Unit 6
Active and Passive voice
Learning Outcomes
Upon the completion of this unit, the learners will be able to:
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Prerequisites
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One of the special features of the English language is that the sentences can be written in different forms without altering their meanings. Read the following sentences: Shakespeare wrote Julius Caesar. Do you find any similarities in the above sentences? You might have observed that both the sentences convey the same idea, but written in two different forms. What difference does it make? Well, in this chapter we will learn more about the construction of sentences in different forms without changing their meaning. |
Key words
Voice, Active Voice, Passive Voice, Object, Object Complement, Passive forms, Conversion of Sentences
Discussion
3.6.1 What is Active and Passive Voice?
Look at the following sentences:
The child kicked a ball.
A ball was kicked by the child.
In the first sentence the Subject The child who is the doer of the action is given importance. In the second sentence, the Object A ball is given more prominence. The form of a Verb that indicates whether the Subject performs an action or the Subject is the recipient of an action is termed Voice.
Voice can be categorised as:
- Active Voice
- Passive Voice
If the Subject of a sentence is given emphasis or if the Subject acts, such a sentence is said to be in the Active Voice. If the Subject is being acted upon, it is called the Passive Voice., i.e., in the Passive Voice, the emphasis is on the Object.
Thus, the Active Voice is used to emphasise the agent or the doer and the Passive Voice is used to emphasise the action. The Passive Voice is also used when the doer of the action is irrelevant or when the subject is too vague or unknown. For eg:
- Someone has kidnapped the minister’s son.
- People must obey the rules of the government.
3.6.2 Conversion of the Active Voice into Passive Voice
| Active Voice (AV) | Passive Voice (PV) |
| Simple Present | Object + Am/is/are + Past Participle of Verb (PP) + by + Subject |
| Present Continuous | Object +Am/is/are + Being + PP + by + Subject |
| Present Perfect | Object +Has/have + been + PP + by +Subject |
| Simple Past | Object + Was/were + PP + by +Subject |
| Past Continuous | Object + Was/were + being + PP + by + Subject |
| Past Perfect | Object +Had been + PP + by + Subject |
| Simple Future | Object + will/shall be + PP + by +Subject |
3.6.2 Pattern of passive sentences with diffrent tense forms
| Active Voice (AV) | Passive Voice (PV) |
| He makes toys. | Toys are made by him |
| He is writing a letter | A letter is being written by him. |
| His team has won the prize | The prize has been won by his team. |
| He advised me. | I was advised by him. |
| He was teaching the students. | The students were being taught by him. |
| He had consulted the doctor. | The doctor had been consulted by him |
| He will announce the results. | The results will be announced by him. |
3.6.3 Examples of active and passive sentences with diffrent tense forms
Thus, the initial step before converting the Active Voice into the Passive Voice is to identify the Subject, Verb and Object in a sentence. Then the following changes are to be made;
- Interchange the Subject and the Object; Object in the Active Voice should be changed into Subject in the Passive Voice.
Eg: He is reading a book. (AV)
A book is being read by him. (PV)
Note 1: Only those sentences with Transitive Verbs can be converted into the Passive Voice. An Intransitive Verb has no Object. So, it cannot be converted into the Passive Voice. For eg:
He constructed this tunnel. (Transitive Verb)
This tunnel was constructed by him.
He is running fast. (Intransitive Verb)
Note 2: Certain stative verbs such as belong, want, remember, lack, resemble etc. do not have any passive form. For eg:
This purse belongs to him.
He resembles his father.
- In the Passive Voice, only the Past Participle form of the verb should be used. Eg: He arranged this entertainment show. (AV)
This entertainment show was arranged by him. (PV) - The Verb in the Passive Voice takes singular or plural form depending on the Object.
Eg: He has bought some apples. (AV)
Some apples have been bought by him. (PV) - The Verb in the Passive Voice should be followed by by + doer.
Eg: He took my chair. (AV)
My chair was taken by him. (PV)
Note: If the Subject in the Active voice is vague or unknown (someone, anybody, people etc.), the agent by is not used.
For eg: The people always admire this leader. (AV)
This leader is always admired. (PV)
- Change of Pronouns
| Active Voice (AV) | Passive Voice (PV) |
| I | Me |
| We | Us |
| She | Her |
| He | Him |
| They | Them |
| You | You |
| It | It |
3.6.3 Passive Voice Verb with two Objects
Look at the following sentences:
The farmer gave her an old plough.
Here the Verb gave has two Objects; her and an old plough. Her is the Personal or Indirect Object and an old plough is called the Direct Object. Thus, the above sentence can be converted into Passive in two ways:
She was given an old plough by the farmer. (Personal Object)
An old plough was given to her by the farmer. (Direct Object)
| In English grammar, usually, the Personal Object is taken as the Subject in the Passive Voice. |
Eg: She showed me a beautiful portrait. (AV)
I was shown a beautiful portrait by her. (PV)
Eg: I sent her to a stationery shop. (AV)
She was sent to a stationery shop by me. (PV)
3.6.4 Passives: Object Complements
Read the following sentence.
We considered her a scholar.
In some sentences, the Object is followed by an Object Complement, which refers to a noun or an adjective that describes an Object. In the above sentence, her is the Indirect Object and a scholar is the Object Complement. While converting into the Passive Voice, the Object and Object Complement become the Subject and Subject Complements respectively.
Active to Passive
Object -> Subject
Object complement -> Subject complement
Eg: We considered her a scholar. (AV)
She was considered a scholar by us. (PV)
This book made the writer famous. (AV)
The writer was made famous by this book. (PV)
The police found the guard sleeping. (AV)
The guard was found sleeping by the police. (PV)
3.6.5 Passive Infinitive
Passive Infinitive is commonly used after modal verbs to indicate a possibility. Passive Infinitive form: to be + Past participle of verb
Eg: She has to complete this task. (AV)
This task has to be completed by her. (PV)
Each student has to learn a foreign language. (AV)
A foreign language has to be learned by each student. (PV)
3.6.6 Use of Other Prepositions in Passive Infinitive
We have already learned that the Verb in the Passive Voice should be followed by by + doer.
Eg: The servant opened the door. (AV)
The door was opened by the servant. (PV)
However, there are certain Passive forms in which by is replaced by prepositions like in, with, at, to, etc.
Eg: This box contains old ornaments. (AV)
Old ornaments are contained in this box. (PV)
Mr. Arun knows her. (AV)
She is known to Mr. Arun. (PV)
That news alarmed us. (AV)
We were alarmed at the news. (PV)
3.6.7 Changing Imperative Sentences into the Passive Voice
When converting an Imperative Sentence into the Passive Voice, the following word order should be followed;
Let + object + be + Past participle
Eg: Please, post this Christmas card. (AV)
Let this Christmas card be posted. (PV)
Open the windows. (AV)
Let the windows be opened. (PV)
Don’t tease him. (AV)
Let him not be teased. (PV)
Let us buy that doll. (AV)
Let that doll be bought by us. (PV)
Don’t insult him. (AV)
Let him not be insulted. (PV)
Read these documents carefully. (AV)
Let these documents be read carefully. (PV)
Note: When converting an Imperative Sentence without an Object, the word order should be:
You are + ordered/requested/advised + to + base form of verb.
For eg: Get out. (AV)
You are ordered to get out. (PV) Study well. (AV)
You are advised to study well. (PV)
3.6.8 Changing Interrogative Sentences into the Passive Voice
- Questions beginning with do/does
| Active Voice | Passive Voice |
| Do/does + Subject + Verb + Object | Am/is/are + Object + Past Participle of Verb + by + Subject |
3.6.5 Change of do/does questions into passive voice
Eg: Does he ride this horse? (AV)
Is this horse ridden by him? (PV)
Do the police arrest the culprits? (AV)
Are the culprits arrested by the Police? (PV)
- Questions beginning with did
| Active Voice | Passive Voice |
| Did + Subject + Verb + Object | Was/were + Object + Past Participle of Verb + by + Subject |
3.6.6 Change of did questions into passive voice
Eg: Did he win the prize? (AV)
Was the prize won by him? (PV)
Did he cook the food? (AV)
Was the food cooked by him? (PV)
- Questions beginning with has/have
| Active Voice | Passive Voice |
| Has/have + Subject + Verb +Object | Has/have + Object + been + Past Participle of Verb + by + Subject |
3.6.7 Change of has/have questions into passive voice
Eg: Has she arranged the mmeeting? (AV)
Has the meeting been arranged by her? (AV)
Has she completed the work? (AV)
Has the work been completed by her? (PV)
- Questions beginning with who
Eg: Who made that noise? (AV)
By whom was that noise made? (PV)
Who broke that window? (AV)
By whom was that window broken? (PV)
Who painted this door? (AV)
By whom was this door painted? (PV)
- Questions beginning with what, where, when, why and how
When did you buy this computer? (AV)
When was this computer bought? (PV)
Where did she keep the blanket? (AV)
Where was the blanket kept? (PV)
What is she doing? (AV)
What is being done by her? (PV)
Why did the teacher punish you? (AV)
Why were you punished by the teacher? (PV)
Recap
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Objective Questions
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Answers
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Assignments
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Suggested Reading
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