Active & Passive Voice

Like direct/indirect speech questions, this question type also has a set of rules to follow when solving. Typically,a sentence is given either in active or passive voice, and the student is given four or five options and asked to choose the one that best converts it into the form other than the one in which it is given.

Active voice is the most common way of expressing in the English language. These sentences contain a subject that performs the action,denoted by the verb. The standard format is: The man carried the books upstairs. Note that the ‘man’ here is the subject of the verb,who is performing the action of carrying the books (carried is the verb), while the object of the verb here is ‘books’ (the action is being performed on the books).

The same sentence can also be expressed in passive voice. The standard format would be: The books were carried upstairs by the man. In this sentence, the subject of the verb (man) is no longer active; and is instead being acted upon by the verb (carried), while the object of the verb (books) become the active part of the sentence.

Keep in mind that only sentences with a direct object can be changed from the active to the passive voice. For instance, the following sentence cannot be changed into passive voice as it does not have a direct object: A strong wind is blowing.

Rules for Solving

1. For changing a sentence in the active voice to passive voice, move the object of the verb to the subject’s slot. In most cases,the converted sentence in passive voice will begin with the object of the sentence.

An active voice sentence usually has the following structure: subject + first form of the verb + object. A passive voice sentence has the following structure: Object + is/am/are + past participle form of the verb + by + subject.

2. Pronouns: Subjective pronouns are changed into objective pronouns when changing a sentence from active to passive voice, and vice versa.

3. Tenses: Like direct/indirect speech questions, the tense of the sentence changes when converting from one voice to the other. It is imperative for the student to keep the rules in mind, as it is this in this area where most students make mistakes. The tense-wise rules are illustrated in the table below:

Examples :

The critic wrote a scathing review. (active)
A scathing review was written by the critic. (passive)

I will clean the house every Saturday. (active)
The house will be cleaned by me every Saturday. (passive)

The staff is required to watch a safety video every year. (active)
A safety video will be watched by the staff every year. (passive)

She faxed her application for a new job. (active)
The application for a new job was faxed by her. (passive)

Tom painted the entire house. (active)
The entire house was painted by Tom. (passive)

The teacher always answers the students’ questions. (active)
The students’ questions are always answered by the teacher. (passive)

The choir really enjoys that piece. (active)
That piece is really enjoyed by the choir. (passive)

Who taught you to ski? (active)
By whom were you taught to ski? (passive)

The forest fire destroyed the whole suburb. (active)
The whole suburb was destroyed by the forest fire. (passive)

The two kings are signing the treaty. (active)
The treaty is being signed by the two kings. (passive)

The cleaning crew vacuums and dusts the office every night. (active)
Every night the office is vacuumed and dusted by the cleaning crew. (passive)

Larry generously donated money to the homeless shelter. (active)
Money was generously donated to the homeless shelter by Larry. (passive)

No one responded to my sales ad. (active)
My sales ad was not responded to by anyone. (passive)

The wedding planner is making all the reservations. (active)
All the reservations will be made by the wedding planner. (passive)

Susan will bake two dozen cupcakes for
For the bake sale, two dozen cookies will be baked by Susan. (passive)

The science class viewed the comet. (active)
The comet was viewed by the science class. (passive)

Who ate the last cookie? (active)
The last cookie was eaten by whom? (passive)

Alex posted the video on Facebook. (active)
The video was posted on Facebook by Alex. (passive)

The director will give you instructions. (active)
Instructions will be given to you by the director. (passive)

Thousands of tourists view the Grand Canyon every year. (active)
The Grand Canyon is viewed by thousands of tourists every year. (passive)

The homeowners remodeled the house to help it sell. (active)
The house was remodeled by the homeowners to help it sell. (passive)

passive voice of imperative sentences:

Bring it home.(active)

Let it be brought home.(passive)

Please help me.(active)

Let me be helped.(passive)
You are requested to help me.(passive)

Don’t touch it. (active)
Let it not be touched.(passive)
You are warned not to touch it.(passive)

Get me a glass of water.
You are ordered to get me a glass of water.

Let us go for a walk.
It is suggested that we should go out for a walk.