ENGLISH GRAMMAR - ACTIVE AND PASSIVE VOICE SIMPLE EXPLANATION

1. ACTIVE & PASSIVE
VOICE

2. A Transitive Verb has two voices---
(1) the Active,
(2) the Passive.
Transitive Verb- verb which is used with
an object

3. Compare the following :--
1) The king killed the lion.
2) The lion was killed by the king.
You will see that both the sentences mean
the same thing.
But in the first sentence, the Subject(the
king) is the doer of the action(killed).
In the second sentence, the Subject(the
lion) is the sufferer or receiver of the
action(was killed).

4. A Verb is said to be in the Active Voice when
the person or thing denoted by the Subject acts
or is active.
[So, the verb killed is Active.]
A Verb is said to be in the Passive Voice when
the person or thing denoted by the Subject
does not act, but suffers the action done by
something or by someone.
[So, the Verb was killed is Passive.]

5. We can turn Active into Passive by taking the Object in
the Active Voice and making it the Subject in the
Passive Voice; as,
Active . The people cheered the king.
Passive. The king was cheered by the people
Active. Harry struck Mary.
Passive. Mary was struck by Harry
Active. The hunter shot the tiger.
Passive. The tiger was shot by the hunter.

6. When a transitive verb has two Objects, either
the Direct or the Indirect Object may become
the Subject of the sentences in the Passive; as,
Active. Rama lent me(Ind.Obj.) ten
rupees(Dir.Obj.)
Passive. I was lent ten rupees by Rama. OR
Ten rupees were lent to me by Rama.
Active. I taught him(Ind.Obj.) English(Dir.Obj.).
Passive. He was taught English by me. OR
English was taught to him by me.

7. THE VOICE & TENSES

8. THE SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE
ACTIVE –
Smit eats an icecream
PASSIVE –
An icecream is eaten by Smit

9. SIMPLE PAST TENSE
ACTIVE –
Shiva robbed a bank.
PASSIVE –
A bank was robbed by Shiva.

10. SIMPLE FUTURE TENSE
ACTIVE –
The police will catch the culprit soon.
PASSIVE –
The culprit will be caught soon by the police.

11. PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE
ACTIVE –
Jeet is playing the guitar.
PASSIVE –
The guitar is being played by Jeet.

12. PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE
ACTIVE –
The dolphin was showing a stunt.
PASSIVE –
A stunt was being shown by the dolphin

13. FUTURE CONTINUOUS TENSE
ACTIVE –
The little boy will be playing in the football game.
PASSIVE –
(NO PASSIVE VOICE)

14. PRESENT PERFECT TENSE
ACTIVE –
Shweta has painted a picture.
PASSIVE –
A picture has been painted by Shweta.

15. PAST PERFECT TENSE
ACTIVE –
Sweety Rai had finished her college last year.
PASSIVE –
Her college had been finished last year by Sweety Rai

16. FUTURE PERFECT TENSE
ACTIVE –
Reena will have worn a new dress.
PASSIVE –
A new dress will have been worn by Reena.

17. PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS
TENSE
ACTIVE –
The old man has been driving a car.
PASSIVE –
(NO PASSIVE VOICE)

18. PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS
TENSE
ACTIVE –
Salman had been exercising since morning.
PASSIVE –
(NO PASSIVE VOICE)

19. FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS
TENSE
ACTIVE –
The baby elephant will have been bathing in the pond.
PASSIVE –
(NO PASSIVE VOICE)

20. LET’S PRACTISE

21. ACTIVE
The people cheered the king.
The hunter shot the tiger.
Ashok has written this letter.
I have taught this girl.
PASSIVE
The king was cheered by the
people
The tiger was shot by the hunter.
This letter has been written by
Ashok.
This girl has been taught by me.

22. ACTIVE
All trust an honest man.
Who taught her french?
Why did your father refuse such
an honourable job?
Whom did you laugh at?
Shut the door.
PASSIVE
An honest man is trusted by all.
By whom was she taught French?
Why was such an honourable job
refused by your father?
Who was laughed at by you?
Let the door be shut.

23. ACTIVE
One should keep one's promise.
Who killed the snake?
They sold many tickets at the
gate.
The crowd expected him to arrive
at ten.
PASSIVE
One’s promise should be kept.
By whom was the snake killed?
Many tickets were sold at the
gate.
He was expected to arrive at ten.

24. CONVERT INTO PASSIVE VOICE:
1) The Governor opened the Exhibition.
2) They fixed the time at ten o'clock.
3) He made a remarkable speech.
4) Manners make character.
5) He kept us waiting.
6) Our team scored three goals.
7) Who killed the tiger?
8) The mason is building the house.
9) He will finish the work in about a week.
10) Why did your brother give such a rude reply?
11) A stone struck him on the head.
12) The king gave her a reward.
13) This play surprised the visitors.
14) We refused them admission.

25. CONVERT INTO ACTIVE VOICE
1) A lion may be helped even by a little mouse.
2) The king was welcomed by the people.
3) My cares are left behind.
4) He was taken for a thief.
5) He was known to be a kind man.
6) Men have been ruined by gambling.
7) War was declared against Germany by England.
8) A present was bought for her by her mother.
9) He was made General by them.
10) By whom was this letter written?
11) We shall be cursed by everyone.
12) The robber has been caught by the police.
13) By whom were you taught French?
14) Why were you punished by the teacher?
15) I was struck by her good looks.