🔥 What is Active and Passive Voice?
In English grammar, voice refers to the way a sentence presents its subject and action. There are two types of voice:
✅ Active Voice
- The subject performs the action.
- This is the most common, direct, and clear way of writing.
- Example:
- ✅ John wrote a letter.
- ✅ The teacher explained the lesson.
✅ Passive Voice
- The action happens to the subject rather than the subject doing the action.
- It is often used in formal writing or when the doer is unknown or unimportant.
- Example:
- ✅ A letter was written by John.
- ✅ The lesson was explained by the teacher.
🎯 Active vs. Passive Voice: Key Differences
| Feature | Active Voice | Passive Voice |
|---|---|---|
| Focus on | The doer of the action | The receiver of the action |
| Sentence Structure | Subject + Verb + Object | Object + “to be” + Past Participle + (by Subject) |
| Clarity | More direct and clear | More formal or indirect |
| Usage | Everyday speech, informal writing | Academic, scientific, and legal writing |
| Example | “She cooked dinner.” | “Dinner was cooked by her.” |
📝 How to Convert Active to Passive Voice?
Follow these 3 simple steps:
1️⃣ Move the object of the active sentence to the subject position.
2️⃣ Use the correct form of the verb “to be” + past participle of the main verb.
3️⃣ Mention the doer (optional) using “by”.
🔹 Example 1:
✅ Active: The chef prepared the meal.
✅ Passive: The meal was prepared by the chef.
🔹 Example 2:
✅ Active: Scientists discovered a new planet.
✅ Passive: A new planet was discovered (by scientists).
⚡ When to Use Passive Voice?
📌 When the doer is unknown or unimportant
- Active: Someone stole my phone.
- Passive: My phone was stolen.
📌 When the focus is on the action rather than the doer
- Active: The government made new rules.
- Passive: New rules were made by the government.
📌 In formal, academic, or scientific writing
- Active: The researchers conducted an experiment.
- Passive: An experiment was conducted by the researchers.
📌 To sound more polite or indirect
- Active: You made a mistake.
- Passive: A mistake was made.
🚀 Practice Exercises (Fill in the Blanks)
🔹 1. The teacher explained the topic.
👉 The topic ______ by the teacher.
🔹 2. They will complete the project soon.
👉 The project _______ soon.
🔹 3. She wrote a beautiful poem.
👉 A beautiful poem ______ by her.
💡 Try answering these! Comment below if you need help!
🚀 Exception Rules for Active and Passive Voice
While most sentences follow the standard Active → Passive conversion rules, there are some exceptions where passive voice cannot be formed or follows a different structure.
1️⃣ Sentences Without an Object Cannot Be Converted
✅ Rule: Only transitive verbs (verbs that take an object) can be converted to passive voice. Intransitive verbs(verbs without an object) CANNOT have a passive form.
❌ Wrong:
🔸 He sleeps early. → (No passive form possible!)
🔸 They arrived late. → (No passive form possible!)
✅ Correct Example:
🔹 Active: She wrote a letter.
🔹 Passive: A letter was written by her.
2️⃣ Sentences with Indirect Objects – Two Passive Forms Possible
✅ Rule: If a sentence has two objects (Direct & Indirect), it can have two passive forms.
Example:
🔹 Active: The teacher gave the students homework.
🔹 Passive 1 (Focusing on the Indirect Object): The students were given homework by the teacher.
🔹 Passive 2 (Focusing on the Direct Object): Homework was given to the students by the teacher.
3️⃣ Passive Voice for Imperative Sentences
✅ Rule: Imperative sentences (orders, requests, and advice) use “Let” + be + past participle in the passive form.
Example:
🔹 Active: Close the door.
🔹 Passive: Let the door be closed.
🔹 Active: Do the work.
🔹 Passive: Let the work be done.
4️⃣ Passive Voice for Modals (Can, Could, Should, Must, etc.)
✅ Rule: Use Modal Verb + be + Past Participle for passive form.
Example:
🔹 Active: You must finish the project today.
🔹 Passive: The project must be finished today.
🔹 Active: She can solve the problem.
🔹 Passive: The problem can be solved by her.
5️⃣ Passive Voice for Future Continuous and Present Perfect Continuous
✅ Rule: Some tenses don’t have passive forms, especially Future Continuous (will be + V-ing) and Present Perfect Continuous (has/have been + V-ing).
❌ No Passive Possible:
🔸 Active: They will be doing the work.
🔸 Passive: 🚫 (No correct passive form exists!)
🔸 Active: She has been writing a book.
🔸 Passive: 🚫 (No correct passive form exists!)
6️⃣ Passive Voice for Prepositional Verbs
✅ Rule: When verbs require prepositions, the preposition stays with the verb in the passive voice.
Example:
🔹 Active: They laughed at the joke.
🔹 Passive: The joke was laughed at by them.
🔹 Active: She takes care of the kids.
🔹 Passive: The kids are taken care of by her.
7️⃣ Passive Voice for Sentences with Infinitives (To + Verb)
✅ Rule: Use to be + past participle for passive forms of infinitive sentences.
Example:
🔹 Active: I want to complete the task.
🔹 Passive: I want the task to be completed.
🔹 Active: They hope to finish the project soon.
🔹 Passive: They hope the project to be finished soon.
🚀 Summary of Exceptions
| Active Structure | Passive Structure | Exception Rule |
|---|---|---|
| He sleeps early. | ❌ No passive form | Intransitive verbs cannot be passive |
| She gave me a gift. | ✅ I was given a gift. ✅ A gift was given to me. |
Sentences with two objects have two passive forms |
| Close the door. | ✅ Let the door be closed. | Imperative sentences use “Let” |
| You must complete this task. | ✅ This task must be completed. | Modal verbs use “be + past participle” |
| He will be doing the work. | ❌ No passive form | Future Continuous & Present Perfect Continuous have no passive |
| They laughed at the joke. | ✅ The joke was laughed at. | Prepositional verbs keep the preposition in passive |
| She wants to complete the task. | ✅ She wants the task to be completed. | Infinitives use “to be + past participle” |
🔥 Secret Rules & Advanced Tips for Active and Passive Voice
Apart from the standard rules, there are hidden secrets and advanced techniques in Active and Passive Voice that most learners don’t know! Let’s uncover these secrets to master English grammar like a pro! 🚀
1️⃣ Hidden Rule: Passive Voice Can Be Used Without “By”
✅ In many cases, the doer (agent) is omitted in passive sentences when it is unknown, obvious, or not important.
🔹 Active: Someone stole my wallet.
🔹 Passive (without by-agent): My wallet was stolen.
🔹 Active: They will announce the results tomorrow.
🔹 Passive (without by-agent): The results will be announced tomorrow.
🚀 Secret Tip: If the doer is “someone, people, they, we”, we can skip it in passive voice!
2️⃣ Hidden Trick: Passive Voice for Emotional Expressions
✅ Passive voice is often used in formal writing, newspapers, and academic content to sound more professional or neutral.
🔹 Active: The company fired 200 employees. (Sounds direct & harsh)
🔹 Passive: 200 employees were laid off by the company. (Sounds softer & professional)
🔹 Active: The government increased taxes.
🔹 Passive: Taxes were increased by the government.
🚀 Secret Tip: Passive voice is useful to sound polite or avoid blaming someone directly!
3️⃣ Hidden Structure: Passive Voice for Causative Sentences
✅ When we want someone else to do something for us, we use “get/have + object + past participle” in passive form.
🔹 Active: She cleaned her house.
🔹 Passive (Causative): She got her house cleaned.
🔹 Active: The mechanic fixed my car.
🔹 Passive (Causative): I had my car fixed by the mechanic.
🚀 Secret Tip: Use this trick to sound more natural in spoken English!
4️⃣ Hidden Mystery: Some Verbs Do NOT Change in Passive Voice
✅ Some verbs do not usually have a passive form.
Examples:
🔹 Active: This shirt fits me well.
🔹 Passive: ❌ (No passive possible!)
🔹 Active: She resembles her mother.
🔹 Passive: ❌ (No passive possible!)
🚀 Secret Tip: Stative verbs like fit, resemble, have, belong, lack, appear don’t work in passive voice!
5️⃣ Hidden Fact: Passive Voice Can Change the Focus of a Sentence
✅ Passive voice can be used to change emphasis and highlight the most important part of a sentence.
🔹 Active: A scientist discovered a new planet.
🔹 Passive (Focusing on the planet): A new planet was discovered.
🔹 Active: The police caught the criminal.
🔹 Passive (Focusing on the criminal): The criminal was caught.
🚀 Secret Tip: Use passive voice when you want to focus on the result instead of the doer!
6️⃣ Hidden Rule: Passive Voice in News Headlines
✅ News headlines often use passive voice without “be” verbs to sound short and impactful.
🔹 Full Sentence: The Prime Minister was elected by the people.
🔹 News Headline (Passive): Prime Minister elected by the people.
🔹 Full Sentence: A new law was passed by the government.
🔹 News Headline (Passive): New law passed by government.
🚀 Secret Tip: Passive voice makes news sound more professional and dramatic!
🔥 Master Active & Passive Voice Like a Pro!
✅ Learned something new? Test yourself! Try converting these active sentences into passive:
1️⃣ They will deliver the package tomorrow.
2️⃣ She gave me a wonderful gift.
3️⃣ The police are investigating the case.
4️⃣ Someone has stolen my laptop!
5️⃣ They have completed the project successfully.
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