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INTRODUCTION
In the traditional grammar, the verb form (or voice) in which the subject of
the sentence performs or causes the action expressed by the verb is called
Active voice. Thus, when a verb is in the active voice, the subject of the
sentence is also the doer of the action. Consider the following sentence;
John picked up the bag.
The above sentence is in the active voice because the subject, John, is also
the thing or person doing the action of picking up.
Passive voice is a voice that indicates that the subject is the patient or
recipient (and not the source) of the action denoted by the verb. For
example;
The bag was picked up by John.
The above sentence is in the passive voice because the subject of the
sentence, bag, is the passive receiver of the action.
The following table helps in understanding the active and passive structures.
Sentence
Simple Present
Present
Continuous
Present Perfect
Simple Past
Active voice
structure
Verb with s/es
Is/am/are+verb
+ing
Has/have+3rd
form of verb
2nd form of verb
Past Continuous
Was/were
+verb+ing
Past Perfect
Simple Future
Future Perfect
Can/may/must
Can/may/must
1st form of verb
Passive voice
Structure
Is/am/are + past
participle (3rd form
of verb)
is/am/are+ being
+ pp
Has/have+been+p
p
Was/were pp
Example
English is
spoken here.
The house is
being painted.
Has he been
told?
He was invited
by his friend.
Was/were+being+ I was being
pp
watched by
them.
Had+been+pp
He had been
forgotten by us.
Will/shall + be+ pp They will be
given a choice.
Will/shall + have+ Everything will
been+ pp
have been
done by next
May.
Can/may/must +
This paper must
be + pp
be taken by the
students.
Thus the passive sentence is formed with the suitable tense of the verb,
paired with be and followed by the past participle.
someone, people, etc. if the sentence can easily be understood without them
and also makes sense. For example;
Active Voice: Somebody has smashed the windscreen of my car.
Passive Voice: The windscreen of my car has been smashed.
Active Voice: People dont buy clothes from his shop anymore.
Passive Voice: Clothes are not bought from his shop anymore.
Sometimes we do not need to mention the agent in the passive voice if any
new information is not being given and also if the identity of agent is
understood even without being pointed out. For example;
Active Voice: All our money and passports were stolen. (There is no need to
mention by a thief.)
Active Voice: A man was arrested last night. (There is no need to mention by
the police.)