Active vs. Passive Voice
Why do we use passive if we have Active voice?
What’s the Difference?
- What is active voice? In active voice, the subject performs the action of the verb:
- The cat chased the mouse
- What is passive voice? In passive voice, the subject receives the action of the verb:
The mouse was chased by the cat.
Here we have a question... If we have Active voice then what is the need of Passive voice?
yes,here are some reasons for it..
✓ When the doer is unknown
When we do not know who performed the action.
Example:
My pen was stolen. (We don’t know who stole it.)
A man was killed Infront of the city bank.
✓When the doer is not important
The action matters more than the person who did it.
Example:
The light was restored last night.
The pages were copied.
✓ To focus on the action or result
Passive voice highlights what happened rather than who did it.
Example:
The patient was treated successfully.
✓ For official writing
Common in reports, notices, laws, and academic writing.
Example.
Smoking is prohibited here.
✓ To avoid responsibility or blame
Used when the speaker wants to sound polite or indirect.
Example:
Mistakes were made.
Here are the basic rules for changing an active sentence into a passive sentence.
1. Identify the object of the active sentence
The object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence.
e.g,
Active: He writes a letter.
Passive: A letter is written by him.
2. Change the verb according to tense
Use the correct form of “be” (is, am, are, was, were, been, being) + past participle (3rd form) of the main verb.
Tense. Active Passive
Present Simple. writes Is/are/am+3-V
Past Simple. Wrote Was/were+3-V
Future Simple. Will write will be+3-V
3. Use the 3rd form of the main verb
The main verb in passive voice is always in past participle (V³) form.
4. Change the subject into the agent
The subject of the active sentence becomes the agent in passive voice and is usually introduced by “by”.
Sometimes the agent is omitted if it is unknown or unimportant.
e.g,
Active: People speak English worldwide.
Passive: English is spoken worldwide. (agent omitted)
5. Pronouns change as given below
Active. Passive
I. me
He. him
She. her
They. Them
We. us
It. It
Active: He told me.
Passive: I was told by him.
6. Only transitive verbs can be changed
Only verbs that have an object can be changed into passive voice.
❌ He sleeps. (No object → no passive)
7.After 3 verb generally we put "by"
5: Tense-wise Changes
1️⃣ Present Simple
Structure:
Active → S + V¹ + O
Passive → O + is/am/are + V³
Example:
She helps. me.
I am helped by her.
2️⃣ Present Continuous
Structure:
Active → S + is/am/are + V-ing + O
Passive → O + is/am/are + being + V³
Example:
He is cleaning the room.
The room is being cleaned by him.
3️⃣ Present Perfect
Structure:
Active → S + has/have + V³ + O
Passive → O + has/have + been + V³
Example:
She has completed the work.
The work has been completed by her.
4️⃣ Past Simple
Structure:
Active → S + V² + O
Passive → O + was/were + V³
Example:
They built a bridge.
A bridge was built by them.
5️⃣ Past Continuous
Structure:
Active → S + was/were + V-ing + O
Passive → O + was/were + being + V³
Example:
He was writing a story.
A story was being written by him.
6️⃣ Past Perfect
Structure:
Active → S + had + V³ + O
Passive → O + had + been + V³
Example:
She had cleaned the house.
The house had been cleaned by her.
7️⃣ Future Simple
Structure:
Active → S + will + V¹ + O
Passive → O + will + be + V³
Example:
He will solve the problem.
The problem will be solved by him.
8️⃣ Modals (can, may, must, should, etc.)
Structure:
Active → S + modal + V¹ + O
Passive → O + modal + be + V³
Example:
She can do this work.
This work can be done by her.
Imperative sentences
Use “Let + object + be + V³”
Active: Open the door.
Passive: Let the door be opened.
Some times we can make the above sentence into passive like this,
You are requested to open the door.
0 Comments