Active and Passive Voice Exercises with Answers

An action of a subject, in relation to an object, is expressed in two ways. These two ways of expressing action of a subject are known as Voices.

1. Active Voice

2. Passive Voice

Example

I write a letter. (Active Voice)

A letter is written by me. (Passive Voice)

The structure of same sentence changes when expressed as Active Voice or Passive Voice. The meaning of a sentence, either expressed as Active Voice or Passive Voice, remains the same.

Difference between Active Voice and Passive Voice.

The meaning or main idea of sentence, either expressed as Active Voice or Passive Voice does not change. The structure of a same sentence changes for Active Voice and Passive Voice. We know that every sentence have a subject, a verb and an object. Subject is an agent who works on an object in a sentence. In the above example, “I” is the subject of the sentence that is doing some work on the object ‘letter’ in the same sentence. To understand the difference in both voices, we should focus on the subject and the object of a sentence. In Active Voice, the subject acts upon the object. In Passive Voice, the object is acted upon by the subject. The meaning remains the same in both Voices but the sequence of the words (subject & object) changes. The sequence, of subject and object as in Active Voice, is reversed when it is expressed in Passive Voice. Read the following example for better understanding this difference.

The sequence of the subject and the object of the sentence is reversed while converting the sentence from Active Voice to Passive Voice.

The structures of a same sentence, for both Voices, are as follows:

Active Voice : Subject   +   Verb   +    Object

Passive Voice : Object        +   Verb   +    Subject

Change in the Verb of a Sentence for changing Voice of a sentence

Apart from reversing the sequence of subject and object, the form of the verb of sentence also changes in both Voices. In the above example, you can see the change in the main verb as well as auxiliary verb of same sentence in both Voices. The only form of verb used in Passive Voice is the 3rd form of Verb which is also called Past Participle. Hence, the rule for changing verb for converting a sentence from Active Voice into Passive Voice is to use only 3rd form of Verb in Passive Voice. For changing the auxiliary verb for converting a sentence from Active Voice into Passive Voice, there are rules varying for tenses. 

Basic Rules For Changing Active Voices Into Passive Voices

Rule No. 1. As mentioned earlier, the structure of sentence will be reversed in Passive Voice. The places of the Subject and the object will interchange. The subject will shift to the place of Object and the object will take the place of Subject in Passive Voice.

Active Voice : He buys a camera.

Passive Voice : A camera is bought by him.

Rule No. 2. Only Past Participle Form or 3rd form of verb (e.g. eaten etc.) will always be used as main verb in Passive voices for all tenses. No other form of verb will be used as main verb.

Rule No. 3. The word “by” will be used before subject in the Passive voice.

Active Voice : She drinks water.

Passive Voice : Water is drunk by her.

Rule No. 4. Other words such as ‘with’ or ‘to’ may also be used instead of word ‘by’ depending upon the subject of the sentence. These words are used in a very few cases. The word ‘by’ is used in the most cases.

Active Voice :  I know him.

Passive Voice : He is known to me.

Active Voice : Water fills a tub.

Passive Voice : A tub is filled with water.

Rule No. 5. The auxiliary verb will be changed in Passive Voice depending upon the tense of sentence in its Active Voice.

Rule No. 6. Subject may not be always mentioned in Passive Voice. A passive voice sentence can be written without having subject, if it gives clear idea about the subject. 

Active Voice : Women are not treated as equals.

Passive Voice : Sugar is sold in kilograms.

Note: The above rules, except rule No. 5, are the basic rules for changing Active Voices into Passive Voice and apply to all type of sentences. The rule No. 5 is about the usage of auxiliary verbs in Passive Voices which differs for each tense of the sentence. 

Passive Voice for all Tenses - Rules

There are two basic rules for converting sentences from Active Voice into Passive Voice, which are common for all tenses.

1. The places of subject and object will be interchanged in the sentence.

2. Only 3rd form of the verb or Past Participle (e.g. written) will be used as a main verb in Passive Voice.

The rules for using ‘Auxiliary Verb’ in a sentence are different for each tense, as follows:

Present Simple Tense

Auxiliary verbs used in Passive Voice: Is / are / am

Present Progressive Tense

Auxiliary verbs used in Passive Voice: Is being / Are being / Am being

Present Perfect Tense

Auxiliary verbs used in Passive Voice: Has been / Have been

Past Simple Tense

Auxiliary verbs used in Passive Voice: Was / Were

Past Progressive Tense

Auxiliary verbs used in Passive Voice: Was being / Were being

Past Perfect Tense

Auxiliary verbs used in Passive Voice: Had been

Future Simple Tense

Auxiliary verbs used in Passive Voice: Will be

Future Perfect Tense

Auxiliary verbs used in Passive Voice: Will have been

Note: The sentences of following tenses can’t be changed to Passive Voices.

1. Present Perfect Continuous (or Progressive) Tense

2. Past Perfect Continuous (or Progressive) Tense

3. Future Perfect Continuous (or Progressive) Tense

4. Future Continuous (or Progressive) Tense

5. Sentences having Intransitive verbs

Active and Passive Voice

Using Active Versus Passive Voice

In a sentence using active voice, the subject of the sentence performs the action expressed in the verb.

Each example above includes a sentence subject performing the action expressed by the verb.

The dog bit the boy

The arrow points from the subject performing the action (the dog) to the individual being acted upon (the boy). This is an example of a sentence using the active voice.

Scientists have conducted expriments to test the hypothesis

Sample active voice sentence with the subject performing the action described by the verb.

Watching a framed, mobile world through a car’s windshield reminds me of watching a movie or TV

The active voice sentence subject (watching a framed, mobile world) performs the action of reminding the speaker of something.

Active Versus Passive Voice

Active voice is used for most non-scientific writing. Using active voice for the majority of your sentences makes your meaning clear for readers, and keeps the sentences from becoming too complicated or wordy. Even in scientific writing, too much use of passive voice can cloud the meaning of your sentences.

The entrance exam was failed by over one-third of the applicants to the school

The action is performed upon the sentence subject, meaning this sentence is passive (indirect).

Over one-third of the applicants to the school failed the entrance exam

This is an example of the active voice because the sentence subject performs the action.

The brakes were slammed on by her as the car sped downhill.

This is an example of the passive voice.

She slammed on the brakes as the car sped downhill

This is an example of an active voice sentence because the sentence subject performs the action.

Your bicycle has been damaged (agent omitted)

This is an example of the passive voice.

I have damaged your bicycle.

Let’s Practice

A. The manager keeps the work pending.

1) The work is kept pending by the manager.

2) The work was kept pending by the manager.

3) The work has been kept pending by the manager.

4) The work are being kept pending by the manager.

B. Martin drew a picture of the snow capped mountains 

1) A picture of the snow-capped mountains is being drawn by Martin.

2) A picture of the snow-capped mountains is drawn by Martin.

3) A picture of the snow-capped mountains was drawn by Martin.

4) A picture of the snow- capped mountains has been drawn by Martin.

C. His elder sister taught him English

1) He has been taught English by his elder sister.

2) His elder sister is taught English by him .

3) He was taught English by his elder sister .

4) He is being taught English by his elder sister .

D. Did the problems you had to face discourage you?

1) Are you discouraged by the problems you had to face ?

2) Were you discouraged by the problems you had to face?

3) Are you being discouraged by the problems you had to face?

4) Have you been discouraged by the problems you had to face ?

E. They offered me a chair.

1) A chair was being offered to me.

2) A chair is offered to me by them.

3) I was offered a chair by them.

4) I offered a chair to them.

F. The farmer is ploughing the fields.

1) The fields have been ploughed by the farmer.

2) The fields were ploughed by the farmer.

3) The fields are ploughed by the farmer.

4) The fields are being ploughed by the farmer.

G. A child could understand his theory.

1) His theory is being understood by a child.

2) His theory can be understood by a child.

3) His theory could be understood by a child .

4) His theory was understood by a child .

H. Why do you spend so much money? 

1) Why has so much money been spent by you?

2) Why was so much money spent by you?

3) Why is so much money spent by you?

4) Why is so much money being spent by you?

I. The children sang the national anthem with great enthusiasm .

1) The national anthem has been sung with great enthusiasm by the children.

2) The national anthem is sung with great enthusiasm by the children .

3) The national anthem was being sung with great enthusiasm by the children .

4) The national anthem was sung with great enthusiasm by the children.

J. He incurred heavy losses in business . 

1) Heavy losses were incurred in business by him.

2) Heavy losses are incurred in business by him.

3) Heavy losses was incurred in business by him.

4) Heavy losses are being incurred in business by him.

Remember, Practice makes one perfect. Keep on learning, keep on practicing and keep on excelling!!!!

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