ACTIVE and PASSIVE voice

• A verb is in the active voice when its form

shows that the person or thing denoted by
the subject does something.
• A verb is in the passive voice when its
form shows that something is done to the
person or thing denoted by the subject.
• Voice is that form of a verb which shows
whether what is denoted by the subject
does something or has something done to
it.
GENERAL RULE TO CHANGE
THE VOICE
• ME=I • YOU=YOU

• HER=SHE • THEM=THEY

• US=WE • HIM=HE

• IT=IT • WHOM=WHO
 PRESENT INDEFINITE TENSE
ACTIVE VOICE PASSIVE VOICE

• 1st form +s/es • Is/am/are+3rd form

He helps me. I am helped by him.
• Do not/does not+1st • Is/am/are+not+3rd
form form
You do not cheat me. I am not cheated by
• Do/does+subjecy+1st you.
form
Where does she keep • Is/am/are+subject+3r
her purse? d form

Where is her purse kept

by her?
 PRESENT CONTINUOUS
TENSE
ACTIVE VOICE PASSIVE VOICE
• Is/am/are+1st form • Is/am/are+being+
+ing 3rd form
He is playing hockey. Hockey is being
played by him.
• Is/am/are+subject • Is/am/are+subject
+1st form+ing +being+3rd form
Who is disturbing By whom is she
her? being disturbed?
 PRESENT PERFECT TENSE
ACTIVE VOICE PASSIVE VOICE
• Has/have+3rd form • Has/have+been+
He has stolen my purse. 3rd form
My purse has beenstolen
by him.
• Has/have+subject+3rd • Has/have+subject+
form been+3rd form
What have they What has been
purchased? purchased by them?
 PAST INDEFINITE TENSE
ACTIVE VOICE PASSIVE VOICE
• 2ND form • Was/were+3rd form
Tea was taken by me
I took tea yesterday. yesterday.
• Was/were+not+3rd
form
• Did not+1st form

Where was your

Where did you find your
umbrella found by
umbrella?
you?
 PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE
ACTIVE VOICE PASSIVE VOICE
• Was/were+1st • Was/were+being+
form+ing 3rd form
The cat was drinking Milk was being drunk
milk. by the cat.
• Was/were+subject • Was/were+subject
+1st form +ing +being+3rd form
Were they teaching Were we being
us? taught by them?
 PAST PERFECT TENSE
ACTIVE VOICE PASSIVE VOICE
• Had+3rd form • Had+been+3rd
The teacher had form
called the rolls. The rolls had been
called by the
teacher.
• Had+subect+3rd
• Had+subject+been
form +3rd form
Had she not ironed Had her clothes not
her clothes? been ironed by
her?
FUTURE INDEFINITE TENSE
ACTIVE VOICE PASSIVE VOICE
• Will/shall+1st form • Will/shall+be+3rd
I shall write many form
letters. Many letters will be
written by me.
• Will/shall+subject+ • Will/shall+subject+
1st form be+3rd form
Will she snatch my Will my books be
books? snatched by her?
 FUTURE PERFECT TENSE
ACTIVE VOICE PASSIVE VOICE

• Will/shall have+3rd • Will/shall

form have+been+3rd form
She will have cooked the The meal will have been
meal. cooked by her.
• Will/shall+subject+ha • Will/shall+subject+
ve+3rd form have been+3rd form
Shall I not have scolded Will he not have been
him? scolded by me?