This document discusses active and passive voice in English grammar. It defines active voice as emphasizing the subject or doer of the action, while passive voice emphasizes the action itself. It provides examples of when to use passive voice, such as to hide responsibility or minimize guilt. It also discusses how to convert sentences from active to passive voice and identifies examples as active or passive. Finally, it includes practice exercises on changing between active and passive voice.

1. Active Voice & Passive Voice

2. Explain following Points :
• What is active voice and passive voice?
- When the emphasis is on DOER – active voice
- When the emphasis is on Action – Passive
Voice

3. When would you WANT to use
passive voice?
 When intentionally trying to hide the subject of the sentence.
For example, a politician might say, “The mistake was made by
someone.” Hiding the subject helps him/her hide the blame.
 When intentionally trying to minimize the guilt of the subject.
For example, a cheating boyfriend might say, “Cheating was committed
by me.”
 When passive voice better emphasizes the main point of the
message, such as “Children were harmed by the drunk driver.”

4. No passive voice
• Sentences which have intransitive verbs , do
not change to passive voice
• e.g. 1.Baby sleeps on the cot
2. The earthquake happened on March 11,
2011 in Japan.

5. 1. Voice of tense
• Three step approach :
• Interchange subject and object
• Insert “by” immediately before the new object
• Insert “be + V3 immediately after the new
subject
• Discuss all the tenses

7. Steps on how to convert active to
passive

8. Convert Active to Passive
1. Move the active sentence's direct object
into the sentence's subject slot.

9. 2. Place the active sentence's subject into a
phrase beginning with the preposition by.

10. 3. Add a form of the auxiliary verb be to the
main verb and change the main verb's
form.

11. 2. Voice of half passive sentences
• E.g. Mango tastes sweet.
Mango is sweet when tasted.
• Quinine tastes bitter
• Milk tastes sweet
• Rose smells sweet

12. 3. Voice of gerund
• E.g. I like doing such sums
Such sums being done are liked by me.
She likes helping the poor
He likes playing footbal

13. 4. Voice of subject –implied
• E.g. He was recommended bed rest.
• The doctor recommended him bed rest
• T-sunami destroyed the city
• The criminal was sentenced to death

14. 5. Voice of double object
• Use “to” or for with non living object
e.g. Mr. Sharma teaches us English.
English(non living) is taught to us by Mr.
Sharma
We are taught English by Mr. Sharma
My uncle sent a bday gift to my sister
I bought a saree to my mother

15. 6. Voice of imperative sentences
• Request
• Order
• Advice
E.g. Don’t pluck the flowers
You are ordered not to pluck the flowers
Please do me a favor
You are requested to do me a favor

16. 7. Voice of Infinitive``
• To+V1 changes to
• To+be+V3+by
• I have to obey him
• He has to be obeyed by me
• It is time to close the shops
• You have to do it

17. IDENTIFY THE SENTENCES AS ACTIVE OR PASSIVE:
1. Louise made the chocolate cake.
2. A beautiful dress was brought by Jane.
3. The package was delivered by the travel agent.
4. The travel agent booked the tour.
5. The chain was broken by my brother.
6. My brother gave me a ride on his bike.
7. I hemmed the prom dress.
8. The notes were completed by me.
9. The pencil on the floor was broken by him.
10.He dropped the vase on the floor.

18. IDENTIFY THE SENTENCES AS ACTIVE OR PASSIVE:
11. The boy killed the spider.
12. This house was built by my grandfather.
13. The boy was bitten by a snake.
14. The loud noise frightened the cows.
15. His command was promptly obeyed.
16. All the milk was drunk by the cat.
17. She opened the door.
18. A stone struck me on the head.
19. I have just posted the letter.
20. The minister inaugurated the exhibition.

19. Answers
1. Active Voice 11. Active Voice
2. Passive Voice 12. Passive Voice
3. Passive Voice 13. Passive Voice
4. Active Voice 14.Active Voice
5. Passive Voice 15. Passive Voice
6. Active Voice 16. Passive Voice
7. Active Voice 17. Active Voice
8. Passive Voice 18. Active Voice
9. Passive Voice 19. Active Voice
10Active Voice 20. Active Voice

20. Fill in the Blank
• Fill in the correct passive form of the verb in parentheses.
• Penicillin ______ by Alexander Fleming in 1928. (discover)
• Statements ______ from all the witnesses at this moment. (take)
• Whales ______ by an international ban on whaling. (must protect)
• Both weddings _______ by Good Taste. (cater)
• A Picasso ____ from the Metropolitan Museum of Art.(steal)
• ____ this washing machine ______in Germany? (make)
• Tea _____ in China. (grow)
• When we reached the airport, we found that all the flights____ due to the storm. (cancel)
• The fax _____ until tomorrow morning. (not send)
• The soundtrack of a movie _____ always _____ after the filming is finished. (is/add)

21. Answers:
• was discovered
• are being taken
• must be protected
• were catered
• was stolen
• Was/made
• is grown
• had been cancelled
• won’t be sent
• is/added

22. Some more practice
• Rewrite the sentences into passive voice
• 1.He teaches English.
• 2. The child is eating bananas.
• 3. She is writing a letter.
• 4. The master punished the servant.
• 5. He was writing a book.
• 6. Who wrote this letter?
• 7. Somebody cooks meal every day.
• 8. He wore a blue shirt.
• 9. May God bless you with happiness!
• 10. They are building a house.
• 11. I have finished the job.
• 12. I sent the report yesterday.
• 13. She bought a diamond necklace.
• 14. Somebody had stolen my purse.

23. Answers
1. English is taught by him.
• 2. Bananas are being eaten by the child.
• 3. A letter is being written by her.
• 4. The servant was punished by the master.
• 5. A book was being written by him.
• 6. By whom was this letter written?
• 7. Meal is cooked by someone every day.
• 8. A blue shirt was worn by him.
• 9. May you be blessed with happiness!
• 10. A house is being built by them.
• 11. The job has been finished by me.
• 12. The report was sent yesterday.
• 13. A diamond necklace was bought by her.
• 14. My purse had been stolen by somebody.

24. Change the following sentences into the passive voice.
1.The maid is sweeping the broken pieces of glass.
2. The police have solved most of the crimes this year.
3. Only a few of us attended the spiritual talk.
4. The gardener sweeps and mops the hall once a week.
5. Mrs Lim is boiling the sweet potatoes at the moment.
6. The authorities will launch a cleanliness campaign in the park.
7. We will work out the details of the agreement within a week.
8. No one responded to the call to donate blood.
9. The good Samaritan helped the blind man cross the road.
10. The salesman is driving Danny's new car out of the garage.

25. Answers
1. The broken pieces of glass are being swept by the maid.
2. Most of the crimes this year have been solved by the police.
3. The spiritual talk was attended by only a few of us.
4. The hall is swept and mopped by the gardener once a week.
5. The sweet potatoes are being boiled by Mrs Lim at the moment.
6. A cleanliness campaign will be launched by the authorities in the park.
7. The details of the agreement will be worked out by us within a week.
8. The call to donate blood was not responded to by anyone.
9. The blind man was helped by the good Samaritan to cross the road.
10. Danny's new car is being driven out of the garage by the salesman.

26. Change the form of the sentences from passive to active IN THE
INTERROGATIVE
• Many new buildings have been built in London.
• A passenger was shown his seat.
• A review of the performance will be written after the first night.
• A new play is being staged at our theatre.
• The contract will be signed on Tuesday.
• The contract will have been signed by Tuesday.
• My dog was stung by bees.
• He had been introduced to me before I met you.
• The factory was still being built when we came to that place.
• Theatres are attended by thousands in our country.
• After the table had been cleared the children began to sing and dance.
• His new collection of poems has just been published.
• I was told yesterday that their plan hadn’t been accepted.

27. ANSWERS
1. Have many new buildings been built in London?
2. Was a passenger shown his seat?
3. Will the review of the performance be written after the first night?
4. Is a new play being staged at our theatre?
5. Will the contract be signed on Tuesday?
6. Will the contract have been signed by Tuesday?
7. Was my dog stung by bees?
8. Had he been introduced to me before I met you?
9. Was the factory still being built when wecame to that place?
10. Are theatres attended by thousands in our country?
11. Had the table been cleared before the children began to sing and dance?
12. Has his new collection of poems just been published?
13. Was I told yesterday that their plan hadn’t been accepted ?

28. Practice MCQS
• After driving professor Kumar to the museum she dropped him at his hotel.
• A. After being driven to the museum, Professor Kumar was dropped at his hotel.
• B. Professor Kumar was being driven dropped at his hotel.
• C. After she had driven Professor Kumar to the museum she had dropped him at his hotel.
• D. After she was driven Professor Kumar to the museum she had dropped him at his hotel.
• ANS:A
• I remember my sister taking me to the museum.
• A.I remember I was taken to the museum by my sister.
• B.I remember being taken to the museum by my sister.
• C.I remember myself being taken to the museum by my sister.
• D.I remember taken to the museum by my sister.
• ANS:B

29. Who is creating this mess?
• A.Who has been created this mess?
• B.By whom has this mess been created?
• C.By whom this mess is being created?
• D.By whom is this mess being created?
• ANS:D
They greet me cheerfully every morning.
• A.Every morning I was greeted cheerfully.
• B.I am greeted cheerfully by them every morning.
• C.I am being greeted cheerfully by them every morning.
• D.Cheerful greeting is done by them every morning to me.
• ANS:B

30. • Darjeeling grows tea.
• A.Tea is being grown in Darjeeling.
• B.Let the tea be grown in Darjeeling.
• C.Tea is grown in Darjeeling.
• D.Tea grows in Darjeeling.
• ANS:C

31. Choose the best way of completing these passive voice sentences.
• 1. The picture _____ to a famous museum.
A)is being lent B) is being lended C)is being lend D)are being lent E) are being lended
• ANS: A
2. The stolen car _____ in the ditch.
A)will been left B) were left C)were leaved D)was left E) had be left
• ANS:D
3. John and Ann _____.
A)were not misleeded B)were not misleed C)were not misled D)was not misleed E) was not misled
• ANS:C
4. It _____ for years.
A)have not been known B)have not be known C)has not be known D)had not been known E)had not be
known
• ANS:D
5. The thing _____ secret.
A)could not kept B)could not been kept C)could not be kept D)could not be keeped E)could not be
keep ANS:C

32. 6. Peter and Tom _____ in an accident yesterday.
A)will been hurt B)were hurted C)were hurt D)is hurted E)is hurt
ANS:C
7. South Florida and Hawaii _____ by a hurricane.
A)is hit B) have been hit C)have are hit D)has been hit E)has be hit
ANS:B
8. The treasure _____.
A)must have been hided B)must have been hidden C)must have been hid D)must have be hidden E) must had
been hidden
ANS:B
9. Everything that _____ remained a secret.
A)would had been overheard B)will had been overheard C) had been overheared D)had been overheard E)had be
overheard
ANS:D
10. The money _____ to me.
A)have not been given B) have not be given C) has not been given D) has not been gaven E)has not be given
ANS:C

33. 11. The best way _____.
A)will had been found B)will found C)will been found D)will be found E)will
be finded
ANS:D
12. All bottles _____ before transportation.
A)will been frozen B)were frozen C) was frozen D) is frozen E) frozen
ANS:A
13. What he has done to me _____.
A)cannot forgiven B)cannot been forgiven C)cannot be forgiven D)cannot be
forgive E) cannot be forgave
ANS:C
14. Everything _____.
A)were going to be forgotten B)is going to be forgotten C)is going to be
forgot D)is going be forgotten E) are going to be forgotten
ANS: B

34. 17.The battles for liberation _____ for centuries.
A)will had been fought B)has been fought C) had been
fought D) had been fighted E)had be fought
ANS: D
18. The mosquito bite _____ by him.
A)could not felt B)could not be felt C)could not be fell D)could not
be fell E) could not be feel
ANS:B
19. It _____ that learning English is easy.
A)said B) is sayed C)is said D)is sad E)are said
ANS:C
20. Our horses _____.
A)well fed B)is well feeded C)is well fed D)are well feeded E)are
well fed
ANS:E

35. Rewrite the following paragraph in the active voice.
Last summer our house was painted by me. First, the exterior
was washed using warm water and a mild detergent. Then all
of the chinks in the walls were sealed with putty. After the
putty had had a chance to dry, the exterior could be painted.
A latex paint was used because it is easy to apply and cleans
up with water. A whole week was needed to finish this part of
the job. A color was used that was very close to the original
color. When the job was finished, a great deal of satisfaction
was felt by me. Even my dad said that a good job was done.