. So get ready to learn Active and Passive Voice with the help of examples.

Definition of Voice –

A form of verb that tells us whether the Action is done by subject itself or it faces the result of action done by others. Sometime Action is done by the Subject directly and other times indirectly.

e.g.

He takes tea. ( The action of taking tea is being done by the subject” He” directly).

Tea is taken by him. ( The action of taking tea is being done by the same subject indirectly ).

There two type of voice – Active and Passive.

In Active Voice, the verb agrees the subject. It means the subject is active.

In Passive Voice, the verb agrees the object. It means the subject is passive.

Some Common Rules for Active and Passive Voice –

1. Subject is changed in to Passive Voice and vice versa.
2. Pronouns get changed when they change their positions in the following way –

I ↔ Me We ↔ Us You ↔ You He ↔ Him She ↔ Her It ↔ It They ↔ Them

1.  Only Verb III is used in Passive Constructions.

Active and Passive Voice Related with Tense –

Present Indefinite –

• Active Voice – Sub + V1+ s/es + Obj .
• Passive Voice – Obj + is/am/are/ V3+ by + Sub.

Examples –

She helps the poor.

The poor are helped by her.

Past Indefinite Tense –

• Active Voice – Sub + V2 + Obj .
• Passive Voice – Obj + was/were + V3+ by + Sub.

Examples –

They played football in the evening.

Football was played by them in the evening.

Future Indefinite –

• Active Voice – Sub + will/shall + V1 + Obj .
• Passive Voice – Obj + will/shall + be + V3+ by + Sub.

Examples –

We will take lunch now.

Lunch shall be taken by us now.

Present Continuous –

• Active Voice – Sub + is/am/are + V1+ ing + Obj .
• Passive Voice – Obj + is/am/are + being + V3+ by + Sub.

Examples –

She is singing a beautiful song this time.

A beautiful song is being sung by her this time.

Voice of Past Continuous Tense –

• Active Voice – Sub + was/were + V1+ ing + Obj .
• Passive Voice – Obj + was/were + being + V3+ by + Sub.

Examples –

The teacher was reading newspaper.

Newspaper was being read by the teacher.

Future Continuous ( Active and Passive Voice ) –

• Active Voice – Sub + will/shall + be + V1+ ing + Obj .
• Passive Voice – Obj + will/shall + be + being + V3+ by + Sub.

Examples –

They will be playing chess this time.

Chess will be being played by them this time.

Present Perfect –

• Active Voice – Sub + has/have + V3 + Obj .
• Passive Voice – Obj + has/have + been + V3+ by + Sub.

Examples –

Children have taken their breakfast.

The breakfast has been taken by children.

Past Perfect –

• Active Voice – Sub + had + V3 + Obj .
• Passive Voice – Obj + had + been + V3+ by + Sub.

Examples –

I had written a poem.

A poem had been written by me.

Future Perfect –

• Active Voice – Sub + will/shall+ have + V3 + Obj .
• Passive Voice – Obj + will/shall+have + been + V3+ by + Sub.

Examples –

She will have completed her home work.

The home work will have been completed by her.

Present Perfect Continuous –

• Active Voice – Sub + has/have + been + V1 + ing + Obj + since/for +time .
• Passive Voice – Obj + has/have + been + being + V3+ by + Sub + since+for +time.

Examples –

Rudra has been watching TV since Morning.

TV has been being watched by Rudra since morning.

Past Perfect Continuous –

• Active Voice – Sub + had + been + V1 + ing + Obj + since/for +time .
• Passive Voice – Obj + had + been + being + V3+ by + Sub + since+for +time.

Examples –

She had been cooking food for two hours.

Food had been being cooked by her for two hours.

Future Perfect Continuous – Learn Active and Passive Voice

• Active Voice – Sub + will/ shall+ have + been + V1 + ing + Obj + since/for +time .
• Passive Voice – Obj + will/shall + have + been + being + V3+ by + Sub + since+for +time.

They will have been writing a novel for two months.

A novel will have been being written by them for two months.

Rule No 2 – Voice Related with Modals –

• Active Voice – Sub + any Modal + V 1 + Obj.
• Passive Voice – Obj + same Modal + be + V 3 + by + sub.

Examples –

Rudra can speak English.

English can be spoken by Rudra.

You need not read this book.

The book need not be read by you.

Rule No 3 – Sentences with W-H Families ( Interrogative Sentences ) –

• Active Voice – What are you doing here ?
• Passive Voice – What is being done by you here ?

Rules of changing some Interrogative Pronouns –

Who is changed in to By whom

Whom in to Who

How many in to By how many

In some cases What into By what.

Rest of the Interrogative Pronouns remain unchanged.

Some more examples Of Active and Passive Voice –

How many people attended the party ?

By how many people was the party attended ?

What brings you here?

By what are you brought here ?

Rule No – 4

Structure –

• It is time to + v1+ obj. – Active Voice
• It is time for obj + to + be + v3. – Passive Voice

Examples

It is time to tale tea.

It is time for tea to be taken.

Now Check your Preparation from the sentences below –

a. How does she tell a lie ?

b. Don’t wear my shirt.

c. Do it immediately.

d. She bade me go.

e. Let us rest here.

Answers –

a. How is a lie told by her ?

b.You are forbidden to wear my shirt.

c. Let it be done immediately.

d. I was bidden to go.

e. It is suggested that we should rest here.

Practice Set – 1 of Active and Passive Voice

Practice Set – 2 for Voice