Definition:

Voice is the form of the verb which indicates whether the subject does the
work or something has been done to it.

There are three kinds of voices.

i) Active Voice
ii) Passive Voice
iii) Quasi-Passive Voice

VOICE
 Active voice: When the subject of a sentence performs the verb’s
action, we say that the sentence is in the active voice. Sentences in the
active voice have a strong, direct, and clear tone.

Passive Voice: When the subject of a sentence is acted upon, the verb is
in passive voice.
Quasi-Passive Voice: A quasi-passive voice is active in form but passive
in sense.

RULES FOR CHANGING ACTIVE VOICES INTO PASSIVE VOICES

 Write the object of active voice in place of subject in passive voice.

 Use the auxiliary verb according to the number, person and tense of the
passive subject.
 Write the past participle form of the main verb.
 Use the preposition -“by”
 Write the subject of active voice in place of object in passive voice.

SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE

ACTIVE VOICE:
SUBJECT + V1+ OBJECT
PASSIVE VOICE:
PASSIVE SUBJECT+IS/AM/ARE+V3+BY+PASSIVE OBJECT

Examples:
1. Anurag makes a noise.
 A noise is made by Anurag.
2. Children like sweets.
 Sweets are liked by children.
PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE

ACTIVE VOICE:
SUBJECT+IS/AM/ARE+V1+ING+OBJECT
PASSIVE VOICE:
PASSIVE SUBJECT+IS/AM/ARE+BEING+V3+BY+PASSIVE
OBJECT

Examples:
1. He is writing a
letter.
 A letter is being
written
by him.
2. Bhavana is singing
a song.
 A song is being
sung by Bhavana.

PRESENT PERFECT TENSE

ACTIVE VOICE:
SUBJECT+HAS/HAVE+V3+OBJECT
PASSIVE VOICE:
PASSIVE SUBJECT + HAS/HAVE + BEEN+ V3+BY+ PASSIVE
OBJECT
Examples:
1. Tendulkar has
thrown the balls.
 The balls have been
thrown by
Tendulkar.
2. The person has cut all
telephone wires.
 All telephone wires
have been cut by the
person.
 SIMPLE PAST TENSE

ACTIVE VOICE:
SUBJECT + V2+ OBJECT
PASSIVE VOICE:
PASSIVE SUBJECT + WAS/WERE+V3+BY+PASSIVE OBJECT

EXAMPLES:
1. Ajay spoke the truth.
 The truth was
spoken by Ajay.
2. Dinkar wrote this
poem.
 This poem was
written by Dinkar.

PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE

ACTIVE VOICE:
SUBJECT+WAS/WERE+V1+ING+OBJECT
PASSIVE VOICE:
PASSIVE SUBJECT + WAS/WERE+BEING+V3+BY+PASSIVE
OBJECT

EXAMPLES:
1. Ram was writing a letter.
 A letter was being written
by Ram.
2. The children were
decorating the room.
 The room was being
decorated by the children.
 PAST PERFECT TENSE

ACTIVE VOICE:
SUBJECT+HAD+V3+OBJECT
PASSIVE VOICE:
PASSIVE SUBJECT+HAD+BEEN+V3+BY+PASSIVE OBJECT

EXAMPLES:
1. The players had won the
match.
 The match had been
won by the players.
2. The children had eaten all
the cakes.
 All the cakes had been
eaten by the children.

SIMPLE FUTURE RENSE

ACTIVE VOICE:
SUBJECT+WILL/SHALL+V1+OBJECT
PASSIVE VOICE:
PASSIVE SUBJECT+WILL/SHALL+BE+V3+BY+PASSIVE OBJECT

EXAMPLES:

1. The postman will deliver the letter.

 The letter will be delivered by
the postman.
2. The girls will learn music.
 Music will be learnt by the
girls.
FUTURE PERFECT TENSE

ACTIVE VOICE:
SUBJECT+ WILL+HAVE+V3+OBJECT
PASSIVE VOICE:
PASSIVESUBJECT+WILL/SHALL+HAVE+BEEN+V3+BY+PASSIVE
OBJECT

EXAMPLES:

1. The police will have

caught the terrorist.
 The terrorist will have
been caught by the
police.
2. The painter will have
painted the whole house.
 The whole house will
have been painted by
the painter.

NOTE

The passive voice of present perfect continuous tense, past perfect

continuous tense, future continuous tense and future perfect
continuous tense cannot be formed.
IMPERATIVE SENTENCES

 A sentence that issues a request or gives a command or expresses a

desire or wish is called an Imperative sentence. Imperative sentences
are addressed without naming the subject. Hence these sentences are
without Subject and starts with the Principal Verb. Sentences have
different types of emotions - Order, Command, Request, Suggestion
and Advise. In Passive Voice of Imperative Sentence, we use different
words with the Subject as per the emotions of the sentence.

Examples:

 Switch on the light.

=) Let the light be switched on.
 Please give me a book.
=) You are requested to give me a book.
 Sit down.
=) You are ordered to sit down.
 Take the medicine regularly.
=) You are advised to take the medicine regularly.
 Help the helpless.
=) The helpless should be helped.

Sentence Rule of making Imperative Rule of converting Imperative

Containing Sentence (Active Voice) Sentence (Active Voice) to Passive
Voice

Command Verb (Ist Form) + Object + Let + Convert Object to Subject + Be

(.) + Verb (3rd form)

Order Verb (Ist Form) + Object + You are ordered to + Verb (Ist form)+
(.) Object

Request Verb (Ist Form) + Object + You are requested to + Verb (Ist
(.) form)+ Object

Advice Verb (Ist Form) + Object. You are advised to + Verb (Ist form)+
Object

Suggestion Verb (Ist Form) + Object + Convert Object to Subject + Should +

(.) Be + Verb (3rd form)
 IMPERATIVE SENTENCES BEGINNING WITH ‘LET’:
 If the active imperative sentence is based on the structure of -
‘Let+indirect object+v1+direct object’, then it is changed into
passive voice on the basis of the given structure below:
Let+direct object+be+v3+by+indirect object

Examples:
 Let me do this work.
=) Let this work be done by me.
 Let her sing a song.
=) Let a song be sung by her.
 Let me discuss the matter.
=) Let the matter be discussed by me.
 Let him sing the song.
=) Let the song be sung by her.

Note: The object which denotes the person to whom

something is given or for whom something is done is called
Indirect Object.

The object which is usually the name of something is called

Direct Object.

 If the active imperative sentence is based on the structure of – ‘Let

+ us+ V1’ and it expresses suggestion, then it is converted into
passive voice on the basis of the structure given below:
It is suggested that + we+ should + V1

Examples:

 Let us sing.
=) It is suggested that we should sing.
 Let us play together.
=) It is suggested that we should play together.
 Let us work.
=) It is suggested that we should work.
 Let us dance together.
=) It is suggested that we should dance together.
INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES

 YES/NO QUESTION:

The interrogative sentences or Yes-No question starting with auxiliary

verbs are changed into passive voice on the basis of the steps given
below:

Step 1: Change the Yes-No question form into Assertive form.

Step 2: Change the passive form according to general rules after it.

Step 3: Put the auxiliary verb used in passive form before the subject.

Step 4: Add the question mark (?) at last.

Look at this sentence:

Does he write a letter?

Step 1: He writes a letter.

Step 2: A letter is written by him.

Step 3: Is a letter written by him.

Step 4: Is a letter written by him?

Examples:

 Was the doctor examining the patients?

=) Were the patients being examined by the doctor?
 Did he buy a book?
=) Was a book bought by him?
 Have you brought my bag?
=) Has my bag been brought by you?
 Are the children eating sweets now?
=) Are sweets being eaten by the children now?
 Wh-Questions:

The interrogative sentences or wh-questions starting with wh-words or

interrogative words are changed into passive voice on the basis of the
steps given below:

Step 1: Hide the Wh-words during changing into passive voice.

Step 2: Write the consequent gotten yes-no question form into

assertive form.

Step 3: Change the passive form according to general rules after it.

Step 4: Put the auxiliary verb used in passive form before the subject.
Add the question mark (?) at last.

Step 5: Add the wh-word in the starting of passive form.

Look at this sentence:

Why does she teach the children?

Step 1: Does she teach the children?

Step 2: She teaches the children.

Step 3: The children are taught by her.

Step 4: Are the children taught by her?

Step 5: Why are the children taught by her?

Examples:

 When were you playing football?

=) When was football being played by you?
 Why did the teacher punish you?
=) Why were you punished by the teacher?
 What were you doing?
=) What was being done by you?
 Who taught you English?
=) By whom were you taught English?
 Who wrote this book?
=) By whom was this book written?
 Whom did you laugh at?
=) Who was laughed at by you?
 Whom did you call?
=) Who was called by you?
 PASSIVE VOICE WITH DIFFERENT PREPOSITIONS

WORDS PREPOSITIONS
Pleased With
Interested In
Astonished At
Disgusted With
Marry To
Knocked At
Provide With
Prefer To
Congratulate On
Compare With
Surprise At
Aim At
Know To

Examples:

 Mr. Mishra knows me.

=) I am known to Mr.Mishra.
 His behaviour shocked me.
=) I was shocked at his behaviour.
 The novels of Tolstoy interest me.
=) I am interested in the novels of Tolstoy.
 Ram married Sita.
=) Sita was married to Ram.
 Her manners pleased us very much.
=) We were very much pleased with her manners.
 QUASI-PASSIVE VOICE

A Quasi-passive voice is active in form but passive in sense. It may be changed

in the passive form in the following way:

Verbs with a compliment:

 Honey is sweet.
=) Honey is sweet when it is tasted.
 The rose smells sweet.
=) The rose is sweet when it is smelt.

Verbs without a compliment:

 The house is building.

The house is being built.
 The trumpets are sounding.
The trumpets are being sounded.
 PASSIVE VOICE WITH MODAL-AUXILIARY

If the active sentence is based on the structure of –

‘subject+modal auxiliary verb+v1+object’, it is then changed into the passive

voice on the basis of the structure given below:

Passive subject+modal auxiliary+ be+v3+passive object

Example:

 I must help the poor.

=) The poor must be helped by me.
 He can speak English.
=) English can be spoken by him.
 We should love our country.
=) Our country should be loved by us.
 They may win the match.
=) The match may be won by them.
 PASSIVE VOICE OF TRANSITIVE VERBS WITH TWO OBJECTS

Sometimes we may get sentences with two objects. In such cases any of the
objects may become the subject. But the indirect object or the personal object is
preferred for the subject. Another object is retained. Hence it is called retained
object.

Examples:

 Mr.Das teaches us English.

=) We are taught English by Mr.Das.
=) English is taught us by Mr.Das.
 They handed him a leaflet.
=) He was handed a leaflet by them.
=) A leaflet was handed him by them.
 My friend sent me a gift.
=) I was sent a gift by my friend.
=) A gift was sent to me by my friend.
 Gahar offered me a seat.
=) I was offered a seat by Gahar.
=) A seat was offered to me by Gahar.
 FACITITIVE OBJECT

Object of the transitive verb is used as complement.

Examples:

They made him king.

=) He was made king by them.
They elected him President.
=) He was elected President by them.

REFLEXIVE OBJECT

Reflexive object cannot be changed into subject.

Examples:

 He hurt himself.
=) He was hurt by himself.
 She cut herself.
=) She was cut by herself.

DOUBLE PASSIVES IN A SENTENCE SHOULD BE AVOIDED

Double passives in a simple sentence or in one clause should be

avoided as they are liable to give a wrong meaning.

Example:

Active: They proposed to hold a meeting.

Incorrect Passive: A meeting was proposed to be held by them.

Correct Passive: It was proposed by them to hold a meeting.

 PASSIVE OF INFINITIVES

 To+ verb
 There are lots of things to do.
=) There are lots of things to be done.
 Verbs followed by objects+ plain infinitives
 I saw him go to the garden.
=) He was seen to go to the garden.
 There + verb+ subject + to be + v3
 There is no money to buy.
=) There is no money to be bought.
 It+ verb+ noun+ for+ object+ to be +v3
 It is time to prepare for the examination.
=) It is time for the examination to be prepared.

SOME PECULIATRIES IN VOICE

 One should keep one’s promise.

=) A promise should be kept. (by one – omitted)
 Someone has stolen my purse.
=) My purse has been stolen. (by someone- omitted)
 I have lost my pen.
=) My pen has been lost. (by me –omitted)
 Circumstances obliged me to go.
=) I was obliged to go. (by circumstances-omitted)