Active and Passive Voice

Active and Passive Voice

It is important to explain what the voice is. When we talk about the voice in grammar, the voice indicates the relationship between a subject and a verb whether the subject is the doer or receiver.

Active Voice

The verb is in the active voice when the subject is the doer of an action and takes it object.

• Anna bought a new red shirt.

Passive Voice

The verb is in the passive voice when the subject is the receiver of an action rather than the doer.  

• A new red shirt was bought by Anna.

How to recognize the active voice and passive voice?

1. Identify the subject.
2. Identify the main verb.
3. Identify the relationship between the subject and verb.

If the subject is the doer of an action, the sentence is active. If the subject is the receiver of an action, the sentence is passive.

• Ali has closed the door.

1. Subject = Ali
2. Verb = closed
3. Relationship = Ali is the doer.

The sentence is active.

• Rice is grown in Parachinar.

1. Subject = rice
2. Verb = grown
3. Relationship = Rice receives the action.

The sentence is passive.

Reasons for Using Passive Voice

Unknown Subject

When we don’t know the performer of action, we use passive voice sentences. It is always necessary to use the doer in an active sentence.

• Five civilians have been killed.

In this example, the doer which we can say “the killer” is unknown. We don’t know who killed the five civilians.

Unimportant Agent

Sometimes, the agent is not important to be mentioned in a sentence. When this is the case, we have to use passive sentences.

• The main road is being constructed.

Here, we don’t need to mention the agent. The agent can be XYZ Company. We don’t need to mention the company because it is not important.

Well-known Subject

We use passive voice sentences when the agent is well-known.

• Rice is grown in Pakistan.

Who grows rice in Pakistan is known to everyone. Everyone knows that farmers grow rice. This is also one of the reasons behind using passive voice sentences.

Emphasis on the Receiver or Action

We use passive voice sentences when we emphasize the action or the receiver rather than the doer.

• The kitchen must be cleaned.

In this example, the emphasis is given to the kitchen and its cleaning. It makes no difference whoever will clean the kitchen, but the focus is on the kitchen and its cleaning.

For Style

Style is also one of the reasons for passive voice. We usually use the by-phrase just for the stylistic difference. We can also say that a passive sentence can be used to show the smoothness of a sentence.

Active Passive Voice Rules

Changing Places of Subject and Object

The places of the subject and the object are interchanged. The subject of an active voice takes place of the object and the object takes place of the subject.

• A: I bought a new pen.
• P: A new pen was bought by me.

Form of the Verb

Only the past participle form (3^rd form) of the verb is used in passive voice sentences.

• A: Ali writes poems.
• P: Poems are written by Ali.
• A: I will call you.
• P: You will be called by me.

Auxiliary

When we change active voice to passive voice, auxiliary verbs are also changed. Auxiliary verbs are changed according to the tense of the sentences in active voice.

Auxiliary Verbs in Passive Voice

Simple Present Tense	Is/are/am
Present Continuous Tense	Is/are/am + being
Present Perfect Tense	Has/have + been
Present Perfect Continuous Tense	Has/have been + being
Simple Past Tense	Was/were
Past Continuous Tense	Was/were + being
Past Perfect Tense	Had + been
Past Perfect Continuous Tense	Had been + being
Simple Future Tense	Will + be
Future Continuous Tense	Will be + being
Future Perfect Tense	Will have + been
Future Perfect Continuous Tense	Will have been + being
Model Verbs	Model verb + be
Imperative Sentence	Be
Semi Auxiliary	Semi Auxiliary + be

The Words “by, to, with”

When the subject takes place of the object in Passive Voice, one of the above words precedes it. In most cases, the word “by” is used. In some cases, the words “with, to” are used depending upon the verb.

• A: Ali knows me.
• P: I am known to Ali.
• A: They broke the glass.
• P: The glass was broken by them.

Note: The words “by, to, with” + doer of action make a phrase that is optional. You can make passive sentences without the phrase.

• The glass was broken.

By Phrase

A noun or noun phrase followed by the word “by” is called a by phrase. Passive voice sentences usually don’t have the by phrase. Sometimes, it is important to have the by phrase in passive voice sentences. There is just a stylistic difference between the by-passive and active voice.

When a noun phrase (agent) is long, English speakers use the by-phrase. In this case, the difference is about style and emphasis.

• Your mobile was stolen by a young boy who was wearing black glasses.

English speakers like to use new information at the end of a sentence. For example, my wallet was stolen. If someone gives new information that the stealer was a young boy, English speakers use such information at the end.

• My wallet was stolen by a young boy.

In this example, the new information is that a young boy stole my wallet.

 Note: Only transitive verbs are changed into passive voice.

A transitive verb requires an object. When we talk about changing active voice into passive voice, remember that we only change transitive verbs into passive voice.

An easy way to notice is to check if a verb is followed by a preposition and is not part of a verb (phrasal verb), don’t try to change it.

He sleeps on the bare floor. (Never Change)

Tenses in Passive Voice

Simple Present Passive

• A: They manage the functions.
• P: The functions are managed by them.
• A: She discusses critical problems.
• P: Critical problems are discussed by her.

Present Continuous Passive

• A: John is managing the function.
• P: The function is being managed by John.
• A: They are discussing critical problems.
• P: Critical problems are being discussed by them.

Present Perfect Passive

• A: They have taken him to the hospital.
• P: He has been taken to the hospital by them.
• A: John has taught English.
• P: English has been taught by John.

Present Perfect Continuous Passive

• A: She has been studying something for two hours.
• P: Something has been being studied for two hours by her.
• A: They have been playing football since morning.
• P: Football has been being played since morning by them.

Simple Past Passive

• A: We celebrated Lisa’s birthday.
• P: Lisa’s birthday was celebrated by us.
• A: They welcomed us warmly.
• P: We were welcomed warmly by them.

Past Continuous Passive

• A: Lisa was counting the money when I came.
• P: The money was being counted by Lisa when I came.
• A: They were playing football when you called me.
• P: Football was being played by them when I was called by you.

Past Perfect Passive

• A: Anna had eaten the meal by the time I reached home.
• P: The meal had been eaten by Anna by the time I reached home.
• A: They had completed their homework when I reminded them.
• P: Their homework had been completed when they were reminded by me.

Past Perfect Continuous Passive

• A: I had been writing a report for an hour when she came.
• P: A report had been being written for an hour by me when she came.
• A: Lisa had been watching TV for 30 minutes before I entered the room.
• P: TV had been being watched for 30 minutes by Lisa before I entered the room.

Simple Future Passive

• A: John will buy a new car.
• P: A new car will be bought by John.
• A: She will miss me.
• P: I will be missed by her.

Future Continuous Passive

• A: I will be studying math by the time she sleeps.
• P: Math will be being studied by me by the time she sleeps.
• A: She will be making tea when I wake up.
• P: Tea will be being made by her when I wake up.

Future Perfect Passive

• A: John will have cooked the meal when we reach there.
• P: The meal will have been cooked by John when we reach there.
• A: He will have bought the tickets before we reach the station.
• P: The tickets will have been bought by him before we reach the station.

Future Perfect Continuous Passive

• A: John will have been cooking the meal for an hour when we reach there.
• P: The meal will have been being cooked for an hour by John when we reach there.
• A: They will have been painting the room since morning when we reach there.
• P: The room will have been being painted since morning by them when we reach there.

Passive of Modal Verbs

Present Modals

• A: Lisa should solve her problem.
• P: Her problem should be solved by Lisa.
• A: They can manage the function.
• P: The function can be managed by them.

Past Modals

• A: I should have given the idea.
• P: The idea should have been given by me.
• A: She may have done her homework.
• P: Her homework may have been done. 

Imperative Sentences in Passive Voice

The form of the imperative sentence in passive voice is

Let + object + be + verb (past participle)

• A: Close the old wooden door.
• P: Let the old wooden door be closed.
• A: Study math for your next test.
• P: Let math be studied for your next test.
• A: Let Ali study English.
• P: Let English be studied by Ali.

In negative imperative, we use “not” before “be”.

Let + object + not + be + verb (past participle)

• A: Don’t rub it.
• P: Let it not be rubbed.
• A: Don’t discourage the students.
• P: Let the students not be discouraged.

When you want to emphasize the person addressed to, you can begin an imperative sentence with “you”.

• A: Greet her.
• P: Let her be greeted.
• P: You are suggested to greet her.
• A: Don’t touch the electric wire.
• P: Let the electric wire not be touched.
• P: You are warned not to touch the electric wire.

When you want to make the passive voice of an imperative sentence by using “you”, it is possible to change an intransitive verb into a passive voice.

• A: Go there.
• P: You are ordered to go there.

Declarative Sentences in Passive Voice

• A: John enjoyed the party.
• P: The party was enjoyed by John.
• A: He is editing the video.
• P: The video is being edited by him.

Negative Declarative in Passive Voice

• A: John did not enjoy the party.
• P: The party was not enjoyed by John.
• A: He is not editing the video.
• P: The video is not being edited.

Questions in Passive Voice

In questions, we bring an auxiliary to the beginning of a sentence in active voice, similarly, we also bring the auxiliary to the beginning in passive voice.

Yes/No Questions Passive

In yes/no questions, we just bring the auxiliary verb to the beginning.

• A: Do you study something new?
• P: Is something new studied by you?
• A: Did they celebrate the party?
• P: Was the party celebrated by them?

Wh-Questions in Passive

Wh word + Auxiliary + Verb (3^rd form)

• A: What do you write?
• P: What is written by you?
• A: Where do you study English?
• P: Where is English studied by you?
• A: When did she call you?
• P: When were you called by her?
• A: Why will you call her?
• P: Why will she be called by you?
• A: How does she deal with the customers?
• P: How are the customers dealt with by her?

Who in Passive Voice

The word “who” can be used as a subject as well as an object in wh-questions.

As a Subject

• A: Who studies math?
• P: By whom is math studied?
• A: Who teaches you English?
• P: By whom are you taught English?

As an Object

• A: Who did you call? Or whom did you call?
• P: Who was called by you?
• A: Who will she hire? Or whom will she hire?
• P: Who will be hired by her?

Negative Questions in Passive Voice

In these sentences, we just add “not” with the auxiliary verb.

• A: Didn’t you write a letter?
• P: Was not a letter written by you?
• A: Why did not you help him?
• P: Why was not he helped by you?

Causative Verbs in Passive Voice

We use causative verbs when one person causes another person to do something. When the focus is on the thing rather than the person who performs the action, we use passive causative.

Form of causative verbs in passive:

Subject + Have/get + Object + Verb (Past Participle Form)

• A: I make him open the door.
• P: I have the door opened by him.
• P: I get the door opened by him.
• A: She had her father help the poor.
• P: She had the poor helped by her father.
• P: She got the poor helped by her father.

Infinitives in Passive Voice

Infinitives also have their passive voice. When we want to focus on the receiver and don’t want to mention the doer, we use infinitives in passive voice.

• I like English to be studied.
• I was excited to have been invited to the stage.

Gerunds in Passive Voice

Gerunds in passive voice can be in two forms. Being + verb (past participle form) and having + been + verb (past participle form)

• I like being invited to the stage. (concerned with present)
• I avoided having been given more respect. (concerned with past)

Passive of Two Objects

When a verb takes two objects, one of the objects takes place of the subject and the other is retained.

• A: She teaches us English.
• P: We are taught English by her.
• P: English is taught to us by her.