Active and Passive Voice Rules
Active and Passive Voice Rules
There are two ways to express an action of a subject in relation to its object
Active voice
Passive voice
In active voice subject acts upon object, while in passive voice object is acted upon by subject.
It can also be said, in active voice subject does a work on object, while in passive voice object is
worked on by subject. The normal structure of an active voice sentence is subject+verb+object but
in passive the normal structure of sentence is reversed according to certain rules and becomes
like object+verb+subject. The real meaning of a sentence does not change if the sentence is
expressed either by active voice or by passive voice. The active voice is mostly used in writing
because it gives a direct and more concise meaning. Passive voice is used sometimes due to the
following reasons.
For example, a student who failed in exam might say, some chapters were not studied.
For example, to say, cloth is sold in yards, is more meaningful than to say, Shop keepers sell cloth in
yards.
When passive voice better emphasizes the main though of the sentence.
For example, a man who is being teased by another person might say in anger, you will be beaten
by me
For example, His watch was stolen. It is not known that who stole his watch, the subject (thief) is
not exactly known so it is better to use passive voice for such sentence.There are certain rules for
expressing a thought in passive voice or for changing a sentence from active voice to passive voice.
The places of subject and object are interchanged i.e. the object shifts to the place of subject and
subject shifts to the place of object in passive voice.
Example.
Active voice: I write a letter.
Subject (I) of sentence shifted to the place of object (letter) and object (letter) shifted to the place
of subject (I) in passive voice.
Sometimes subject of sentence is not used in passive voice. Subject of sentence can be omitted in
passive voice, if without subject it can give enough meaning in passive voice.Examples.
Passive voice: cloth is sold in yards
3rd form of verb (past participle) is always used as main verb in sentences of passive voice for all
tenses. Base form of verb or present participle will be never used in passive voice.
The word by is used before subject in sentences in passive voice.
Example.
The word by is not always used before subject in passive voice. Sometimes words with, to, etc
may also be used before subject in passive voice.
Examples.
Auxiliary verbs are used passive voice according to the tense of sentence.
Note: First 5 rules are usually same for all tenses in passive voice. Rule No. 6 is about the use of
auxiliary verb in passive voice which differs for each tense. The auxiliary verbs of passive voice are
used according to tense of sentence of its active voice form. The auxiliary verb for each tense is
given in the following table with explanation and examples.
PASSIVE VOICE FOR ALL TENSES RULES
The places of subject and object in sentence are inter-changed in passive voice.
3rd form of verb (past participle) will be used only (as main verb) in passive voice.
Auxiliary verbs for each tense are given below in the table.
Passive voice:
Active voice:
A song is sung by him.
He sings a song.
A song is not sung by him.
He does not sing a song.Does he sing a song?
Is a song sung by him?
Fundamental Rules
The places of subject and object in sentence are inter-changed in passive voice.
3rd form of verb (past participle) will be used only (as main verb) in passive voice.
Auxiliary verbs for each tense are given below in the table.