Active voice and Passive voice, Definition, Rules and Methods, English Grammar

Active voice and passive voice are two different ways of expressing the same idea in English. Understanding the difference between the two can help you communicate more effectively in your writing and speaking. In this blog post, we will explore the differences between active and passive voice and give examples of how to use them.

Active voice and Passive voice

Active Voice

In the active voice, the subject of the sentence performs the action. 

For example:

• John ate the pizza.
• The dog chased the cat.
• The teacher graded the papers.

In each of these sentences, the subject (John, the dog, and the teacher) is performing the action (ate, chased, and graded). The active voice is generally more direct and concise than the passive voice, making it a good choice for most writing and speaking situations.

Passive Voice

In the passive voice, the subject of the sentence is receiving the action, rather than performing it. 

For example:

• The pizza was eaten by John.
• The cat was chased by the dog.
• The papers were graded by the teacher.

In each of these sentences, the subject (pizza, cat, and papers) is not performing the action but is instead receiving it. The passive voice is often used when the focus is on the recipient of the action, rather than the performer. However, it can sometimes be wordier and less precise than the active voice.

When to Use Active Voice

Active voice is generally preferred in most writing and speaking situations. It is more direct, concise, and easy to understand. Use the active voice when:

• You want to emphasize the person or thing performing the action.
• You want to keep your writing clear and concise.
• You want to keep your writing engaging and interesting.
• You want to avoid sounding passive or indecisive.

Examples:

• I wrote the report.
• She fixed the computer.
• They won the game.

When to Use Passive Voice

Passive voice is often used when the focus is on the recipient of the action, rather than the performer. Use passive voice when:

• You want to emphasize the action rather than the performer.
• You don't know who performed the action.
• You want to be tactful or avoid blaming someone directly.

Examples:

• The report was written by the new intern.
• The computer was fixed by the IT department.
• The game was won by the home team.

Rules for Converting active voice to passive voice

Converting active voice to passive voice is a common practice in writing and speaking. It can change the focus of a sentence and add variety to your writing style. In this blog post, we will discuss the rules for converting active voice to passive voice.

Rule 1: Identify the Subject and Object

The first step in converting active voice to passive voice is to identify the subject and object in the sentence. In active voice, the subject performs the action on the object. In passive voice, the object becomes the subject and the subject is either omitted or appears as a prepositional phrase.

Example:

Active voice: The dog chased the cat.

Subject: The dog

Object: The cat

Rule 2: Change the Object to the Subject

The second step is to change the object to the subject of the sentence. The object becomes the subject in passive voice, while the subject becomes the object of the preposition.

Example:

Passive voice: The cat was chased by the dog.

Subject: The cat

Verb: was chased

Object: by the dog

Rule 3: Add the Auxiliary Verb

The third step is to add an auxiliary verb (be, have, or do) before the main verb. The auxiliary verb changes depending on the tense of the sentence.

Example:

Active voice: John wrote the letter.

Passive voice: The letter was written by John.

Rule 4: Use the Past Participle

The fourth step is to use the past participle of the main verb after the auxiliary verb.

Example:

Active voice: The company will release the new product.

Passive voice: The new product will be released by the company.

Rule 5: Add the Preposition

The last step is to add the preposition (by) to show who or what performed the action. This step is optional if the performer of the action is not important or unknown.

Example:

Active voice: They invited me to the party.

Passive voice: I was invited to the party.

Example:

Active voice: The cat broke the vase.

Passive voice: The vase was broken.

8 Types for Converting active voice to passive voice

Converting active voice to passive voice is an important skill in writing and speaking. Passive voice is used when the focus is on the action rather than the person or thing doing the action. In this blog post, we will discuss eight types of sentences in which active voice can be converted to passive voice.

Simple Present Tense

In the simple present tense, the active voice sentence has the subject before the verb. To convert it to passive voice, the object comes before the verb 'to be' and the past participle of the verb is added.

Example:

Active voice: The cat chases the mouse.

Passive voice: The mouse is chased by the cat.

Simple Past Tense

In the simple past tense, the active voice sentence has the subject before the verb. To convert it to passive voice, the object comes before the verb 'to be' in the past tense and the past participle of the verb is added.

Example:

Active voice: John wrote a book.

Passive voice: A book was written by John.

Present Continuous Tense

In the present continuous tense, the active voice sentence has the subject + 'to be' + verb + 'ing'. To convert it to passive voice, the object comes before 'to be' in the present continuous tense and the past participle of the verb is added.

Example:

Active voice: The team is playing football.

Passive voice: Football is being played by the team.

Past Continuous Tense

In the past continuous tense, the active voice sentence has the subject + 'was/were' + verb + 'ing'. To convert it to passive voice, the object comes before 'was/were' and the past participle of the verb is added.

Example:

Active voice: John was painting the room.

Passive voice: The room was being painted by John.

Simple Future Tense

In the simple future tense, the active voice sentence has 'will' + verb. To convert it to passive voice, 'will' is replaced by 'will be' and the past participle of the verb is added.

Example:

Active voice: The company will launch a new product.

Passive voice: A new product will be launched by the company.

Future Perfect Tense

In the future perfect tense, the active voice sentence has 'will have' + past participle of the verb. To convert it to passive voice, 'will have' is replaced by 'will have been' and the past participle of the verb is added.

Example:

Active voice: John will have completed the project by Friday.

Passive voice: The project will have been completed by John by Friday.

Modals

In sentences with modals, the active voice sentence has the modal + verb. To convert it to passive voice, the object comes before the modal and the past participle of the verb is added.

Example:

Active voice: They can finish the project.

Passive voice: The project can be finished by them.

Imperatives

In imperative sentences, the active voice sentence has the verb in the base form. To convert it to passive voice, 'let' is added before the object and the past participle of the verb is added.

Example:

Active voice: Complete the project.

Passive voice: Let the project be completed.

In conclusion, converting active voice to passive voice is an important skill in writing and speaking. By following the rules discussed in this blog post, you can effectively convert eight different types of sentences from active voice to passive voice. Remember to use passive voice sparingly and only when it is appropriate for the context of your writing.

Exercise 1: Identify Active and Passive Voice

Read the following sentences and determine whether they are in active voice or passive voice.

1. The cat chased the mouse.
2. The letter was mailed by Sarah.
3. The cake was baked by my mom.
4. The tree was struck by lightning.
5. Maria will clean the house today.

Answers:

1. Active
2. Passive
3. Passive
4. Passive
5. Active

Exercise 2: Rewrite Sentences in Active Voice

Rewrite the following sentences in active voice.

1. The proposal was rejected by the committee.
2. The book was written by Mark Twain.
3. The car was stolen from the parking lot.
4. The test was graded by the teacher.
5. The movie was directed by Steven Spielberg.

Answers:

1. The committee rejected the proposal.
2. Mark Twain wrote the book.
3. Someone stole the car from the parking lot.
4. The teacher graded the test.
5. Steven Spielberg directed the movie.

Exercise 3: Rewrite Sentences in Passive Voice

Rewrite the following sentences in passive voice.

1. The dog chased the cat up the tree.
2. The teacher graded the essays quickly.
3. The company will launch a new product next month.
4. My sister made me a delicious dinner.
5. The storm destroyed the old building.

Answers:

1. The cat was chased up the tree by the dog.
2. The essays were graded quickly by the teacher.
3. A new product will be launched by the company next month.
4. I was made a delicious dinner by my sister.
5. The old building was destroyed by the storm.