Active to Passive
What is Voice?
Voice is the form of the verb that shows whether the subject is the doer or the receiver of the action.
Types of Voice
There are two types of voice in English-Active Voice & Passive Voice.
Active Voice
When the subject is the doer of the action, it is called active voice. In the following sentence, Ricky is the doer of the action kick. So, kicks is in the active voice.
| Doer of Action | Active Verb | Receiver of Action |
| Ricky | kicks | the ball. |
Passive Voice
When the subject is the receiver of the action, it is called passive voice. In the following sentence, 'The ball' is the receiver of the action 'kick'. So, is kicked is in the passive voice.
| Receiver of Action | Passive Verb | Doer of Action |
| The ball | is kicked | by Ricky. |
What is Passive Voice?
Passive voice is the verb like be verb + past participle.
- Radio was invented by Marcony.
- America was discovered by Colombus.
- Rice is grown by farmers.
- The house will be sold.
Changing Active to Passive
Assertive Sentence
General Rules.
Rule-1: The object of an active verb becomes the subject of the passive.
Rule-2: The subject of the active verb becomes the object of the passive and it is placed after the preposition 'by'.
Rule-3: The main verb is made 'past participle' and an extra be verb is placed before the past participle. The following table shows which be verb we use for which active verb form.
| Active | > | Passive |
| I eat rice. | > | Rice is eaten by me. |
| I ate rice. | > | Rice was eaten by me. |
| I am eating rice. | > | Rice is being eaten by me. |
| I have eaten rice. | > | Rice has been eaten by me. |
| I shall eat rice. | > | Rice will be eaten by me. |
Grammar Explanation
- (i) if the main verb is in the present form, we use am, is, are (the present form of be verb).
- (ii) if the main verb is in the past form, we use was, were (the past form of be verb).
- (iii) if the main verb is in the past participle form, we use been (the past participle form of be verb).
- (iv) if the main verb is in the present participle form, we use being (the present participle form of be verb).
- (v) if the main verb is in the base form, we use be (the base form of be verb).
Now we are going to change some active sentences into passive. Rules of changing active to passive is repeated here in an elaborated form for better understanding.
1. Simple Present
Rule-1: If the main verb is in its present form, we use am/ is/ are + past participle of the main verb in the passive voice.
(a) Active: I eat rice.
- Passive: Rice is eaten by me.
(b) Active: God loves us.
- Passive: We are loved by God.
Turn into passive.
- (a) Bob draws a picture.
- (b) He likes you.
- (c) People in Asia eat rice.
- (d) Fortune favours the brave.
- (e) Cats kill mice.
2. Simple Past
Rule: If the main verb is in its past form, we use was/ were + past participle of the main verb in the passive voice.
(a) Active: We called you.
- Passive: You were called by us.
(b) Active: The teacher saw the students.
- Passive: The students were seen by the teacher.
Turn into passive.
- (a) I ate rice.
- (b) My mother cooked rice.
- (c) The teacher did the sums.
- (d) He walked ten miles.
- (e) He did a lot of things for me.
3. Continuous Tense
Rule: If the main verb is in continuous tense, we change it into am/is/are/was/were/shall be/ will be + being +past participle of the main verb.
(a) Active: They are flying kites.
- Passive: Kites are being flown by them.
(b) Active: The fishermen were catching fish.
- Passive: Fish was being caught by the fishermen.
Turn into passive.
- (a) I am writing a letter.
- (b) I was reading English.
- (c) The teacher will be teaching us.
- (d) Mini was plucking flowers.
- (e) He was writing a letter.
4. Perfect Tense
Rule: If the main verb is in perfect tense, we add have been/has been/ had been + past participle of the main verb.
(a) Active: I have eaten rice.
- Passive: Rice has been eaten by me.
(b) Active: You will have heard my name.
- Passive: My name will have been heard by you.
Turn into passive.
- (a) He has done the sums.
- (b) I have learnt my lesson.
- (c) They will have wanted the book.
- (d) I have lost my pen.
- (e) He has cut his finger.
5. Modal + Base Form
Rule: After modal verbs, we use be + past participle of the main verb.
(a) Active: I shall eat rice.
- Passive: Rice will be eaten by me.
(b) Active: We should respect our teachers.
- Passive: Our teachers should be respected by us.
Turn into passive.
- (a) I shall help the poor.
- (b) They will write a poem.
- (c) Cats can catch rats.
- (d) I would take exercise in my youth.
- (e) You must wear a cap.
6. Be going to + Base Form
Rule: After am going to, is going to and are going to, we use be + past participle of the main verb in the passive.
(a) Active: I am going to open a bank account.
- Passive: A bank account is going to be opened by me.
(b) Active: They are going to start a business.
- Passive: A business is going to be started by them.
Turn into passive.
- (a) I am going to do sums.
- (b) Father is going to set up a school.
- (c) They are going to open a shop.
- (d) He is going to do marketing.
- (e) Our teacher is going to give me a prize.
7. Have to + Base Form
Rule: After have to, has to and had to, we use be + past participle of the main verb in the passive.
(a) Active: You have to follow my order.
- Passive: My order has to be followed by you.
(b) Active: He has to do the work.
- Passive: The work has to be done by him.
Turn into passive.
- (a) She has to help us.
- (b) I have to do the work.
- (c) I have to do it.
- (d) Everybody had to follow the rules.
- (e) We have to change out habit.
8. Double Object
Rule: If the verb has two objects, any object can be the subject of the passive. The other object remains in its original place. The remaining object is called retained object.
(a) Active: Father gives me a watch.
- Passive: I am given a watch by father.
- Passive: A watch is given me by father.
(b) Active: He gave me the book.
- Passive: I was given a book by him.
- Passive: A book was given me by him.
Turn into passive.
- (a) She showed me the photo.
- (b) Mr. Andy teaches us English.
- (c) I offered him a chair.
- (d) Mother gave us some sweets.
9. Objective Complement
Rule: Objective complements cannot be the subject of a sentence.
(a) Active: People call him a fool.
Passive: He is called a fool by people.
(b) Active: We elected him chairman.
Passive: He was elected chairman by us.
Turn into passive.
(a) We elected her our captain.
(b) They made me their leader.
(c) People call them traitors.
10. Dative of Interest
Rule: Dative of interest cannot be the subject of a sentence. Moreover, in passive, we put for before the dative case.
(a) Active: Jesmin plucked him a flower.
Passive: A flower was plucked for him by Jesmin.
(b) Active: Father bought me a pen.
Passive: A pen was bought for me by father.
Turn into passive.
(a) She bought me a new shirt.
(b) Lucy plucked him a rose.
11. Reflexive Object
Rule: Reflexive pronouns cannot be the subject of a sentence.
(a) Active: She fans herself.
Passive: She is fanned by herself.
(b) Active: He hurt himself.
Passive: He was hurt by himself.
Turn into passive.
(a) He killed himself.
(b) She hurt herself.
(c) She fans herself.
(d) The ladies fan themselves.
12. Extensions after Object
Rule: If there is additional words or phrase after the object, we keep them after the past participle of the main verb.
(a) Active: I saw the boys playing in the field.
Passive: The boys were seen playing in the field by me.
(b) Active: People think him to be an honest man.
Passive: He is thought to be an honest man.
Turn into passive.
(a) He did many unnecessary things for me.
(b) He advised me to take rest.
(c) I saw him going across the road.
(d) I know him well.
(e) He caught me by the hand.
Rule: The bare infinitives in the active becomes full infinitive in the passive.
(a) Active: The albatross made the wind blow. [blow =Bare Infinitive]
Passive: The wind was made to blow by the albatross. [to blow =Full Infinitive]
(b) Active: Teachers help us learn. [learn =Bare Infinitive]
Passive: We are helped to learn by teachers. [to learn =Full Infinitive]
Turn into passive.
(a) I heard my sister sing a song.
(b) He made me do the work.
(c) The teacher made me do the sum.
(d) We heard her sing.
(e) He made me drive his car.
Rule: If the active verb has infinitive as object, we generally use it as the subject in passive.
(a) Active: He wants to help the country.
Passive: It is wanted by him to help the country.
(b) Active: We agreed to go there.
Passive: It was agreed by us to go there.
Turn into passive.
(a) He wants to help the country.
(b) We agreed to go there.
(c) I like to take fresh milk.
(d) He decided to sell the house.
Rule: Some verbs are active in form but passive in meaning. They are changed into passive voice in the following way.
(a) Active: The book reads well.
Passive: The book is well when it is read.
Passive: The book is read well.
(b) Active: Honey tastes sweet.
Passive: Honey is sweet when it is tasted.
Passive: Honey is tasted sweet.
Turn into passive.
(a) My pen writes well.
(b) The green mangoes did not taste sweet.
(c) The book is printing.
(d) The mangoes do not taste sweet.
(e) The book reads easy.
Imperative Sentence
Rule-1: Affirmative Imperative
The passive of an imperative sentence begins with Let. Let follows Object and Object follows Past Participle of Verb (v3).
Structure
Active: Verb + Object
Passive: Let + Object + Be + V3
(a) Active: Do the sum.
Passive: Let the sum be done.
(b) Active: Open your book.
Passive: Let your book be opened.
Change the voice.
(a) Open the door.
(b) Follow my example.
(c) Always speak the truth.
(d) Give me a pen.
(e) Buy me a book.
Rule-2: Negative Imperative
Passive of Negative imperatives begin with Let not/ Let never, etc:
Structure
Let not + Object + Be + V3
(a) Active: Do not look down upon the poor.
Passive: Let not the poor be looked down upon.
(b) Active: Never tell a lie.
Passive: Let a lie never be told.
Change the voice.
(a) Don't mention your name in writing a letter.
(b) Do not laugh at the poor.
(c) Do not open the door.
(d) Do not insult the weak.
(e) Don't ask me the question.
Rule-3: Imperative Beginning with LET
Let + object of active voice of an imperative sentence becomes the by + object of passive.
Structure
Active: Let + Object-1 + Verb + Object-2
Passive: Let + Object-2 + Be + V3 + by + Object-1
(a) Active: Let me do the sum.
Passive: Let the sum be done by me.
(b) Active: Let her open the door.
Passive: Let the door be opened by her.
Change the voice.
(a) Let us enjoy the film.
(b) Let her sing a folk song.
(c) Let me say a few words.
(d) Let him say whatever he likes.
(e) Let me do the sum.
Imperative-Mixed
Change the voice.
(a) Pluck me a flower.
(b) Buy a shirt for me.
(c) Do away with it.
(d) Change the form of voice.
(e) Please open the door.
Interrogative Sentence
To change the voice of an interrogative sentence, we can follow two processes-
(i) Interrogative > Assertive > Interrogative Process &
(ii) Structure Process
The goal is same. So, you can go any way you like.
Examples of Interrogative > Assertive > Interrogative Process
In this process, firstly, we change the Interrogative Active into Assertive Active. Secondly, we change the Assertive Active into Assertive Passive. Finally, we make the sentence Interrogative again.
(1) Interrogative Active: Do you want it?
→ Assertive Active: You want it.
→ Assertive Passive: It is wanted by you.
→ Interrogative Passive: Is it wanted by you?
(2) Interrogative: Did she help me?
→ Assertive: She helped me.
→ Passive: I was helped by her.
→ Answer: Was I helped by her?
(ii) Examples of Structure Process
Interrogative—Present Indefinite
Examples:
Active: Do you like it?
Passive: Is it liked by you?
Active: Does she help us?
Passive: Are we helped by them?
Change the voice.
(a) Do you like this?
(b) Does the boy read books?
(e) Does she write English?
(d) Do we need it?
(e) Does he call you?
Interrogative—Past Indefinite
Structure: Was/ Were + Object + Past Participle of the Main Verb + by + Agent?
Examples
Active: Did they say this?
Passive: Was this said by them?
Active: Did you tell me?
Passive: Was I told by you?
Change the voice.
(a) Did you like this?
(b) Did the boy read books?
(c) Did she write English?
(d) Did he call you?
(e) Did you break my glass?
Change the voice.
(a) Did you like this?
(b) Did the boy read books?
(c) Did she write English?
(d) Did he call you?
(e) Did you break my glass?
Interrogative—Continuous
Structure: Am/ Is/ Are/ Was/ Were + Object + being + Past Participle of the Main Verb
+ by + Agent?
Examples:
Active: Are you playing cricket?
Passive: Is cricket being played by you?
Active: Was he digging field?
Passive: Was field being dug by him?
Change the voice.
(a) Is she writing a letter?
(b) Was it disturbing you?
(c) Were they doing the sum?
(d) Are we helping the man?
(e) Am I getting the money?
Interrogative—Perfect
Structure: Have/ Has/ Had + Object + been + Past Participle of the Main Verb
+ by + Agent?
Examples:
Active: Have you called him?
Passive: Has he been called by you?
Active: Has she done the sum?
Passive: Has the sum been done by her?
Change the voice.
(a) Have I helped him?
(b) Has he invited you?
(c) Has he called us?
(d) Have they finished the work in time?
(e) Had we written it?
Interrogative—Modal
Structure: Modal + Object + be +Past Participle of the Main Verb
+ by + Agent?
Examples:
Active: Can you do the sum?
Passive: Can the sum be done by you?
Active: Will you help me?
Passive: Shall I be helped by you?
Change the voice.
(a) Will you help me?
(b) Shall we read the book?
(c) Would you sell vegetables?
(d) Can you do the sum?
(e) Could they solve the problem?
Interrogative—Yes/No Questions (Mixed)
Examples:
Active: Are you doing the sum?
Passive: Is the sum being done by you?
Active: Do you help me?
Passive: Am I be helped by you?
Change into passive.
(a) Shall I ever forget those happy days?
(b) Do you know them?
(c) Did the boy catch a bird?
(d) Does he speak English well?
(e) Can you help us?
Interrogative—beginning with Who
Structure: By whom + Auxiliary Verb + Object + V3 ?
Examples:
Active: Who are doing the work?
Passive: By whom is the work being done?
Active: Who helps me?
Passive: By whom am I helped?
Change the voice.
(a) Who killed the bird?
(b) Who has made the cage?
(c) Who gave you the watch?
(d) Who has broken the plates?
(e) Who teaches you English?
Interrogative—beginning with Whom
Structure: Who + Auxiliary Verb + V3 + by + Subject?
Examples:
Active: Whom are you calling?
Passive: Who is being called by you?
Active: Whom did he help?
Passive: Who was helped by him?
Change the voice.
(a) Whom can you recognize?
(b) Whom did you meet?
(c) Whom did you give the book?
(d) Whom should we help?
(e) Whom are you talking to?
Interrogative—beginning with What
Structure: What + Auxiliary Verb + V3 + by + Subject?
Examples:
Active: What are you doing?
Passive: What is being done by you?
Active: What did he eat?
Passive: What was eaten by him?
Change the voice.
(a) What does he want?
(b) What are you doing?
(c) What can you say?
(d) What did they want?
(e) What should we learn?
Interrogative—beginning with Which
Structure: Which + Auxiliary Verb + V3 + by + Subject?
Examples:
Active: Which pen do you like?
Passive: Which pen is liked by you?
Active: Which boy pelts the stones?
Passive: By which boy are the stones pelt?
Change the voice.
(a) Which book does he want?
(b) Which book do you want?
(c) Which pen has he bought?
(d) Which one will you choose?
(e) Which people did she like?
Interrogative—beginning with When/ Where/ Why/ How
Structure: When/ Where/Why/ How + Auxiliary Verb + V3 + by + Subject?
Examples:
Active: When are you doing the sum?
Passive: When is the sum being done by you?
Active: Why do you help me?
Passive: Why am I be helped by you?
Change the voice.
(a) Where did you find him?
(b) When will you write the letter?
(c) Why did he beat the boy?
(d) When will you return my book?
(e) Where did you find him?
Interrogative—Wh-questions
Examples:
Active: Who did you see?
Passive: Who was seen by you?
Active: When did you help me?
Passive: When was I be helped by you?
Change the voice.
(a) Who stole the pen?
(b) Who defied the order?
(c) Who taught you such tricks as these?
(d) What can you do for me?
(e) Who has broken the glass?
Passive to Active Voice
Structure of Passive Voice:
Object + be verb + past participle + by + subject
Structure of Active Voice:
Subject + Verb + Object
Present Simple:
Passive: Object + am/is/are + past participle + by + subject
Active: Subject + V1/Vs + Object
(a) Passive: Rice is eaten by me.
Passive: I eat rice.
(b) Passive: The boy is known to me.
Active: I know the boy.
(c) Passive: English is spoken all over the world.
Active: People speak English all over the world.
Past Simple:
Passive: Object + was/were + past participle + by + subject
Active: Subject + V2 + Object
(a) Passive: Rice was eaten by me.
Active: I ate rice.
(b) Passive: A song was sung by Salma.
Active: Salma sang a song.
(c) Passive: Rome was not built in a day.
Active: People did not build Rome in a day.
(d) Passive: I was compelled to do it.
Active: They compelled me to do it.
Continuous Tense:
(a) Passive: Rice is being eaten by me.
Active: I am eating rice.
Perfect Tense:
(a) Passive: Rice has been eaten by me.
Active: I have eaten rice.
(b) Passive: My pen has been lost.
Active: I have lost my pen.
(c) Passive: My watch has been stolen.
Active: Someone has stolen my watch.
Modal Verb:
(a) Passive: Rice will be eaten by me.
Active: I shall eat rice.
(b) Passive: What cannot be cured must be endured.
Active: We must endure what we cannot cure.
(c) Passive: What is lotted cannot be blotted.
Active: We cannot blot what we lot.
(d) Passive: Promises should be kept.
Active: We should keep our promise.
1. Change the following passive sentences into active. (a) A song was sung by Salma. (b) The boy is known to me. (c) My pen has been lost. (d) My watch has been stolen. (e) Rome was not built in a day.
2. Change the following passive sentences into active. (a) English is spoken all over the world. (b) What cannot be cured must be endured. (c) Rice is mainly eaten in Asia. (d) What is lotted cannot be blotted. (e) I was compelled to do it.
3. Change the following passive sentences into active. (a) The lion is said to be the king of beasts. (b) A lot of trees have been uprooted. (c) You are requested not to smoke. (d) Promises should be kept. (e) The book exhibition was opened by the Education Minister.
4. Change the following passive sentences into active. (a) You will be helped by me. (b) That the work is hard is known to me. (c) My watch has been repaired by the watch maker. (d) He was made prisoner by us.
5. Change the following passive sentences into active. (a) We shall be blamed. (b) Rice is eaten mainly in Asia. (c) The telegraph wires have been cut. (d) He is thought to be a poet. (e) The Padma has been dredged.
6. Change the following passive sentences into active. (a) He is known to be an honest man. (b) My pocket has been picked. (c) My watch was stolen. (d) The pill is bitter when it is tasted.
7. Change the following passive sentences into active. (a) Let the liar be punished. (b) Let the game be finished. (c) Let not the ball be kicked.
8. Change the following passive sentences into active. (a) When was the station reached by you? (b) Will the window be opened by you? (c) By whom was the song being sung? (d) What is wanted by him?
9. Change the following passive sentences into active. (a) Is the picture being drawn by him? (b) Who has been taught English by him? (c) Who is wanted by you? (d) Was the criminal arrested last night? (e) By whom are you taught English?
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