Active/Passive Voice

Q1: Rewrite these sentences in the passive voice.

1. Rita sings a song.

2. Children love the rainbow.
3. Granny told us an interesting story.
4. Call in the doctor at once.
5. Everyone loved Mother Teresa.
6. The wolf chased the sheep.
7. Sujata drew a village scene.
8. Rakesh made special Kashmiri tea for everyone.
9. Neha's father praised her.
10. People formed a queue on the road.
11. Hanif drank the bitter medicine in one gulp.
12. We elected Balachandran as our team leader.
13. Santa Claus gave toffees to all the children in the shop.
14. Grandfather called up Ayushi to wish her on her birthday.
15. We all know the facts.
16. The people crowned him the king.
17. Suman is reading a book.
18. Your mother taught us Mathematics.
19. The gardener looks after the flowers.
Q2: Rewrite these sentences in the active voice.

1. You are requested to keep quiet.

2. Amir Khan is known to me.
3. You will be beaten by Neena at Badminton.
4. Mary was followed by a little lamb.
5. Tarun is loved by his mother.
6. The bell was rung by Om Prakash.
7. The dress will be stitched by Rosy in a week.
8. A century was scored by Sachin.
9. I was kept waiting by Maya.
10. The telephone was invented by Graham Bell.
11. Mayank was praised by the teacher.
12. The jester was laughed at by the people.
13. The restaurant was opened by them last year.
14. By whom was King Lear written?
15. The wounded soldier was being helped by an old woman.
16. I am pleased by your performance.
17. I have been invited by Vaibhav to his birthday party.
18. By whom was this dish of butter broken.
19. The child is frightened by thunder and lightning.

Answers:

1. A song is sung by Rita.

2. The rainbow is loved by Children.
3. An interesting story was told us by Granny.
4. Doctor is to be called at once.
5. Mother Teresa was loved by everyone.
6. The sheep was chased by the wolf.
7. A village scene was drawn by Sujata.
8. Special Kashmiri tea was made by Rakesh for everyone.
9. Neha was praised by her father.
[Note: The sentence 'She was praised by Neha's father.' may be correct. Because there is ambiguity if
'She' and Neha are same persons or not. ]
10. A queue was formed on the road (by the people).[Note: 'by the people' is optional.]
11. The bitter medicine was drunk in one gulp by Hanif.
12. Balachandran was elected as our team leader (by us).
13. Toffees were given to all the children in the shop by Santa Claus.
14. Ayushi was called up by her Grandfather to wish her on her birthday.
15. Facts are known to all of us.
16. The king was was crowned.
17. A book is being read by Suman.
18. Mathematics was taught to us by your mother. OR
We were taught Mathematics by your mother.
19. The flowers are looked after by the gardener.

Answers:
1. Please keep quiet.
2. I know Amir Khan.
3. Neena will beat you at Badminton.
4. A little lamb followed Mary.
5. Tarun's mother loves him.
6. Om Prakash rang the bell.
7. Rosy will stich the dress in a week.
8. Sachin scored a century.
9. Maya kept me waiting.
10. Graham Bell invented the telephone.
11. The teacher praised Mayank.
12. The people laughed at the jester.
13. They opened the restaurant last year.
14. Who wrote King Lear?
15. An old woman was helping the wounded soldier.
16. Your performance pleases me.
17. Vaibhav has invited me to his birthday party.
18. Who broke this dish of butter?
19. Thunder and lightning frighten the child.

Change the following sentences into passive voice.

(i) He has missed the train.
Answer: The train has been missed by him.
(ii) Do they speak French?
Answer: Is French spoken by them?
(iii) Was he reading a book?
Answer: Was a book being read by him?
(iv) Compose this letter.
Answer: Let this letter be composed.
(v) Where did you buy this pen from?
Answer: From where was this pen bought by you?
(vi) Who wrote this speech?
Answer: By whom was this speech written?
(vii) One should respect one’s elders.
Answer: Elders should be respected.
(viii) I did not praise anybody.
Answer: Nobody was praised by me.
(ix) He hurt his leg in an accident.
Answer: His leg was hurt in an accident.
(x) Someone was knocking at the door.
Answer: The door was being knocked by someone.
A. Direction (1 to 5) change the following sentences into passive voice.

1. Does he speak English?

2. I shall tell you everything about him.
3. Is Jordan playing Basketball?
4. Many housewives do not cook food.
5. The teacher had punished the boys.
6. His behaviour pleased me.
7. The students were making noise in the classroom.
8. This book contains many interesting articles.
9. The parents look after their children.
10. Nobody can solve this problem.
11. India defeated Australia in the 20-20 world cup cricket finals.
12. Do you studies regularly.
13. They are reading interesting and educational stories.
14. Our English sir was delivering a lecture.
15. We should not break the rules.

1. Is English spoken by him ?

2. Everything about him shall be told to you by me. OR You will be told everything
about him by me.
3. Is basketball being played by Jordan ?
4. Food is not cooked by many housewives.
5. The boys had been punished by the teacher.
6. I was pleased by his behaviour.
7. Noise was being made in the classroom by the students.
8. Many interesting articles are contained in this book.
9. The children are looked after by their parents.
10. This problem cannot be solved.
11. Australia was defeated by India in the 20-20 world cup cricket finals.
12. Studies should be done regularly.
13. Interesting and educational stories are being read by them.
14. A lecture was being delivered by our English sir.
15. The rules should not be broken.

Change the following sentences into passive voice.

① Present Indefinite Tense

⑴ I like this bike.
⑵ He does not fly kites.
⑶ Madhurima sings a song.
⑷ Do you love him?
⑸ Does she know you?
⑹ What do they want?
⑺ When do you see movies?
⑻ Who advises you?

Answers:
⑴ This bike is liked by me.
⑵ Kites are not flown by him.
⑶ A song is sung by Madhurima.
⑷ Is he loved by you?
⑸ Are you known to her?
⑹ What is wanted by them?
⑺ When are movies seen by you?
⑻ By whom are you advised?

② Present Continuous Tense

⑴ Akansha is writing a poem.
⑵ Children are catching butterflies.
⑶ You are not speaking the reality.
⑷ Is she helping them?
⑸ Is she not helping you?
⑹ Which suit are you buying?
⑺ Why are you telling lie?

Answers:
⑴ A poem is being written by Akansha.
⑵ Butterflies are being caught by children.
⑶ The reality is not being spoken by you.
⑷ Are they being helped by her?
⑸ Are you not being helped by her?
⑹ Which suit is being bought by you?
⑺ Why are lies being told by you?

③ Present Perfect Tense

⑴ Abha has taken my notebook.
⑵ She has not solved the sums.
⑶ Has he returned your brush?
⑷ Have you not met him?
⑸ Who has finished it?
⑹ Where have you kept the packs?
⑺ What have they bought?
⑻ When has she helped us?

Answers:
⑴ My notebook has been taken by Abha.
⑵ The sums have not been solved by her.
⑶ Has your brush been returned by him ?
⑷ Has he not been met by you?
⑸ By whom has it been finished?
⑹ Where have the packs been kept by you?
⑺ What has been bought by them?
⑻ When have we been helped by her?
④ Past Indefinite Tense
⑴ I took tea yesterday.
⑵ He refused me.
⑶ I did not call them.
⑷ My conduct surprised him.
⑸ What did Divij buy?
⑹ Who taught you French?
⑺ Which show did you see last night?
⑻ Who cursed Ahilya?

Answers:
⑴ Tea was taken by me yesterday.
⑵ I was refused by him. / Permission to me was refused by him.
⑶ They were not called me.
⑷ He was surprised at my conduct.
⑸ What was bought by Divij?
⑹ By whom were you taught French?
⑺ Which show was seen by you last night?
⑻ By whom was Ahilya cursed?

⑤ Past Continuous Tense

⑴ Madonna was singing a sweet song.
⑵ The cat was drinking milk.
⑶ Was he taking juice?
⑷ He was not telling the truth.
⑸ Why were they laughing at you?
⑹ They were developing a film when I arrived.
⑺ What were you writing?
⑻ Whom were you scolding?

Answers:
⑴ Sweet song was being sung by Madonna.
⑵ Milk was being drunk by the cat.
⑶ Was juice been taken by him?
⑷ The truth was not being told by him.
⑸ Why were you being laughed at by them?
⑹ A film was being developed when arrived.
⑺ What was being written by you?
⑻ Who was being scolded by you?

⑥ Past Perfect Tense

⑴ She had not seen a yak before.
⑵ They had developed fifty films by that year.
⑶ We had not expected you at that time.
⑷ Had Mukesh finish the painting when you reached his house?
⑸ Had she not ironed her clothes?
⑹ How had he known that?
⑺ Where had she hidden her keys?

Answers:

⑴ A yak had not been seen by her before.

⑵ Fifty films had been developed by that year.
⑶ You had not been expected by us at that time.
⑷ Had the painting been finished by Mukesh when you reached his house?
⑸ Had her clothes not been ironed by her?
⑹ How had that been known to him?
⑺ Where had her keys been hidden by her?

⑦ Future Indefinite Tense

⑴ We shall help the poor man.
⑵ He will not write two letters.
⑶ They will build a wall.
⑷ Will she attend the meeting?
⑸ Will you not teach her?
⑹ Who will pay the price?
⑺ When will you return my money?

Answers:

⑴ The poor man will be helped by us.

⑵ Two letters will not be written by him.
⑶ A wall will be built by them.
⑷ Will the meeting be attended by her?
⑸ Will she not be taught by her?
⑹ By whom will the price be paid?
⑺ When will my money be returned by you?

⑧ Future Perfect Tense

⑴ We will have finished this project by now.
⑵ She will have cooked the meal.
⑶ You will have won the match.
⑷ Will you have written a letter?
⑸ They will have considered the proposal.
⑹ Police will have chased the thieves.
⑺ Shall I not have scolded him?
⑻ Who will have admonished you?

Answers:

⑴ This project will have been finished by us by now.

⑵ The meal will have been cooked by her.
⑶ The match will have been won by you.
⑷ Will a letter have been written by you?
⑸ The proposal will have been considered by them.
⑹ The thieves will have been chased by the police.
⑺ Will he not have been scolded by me?
⑻ By whom will you have been admonished?

⑨ Imperative Sentences
⑴ Shut the door.
⑵ Make tea at once.
⑶ Do not oppress the poor.
⑷ Please take him to the library.
⑸ Be off my sight.
⑹ Work hard.
⑺ Do not smoke.
⑻ Let her go out for a walk.
⑼ Let Manoj sing.

Answers:

⑴ Let the door be shut.

⑵ Let tea be made at once.
⑶ Let the poor not be oppressed.
⑷ You are requested to take him to the library.
⑸ You are ordered to be off my sight.
⑹ You are advised to work hard.
⑺ Smoking is prohibited.
⑻ It is suggested that she should go out for a walk.
⑼ It is proposed that Manoj should sing.

⑩ Verbs Followed By Modals

⑴ I can write this letter.
⑵ You should not waste your time.
⑶ Would you return my camera?
⑷ May I help her?
⑸ Who will solve these sums?
⑹ They must develop the film by 4pm.

Answers:

⑴ This letter can be written by me.

⑵ Your time should not be wasted by you.
⑶ Would my camera be returned by you?
⑷ May she be helped by me?
⑸ By whom will these sums be solved?
⑹ The film must be developed by 4pm.
⑪ 'BY' is not used
Some passive voice sentences use propositions other than 'by'
⑴ I know Monica.
⑵ Her death shocked us.
⑶ My behaviour surprised him.
⑷ Social work interests me.
⑸ Your work has satisfied us.
⑹ He obliged the visitors.
⑺ Grass grew over the playground
⑻ This bottle contains acidic solution.

Answers:

⑴ Monica is known to me.

⑵ We were shocked at her death.
⑶ He was surprised at my behaviour.
⑷ I am interested in the social work.
⑸ We have been satisfied with your work.
⑹ The visitors were obliged to him.
⑺ The playground was over grown with grass.
⑻ The acidic solution is contained in the bottle.

⑫ Two objects of the Verb

Some transitive verbs take two objects. One of them maybe put as subject and the other is retained
by changing from active to passive voice

⑴ Tanuj gave me a book.

⑵ Mr Madhukar taught us French.
⑶ She wrote a letter to him.
⑷ He offered her a ring.

Answers:

⑴ A book was given to me by Tanuj. Or I was given a book by Tanuj.

⑵ We were taught French by Mr Madhukar. Or French was talk to us by Mr Madhukar.
⑶ A letter was written to him by her. Or He was written a letter by her.
⑷ A ring was offered to her by him. Or She was offered a ring by him.

⑬ Prepositional sentences
Some verbs take preposition after them. While changing the voice, the preposition should be retained.

⑴ A truck ran over a girl.

⑵ Preeti spoke to me.
⑶ People believe in such superstitions.
⑷ I didn't wonder at my success.
⑸ She agreed to my suggestion.
⑹ He will accede to my request.
⑺ They are laughing at me.

Answers:

⑴ A girl was run over by a truck.

⑵ I was spoken to by Preeti.
⑶ Search superstitions are believed in by people.
⑷ My success was not wondered at by me.
⑸ My suggestion was agreed to by her.
⑹ My request will be acceded To by him.
⑺ I am being laughed at by them.

⑭ Infinitive Verbs
At times the change of voice takes place only in the infinitive

⑴ It is time to exchange gifts.

⑵ You have to complete it.
⑶ We ought to respect our seniors.
⑷ A pen is to write with.
⑸ We like to play.

Answers:

⑴ It is time for the gifts to be exchanged.

⑵ It has to be completed by you.
⑶ Our seniors ought to be respected.
⑷ Something is to be written with a pen.
⑸ To play is liked by us.

⑮ Conditionals
⑴ They would write a story, if they had time.
⑵ If you ask me, I will do it.

Answers:
⑴ A would be written, if they had time.
⑵ If I am asked, it will be done.