Active and Passive voice

The voice of a verb tells whether the subject of the sentence

performs or receives the action. In English there are two
voices: active and passive.

Active Form
In active sentences, the thing doing the action is the subject of
the sentence and the thing receiving the action is the object.
Most sentences are active.
[Thing doing action] + [verb] + [thing receiving action]

Passive Form
In passive sentences, the thing receiving the action is the
subject of the sentence and the thing doing the action is
optionally included near the end of the sentence.

 You can use the passive form if you think that the thing
receiving the action is more important or should be
emphasized.
 You can also use the passive form if you do not know
who is doing the action or if you do not want to mention
who is doing the action.
[Thing receiving action] + [be] + [past participle of verb] +
[by] + [thing doing action]
Changing from Active voice to Passive voice
1. Move the active sentence's direct object into the
sentence's subject slot

The student delivered a beautiful speech

a beautiful speech The student

2. Add a preposition by to the active sentence’s
subject

A beautiful speech by the student

3. Add a form of the auxiliary verb be to the main

verb and change the main verb’s form
Auxiliary verbs: different forms of: be, has, do

A beautiful speech was delivered by the student

 Active / Passive Overview

Tense Active Passive

Once a week, the
Simple Once a week, Tom
house is cleaned by
Present cleans the house.
Tom.
Right now, the letter
Present Right now, Sarah is
is being written by
Continuous writing the letter.
Sarah.
Sam repaired the The car was
Simple Past
car. repaired by Sam.
The salesman was The customer was
helping the being helped by the
Past
customer when the salesman when the
Continuous
thief came into the thief came into the
store. store.
That castle has
Present Many tourists have
been visited by
Perfect visited that castle.
many tourists.
Recently, the work
Present Recently, John has
has been being
Perfect been doing the
done by John.
Continuous work.
Many cars had been
George had
repaired by George
repaired many cars
before he received
Past Perfect before he received
his mechanic's
his mechanic's
license.
license.
 The restaurant's
Chef Jones had
fantastic dinners had
been preparing
been being
Past Perfect the restaurant's
prepared by Chef
Continuous fantastic dinners for
Jones for two years
two years before he
before he moved to
moved to Paris.
Paris.
Simple Someone will
The work will be
Future finish the work by
finished by 5:00 PM.
will 5:00 PM.
Simple Sally is going to A beautiful dinner is
Future make a beautiful going to be made
be going to dinner tonight. by Sally tonight.
At 8:00 PM tonight, At 8:00 PM tonight,
Future
John will be the dishes will be
Continuous
washing the being washed by
will
dishes. John.
At 8:00 PM tonight, At 8:00 PM tonight,
Future
John is going to the dishes are going
Continuous
be washing the to be being washed
be going to
dishes. by John.
They will have
Future The project will have
completed the
Perfect been completed
project before the
will before the deadline.
deadline.
They are going to The project is going
Future
have completed to have been
Perfect
the project before completed before
be going to
the deadline. the deadline.
 The famous artist The mural will have
Future will have been been being painted
Perfect painting the mural by the famous artist
Continuous for over six months for over six months
will by the time it is by the time it is
finished. finished.
The famous artist is The mural is going
Future going to have to have been being
Perfect been painting the painted by the
Continuous mural for over six famous artist for over
be going to months by the time six months by the
it is finished. time it is finished.
Jerry used to pay The bills used to be
Used to
the bills. paid by Jerry.
My mother would The pies would
Would
always make the always be made by
Always
pies. my mother.
Future in the I knew John would I knew the work
Past finish the work by would be finished
Would 5:00 PM. by 5:00 PM.
Future in the I thought Sally was I thought a beautiful
Past going to make a dinner was going to
Was Going beautiful dinner be made by Sally
to tonight. tonight.
Copyright © 2016 Englishpage.com, All Rights Reserved.
Study these further examples of use and note how we avoid using
the continuous form of the passive in the final four tenses listed:

 This toilet at Terminal One is in frequent use and is cleaned every four
hours. It is being cleaned now, so you'll have to use the one that is
situated opposite the British Airways check-in desk.

 My daughter's portrait was delivered to my house in London before I

arrived home. I didn't expect this to happen as it was still being
painted when I began my journey back.

 You will be told when to board the plane in due course. An

announcement will be made, don't worry. And one of my colleagues will
be accompanying you all the way to Guadalajara. (NOT: You will be
being accompanied...)

 The initial enquiry into the accident has been completed.

The full enquiry has been in progress (NOT: has been
being conducted) for six months and will be completed by Christmas.

 I had no idea why I had been chosen to represent my country. I was

aware that people had been watching me (NOT: I had been being
watched), but it still came as a surprise.

 The inspection will have been carried out and the report will have been
written by the time Charles gets back from America. When he gets on
that plane in New York, the inspectors will be holding a press
conference to report their findings (NOT: their findings will have been
being reported)
In order to recognize that a sentence is in passive voice, watch out for these
keywords:

 Be  Were

 Is  Has been

 Are  Have been

 A  Will be

 Was  Being

Read more at http://grammar.yourdictionary.com/style-and-usage/change-

passive-voice-to-active-voice.html#20AOZIFfv8HFqsAY.99