Active and Passive

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Definition: Voice refers to the form of the verb that indicates whether the doer of an
action is the subject or the object or in other words, whether the subject of a sentence
performs the action (active voice) or is affected by it (The passive voice) so, the
sentence can be expressed either in the active voice or in passive voice is called

The verbs that take an object can be used in the Passive Voice. In Active Voice, the
primary focus is on the subject while in the Passive Voice, focus is on the object.

♦ Rules for changing into Passive Voice.

(a) The ‘object’ of the verb in the Active Voice becomes the ‘subject’ of the verb in the
Passive Voice and the ‘subject’ in the Active Voice becomes the ‘object’ in the ‘Passive
Voice’.
(b) The main verb is changed into the Past Participle. The third form of the verb and an
appropriate form of the helping verb according to the ‘Tense’ of the sentence is used.
(c) The ‘subject’ in the ‘Active Voice’ becomes the ‘object’ in the Passive Voice and the
word ‘by’ is generally placed before the object.
Note:
A. By + agent

This construction is used only when the agent is definite and important.
(i) William Shakespeare wrote ‘The Merchant of Venice’.
‘The Merchant of Venice’ was written by William Shakespeare.

(ii) Mohan reads a poem.

A poem is read by Mohan.

(iii) My mother cooks food.

Food is cooked by my mother.

B. Without ‘by’ + agent

‘by’ + agent is not used when the agent is vague.

(i) Someone broke the window.

The window was broken, (by someone)
(ii) People call him a rogue.
He is called a rogue, (by the people)

C. The Nominative case of the pronoun is changed into the objective case. For
example-

I – me
We – us
He – him
She – her
You – You
It – It
They – Them

D. If a Transitive Verb has two objects, either of them may be made the subject in the
Passive Voice and the other remains unchanged.

He gave me a book.
I was given a book by him.
Or
A book was given to me by him.

E. Infinitive Combinations
• Verbs of liking/loving/wanting/wishing, etc. + object + infinitive form, their passive
with the passive infinitive:
Active: He wants someone to take photographs.
Passive: He wants photographs to be taken.

• With verbs of command/request/advice/invitation + indirect object + infinitive, we

form the passive by using the passive form of the main verb.
Active: He invited me to go.
Passive: I was invited to go.

• But, with advise/beg/order/recommend/urge + indirect object + infinitive + object, we

can form the passive in two ways:
(a) by making the main verb passive
(b) by advise, etc. + that ………. should + passive infinitive
Active: He urged the council to reduce the rates.
Passive: The council was/were urged to reduce the rates, or, He urged that the rates
should be reduced.

F. Gerund Combinations

advise/insist/propose/recommend/suggest + gerund + object is usually expressed in

the passive by that …………… should.
Active: He recommended using bullet-proof glass.
Passive: He recommended that bullet-proof glass should be used.

Interchange of Active/Passive Voice

Tense Active Voice Passive Voice

Obj. + is/am/are + 3rd form of the
Sub. + 1 form of the verb + s/es + obj.
st verb 4- by 4- sub.
Simple Sub. + do not/does not + 1st form of the verb + Obj. + is/am/are + not + 3rd form
Present obj. of the verb + by + sub.
Do/does + sub. + 1 form of the verb 4- obj.?
st Is/are/am + obj. + 3rd form of the
verb + by + sub.?
Obj. + is/are/am + being + 3rd form
Sub. + is/are/am 4- 1st form of verb + ing
of the verb + by + sub.
Present Sub. + is/are/am/ + not + 1st form of the verb +
Obj. + is/are/am + not + being +
Continuous ing 4- obj.
3rd form of the verb + by + sub.
Tense Is/are/am + sub. + 1st form of the verb 4- ing +
Is/are/am + obj. + being + 3rd form
obj.?
of the verb + by + sub.?
Present Sub. 4- has/have + 3 form of the verb + obj.
rd
Obj. + has been/have been +
Perfect Sub. + has/have + not 4- 3rd form of the verb +
3rd form of the verb + by + sub.
Tense obj.
 Has/have + sub. 4- 3rd form of the verb + obj.?
Obj. + has/have + not 4- been +
3rd form of the verb + by 4- sub.
Has/have + obj. + been + 3rd form
of the verb + by + sub.?
Obj. + was/were/+3rd form of the
verb 4- by + sub.
Past Sub. + 2nd form of the verb + obj.
Obj. + was/were + not + 3rd form
Indefinite Sub. + did not + Ist form of the verb + obj.
of verb + by + sub.
Tense Did + sub. 4- 1st form of the verb + obj.?
Was/were + obj. + 3rd form of the
verb + by + sub.?
Sub. + was/were + 1st form of the verb + ing + Obj. + was/were 4- being +
obj. 3rd form of the verb + by + sub.?
Past
Sub. + was/were 4- not + 1 form of the verb + Obj. + was/were + not + being +
st
Continuous
ing + obj. 3rd form of the verb + by + sub.
Tense
Was/were + sub. 4- 1 form of the verb + ing + Was/were + obj. + being + 3rd form
st

obj.? of the verb + by + sub.?

Obj. + had been 4- 3rd form of the
verb 4- by + sub.
Sub. + had + 3rd form of the verb 4- obj.
Past Perfect Obj. + had not been + 3rd form of
Sub. + had + not + 3rd form of the verb + obj.
Tense the verb + by + sub.
+ sub. + 3rd form of the verb + obj?
Had 4- obj. + been + 3rd form of
the verb + by + sub.?
Simple
Obj. 4- shall/will + be 4- V
Future Sub + will/shall + 1st form of the verb + obj.
3 + by + sub.
Tense
Future
Obj. + will/shall + have been + V3 +
Perfect Sub + will/shall + have + V3 + Obj.
Sub.
Tense
Let + obj. + be + 3rd form of the
Imperative 1 form of the verb + obj.
st verb
Sentences 1st form of the verb + obj. Obj. + should be 4- 3rd form of the
verb
Will/shall/should/must/might/can/could/ought/
Modals Obj. + Modal + be 4- V3 + by + sub.
may, etc. + V 4- obj.
♦ Read the sentences given below and complete the paragraph that follows.

Question 1.
(a) The devotees waved light before Sai.
(b) They sang songs of devotion.
(c) They offered various types of dishes as Prasad.
On Thursday all the devotees reached Shirdi. (a) …………………. before Sai. Songs of
devotion (b) ………………. (c) ………………….. as Prasad.

Answer:
(a) Light was waved by the devotees.
(b) were sung by them
(c) Various types of dishes were offered by them

Question 2.
(a) The British established the East India Company.
(b) They ruined the business of the artisan.
(c) They took advantage of the rivalries.
(d) The British officers levied heavy taxes.
The East India Company (a) ………………. The business (b) ……………….. by them. The
advantages of rivalries (c) ……………… . (d) ……………….. by the British officers.

Answer:
(a) was established by the British.
(b) of the artisan was ruined
(c) were taken by the British.
(d) Heavy taxes were levied upon

Question 3.
(a) Stephen offered Firdaus Kanga a cup of tea.
(b) He then showed him his garden.
(c) Firdaus touched his shoulder while leaving.
Firdaus Kanga visited Stephen’s house. Firdaus Kanga (a) …………….. Stephen. His garden
(b) …………….. Stephen. Stephen’s shoulder (c) ……………… before leaving.

Answer:
(a) was offered a cup of tea by
(b) was then shown him by.
(c) was touched by Firdaus.

Question 4.
(a) Rakesh has written a beautiful poem.
(b) His teacher has appreciated him.
(c) She shall award him the first prize.
A beautiful poem (a) …………….. Rakesh. He (b) …………….. his teacher. The first prize (c)
……………… by her.

Answer:
(a) has been written by
(b) has been appreciated by
(c) will be awarded to him
Question 5.
(a) We should not use polybags.
(b) They choke the drains and sewage.
(c) Also they kill the animals.
Polybags are considered to be one of the most harmful elements. Polybags (a) ……………..
Drains and sewage (b)……………….. Also (c) …………… by them.

Answer:
(a) should not be used by us
(b) are choked by them
(c) the animals are killed

Question 6.
Tomorrow Kartik will celebrate his birthday. He shall invite all his friends. He has
arranged a sumptuous dinner. Also, he has arranged a dance party.

Since tomorrow is Kartik’s birthday, all his friends (a) …………….. A sumptuous dinner (b)
Also a dance party (c) ………………..

Answer:
(a) shall be invited by him.
(b) has been arranged by him
(c) has been arranged by him.

Question 7.
(a) Stray animals cause a great nuisance.
(b) The stray animals cause traffic jams.
(c) They spill the garbage from the dustbins. They also cause unhygienic conditions.
A great nuisance (a) ……………… by stray animals. Traffic jams (b) ……………. Garbage (c)
……………. thus unhygienic conditions are caused by them.

Answer:
(a) is caused
(b) are caused by stray animals
(c) is spilt from the dustbins by the stray animals.

Question 8.
(a) Domestic servant has robbed an aged lady.
(b) He had laced her snacks with sedatives.
(c) He ransacked the house and looted the jewellery.
An aged lady (a) ………….. Her snacks (b) ……………. The house (c) ……………
Answer:
(a) has been robbed by her domestic servant.
(b) had been laced with sedatives by him
(c) was ransacked and the jewellery was looted by him.

Question 9.
Mark Antony delivered a speech at the funeral of Julius Ceasar. He won the sympathies
of the crowd. He successfully instigated the people of Rome.

On the funeral of Julius Ceasar, a speech (a) …………….., (b) ……………. by him. Thus, the
people of Rome (c) ……………….

Answer:
(a) was delivered by Mark Antony.
(b) Sympathies of the crowd were won
(c) were successfully instigated by him.

Question 10.
Fill in the blanks using the passive form of the verbs given in the bracket:

On this day, the World Hockey Association (a) ……………… (be) officially (b) ………………
(form). The Professional Ice Hockey league (c) ………………. (make) up of 12 teams and (d)
……………….. (consider) the National Hockey League’s main competitor. The WHA (e)
(establish) by Dennis Murphy. ABA (f) ……………. also (g) ……………. (found) by him.

Answer:
(a) was
(b) formed
(c) was made
(d) was considered
(e) was established
(f) was
(g) founded

Question 11.
Rewrite the following paragraph changing the voice of the underlined verbs:

ABC Public School celebrated Van Mahotsava with great pomp and circumstances. The
Chief Minister of Delhi inaugurated the function. He gave certificates to the meritorious
students.
Answer:
Van Mahotsava was celebrated by ABC Public School with great pomp and
circumstances. The function was inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Delhi. The
meritorious students were given certificates.

12. Change the voice of given sentences.

Question (i)
Ram did not help his friends.
Answer:
Ram’s friends were not helped by him.

Question (ii)
Mohan gave him a book.
Answer:
He was given a book by Mohan.

Question (iii)
When did he give the book?
Answer:
When was the book given by him?

Question (iv)
Mohan is teaching English nowadays.
Answer:
English is being taught by Mohan nowadays.

Question (v)
Why did he punish Mohan?
Answer:
Why was Mohan punished by him?

Question (vi)
Did he steal your pen?
Answer:
Was your pen stolen by him?

Question (vii)
Have they been rewarded by the authorities?
Answer:
Have the authorities rewarded them?
Question (viii)
I saw him playing with them.
Answer:
He was seen playing with them by me.

Question (ix)
Mohan cannot decide this case.
Answer:
This case cannot be decided by Mohan.

Question (x)
Help them.
Answer:
They should be helped.