ACTIVE AND PASSIVE VOICE

Read the sentences below and compare.

Rama helps Hari.

Hari is helped by Rama.
These two sentences express the same meaning.
But in sentence 1, the form of the Verb shows that the
person denoted by the Subject does something.
Rama (the person denoted by the Subject) does
something.
The Verb helps is said to be in the Active Voice.

In sentence 2, the form of the Verb shows that something

is done to the person denoted by the Subject.
Something is done to Hari (the person denoted by the
Subject).
The Verb is helped is said to be in the Passive Voice.

A Verb is in the Active Voice when its form shows (as in

sentence 1) that the person or thing denoted by the
Subject does something; or, in other words, is the doer of
the action.

The Active Voice is so called because the person denoted

by the Subject acts.

A Verb is in the Passive Voice when its form shows (as

in sentence 2) that something is done to the person or
thing denoted by the Subject.

The Passive Voice is so called because the person or

thing denoted by the Subject is not active but passive,
that is, suffers or receives some action
Change from the Active Voice to the Passive Voice in the
following

Active Voice Passive Voice

1. Sita loves Savitri. 1. Savitri is loved by Sita.
2. The mason is building the 2. The wall is being built (by the
wall. mason).
3. 1 Somebody has stolen my 3. My purse has been stolen (by
purse. somebody).
4. The gate was opened by the
4. The peon opened the gate.
peon.
5. Some boys were helping 2 5. The wounded man was being
the wounded man. helped by some boys.
6. They had already repaired 6. The road had already been
the road. repaired (by them).
7. He will finish the work in a 7. The work will be finished by
fortnight. him in a fortnight.
8. I must finish this work 8. The work must be finished (by
today. me) today.
9. Who did this? 9. By whom was this done?
10. Why did your brother 10. Why was such a letter written
write such a letter? by your brother?

Notice that when the Verb is changed from the Active

Voice to the Passive Voice the Object of the Transitive
Verb in the Active Voice becomes the Subject of the
Passive Voice.
In sentence 1, Savitri, which is the Object of loves in the
Active Voice is the Subject of is loved in the Passive
Voice.
The Passive Voice is formed with the suitable tense of
the verb be, followed by the Past Participle. Study this
table.

Tense [Modal Active Voice Passive

+base] Voice
Simple Present take/ takes taken
is taken
are taken

Present is being
Continous is taking taken
are being
are taking taken

has been
Present Perfect has taken taken
have been
have taken taken

Simple Past took was taken

were taken

was being
Past Continuous was taking taken
were being
were taking taken

had been
Past Perfect had taken taken

Simple Future will take will be taken

(shall be
(shall take) taken)

can/may/must, etc. +
Modal base can be taken
 may be
taken
must be
taken

I see a dark cloud.

Verb: see
Voice: Active Voice
Explanation: The subject "I" is performing the action of
"seeing." The form of the verb "see" shows that the
subject is the doer of the action.
His command was promptly obeyed.

Verb: was obeyed

Voice: Passive Voice
Explanation: The subject "His command" is not
performing an action. Instead, something ("obeying") is
being done to the command. The verb form "was
obeyed" (a form of "be" + past participle) indicates the
passive voice.
Some of the cargo had been damaged by the sea water.

Verb: had been damaged

Voice: Passive Voice
Explanation: The subject "Some of the cargo" is not
actively damaging anything. Rather, it is receiving the
action of being damaged. The verb form "had been" +
"damaged" (past participle) signifies the passive voice.
The "by the sea water" phrase indicates the agent of the
action.
Nothing will be gained by hurry.

Verb: will be gained

Voice: Passive Voice
Explanation: The subject "Nothing" is not performing the
action of "gaining." Instead, something ("gaining") will
be done to nothing. The verb form "will be" + "gained"
(past participle) indicates the passive voice. The "by
hurry" phrase indicates the agent.
A stone struck me on the head.

Verb: struck
Voice: Active Voice
Explanation: The subject "A stone" is performing the
action of "striking." The form of the verb "struck" shows
that the subject is the doer of the action.
This letter was posted last night.

Verb: was posted

Voice: Passive Voice
Explanation: The subject "This letter" is not actively
posting anything. Instead, the action of "posting" was
done to the letter. The verb form "was" + "posted" (past
participle) indicates the passive voice. The agent ("by
someone") is not specified.
The fridge has been repaired.

Verb: has been repaired

Voice: Passive Voice
Explanation: The subject "The fridge" is not performing
the action of "repairing." Rather, it has received the
action of being repaired. The verb form "has been" +
"repaired" (past participle) signifies the passive voice.
The agent who did the repairing is not mentioned.
The old gentleman takes snuff.

Verb: takes
Voice: Active Voice
Explanation: The subject "The old gentleman" is
performing the action of "taking." The form of the verb
"takes" shows that the subject is the doer of the action.
The money was lost.

Verb: was lost

Voice: Passive Voice
Explanation: The subject "The money" is not actively
losing anything. Instead, the action of "being lost"
happened to the money. The verb form "was" + "lost"
(past participle) indicates the passive voice. The agent
responsible for losing the money is not mentioned.
The letter has just been posted.

Verb: has been posted

Voice: Passive Voice
Explanation: The subject "The letter" is not actively
posting anything. Instead, the action of "posting" has
been done to the letter. The verb form "has been" +
"posted" (past participle) indicates the passive voice. The
agent who posted the letter is not mentioned.

EXERCISE 2: Change the following sentences from the

Active Voice to the Passive Voice.

The cat killed the mouse.

The mouse was killed by the cat.

The teacher praised him.

He was praised by the teacher.

She is making a kite.

A kite is being made by her.

They have cut down the tree.
The tree has been cut down by them.
I conquered him.

He was conquered by me.

My father will write a letter.

A letter will be written by my father.

He kept me waiting.

I was kept waiting by him.

She threw the ball.

The ball was thrown by her.

The man dug the well.

The well was dug by the man.

He scored twenty runs.

Twenty runs were scored by him.

EXERCISE 3: Rewrite the following sentences using the
Passive Voice of the verb.

They caught the thief.

The thief was caught.

The jackal followed the tiger.

The tiger was followed by the jackal.

The noise annoyed him.

He was annoyed by the noise.

He made a very remarkable discovery.

A very remarkable discovery was made by him.

She led us into his house.
We were led into his house by her.
Shivaji defeated the Mughals.

The Mughals were defeated by Shivaji.

The dog feeds the puppy every day.

The puppy is fed every day by the dog.

The police have arrested him.

He has been arrested by the police.

His behaviour vexes me.

I am vexed by his behaviour.

He made a kite.

A kite was made by him.

EXERCISE 4: Rewrite the following sentences using the

Active Voice of the verb.

America was discovered by Christopher Columbus.

Christopher Columbus discovered America.

He was treated ungratefully by his sailors.

His sailors treated him ungratefully.

The work must be done by you and your brother.

You and your brother must do the work.

The match was won by the High School.

The High School won the match.

He will be blamed by everyone.

Everyone will blame him.
The first railway was built by George Stephenson.
George Stephenson built the first railway.

He was swindled by his own brother.

His own brother swindled him.

The Prime Minister was welcomed by the people.

The people welcomed the Prime Minister.