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✅ Active Voice and Passive Voice

🔹 What is Active Voice?

In the active voice, the subject of the sentence performs the action of the verb.

Structure: Subject + Verb + Object

Examples:
— The teacher explained the lesson.
— The dog chased the cat.

👉 In both cases, the subject is doing the action.

🔹 What is Passive Voice?

In the passive voice, the subject of the sentence receives the action of the verb.

Structure: Object + Form of "be" + Past Participle (+ by + Agent)

Examples:
— The lesson was explained by the teacher.
— The cat was chased by the dog.

👉 Here, the object of the active sentence becomes the subject in the passive sentence.

🔄 Comparing Active vs Passive Voice:

Aspect Active Voice Passive Voice
Focus On the doer of the action On the receiver of the action
Sentence Pattern Subject + Verb + Object Object + Be + Past Participle (+ by + agent)
Example The chef cooked the meal. The meal was cooked by the chef.
Use in Writing More direct and energetic More formal or impersonal

✅ 2. Importance of Passive Voice and When/Where to Use It

🔹 Why Use the Passive Voice?

The passive voice isn’t just an alternative—it has important functions in real communication. Here are the main reasons:

  • Focus on the action or result, not the doer.
    The new bridge was opened yesterday.
  • The agent is unknown, unimportant, or obvious.
    The documents were stolen. (We don’t know who did it.)
    English is spoken worldwide. (Everyone knows by whom.)
  • To sound more formal or objective.
    Mistakes were made. (Avoids direct blame.)
  • Common in academic and scientific writing.
  • To avoid mentioning the agent (politeness or diplomacy).
    Your request has been declined.

🔹 Where Is Passive Voice Commonly Used?

Context Example (Passive)
✅ Scientific writing The experiment was conducted at night.
✅ News reporting The thief was arrested last night.
✅ Official notices The office will be closed on Monday.
✅ Instructions / Manuals The device should be turned off at night.
✅ Polite/formal expression Your application has been accepted.

✅ 3. Verb Form Changes: Active to Passive

The verb changes in the passive voice follow a clear rule:

Passive = be (in the correct tense) + past participle (V3)

🔸 Tense Conversion Table

Tense Active Voice Example Passive Voice Form Passive Example
Present Simple She writes emails. am/is/are + V3 Emails are written by her.
Present Continuous She is writing emails. am/is/are + being + V3 Emails are being written by her.
Present Perfect She has written emails. has/have + been + V3 Emails have been written by her.
Past Simple She wrote emails. was/were + V3 Emails were written by her.
Past Continuous She was writing emails. was/were + being + V3 Emails were being written by her.
Past Perfect She had written emails. had been + V3 Emails had been written by her.
Future Simple She will write emails. will be + V3 Emails will be written by her.
Future Perfect She will have written emails. will have been + V3 Emails will have been written by her.
Modal Verbs (can, must...) She must write emails. modal + be + V3 Emails must be written by her.
Active Passive Exercises (Tense Focus)

📝 Passive Voice: Fill in the blanks

Active Sentence Passive Sentence (Fill in the blank)
The chef prepares delicious meals every day. Delicious meals every day by the chef.
The engineer designed a new machine. A new machine by the engineer.
The team will complete the project next week. The project next week by the team.
The workers are installing the new software. The new software by the workers.
The manager was reviewing the documents. The documents by the manager.
The researchers have discovered a new method. A new method by the researchers.
The students had completed the assignments. The assignments by the students.
The director will have approved the proposal. The proposal by the director.
The editor can publish the article tomorrow. The article tomorrow by the editor.
The staff must follow the safety rules. The safety rules by the staff.

✅ 4. General Rules in Passive Sentences

🔸 (i) The Agent Phrase: by + Someone

When we want to mention who did the action, we use “by + agent”.

✅ Use “by + someone” only when the agent is important, interesting, or necessary for clarity.

Examples:
— The painting was created by Picasso.
— The book was written by a famous author.

❌ Avoid mentioning obvious or unimportant agents:
— English is spoken in many countries. ✅
(No need to say "by people.")

🔸 (ii) If the Subject Is "No One" or "Nobody"

When the active sentence has “no one” or “nobody”, they are usually omitted in passive voice.

Active:
— Nobody cleaned the room.
Passive:
— The room was not cleaned. ✅

Active:
— No one answered the phone.
Passive:
— The phone wasn’t answered. ✅

🔸 (iii) Time and Reason Phrases in Passive Sentences

Time and reason phrases usually come at the end of passive sentences—same as in active voice.

Examples:
— The report was submitted yesterday.
— The party was cancelled because of the storm.

Note: These phrases do not go between be and the past participle.

❌ The report was yesterday submitted. ✖️
✅ The report was submitted yesterday. ✅

🔸 (iv) Position of Manner Adverbs (e.g., quickly, slowly)

Manner adverbs can be placed:

  • After be
  • After the past participle

Examples:
✅ She was quickly taken to the hospital.
✅ She was taken to the hospital quickly.

❌ She quickly was taken to the hospital. ✖️

🔸 (v) Direct Object and Indirect Object in Passive Voice

Some verbs take two objects: a direct and an indirect object. You can make two passive sentences.

Active:
— The teacher gave the students (indirect) a quiz (direct).

Passive 1:
✅ The students were given a quiz.

Passive 2:
✅ A quiz was given to the students.

✅ Tips:

  • If using the indirect object as the passive subject → no need for "to".
  • If using the direct object → add “to” before the person.

✅ 5. Changing Negative Sentences into Passive Voice

To make a passive sentence negative, simply add “not” after the correct form of “be.”

🔹 Formula:

Passive = be + not + past participle

🔸 Examples:

Active Voice Passive Voice
She did not clean the room. The room was not cleaned by her.
They don’t invite him to parties. He is not invited to parties by them.
The students haven’t finished it. It has not been finished by the students.
He will not complete the project. The project will not be completed by him.

✅ Tips:

  • Keep the tense and auxiliary verbs consistent with the active sentence.
  • Place “not” directly after the correct form of “be.”
Active Passive Exercises (Statements and Negatives)

📝 Passive Voice Quiz (40 Sentences)

Change the following sentences into passive voice. Type your answer in the text boxes below:

  1. 1. Shakespeare wrote Hamlet.
  2. 2. They built the bridge in 1960.
  3. 3. People speak Spanish in many parts of the world.
  4. 4. A famous chef prepared the meal.
  5. 5. Nobody closed the window.
  6. 6. They announced the results yesterday.
  7. 7. The company will launch a new product next month.
  8. 8. We are cleaning the classroom right now.
  9. 9. Someone has taken the keys.
  10. 10. He gave her a beautiful necklace.
  11. 11. The teacher showed the students a video.
  12. 12. They offered him a job.
  13. 13. She sent a message to her friend.
  14. 14. They awarded him a prize for bravery.
  15. 15. Someone is repairing the road.
  16. 16. They postponed the meeting because of the storm.
  17. 17. No one helped the injured man.
  18. 18. They play football in this stadium every weekend.
  19. 19. Somebody painted the walls last week.
  20. 20. The cleaner swept the floor quickly.
  21. 21. The professor is explaining the lesson to the class.
  22. 22. The government had already approved the policy.
  23. 23. The manager will give us the report tomorrow.
  24. 24. They are organizing the event at the moment.
  25. 25. Somebody has stolen my wallet.
  26. 26. People admire her courage.
  27. 27. The guard didn’t lock the gate.
  28. 28. No one invited us to the party.
  29. 29. They conducted the interview very carefully.
  30. 30. The musician composed a song for the festival.
  31. 31. He is writing a novel.
  32. 32. They had delivered the package before I arrived.
  33. 33. A stranger offered me a ride.
  34. 34. Someone told her the news.
  35. 35. The kids broke the window while playing.
  36. 36. People use this app all over the world.
  37. 37. They didn’t return the books on time.
  38. 38. The boss will send the documents by email.
  39. 39. She teaches English to young learners.
  40. 40. Someone quickly carried the patient into the ambulance.

✅ 6. Changing Questions into Passive Voice

Changing questions into the passive voice depends on the type of question:

  • Yes/No Questions
  • Wh- Questions (What, Where, When, Why, Who, How)

🔹 A. Yes/No Questions

Formula:

Be/Do/Did/Has/Have/Modal + Subject + V1 + Object? → Be/Has/Have/etc. + Object (new subject) + V3 + by...?

Active Passive
Did she write the letter? Was the letter written by her?
Is he watching the film? Is the film being watched by him?
Have they completed the report? Has the report been completed by them?

✅ Keep the question word order in the passive!

🔹 B. Wh- Questions

You need to pay attention to the object in the active sentence. In the passive, the object becomes the subject.

📌 When the question word is the object:

Active Passive
What did she write? What was written by her?
Where did they hold the meeting? Where was the meeting held by them?
When will he deliver the parcel? When will the parcel be delivered by him?

📌 When the question word is the subject ("Who/What"):

Use “by whom” in the passive version.

Active Passive
Who wrote this book? By whom was this book written?
Who sent the email? By whom was the email sent?

✅ "Who" becomes "by whom" in the passive voice.

Active Passive Exercises (Questions and Interrogatives)

❓ Passive Voice Quiz – Questions (20 Sentences)

Change the following interrogative sentences into passive voice. Type your answer in the text boxes below:

  1. 1. Did he complete the report?
  2. 2. Is she writing the letter?
  3. 3. Have they repaired the car?
  4. 4. Will they deliver the parcel tomorrow?
  5. 5. Are they cleaning the house?
  6. 6. Has someone taken my pen?
  7. 7. Did anyone invite you to the meeting?
  8. 8. Is he watching the movie?
  9. 9. Had they finished the work before the deadline?
  10. 10. Do they sell these books in that shop?
  11. 11. Did the teacher give you any homework?
  12. 12. Is someone preparing the documents?
  13. 13. Did he send the email?
  14. 14. Will they announce the results next week?
  15. 15. Have they checked the machines?
  16. 16. Did anyone ask you a question?
  17. 17. Is she making the arrangements?
  18. 18. Has the manager approved the proposal?
  19. 19. Will someone pick us up at the airport?
  20. 20. Are they showing the film in the cinema?
Click Here to Learn Impersonal Passive Structure, Used in Formal Academic Writing!