Active and Passive Voice: Rules, Examples & Transformations

TAKEAWAYS:

• Active voice uses subject + verb + object (e.g., "She writes a letter"), while passive voice uses object + "be" + past participle (e.g., "A letter is written by her").
• Passive voice is formed using auxiliary verbs (is/am/are/was/were/has/have/been) + past participle (e.g., "is eaten," "was broken").
• Not all sentences can be passive—only those with a clear object (e.g., "She sings" → cannot be passive; "She sings a song" → can be passive: "A song is sung by her").
• Passive voice is useful for formal writing, emphasizing the action, or when the doer is unknown.
• Common mistakes include wrong tense forms (e.g., "is wrote" instead of "was written") and missing "by" in passive sentences.
• Practice transforming sentences both ways (active → passive and passive → active) for exam questions.

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What Are Active and Passive Voices?

Active Voice

In active voice, the subject performs the action. Structure: Subject + Verb + Object Example:

• The teacher teaches the students. Here, "the teacher" (subject) does the action "teaches" to "the students" (object).

Passive Voice

In passive voice, the action is done to the subject (the object becomes the subject). Structure: Object (new subject) + "be" (auxiliary verb) + Past Participle + (by + agent) Example:

• The students are taught by the teacher. Here, "the students" (original object) are now the subject, and "the teacher" is the agent (optional).

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Rules for Changing Active to Passive Voice

Step-by-Step Transformation

1. Identify the object in the active sentence (it becomes the subject in passive).
2. Use the correct auxiliary verb (from the table below).
3. Change the main verb to its past participle form (e.g., "write" → "written," "eat" → "eaten").
4. Add "by + agent" (optional, but often used in formal writing).

Auxiliary Verbs for Passive Voice

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Worked Examples

Example 1: Simple Present

Active: The chef cooks delicious food. Passive: Delicious food is cooked by the chef. Key Change:

• "cooks" (active) → "is cooked" (passive).
• Object "delicious food" becomes the new subject.

Example 2: Simple Past

Active: The students completed the project. Passive: The project was completed by the students. Key Change:

• "completed" (active) → "was completed" (passive).
• Object "the project" becomes the new subject.

Example 3: Future Simple

Active: She will call you tomorrow. Passive: You will be called by her tomorrow. Key Change:

• "will call" → "will be called."
• Object "you" becomes the new subject.

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Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Wrong Auxiliary Verb:

   • ❌ Incorrect: "A letter is wrote by her."
   • ✅ Correct: "A letter is written by her."
   • Use "is/am/are + past participle," not "is + past tense."

2. Missing "by" Agent:

   • ❌ Informal: "The project was completed students."
   • ✅ Formal: "The project was completed by the students."
   • Omit "by" only if the doer is unknown or unimportant.

3. Incorrect Past Participle:

   • ❌ Wrong: "The glass is brokened."
   • ✅ Correct: "The glass is broken."
   • Remember irregular verbs: "break" → "broken," "write" → "written."

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When to Use Passive Voice

Passive voice is useful in these situations:

1. Formal Writing:

   • "Mistakes were made." (instead of "We made mistakes.")
   • Used in reports, notices, and official documents.

2. Emphasizing the Action:

   • "The prize was won by Nepal." (focuses on the achievement, not the winner).

3. Unknown or Unimportant Doer:

   • "The temple was built in 1800." (no need to mention who built it).

4. Scientific and Technical Writing:

   • "Experiments were conducted under controlled conditions."

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Passive Voice with Modal Verbs

Modal verbs (can, may, must, should, etc.) are used with passive voice as follows: Structure: Subject + modal verb + be + past participle Examples:

• Active: "She can solve the problem."
• Passive: "The problem can be solved by her."
• Active: "They must finish the work."
• Passive: "The work must be finished by them."

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Special Cases

1. Sentences Without an Object

Some sentences cannot be changed to passive voice because they lack an object. Examples:

• ❌ "She sings." → "A song is sung by her." (Incorrect, because "sings" has no object.)
• ✅ "She sings a song." → "A song is sung by her." (Correct, because "a song" is the object.)

2. Sentences with Two Objects

If a sentence has two objects (indirect and direct), you can make two passive sentences: Active: "She gave me a book." Passive 1 (direct object as subject): "A book was given to me by her." Passive 2 (indirect object as subject): "I was given a book by her."

3. Imperative Sentences

For commands or requests, use: Structure: Let + object + be + past participle Examples:

• Active: "Open the door."
• Passive: "Let the door be opened."
• Active: "Do not touch the machine."
• Passive: "Let the machine not be touched."

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Comparison Table: Active vs. Passive Voice

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Practice Exercises

Transform the Following Active Sentences to Passive Voice

1. The children are playing in the park.
2. She has written a beautiful poem.
3. They will finish the project next month.
4. The teacher is correcting the answer sheets.
5. The police caught the thief yesterday.

Answers:

1. The park is being played in by the children.
2. A beautiful poem has been written by her.
3. The project will be finished by them next month.
4. The answer sheets are being corrected by the teacher.
5. The thief was caught by the police yesterday.

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SEE-Style Questions

Question 1: Rewrite the following sentences in passive voice.

a) The students are writing an essay. b) She has already submitted the report. c) The manager will sign the contract tomorrow.

Answers: a) An essay is being written by the students. b) The report has already been submitted by her. c) The contract will be signed by the manager tomorrow.

Question 2: Change the following passive sentences into active voice.

a) The letter was posted by him yesterday. b) The meeting is being chaired by the principal. c) The book has been read by many students.

Answers: a) He posted the letter yesterday. b) The principal is chairing the meeting. c) Many students have read the book.

Question 3: Fill in the blanks with the correct passive form of the verbs given in brackets.

a) The flowers ______ (water) every morning. b) The thief ______ (catch) by the police last night. c) The project ______ (complete) by next week.

Answers: a) are watered b) was caught c) will be completed

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Exam Tip

1. Identify the Object:

   • Always look for the object in the active sentence. If there is no object, the sentence cannot be passive.

2. Match the Tense Correctly:

   • Use the right auxiliary verb (is/are/am, was/were, has/have been, etc.) based on the tense of the active sentence.

3. Practice Both Ways:

   • The SEE exam may ask you to convert active to passive or passive to active. Practice both directions.

4. Watch for Modal Verbs:

   • Remember the structure: Subject + modal verb + be + past participle (e.g., "can be done," "must be finished").

5. Avoid Common Mistakes:

   • Do not use past tense verbs in passive voice (e.g., "is wrote" is wrong; use "was written").
   • Do not forget "by" when the agent is mentioned (unless it’s informal).

6. Use Passive Voice in Formal Writing:

   • Questions about notices, reports, or formal letters often require passive voice. For example:
     • Active: "The school announces the exam dates."
     • Passive (for a notice): "The exam dates are announced by the school."

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Summary

• Active voice = Subject does the action (e.g., "She writes a letter").
• Passive voice = Action is done to the subject (e.g., "A letter is written by her").
• Key steps to convert:
  1. Find the object (new subject).
  2. Use the correct auxiliary verb.
  3. Change the main verb to past participle.
  4. Add "by + agent" (optional).
• Practice daily to master transformations for your SEE exam!

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