Active and Passive Voice

Raheel Muneeb Khan
Reasons to Use the Active Voice

 Most writers prefer to use active voice because it is
more direct.
 Compare
 Active: Arif practiced presentation in
front of mirror.
 Passive: Presentation was practiced by
Arif in front of mirror.
Reasons to Use the Active Voice
 The active voice is less awkward and clearly states
relationship between subject and action.
 Compare
 Passive: Your request for funding has been denied by
the review committee.
 Active: The review committee denied your request for
funding.
 The active voice sentence pattern propels the reader
forward through your writing thus avoiding weak
prose.
WHY DO WE USE THE PASSIVE............
 We use the passive because we do not
know who performed the action.
Ex: Hamid meer has been targetted.
 We use the passive because we do not
want to say who performed the action.
Ex: The pizza was eaten last night.
 We also use it when we think what
happened is more important than who
performed the action. Ex: The treasure
was found.
When to Use Passive Voice
 In general, the passive voice is less direct, less
forceful, and less concise than the active voice.
 Use the passive voice in the following situations:
 Use passive voice when you do not know

or do not want to reveal the performer of
an action.
 Use passive voice when you want to
emphasize the receiver of an action.
Examples
 Awkward Passive: My bicycle was repainted by
John.
 Deliberate Passive: My bicycle was repainted.
(The performer is not mentioned and the
emphasis is on the bicycle.)
 Sometimes a statement in passive is more polite than
active voice, as the following example shows:
Example: A mistake was made.
 In this case, I focus on the fact that a mistake was

made, but I do not blame anyone (e.g. You have made a
mistake.).
1.3. Verbs not used in the passive
- Intransitive verbs: die or arrive.

- Transitive verbs: “stative verbs”: have, fit, lack,
resemble, suit.
They have a nice house. (BUT NOT A nice house is had by

them).
My shoes don’t fit me (BUT NOT I’m not fitted by my shoes)
- Prepositional verbs: agree with, walk into
Everybody agreed with me (BUT NOT I was agreed with by

everybody)
Only transitive verbs (those that take objects) can be transformed into
passive constructions. Furthermore, active sentences containing certain
verbs cannot be transformed into passive structures. To have is the
most important of these verbs. We can say "He has a new car," but we
cannot say "A new car is had by him." We can say "Josefina lacked
finesse," but we cannot say "Finesse was lacked." Here is a brief list of
such verbs*:
resemble look like equal agree with

mean contain hold comprise
lack suit fit become
Active Voice, Passive
Voice
Now let’s go to
work!
Sana Saleem Ansari
RULES FOR PASSIVE VOICE FOR
ALL TENSES
The places of subject and object
in sentence are interchanged.
Past participle (3rd form of verb)
will be used only (as main verb).
Auxiliary verb for each tense is
different.
We always use “ by” to introduce
the passive object.
SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE
ACTIVE VOICE:
Construction: Subject + V + Object
1
Example: Rimsha takes attendance.
PASSIVE VOICE:
Construction: Subject + is/am/are
3 +V +
by + Object
Example: Attendance is taken by Rimsha.
Negative: Attendance is not taken by
Rimsha.
Interrogative: Is attendance taken by
Rimsha?
PRESENT CONTINUOUS
TENSE
ACTIVE VOICE:
Construction: Subject + is/am/are +Ving + Object
Example: Col. Sir is exploring my mistakes.
PASSIVE VOICE:
Construction: Subject + is/am/are + being + V3 + by +
Object
Example: My mistakes are being explored by Col. Sir.
Negative: My mistakes are not being explored by Col. Sir.
Interrogative: Are my mistakes being explored by Col. Sir?
PRESENT PERFECT
TENSE
ACTIVE VOICE:
Construction: Subject + has/have
3 + V + Object
Example: The painter has painted my house.
PASSIVE VOICE:
Construction: Subject + has/have3+ been + V + by +
Object
Example: My house has been painted by the painter.
Negative: My house has not been painted by the painter.
Interrogative: Has my house been painted by the painter?
SIMPLE PAST TENSE
ACTIVE VOICE:
Construction: Subject
2 + V + Object
Example: They took the breakfast.
PASSIVE VOICE:
Construction: Subject + was/were
3 + V + by
+ Object
Example: The breakfast was taken by them.
Negative: The breakfast was not taken by
them.
Interrogative: Was the breakfast taken by
PAST CONTINUOUS
TENSE
ACTIVE VOICE:
Construction: Subject + was/were
ing + V + Object
Example: I was completing the assignment.
PASSIVE VOICE:
Construction: Subject + was/were3+ being +V + by +
Object
Example: The assignment was being completed by me.
Negative: The assignment was not being completed by me.
Interrogative: Was the assignment being completed by me?
PAST PERFECT
TENSE
ACTIVE VOICE:
Construction: Subject +3 had +V + Object
Example: The boy had washed that car.
PASSIVE VOICE:
Construction: Subject + had +3 been + V + by + Object
Example: That car had been washed by the boy.
Negative: That car had not been washed by the boy.
Interrogative: Had that car been washed by the boy?
Note:
The following tenses can not be changed into
passive voice;
 Present Perfect Continuous

Tense
 Past Perfect Continuous Tense
 Future Continuous Tense
 Future Perfect Continuous Tense
Form of the passive verb:
Future Simple Tense:
Affirmative
Active : SUBJECT + WILL + V1 + OBJECT
Passive : SUBJECT + WILL BE+ PAST PARTICIPLE+BY+ OBJECT
She will buy a car.

A car will be bought by her.
Negative:
Active : SUBJECT + WILL + NOT + V1 + OBJECT
Passive : SUBJECT + WILL NOT BE+ V3+BY+ OBJECT
She will not buy a car.
A car will not be bought by her.
Interrogative:
Active : WILL + SUBJECT + V1 + OBJECT?
Passive : WILL + SUBJECT + BE + V3+BY+ OBJECT?
Will she buy a car?
Will a car be bought by her?
Future Perfect Tense:
Affirmative
Active : SUBJECT + WILL HAVE + V3 + OBJECT
Passive : SUBJECT + WILL HAVE BEEN+ V3+BY+ OBJECT
He will have made a mistake.

A mistake will have been made by him.
Negative:
Active : Subject + will not have + V1 + object
Passive : SUBJECT + WILL NOT have been + V3+ by + object
He will not have made a mistake.
A mistake will not have been made by him.
Interrogative:
Active : WILL + SUBJECT +have + V3 + OBJECT?
Passive : WILL + SUBJECT + have + been + V3+BY+ OBJECT?
Will he have made a mistake?
Will a mistake have been made by him?
let + subject +be (not) +past participle
Active : Shut the door.

Passive : Let the door be shut.
Active : Kindly help him.

Passive : You are requested to help him.
PERSONAL PASSIVE
 Simply means that the object of the active
sentence becomes the subject of the passive
sentence. So every verb that needs an object
(transitive verb) can form a personal passive.
Example:
They build houses. – Houses are built.

Impersonal Passive
 It is not as common in English as in some other
languages (e.g. German, Latin). In English, Impersonal
Passive is only possible with verbs of perception
(e. g. say, think, know).
Example:
*They say that women live longer than men.
*It is said that women live longer than men.

Passive Sentences with two objects
A verb can have two possible passive voices
when it takes two objects:
 a direct object
 an indirect object.
Normally, it is the indirect object (the first
object that appears first in an active
sentence) which becomes the subject of the
passive sentence. We can however also use
the direct object as the subject.
Active: The salesman showed him a new computer
Or
The salesman showed a new computer to him
Passive: He was shown a new computer.

Passive: A new computer was shown to him.
Qazi Muhammad Mushtaq
What Are Modals
Different Modals
Uses and functions of modals
Use in active and passive voice
 A modal verb (also modal, modal auxiliary verb,
modal auxiliary) is a type of auxiliary verb that is used
to indicate modality that is
 Ability, Possibility
 Permission, and
 Suggestions
 Necessity
 Offers
Some of Common Modal verbs
 Can,
 May, Might
 Must,
 Should ,
 Shall, Will
 Would,
Uses/Functions of “Can”
Express ability
Permissions
Requests
Offers
Seeking Suggestions
Possibility
1.Nathasha Can play Piano(Ability)
2.Can I use your pen? (Permission)
3. Can you keep me informed(Requests)
4 .Can I get a taxi for you?(offer)
5. What can I get for his birthday? what do you think Alex(suggestion)
6. Sleeping in makeup can damage your skin(Possibility)

She can play a violin. Violin can played by her
Can you put the TV on. Can TV be put on by you
Can I get a taxi for you? Can a taxi be get by me for you?
Uses and Functions of May & Might
Possibility
Permission(may only not might)
Examples
Raheel may/might be working late tonight
You may/might telephone here

I may buy the Ferrari The Ferrari may be bought by
Guests might play chess Chess might be played by

guests.
Uses/Functions
Certainty
Necessity
Express a wish
Examples
You will be leaving university soon..you must think about your
future(necessity)
She isn’t answering the phone, she must be out(Certainity)
I must buy a newspaper. I want to see the racing results(Wish)

He must have started job. Job must have been started by
(Necessity) him.
She must be driving car that’s car must be driven by her

why she isn’t answering that’s why she answering
raheel’s phone(Certainity) raheel’s phone(Certainity)
Uses/Functions of could
Ability in the past

Permission in the present & past
Suggestion
Possibilty
Examples
In those days we had a car, so we could travel easily(ability)
Could we borrow your ladder please?(permission in the present)
In 1920’s you could drive a car without taking a test
You could win a million pounds(Possibilty)
You could invite a few friends around(suggestion)

Could be borrow your ladder  Could your ladder be
borrowed by us please.
please?
 A car could be driven by you
In 1920’s you could drive without taking a test in
1920’s.
a car without taking a test
Million of pounds could be
You could win a million of won by you.
pounds.
In those days we had a car so
We had a car in those days so we we could travel easily.
could travel easily.
Few friends could be invited
You could invite a few friends. around by you.
Both should & ought mean same
Uses/Functions
 Best thing or right thing to do in a situation

 Suggestion
you are not very well. perhaps you should/ought to see a

doctor(Best thing to do)
Where should/ought to we go for our picnic?

 Students should study all
All lessons should be studied by
lessons.
students.

Students should not study all
lessons All lessons should not be
studied by students.
 Should students study all Should all lessons be studied

lessons? by students?
 You should have studied the The book should have been
book studied by you.

The book should have not
 You should not have studied
been studied by you.
the book

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Raheel Muneeb Khan

Reasons to Use the Active Voice

 Use passive voice when you do not know

Example: A mistake was made.

 In this case, I focus on the fact that a mistake was

- Intransitive verbs: die or arrive.

They have a nice house. (BUT NOT A nice house is had by

- Prepositional verbs: agree with, walk into

Everybody agreed with me (BUT NOT I was agreed with by

resemble look like equal agree with

Example: Rimsha takes attendance.

 Present Perfect Continuous

Passive : SUBJECT + WILL BE+ PAST PARTICIPLE+BY+ OBJECT

She will buy a car.

He will have made a mistake.

Active : Shut the door.

Active : Kindly help him.

They build houses. – Houses are built.

*It is said that women live longer than men.

Passive: He was shown a new computer.

2.Can I use your pen? (Permission)

3. Can you keep me informed(Requests)

4 .Can I get a taxi for you?(offer)

6. Sleeping in makeup can damage your skin(Possibility)

Can you put the TV on. Can TV be put on by you

Raheel may/might be working late tonight

You may/might telephone here

Guests might play chess Chess might be played by

She isn’t answering the phone, she must be out(Certainity)

I must buy a newspaper. I want to see the racing results(Wish)

She must be driving car that’s car must be driven by her

Ability in the past

Could we borrow your ladder please?(permission in the present)

In 1920’s you could drive a car without taking a test

You could win a million pounds(Possibilty)

You could invite a few friends around(suggestion)

 Best thing or right thing to do in a situation

you are not very well. perhaps you should/ought to see a

Where should/ought to we go for our picnic?

 Should students study all Should all lessons be studied

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