Explore the collection of over 99 examples of active and passive voice sentences with their answers in this comprehensive guide with varieties of examples and structures that are commonly asked.
Understanding the details of active and passive voice is essential for clear communication in English grammar.
Understanding Active Voice and Passive Voice with Examples
In English grammar, the Active Voice and Passive Voice of a verb describe the relationship between the action that the verb expresses and the participants identified by its arguments (subject, object, etc).
1. Examine the following sentences carefully
(a) She must have eaten five apples.
(b) Sudip wrote the letter.
2. Now observe the following sentences
(a) Five apples must have been eaten by her
(b) The letter was written by Sudip.
In the above sentences, the verbs 1(a) have eaten and 1(b) wrote express the actions done by the subjects, She and Sudip respectively. When the subject of the verb does the action, the voice of the verb is said to be Active Voice.
In sentences 2(a) and 2(b), the verbs that have been eaten and were written express the actions done on the subjects, Five Apples, and The Letter respectively. When the subject of the verb in a sentence receives the action, the voice of the verb is said to be Passive Voice.
Here the word ‘by’ identifies the sentence as being in passive voice.
Rules for Active Voice and Passive Voice with Examples
While changing a verb from active voice to passive voice, the following general rules should be followed
Rule 1: The object of the active voice is made the subject of the passive voice.
Rule 2: The subject of the active voice is made the object of the passive voice.
Rule 3: The passive voice must contain the third form (past participle form) of the main or finite verb.
Rule 4: The form of pronouns that are used are as follows.
Change of Pronouns
| Subjective Case | Objective Case | Possessive Case |
| I | me | my |
| We | us | our |
| You | You | Your |
| He | him | his |
| She | her | her |
| They | them | their |
Rule 5: In most cases preposition ‘by’ is used in the passive voice.
Rule 6: The form of verbs is used according to the Tense.
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Active Voice and Passive Voice Examples in all Tenses
This section provides examples of sentences in active and passive voice across all tenses, helping students understand and practice both forms effectively.
1. Present Tense Active Voice and Passive Voice Examples with Answers
A collection of examples demonstrating present tense active and passive voice sentences with answers.
A. Active Voice and Passive Voice Examples of Present Indefinite/SimplePresent Tenses
a. Affirmative Sentence Structure:
Active: Subject + verb (s/es) + Object
Passive: Object + am/is/are + verb( past participle) + by + Subject.
(i) Affirmative Sentence Examples:
Active: He writes a letter.
Passive: A letter is written by him.
Active: She sings a song.
Passive: A song is sung by her.
Active: They invite me.
Passive: I am invited by them.
b. Negative Sentence Structure
Active: Subject + do/does + not + main verb +Object
Passive: Object + am/is/are + not + verb( past participle) + by + Subject.
(i) Negative Sentence Examples:
Active: I do not distribute newspapers.
Passive: Newspapers are not distributed by me.
Active: She does not buy a mobile phone.
Passive: A mobile phone is not bought by her.
Active: You do not help me.
Passive: I am not helped by you.
c. Interrogative Sentence Structure
Active: Do/Does + Subject + main verb +Object?
Passive: Am/Is/Are + subject+ verb( past participle) + by + Subject?
(i) Interrogative Sentence Examples:
Active: Do you obey your elder brother?
Passive: Is elder brother obeyed by you?
Active: Does she pluck the flowers?
Passive: Are the flowers plucked by you?
Active: Do you read the newspaper daily?
Passive: Is the newspaper read daily by you?
d. Negative- Interrogative Sentence Structure
Active: Do/Does + Subject + not + main verb +Object?
Passive: Am/Is/Are + subject+ not + verb( past participle) + by + Subject?
(i) Negative- Interrogative Sentence Examples:
Active: Do you not obey your elder brother?
Passive: Is elder brother not obeyed by you?
Active: Does she not pluck the flowers?
Passive: Are the flowers not plucked by you?
Active: Does he not like toys?
Passive: Are toys not liked by you?
B. Active Voice and Passive Voice Examples of Present ContinuousTenses
a. Affirmative Sentence Structure:
Active: Subject + am/is/are +verb + ing+ Object
Passive: Object + am/is/are + being + verb( past participle) + by + Subject.
(i) Affirmative Sentence Examples:
Active: My friend is cooking the food.
Passive: Food is being cooked by my friend.
Active: You are teaching me.
Passive: I am being taught by you.
Active: He is watching a movie.
Passive: A movie is being watched by him.
b. Negative Sentence Structure:
Active: Subject + am/is/are not + verb + ing+ Object
Passive: Object + am/is/are + not + being + verb( past participle) + by + Subject.
(i) Negative Sentence Examples:
Active: She is not purchasing the house.
Passive: The house is not being purchased by her.
Active: I am not cutting the tree.
Passive: The tree is not being cut by me.
Active: They are not cutting trees.
Passive: Trees are not being cut by them.
c. Interrogative Sentence Structure:
Active: Am/Is/Are + Subject + verb + ing+ Object?
Passive: Am/Is/Are+ Object + being + verb( past participle) + by + Subject?
(i) Interrogative Sentence Examples:
Active: Are they plucking some flowers?
Passive: Are some flowers being plucked by them?
Active: Is he driving the car?
Passive: Is the car being driven by him?
Active: Is she catching the ball?
Passive: Is the ball being caught by him?
d. Negative- Interrogative Sentence Structure:
Active: Am/Is/Are + Subject + not + verb + ing+ Object?
Passive: Am/Is/Are+ Object + not + being + verb( past participle) + by + Subject?
(i) Negative- Interrogative Sentence Examples:
Active: Is he not flying a kite?
Passive: Is a kite not being flown by him?
Active: Are you not singing a song?
Passive: Is a song not being sung by you?
Active: Am I not teaching you English?
Passive: Are you not taught English by me?
C. Active Voice and Passive Voice Examples of Present Perfect Tenses
a. Affirmative Sentence Structure:
Active: Subject + has/ have + verb( past participle) + Object
Passive: Object + has/have + been + verb (past participle) + by + Subject.
(i) Affirmative Sentence Examples:
Active: She has taken a cup of tea.
Passive: A cup of tea has been taken by her.
Active: You have found the address.
Passive: The address has been found by you.
Active: He has done the work.
Passive: The work has been done by him.
b. Negative Sentence Structure:
Active: Subject + has/ have + not + verb( past participle) + Object
Passive: Object + has/have + not + been + + verb( past participle) + by + Subject.
(i) Negative Sentence Examples:
Active: He has not eaten a banana.
Passive: A banana has not been eaten by him.
Active: They have not played tennis.
Passive: Tennis has not been played by them.
Active: Ranit has not finished his work.
Passive: His work has not been finished by Ranit.
c. Interrogative Sentence Structure:
Active: Has/Have + Subject + verb (past participle) + Object?
Passive: Has/Have + Object + been + verb (past participle) + by + Subject?
(i) Interrogative Sentence Examples:
Active: Has his mother slapped him?
Passive: Has he been slapped by his mother?
Active: Has she seen the tiger?
Passive: Has the tiger been seen by her?
Active: Have they bought the pen?
Passive: Has the pen been bought by them?
d. Negative- Interrogative Sentence Structure:
Active: Has/ Have + Subject + not + verb (past participle) + Object?
Passive: Has/Have + Object + not + been + verb( past participle) + by + Subject?
(i) Negative- Interrogative Sentence Examples:
Active: Has Indra not written the letter?
Passive: Has the letter not been written by Indra?
Active: Has she not kept me waiting here?
Passive: Have I not been kept waiting for her here?
Active: Has the officer not submitted the report?
Passive: Has the report not been submitted by the officer?
D. Active Voice and Passive Voice Examples of Present Perfect Continuous Tenses
a. Affirmative Sentence Structure:
Active: Subject + has/have + been + verb + ing + Object.
Passive: Object + has/have + been + being + verb (past-participle form) + by + Subject.
(i) Affirmative Sentence Examples:
Active: We have been playing football for two hours.
Passive: Football has been being played for two hours by us.
Active: She has been driving the car.
Passive: The car has been being driven by her.
Active: They have been learning lessons.
Passive: Lessons have been learnt by them.
b. Negative Sentence Structure:
Active: Subject + has/have + not + been + verb + ing + Object.
Passive: Object + has/have + not + been + being + verb (past-participle form) + by + Subject.
(i) Negative Sentence Examples:
Active: They have not been beating him.
Passive: He has not been being beaten by them.
Active: We have not been calling her.
Passive: She has not been being called by us.
Active: She has not been helping her.
Passive: She has not been being helped by her.
c. Interrogative Sentence Structure:
Active: Has/Have + Subject + been + verb + ing + Object?
Passive: Has/Have + Object + been + being + verb (past-participle form) + by + Subject?
(i) Interrogative Sentence Examples:
Active: Have they been attending the function?
Passive: Has the function been being attended by them?
Active: Has she been singing a song?
Passive: Has a song been being sung by her?
Active: Have we been watching the web series?
Passive: Have the web series been being watched by us?
d. Negative- Interrogative Sentence Structure:
Active: Has/Have + Subject + not + been + verb + ing + Object?
Passive: Has/Have + Object + not + been + being + verb (past-participle form) + by + Subject?
(i) Negative- Interrogative Sentence Examples:
Active: Has he not been doing a remarkable job?
Passive: Has a remarkable job not been being done by him?
Active: Have you not been teaching spoken English?
Passive: Has English not been being taught by you?
Active: Has she not been composing a drama?
Passive: Has a drama not been being composed by her?
2. Past Tense Active Voice and Passive Voice Examples with Answers
A collection of examples demonstrating past tense active and passive voice sentences with answers.
A. Active Voice and Passive Voice Examples of Past Indefinite/Simple Past Tenses
a. Affirmative Sentence Structure:
Active: Subject + verb (past form) + Object
Passive: Object + was/were+ verb( past participle) + by + Subject.
(i) Affirmative Sentence Examples:
Active: Reena employed three hundred men.
Passive: Three hundred men were employed by Reena.
Active: They built three houses
Passive: Three houses were built by them.
Active: They caught the thief.
Passive: The thief was caught by them.
b. Negative Sentence Structure:
Active: Subject + did + not + verb (present form) + Object
Passive: Object + was/were+ not + verb (past participle) + by + Subject.
(i) Negative Sentence Examples:
Active: I did not see him.
Passive: He was not seen by me.
Active: You did not pay the Bill.
Passive: The bill was not paid by you.
Active: She did not chew the food.
Passive: Food was not chewed by her.
c. Interrogative Sentence Structure:
Active: Did + Subject + verb (past form) + Object?
Passive: Was/Were + Object + verb( past participle) + by + Subject?
(i) Interrogative Sentence Examples:
Active: Did Suman open the shop?
Passive: Was the shop opened by Suman?
Active: Did he eat the mangoes?
Passive: Were the mangoes eaten by him?
Active: Did they begin the job?
Passive: Wsa the job begun by them?
d. Negative- Interrogative Sentence Structure:
Active: Did + Subject + not + verb (past form) + Object?
Passive: Was/Were + Object + not + verb( past participle) + by + Subject?
(i) Negative- Interrogative Sentence Examples:
Active: Did the mother feed the baby?
Passive: Was the baby fed by the mother?
Active: Did the soldiers forgive the enemies?
Passive: Were the enemies forgiven by the soldiers?
Active: Did she give you money?
Passive: Were you given money by her?
B. Active Voice and Passive Voice Examples of Past Continuous Tenses
a. Affirmative Sentence Structure:
Active: Subject + was/were +verb + ing+ Object
Passive: Object + was/were + being + verb (past participle) + by + Subject.
(i) Affirmative Sentence Examples:
Active: Sha was drawing an apple.
Passive: An apple was being drawn by her.
Active: He was clicking the photo of a tiger.
Passive: The photo of a tiger was being clicked by him.
Active: The maid was cleaning the room.
Passive: The room was being cleaned by the maid.
b. Negative Sentence Structure:
Active: Subject + was/were + not + verb + ing+ Object
Passive: Object + was/were + not + being + verb (past participle) + by + Subject.
(i) Negative Sentence Examples:
Active: The farmer was not plowing the field.
Passive: The field was not being plowed by the farmer.
Active: The policeman was not taking bribes.
Passive: Bribes were not being taken by the policeman.
Active: He was not selling fruits.
Passive: Fruits were not being sold by him.
c. Interrogative Sentence Structure:
Active: Was/were + Subject + verb + ing+ Object?
Passive: Was/were+ Object + being + verb( past participle) + by + Subject?
(i) Interrogative Sentence Examples:
Active: Was the thief stealing the money?
Passive: Was the money being stolen by the thief?
Active: Was she painting the picture?
Passive: Was the picture being painted by her?
Active: Were they planning the trip?
Passive: Was the trip being planned by them?
d. Negative- Interrogative Sentence Structure:
Active: Was/were + Subject + not + verb + ing+ Object?
Passive: Was/were + Object + not + being + verb( past participle) + by + Subject?
(i) Negative- Interrogative Sentence Examples:
Active: Was she not sending me a gift?
Passive: Was I not being sent a gift by her?
Active: Was he not speaking the truth?
Passive: Was the truth not being spoken by him?
Active: Was I not singing the song?
Passive: Was the song not being sung by me?
C. Active Voice and Passive Voice Examples of Past Perfect Tenses
a. Affirmative Sentence Structure:
Active: Subject + had + verb( past participle) + Object
Passive: Object + had + been + verb( past participle) + by + Subject.
(i) Affirmative Sentence Examples:
Active: He had killed a rat.
Passive: A rat had been killed by him.
Active: I had already done my job.
Passive: My job had already been done by me.
Active: The postman delivered the letter.
Passive: The letter had been delivered by the postman.
b. Negative Sentence Structure:
Active: Subject + had + not + verb( past participle) + Object
Passive: Object + had + not + been + verb( past participle) + by + Subject.
(i) Negative Sentence Examples:
Active: They had not won the match.
Passive: The match had not been won by them.
Active: Anil had not scored a century.
Passive: A century had not been scored by Anil.
Active: We had not seen the movie.
Passive: The movie had not been seen by us.
c. Interrogative Sentence Structure:
Active: Had + Subject + verb (past participle) + Object?
Passive: Had + Object + been + verb (past participle) + by + Subject?
(i) Interrogative Sentence Examples:
Active: Had he knocked on the door?
Passive: Had the door knocked on by him?
Active: Had she planned a game?
Passive: Had a game been planned by her?
Active: Had they played cricket?
Passive: Had cricket been played by them?
d. Negative- Interrogative Sentence Structure:
Active: Had + Subject + not + verb (past participle) + Object?
Passive: Had + Object + not + been + verb( past participle) + by + Subject?t.
(i) Negative- Interrogative Sentence Examples:
Active: Had you not finished the job?
Passive: Had the job not been finished by you?
Active: Had she not washed the clothes?
Passive: Had the clothes not been washed by her?
Active: Had we not neglected her?
Passive: Had she not been neglected by us?
D. Active Voice and Passive Voice Examples of Past Perfect Continuous Tenses
a. Affirmative Sentence Structure:
Active: Subject + had + been + verb + ing + Object.
Passive: Object + had + been + being + verb (past-participle form) + by + Subject.
(i) Affirmative Sentence Examples:
Active: We had been watching a cricket match.
Passive: A cricket match had been being watched by us.
Active: They had been eating biriyani.
Passive: Biriyani had been being eaten by them.
Active: You had been writing a letter.
Passive: A letter had been being written by you.
b. Negative Sentence Structure:
Active: Subject + had + not + been + verb + ing + Object.
Passive: Object + had + not + been + being + verb (past-participle form) + by + Subject.
(i) Negative Sentence Examples:
Active: The farmers had not been sowing seeds.
Passive: Seeds had not been being sown by the farmers.
Active: He had not been ringing the bell.
Passive: The bell had not ben being rung by him.
Active: You had not been making a cake.
Passive: A cake had not been being made by you.
c. Interrogative Sentence Structure:
Active: Had+ Subject + been + verb + ing + Object?
Passive: Had + Object + been + being + verb (past-participle form) + by + Subject?
(i) Interrogative Sentence Examples:
Active: Had you been eating bananas?
Passive: Had bananas been being eaten by you?
Active: Had she been waiting for me?
Passive: Had I been being waited for by her?
Active: Had we been plucking flowers?
Passive: Had flowers been being plucked by us?
d. Negative- Interrogative Sentence Structure:
Active: Had + Subject + not + been + verb + ing + Object?
Passive: Had+ Object + not + been + being + verb (past-participle form) + by + Subject?
(i) Negative- Interrogative Sentence Examples:
Active: Had you not been doing the work?
Passive: Had the work not been being done by you?
Active: Had she not been completing the job?
Passive: Had the job not been being completed by her?
Active: Had not John been throwing stones?
Passive: Had not stones been being thrown by John?
3. Future Tense Active Voice and Passive Voice Examples with Answers
A collection of examples demonstrating Future tense active and passive voice sentences with answers.
A. Active Voice and Passive Voice Examples of Future Indefinite/Simple Future Tenses
a. Affirmative Sentence Structure:
Active: Subject + shall/will + verb + Object
Passive: Object + shall/will + be + verb (past participle) + by + Subject.
(i) Affirmative Sentence Examples:
Active: He will play cricket.
Passive: Cricket will be played by him.
Active: She will call you.
Passive: You will be called by her.
Active: Mr. Acharya will teach them English.
Passive: Ther will be taught English by Mr. Acharya.
b. Negative Sentence Structure:
Active: Subject + shall/will + not + main verb +Object
Passive: Object + shall/will + be + not + verb (past participle) + by + Subject.
(i) Negative Sentence Examples:
Active: We shall not arrange a party.
Passive: A party will not be arranged by us.
Active: I shall not make a cake.
Passive: A cake will not be made by me.
Active: The teacher will not check the answers.
Passive: The answers will not be checked by the teacher.
c. Interrogative Sentence Structure:
Active: Shall/Will + Subject + main verb +Object?
Passive: Shall/Will + subject + be + verb( past participle) + by + Subject?
(i) Interrogative Sentence Examples:
Active: Will you teach me?
Passive: Shall I be taught by you?
Active: Shall I sweep the food?
Passive: Will the food be swept by me?
Active: Will you rebuke her?
Passive: Will she be rebuked by you?
d. Negative- Interrogative Sentence Structure:
Active: Shall/Will + Subject + not + main verb +Object?
Passive: Shall/Will + subject + not + be + verb( past participle) + by + Subject?
(i) Negative- Interrogative Sentence Examples:
Active: Shall I not eat rice?
Passive: Will rice not be eaten by me?
Active: Will you not speak the truth?
Passive: Will not the truth be spoken by you?
Active: Will she not sew the shirt?
Passive: Will not the shirt be sewed by her?
B. Active Voice and Passive Voice Examples of Future Continuous Tenses
a. Affirmative Sentence Structure:
Active: Subject + shall/will + be +verb + ing+ Object
Passive: Object + shall/will + be + being + verb( past participle) + by + Subject.
(i) Affirmative Sentence Examples:
Active: He will be watering the trees.
Passive: The trees will be being watered by him.
Active: Ishita will be cooking fish curry.
Passive: Fish curry will be being cooked by Ishita.
Active: He will be completing the task.
Passive: The task will be being completed by him.
b. Negative Sentence Structure:
Active: Subject + shall/will + not + be + verb + ing+ Object
Passive: Object + shall/will + not + be + being + verb( past participle) + by + Subject.
(i) Negative Sentence Examples:
Active: He will not be buying a bicycle.
Passive: A bicycle will not be bought by him.
Active: She will not be speaking French.
Passive: French will not be being spoken by her.
Active: The teacher will be punishing the boy.
Passive: The boy will not be being punished by the teacher.
c. Interrogative Sentence Structure:
Active: Shall/Will + Subject + be + verb + ing+ Object?
Passive: Shall/Will + Object + be + being + verb( past participle) + by + Subject?
(i) Interrogative Sentence Examples:
Active: Will he be doing the work?
Passive: Will the work be being done by him?
Active: Will Dad be driving the car?
Passive: Will the car be being driven by Dad?
Active: Will she be cleaning the blackboard?
Passive: Will the blackboard be being cleaned by her?
d. Negative- Interrogative Sentence Structure:
Active: Shall/Will + Subject + not + be + verb + ing + Object?
Passive: Shall/Will + Object + not + be + being + verb (past participle) + by + Subject?
(i) Negative- Interrogative Sentence Examples:
Active: Shall I not be attending the meeting?
Passive: Will not the meeting be being attended by me?
Active: Will you not be changing the voice?
Passive: Will the voice not be being changed by you?
Active: Shall we not be dressing the hair?
Passive: Will the hair not be being dressed by us?
C. Active Voice and Passive Voice Examples of Future Perfect Tenses
a. Affirmative Sentence Structure:
Active: Subject + shall/will + have + verb (past participle) + Object
Passive: Object + shall/will + have + been + verb (past participle) + by + Subject.
(i) Affirmative Sentence Examples:
Active: We shall have made him captain.
Passive: He will have been made captain by us.
Active: She will have spoken the truth.
Passive: The truth will have been spoken by her.
Active: You will have done the work.
Passive: The work will have been done by you.
b. Negative Sentence Structure:
Active: Subject + shall/will + have + not + verb( past participle) + Object
Passive: Object + shall/will + have + not + been + verb( past participle) + by + Subject.
(i) Negative Sentence Examples:
Active: The farmer will have not solved the riddle.
Passive: The riddle will not have been solved by the farmer.
Active: He will not have given up the practice.
Passive: The practice will not have been given up by him.
Active: PV Sindhu will have won a gold medal.
Passive: A gold medal will not have been won by PV Sindhu.
c. Interrogative Sentence Structure:
Active: Shall/Will + Subject + have + verb (past participle) + Object?
Passive: Shall/Will + Object + have + been + verb (past participle) + by + Subject?
(i) Interrogative Sentence Examples:
Active: Will you have repaired the shoes?
Passive: Will the shoes have been repaired by you?
Active: Shall I have deeply moved the sight?
Passive: Will the sight have been deeply moved by me?
Active: Will they have made the project?
Passive: Will the project have been made by them?
d. Negative- Interrogative Sentence Structure:
Active: Shall/Will + Subject + not + have + verb (past participle) + Object?
Passive: Shall/Will + Object + not + have + been + verb (past participle) + by + Subject?
(i) Negative- Interrogative Sentence Examples:
Active: Shall I not have enjoyed the match?
Passive: Will not the match have been enjoyed by me?
Active: Will you not have got a pension?
Passive: Will not a pension have been got by you?
Active: Will she have not used a dictionary?
Passive: Will not a dictionary have been used by her?
D. Active Voice and Passive Voice Examples of Future Perfect Continuous Tenses
a. Affirmative Sentence Structure:
Active: Subject + shall/will + have + been + verb + ing + Object.
Passive: Object + shall/will + have + been + being + verb (past-participle form) + by + Subject.
(i) Affirmative Sentence Examples:
Active: I shall have been solving the problem.
Passive: The problem will have been being solved by me.
Active: You will have been forgiving me.
Passive: I shall have been being forgiven by you.
Active: They will have been tying the knot.
Passive: The knot will have been being tied by them.
b. Negative Sentence Structure:
Active: Subject + shall/will + have + not + been + verb + ing + Object.
Passive: Object + shall/will + have + not + been + being + verb (past-participle form) + by + Subject.
(i) Negative Sentence Examples:
Active: She will not have been posting the letter.
Passive: The letter will not have been being posted by her.
Active: He will not have been selling the house.
Passive: The house will not have been being sold by him.
Active: You will not have been praising Gita.
Passive: Gita will not have been being praised by you.
c. Interrogative Sentence Structure:
Active: Shall/Will + Subject + have + been + verb + ing + Object?
Passive: Shall/Will + Object + have + been + being + verb (past-participle form) + by + Subject?
(i) Interrogative Sentence Examples:
Active: Will she have been inviting her friend?
Passive: Will her friend have been being invited by her?
Active: Will the farmers have been growing vegetables?
Passive: Will vegetables have been being grown by the farmers?
Active: Will the magician have been showing the tricks?
Passive: Will the tricks have been being shown by the magician?
d. Negative- Interrogative Sentence Structure:
Active: Shall/Will + Subject + not + have + been + verb + ing + Object?
Passive: Shall/Will + Object + not + have + been + being + verb (past-participle form) + by + Subject?
(i) Negative- Interrogative Sentence Examples:
Active: Will not the Judge have been looking into the matter?
Passive: Will not the matter have been being looked into by the Judge?
Active: Shall I not have been seen such a lovely sight?
Passive: Will not a lovely sight have been being seen by me?
Active: Will she not have ever been forgetting his kindness?
Passive: Will not his kindness ever have been being forgotten by her?
Active Voice and Passive Voice Examples: Modal Auxiliary Verbs
Active: Subject + modal Auxilary + main Verb + Object
Passive: Subject+ Modal Auxilary + be + Main V(P.P) + by + Object.
Examples:
Active: He can drive a car.
Passive: A car can be driven by him.
Active: You must do it.
Passive: It must be done by you.
Active: She may allow you to go out.
Passive: You may be allowed to go out by her.
Active Voice and Passive Voice Examples: Interrogative sentences with Wh-word
Active: Wh-word + Auxiliary Verb + subject + main verb + (object)?
Passive: Wh-word + Auxiliary Verb + subject + main verb (past-participle form) + by + object?
Examples:
Active: What do you want?
Passive: What is wanted by you?
Active: Why had he bought a pen?
Passive: Why had a pen been bought by him?
Active: Who did it?
Passive: By whom was it done?
Active Voice and Passive Voice Examples: Transitive verbs with two objects
The Passive Voice of ditransitive verbs which means (Transitive verbs with two objects) is formed by changing either of the objects into the subject and retaining the other as the object. The object which is retained is called the Retained Object.
Examples:
Active: He teaches us English.
Passive: English is taught to us by him.
Passive: We are taught English by him.
Active: I gave him a book.
Passive: He was given a book by me.
Passive: A book was given to him by me.
Active Voice and Passive Voice Examples: Complex Sentences
In changing the voice of complex sentences the voices on both the Principal and Subordinate Clauses should be changed. The introductory ‘it’ also may be sometimes used.
Examples:
Active: We must endure what we cannot cure.
Passive: what cannot be cured must be endured.
Active: I know that he did the work.
Passive: It is known to me that the work was done by him.
Active: I hope that she will sign in life.
Passive: That she will sign in life is hoped by me.
Active Voice and Passive Voice Examples: to + Infinitive
Active: Subject + helping verb + to + main verb + object
Passive: Subject + Auxiliary Verb + to be + main verb ( past participle) + by + Object
Examples:
Active: She is to cook the food.
Passive: Food is to be cooked by her.
Active: I am to buy the book.
Passive: The book is to be bought by me.
Active: They have to read Sanskrit.
Passive: Sanskrit had to be read by them.
Active Voice and Passive Voice Examples: Imperative Sentence
Explore the following rules to make the passive form of imperative sentences.
1. Passive: Let + Object + be + main verb (past participle).
2. Passive: Object + should + be + main verb (past participle)
3. Passive: You are requested/ordered/advised + to + main verb + ………
4. Passive: Let + object + be + main verb + by + …………
Examples:
Active: Open the door.
Passive: Let the door be opened.
Or: The door should be opened.
Passive: You are ordered to open the door.
Active: Let him learn the lesson.
Passive: Let his lesson be learned by him.
Active: Don’t break the door.
Passive: Let the door not be broken.
Active Voice and Passive Voice Examples: Intransitive Verbs
Examples:
Active: They run a race.
Passive: A race was run by them.
Active: She slept asleep.
Passive: A sleep was slept by her
Active Voice and Passive Voice Examples: Prepositional or Group Verbs
Examples:
Active: He laughs at me.
Passive: I am laughed at by him.
Active Voice and Passive Voice Examples: The Reflexive Object
Examples:
Active: He killed himself.
Passive: He was killed by himself.
Active: Know yourself.
Passive: Let you be known by yourself.
Active Voice and Passive Voice Examples: Objective Complement
A factitive Object takes both an Object and a Complement. The Factitive Object is used as a compliment to the Transitive Verb. It is never used as the Subject in the Passive Voice.
Examples:
Active: They made him King.
Passive: He was made King by them.
Active: He called me a fool.
Passive: I was called a fool by him.
Active Voice and Passive Voice Examples: Quasi-Passive Verbs
Examples:
Active: The milk smells sour.
Passive: The milk is sour when it is smelt.
Active: The book reads well.
Passive: The book sounds or affects the reader well when it is read.
Active Voice and Passive Voice Examples: without a doer
Examples:
Active: I have lost my phone.
Passive: My phone has been lost
Active: One should keep one’s promises.
Passive: Promises should be kept
Active: People speak English all over the world.
Passive: English is spoken all over the world.
Active Voice and Passive Voice Examples: without ‘by’
Examples:
Active: I know her.
Passive: She is known to me.
Active: Their behavior shocked us.
Passive: We were shocked at their behavior.
Active: Tears filled her eyes.
Passive: Her eyes were filled with tears.
Conclusion
Mastering active and passive voice allows for flexible and effective communication. Active voice is direct and vigorous, while passive voice is useful for emphasis and formality. By understanding and practicing both, you can enhance your writing and ensure clarity and impact.
FAQs on Active Voice and Passive Voice Examples with Answers
Q: What is the main difference between active and passive voice?
Ans: Active voice has the subject performing the action, while passive voice has the subject receiving the action.
Q: Why is active voice preferred in writing?
Ans: Active voice is preferred because it is clearer, more direct, and usually more engaging.
Q: Can passive voice ever be more effective than active voice?
Ans: Yes, passive voice can be more effective when the focus is on the action or the recipient rather than the doer.
Q: How can one easily identify passive voice in a sentence?
Ans: Look for a form of the verb “to be” followed by a past participle and often the word “by.”
Q: Are there any exceptions to the rules of passive voice?
Ans: Intransitive verbs and reflexive verbs typically cannot be converted into passive voice.
