To be updated later.
{“title”:””,”content”:”✅ Active Voice and Passive Voice
\r\n\r\n🔹 What is Active Voice?
\r\nIn the active voice, the subject of the sentence performs the action of the verb.
\r\nStructure: Subject + Verb + Object
Examples:
\r\n — The teacher explained the lesson.
\r\n — The dog chased the cat.
👉 In both cases, the subject is doing the action.
\r\n\r\n🔹 What is Passive Voice?
\r\nIn the passive voice, the subject of the sentence receives the action of the verb.
\r\nStructure: Object + Form of \"be\" + Past Participle (+ by + Agent)
Examples:
\r\n — The lesson was explained by the teacher.
\r\n — The cat was chased by the dog.
👉 Here, the object of the active sentence becomes the subject in the passive sentence.
\r\n\r\n🔄 Comparing Active vs Passive Voice:
\r\n| Aspect | \r\nActive Voice | \r\nPassive Voice | \r\n
|---|---|---|
| Focus | \r\nOn the doer of the action | \r\nOn the receiver of the action | \r\n
| Sentence Pattern | \r\nSubject + Verb + Object | \r\nObject + Be + Past Participle (+ by + agent) | \r\n
| Example | \r\nThe chef cooked the meal. | \r\nThe meal was cooked by the chef. | \r\n
| Use in Writing | \r\nMore direct and energetic | \r\nMore formal or impersonal | \r\n
✅ 2. Importance of Passive Voice and When/Where to Use It
\r\n\r\n🔹 Why Use the Passive Voice?
\r\nThe passive voice isn’t just an alternative—it has important functions in real communication. Here are the main reasons:
\r\n- \r\n
- Focus on the action or result, not the doer.
The new bridge was opened yesterday. \r\n - 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.) \r\n - To sound more formal or objective.
Mistakes were made. (Avoids direct blame.) \r\n - Common in academic and scientific writing. \r\n
- To avoid mentioning the agent (politeness or diplomacy).
Your request has been declined. \r\n
🔹 Where Is Passive Voice Commonly Used?
\r\n| Context | \r\nExample (Passive) | \r\n
|---|---|
| ✅ Scientific writing | \r\nThe experiment was conducted at night. | \r\n
| ✅ News reporting | \r\nThe thief was arrested last night. | \r\n
| ✅ Official notices | \r\nThe office will be closed on Monday. | \r\n
| ✅ Instructions / Manuals | \r\nThe device should be turned off at night. | \r\n
| ✅ Polite/formal expression | \r\nYour application has been accepted. | \r\n
✅ 3. Verb Form Changes: Active to Passive
\r\n\r\nThe verb changes in the passive voice follow a clear rule:
\r\nPassive = be (in the correct tense) + past participle (V3)
🔸 Tense Conversion Table
\r\n| Tense | \r\nActive Voice Example | \r\nPassive Voice Form | \r\nPassive Example | \r\n
|---|---|---|---|
| Present Simple | \r\nShe writes emails. | \r\nam/is/are + V3 | \r\n Emails are written by her. | \r\n
| Present Continuous | \r\nShe is writing emails. | \r\nam/is/are + being + V3 | \r\n Emails are being written by her. | \r\n
| Present Perfect | \r\nShe has written emails. | \r\nhas/have + been + V3 | \r\n Emails have been written by her. | \r\n
| Past Simple | \r\nShe wrote emails. | \r\nwas/were + V3 | \r\n Emails were written by her. | \r\n
| Past Continuous | \r\nShe was writing emails. | \r\nwas/were + being + V3 | \r\n Emails were being written by her. | \r\n
| Past Perfect | \r\nShe had written emails. | \r\nhad been + V3 | \r\n Emails had been written by her. | \r\n
| Future Simple | \r\nShe will write emails. | \r\nwill be + V3 | \r\n Emails will be written by her. | \r\n
| Future Perfect | \r\nShe will have written emails. | \r\nwill have been + V3 | \r\n Emails will have been written by her. | \r\n
| Modal Verbs (can, must…) | \r\nShe must write emails. | \r\nmodal + be + V3 | \r\n Emails must be written by her. | \r\n
📝 Passive Voice: Fill in the blanks
\r\n| Active Sentence | \r\nPassive Sentence (Fill in the blank) | \r\n
|---|---|
| The chef prepares delicious meals every day. | \r\nDelicious meals every day by the chef. | \r\n
| The engineer designed a new machine. | \r\nA new machine by the engineer. | \r\n
| The team will complete the project next week. | \r\nThe project next week by the team. | \r\n
| The workers are installing the new software. | \r\nThe new software by the workers. | \r\n
| The manager was reviewing the documents. | \r\nThe documents by the manager. | \r\n
| The researchers have discovered a new method. | \r\nA new method by the researchers. | \r\n
| The students had completed the assignments. | \r\nThe assignments by the students. | \r\n
| The director will have approved the proposal. | \r\nThe proposal by the director. | \r\n
| The editor can publish the article tomorrow. | \r\nThe article tomorrow by the editor. | \r\n
| The staff must follow the safety rules. | \r\nThe safety rules by the staff. | \r\n
✅ 4. General Rules in Passive Sentences
\r\n\r\n🔸 (i) The Agent Phrase: by + Someone
\r\n When we want to mention who did the action, we use “by + agent”.
\r\n✅ Use “by + someone” only when the agent is important, interesting, or necessary for clarity.
\r\nExamples:
\r\n — The painting was created by Picasso.
\r\n — The book was written by a famous author.
❌ Avoid mentioning obvious or unimportant agents:
\r\n — English is spoken in many countries. ✅
\r\n (No need to say \”by people.\”)
\r\n\r\n
🔸 (ii) If the Subject Is \”No One\” or \”Nobody\”
\r\nWhen the active sentence has “no one” or “nobody”, they are usually omitted in passive voice.
\r\nActive:
\r\n — Nobody cleaned the room.
\r\n Passive:
\r\n — The room was not cleaned. ✅
Active:
\r\n — No one answered the phone.
\r\n Passive:
\r\n — The phone wasn’t answered. ✅
\r\n\r\n
🔸 (iii) Time and Reason Phrases in Passive Sentences
\r\nTime and reason phrases usually come at the end of passive sentences—same as in active voice.
\r\nExamples:
\r\n — The report was submitted yesterday.
\r\n — 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. ✖️
\r\n ✅ The report was submitted yesterday. ✅
\r\n\r\n
🔸 (iv) Position of Manner Adverbs (e.g., quickly, slowly)
\r\nManner adverbs can be placed:
\r\n- \r\n
- After
be\r\n - After the past participle \r\n
Examples:
\r\n ✅ She was quickly taken to the hospital.
\r\n ✅ She was taken to the hospital quickly.
❌ She quickly was taken to the hospital. ✖️
\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
🔸 (v) Direct Object and Indirect Object in Passive Voice
\r\nSome verbs take two objects: a direct and an indirect object. You can make two passive sentences.
\r\nActive:
\r\n — The teacher gave the students (indirect) a quiz (direct).
Passive 1:
\r\n ✅ The students were given a quiz.
Passive 2:
\r\n ✅ A quiz was given to the students.
✅ Tips:
\r\n- \r\n
- If using the indirect object as the passive subject → no need for \”to\”. \r\n
- If using the direct object → add “to” before the person. \r\n
✅ 5. Changing Negative Sentences into Passive Voice
\r\n\r\nTo make a passive sentence negative, simply add “not” after the correct form of “be.”
\r\n\r\n🔹 Formula:
\r\nPassive = be + not + past participle
🔸 Examples:
\r\n| Active Voice | \r\nPassive Voice | \r\n
|---|---|
| She did not clean the room. | \r\nThe room was not cleaned by her. | \r\n
| They don’t invite him to parties. | \r\nHe is not invited to parties by them. | \r\n
| The students haven’t finished it. | \r\nIt has not been finished by the students. | \r\n
| He will not complete the project. | \r\nThe project will not be completed by him. | \r\n
✅ Tips:
\r\n- \r\n
- Keep the tense and auxiliary verbs consistent with the active sentence. \r\n
- Place “not” directly after the correct form of “be.” \r\n
📝 Passive Voice Quiz (40 Sentences)
\r\nChange the following sentences into passive voice. Type your answer in the text boxes below:
\r\n- \r\n\r\n
- \r\n 1. Shakespeare wrote Hamlet.\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: Hamlet was written by Shakespeare.\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 2. They built the bridge in 1960.\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: The bridge was built in 1960.\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 3. People speak Spanish in many parts of the world.\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: Spanish is spoken in many parts of the world.\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 4. A famous chef prepared the meal.\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: The meal was prepared by a famous chef.\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 5. Nobody closed the window.\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: The window was not closed.\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 6. They announced the results yesterday.\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: The results were announced yesterday.\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 7. The company will launch a new product next month.\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: A new product will be launched by the company next month.\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 8. We are cleaning the classroom right now.\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: The classroom is being cleaned right now.\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 9. Someone has taken the keys.\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: The keys have been taken.\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 10. He gave her a beautiful necklace.\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: She was given a beautiful necklace.\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 11. The teacher showed the students a video.\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: The students were shown a video.\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 12. They offered him a job.\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: He was offered a job.\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 13. She sent a message to her friend.\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: A message was sent to her friend.\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 14. They awarded him a prize for bravery.\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: He was awarded a prize for bravery.\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 15. Someone is repairing the road.\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: The road is being repaired.\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 16. They postponed the meeting because of the storm.\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: The meeting was postponed because of the storm.\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 17. No one helped the injured man.\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: The injured man was not helped.\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 18. They play football in this stadium every weekend.\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: Football is played in this stadium every weekend.\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 19. Somebody painted the walls last week.\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: The walls were painted last week.\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 20. The cleaner swept the floor quickly.\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: The floor was quickly swept.\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 21. The professor is explaining the lesson to the class.\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: The lesson is being explained to the class by the professor.\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 22. The government had already approved the policy.\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: The policy had already been approved.\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 23. The manager will give us the report tomorrow.\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: We will be given the report tomorrow.\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 24. They are organizing the event at the moment.\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: The event is being organized at the moment.\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 25. Somebody has stolen my wallet.\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: My wallet has been stolen.\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 26. People admire her courage.\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: Her courage is admired.\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 27. The guard didn’t lock the gate.\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: The gate wasn’t locked.\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 28. No one invited us to the party.\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: We were not invited to the party.\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 29. They conducted the interview very carefully.\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: The interview was conducted very carefully.\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 30. The musician composed a song for the festival.\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: A song was composed for the festival by the musician.\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 31. He is writing a novel.\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: A novel is being written.\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 32. They had delivered the package before I arrived.\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: The package had been delivered before I arrived.\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 33. A stranger offered me a ride.\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: I was offered a ride by a stranger.\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 34. Someone told her the news.\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: She was told the news.\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 35. The kids broke the window while playing.\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: The window was broken while playing.\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 36. People use this app all over the world.\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: This app is used all over the world.\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 37. They didn’t return the books on time.\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: The books weren’t returned on time.\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 38. The boss will send the documents by email.\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: The documents will be sent by email by the boss.\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 39. She teaches English to young learners.\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: English is taught to young learners by her.\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 40. Someone quickly carried the patient into the ambulance.\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: The patient was quickly carried into the ambulance.\r\n \r\n \r\n
✅ 6. Changing Questions into Passive Voice
\r\n\r\nChanging questions into the passive voice depends on the type of question:
\r\n- \r\n
- Yes/No Questions \r\n
- Wh- Questions (What, Where, When, Why, Who, How) \r\n
🔹 A. Yes/No Questions
\r\nFormula:
\r\nBe/Do/Did/Has/Have/Modal + Subject + V1 + Object? → Be/Has/Have/etc. + Object (new subject) + V3 + by...?
| Active | \r\nPassive | \r\n
|---|---|
| Did she write the letter? | \r\nWas the letter written by her? | \r\n
| Is he watching the film? | \r\nIs the film being watched by him? | \r\n
| Have they completed the report? | \r\nHas the report been completed by them? | \r\n
✅ Keep the question word order in the passive!
\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
🔹 B. Wh- Questions
\r\nYou need to pay attention to the object in the active sentence. In the passive, the object becomes the subject.
\r\n\r\n📌 When the question word is the object:
\r\n| Active | \r\nPassive | \r\n
|---|---|
| What did she write? | \r\nWhat was written by her? | \r\n
| Where did they hold the meeting? | \r\nWhere was the meeting held by them? | \r\n
| When will he deliver the parcel? | \r\nWhen will the parcel be delivered by him? | \r\n
📌 When the question word is the subject (\”Who/What\”):
\r\nUse “by whom” in the passive version.
\r\n| Active | \r\nPassive | \r\n
|---|---|
| Who wrote this book? | \r\nBy whom was this book written? | \r\n
| Who sent the email? | \r\nBy whom was the email sent? | \r\n
✅ \”Who\” becomes \”by whom\” in the passive voice.
\r\n❓ Passive Voice Quiz – Questions (20 Sentences)
\r\nChange the following interrogative sentences into passive voice. Type your answer in the text boxes below:
\r\n- \r\n\r\n
- \r\n 1. Did he complete the report?\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: Was the report completed?\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 2. Is she writing the letter?\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: Is the letter being written?\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 3. Have they repaired the car?\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: Has the car been repaired?\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 4. Will they deliver the parcel tomorrow?\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: Will the parcel be delivered tomorrow?\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 5. Are they cleaning the house?\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: Is the house being cleaned?\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 6. Has someone taken my pen?\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: Has my pen been taken?\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 7. Did anyone invite you to the meeting?\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: Were you invited to the meeting?\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 8. Is he watching the movie?\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: Is the movie being watched?\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 9. Had they finished the work before the deadline?\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: Had the work been finished before the deadline?\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 10. Do they sell these books in that shop?\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: Are these books sold in that shop?\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 11. Did the teacher give you any homework?\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: Were you given any homework?\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 12. Is someone preparing the documents?\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: Are the documents being prepared?\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 13. Did he send the email?\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: Was the email sent?\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 14. Will they announce the results next week?\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: Will the results be announced next week?\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 15. Have they checked the machines?\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: Have the machines been checked?\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 16. Did anyone ask you a question?\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: Were you asked a question?\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 17. Is she making the arrangements?\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: Are the arrangements being made?\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 18. Has the manager approved the proposal?\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: Has the proposal been approved?\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 19. Will someone pick us up at the airport?\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: Will we be picked up at the airport?\r\n \r\n \r\n
- \r\n 20. Are they showing the film in the cinema?\r\n \r\n \r\n✅ Answer: Is the film being shown in the cinema?\r\n \r\n \r\n
