ACITVE AND PASSIVE VOICE

A sentence can be written in either active voice or passive voice without changing
the meaning of it.
hen the verb in a sentence shows that the sub!ect is the "oer of the action# the verb
is in the active voice.
E$amp%es&
'. Chi%"ren painte" these pictures. (Chi%"ren ) sub!ect* painte" ) verb*
pictures ) ob!ect+
,. -ames writes a %etter (-ames ) sub!ect* writes ) verb* %etter ) ob!ect+
hen the verb in a sentence shows that the sub!ect is not the "oer of the action# the
verb is in the passive voice. (.enera%%/ /ou wi%% fin" 0b/1 in the sentence. If 0b/1 is
not there# /ou can put a 2uestion 0ho31# /ou wi%% get an answer.+
E$amp%es&
'. These pictures were painte" b/ chi%"ren& (pictures ) sub!ect* painte" ) verb*
chi%"ren 4 ob!ect
,. A %etter is written b/ -ames (%etter ) sub!ect# written ) verb* -ames ) Ob!ect+
5u%es for conversion from Active to Passive Voice
'. The sub!ect an" ob!ect are interchange"
,. The preposition 67 is a""e" before the ob!ect
8. The verb is change" to past particip%e (8
r"
form of verb+
9. A new au$i%iar/ is a""e" to the Past Particip%e form of verb.
:. If the sub!ect or the ob!ect in an active voice sentence is a pronoun (I# we#
/ou# he# she# the/# it+ it changes& (I4me* we4us* /ou4/ou* he4him* she4her*
the/4them* it4it+ an" vice4versa. E.g. I wrote a %etter ) A %etter was written b/
me. The prefect "oes ;eep accusing me "ai%/ ) I am being accuse" b/ the
prefect "ai%/.
<. If the sub!ect in the active voice sentence is un;nown or unimportant or
obvious# b/ = ob!ect is omitte". e ma;e butter from cow>s mi%;. 6utter is
ma"e from cow>s mi%;.
?. If the verb in the active voice sentence has a mo"a% in it# the verb is change"
to ) mo"a% = be = the past particip%e. e.g. 5a!esh can %ift this bo$. This bo$
can be %ifte" b/ 5a!esh. e shou%" obe/ the ru%es. The ru%es shou%" be
obe/e".
@. hen there are two ob!ects# on%/ one ob!ect is interchange". The secon"
ob!ect remains unchange". (Ae to%" me a stor/ ) Ae4 sub!ect* me ) ob!ect '*
a stor/ ) ob!ect ,+ ( I was to%" a stor/ b/ him* A stor/ was to%" to me b/ him+
The tab%e be%ow shows how the verb is change" into its passive voice form in
"ifferent tenses.
Tense Active Voice Passive Voice
The simp%e present Ae eats an app%e An app%e is eaten b/ him.
The present continuous Ae is eating an app%e. An app%e is being eaten b/
him.
The present perfect Ae has eaten an app%e. An app%e has been eaten
b/ him.
The simp%e past Ae ate an app%e. An app%e was eaten b/
him.
The past continuous Ae was eating an app%e An app%e was being eaten
b/ him
The past perfect Ae ha" eaten an app%e An app%e ha" been eaten
b/ him
The simp%e future Ae wi%% eat an app%e An app%e wi%% be eaten b/
him.
The Buture continuous Ae wi%% be eating an app%e. An app%e wi%% have been
eaten b/ him.
The Buture in the past Ae wou%" have eaten an
app%e
An app%e wou%" have been
eaten b/ him
Note& Some of the sentences %i;e ) sentences constructe" using au$i%iar/
verbs( Aariharan is a goo" bo/+* perfect continuous tenses ( in a%% the three time
perio"s ) Present# Past# Buture+ (C/ room mate has been cop/ing m/ homewor;+
an" intransitive verbs ( I go to temp%e or she has gone to the mar;et+ cannot be
converte" into passive form .