05-05-2009 BCK 1

Active & Passive

Active Voice Form
When we want to say that the subject of a
sentence is doing the action, we use the verb of
that sentence in its Active form:
e.g. A man is cutting down a tree.
A man = subject -- doing the action -- cutting -
Active
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Active & Passive
Passive Voice Form
When we want to say that the subject of a
sentence is not doing anything but is allowing
something to be done to it by somebody else, we
use the Passive Voice form:
e.g. A tree is being cut down by a man.
A tree = subject = not doing anything, but
allowing a man to cut it. Passive
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Active-Passive Voice example 1
The boy is carrying the girl. Active Voice
The boy = subject
is carrying = verb
the girl = object of the verb
Who is doing the action of carrying? =
The boy subject of the sentence
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Active-Passive Voice example 2
The girl is being carried by the boy. Passive Voice

The girl = subject
is being carried = verb
by = preposition
the boy = object of the preposition by
Who is doing the action of carrying?
= Not The girl, the subject, but the boy, the object
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Active-Passive Voice changes 1
John reads a book every day. Active Voice
John -- the subject of the Active sentence

A book is read every day by John. Passive Voice
by John object of the preposition by
The subject of the Active sentence becomes the object of the
preposition in the Passive sentence!
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Active-Passive Voice changes 2
John reads a book every day. Active Voice
reads verb of the Active sentence
A book is read every day by John. Passive voice
The Active form of the verb in Active sentence is
changed into the Passive form in Passive sentence.
reads becomes is read!
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Active-Passive Voice changes 3
John reads a book every day. Active Voice
a book -- object of the verb
A book is read every day by John. Passive voice
A book -- subject of the passive sentence

The object of the verb in the Active sentence
becomes the subject of the Passive sentence.
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Active-Passive Voice note 1
He cooks food. Active Voice
food object of the verb
singular
Food is cooked by him. Passive Voice
Food subject of the passive
sentence singular, so is cooked -
- verb singular
When the subject of a sentence is
singular, the verb must also be in
singular
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Active-Passive Voice note 2
When the subject of a sentence is Plural, the verb of that
sentence must be Plural:
He carried some books. Active Voice
some books -- object of the verb in Active Plural
Some books were carried by him. Passive Voice
were carried verb were plural / books plural
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Active-Passive Voice -- note 3
She has signed ten letters. Active Voice
She subject; has part of the verb singular
ten letters object of the verb in Active -- plural

Ten letters have been signed by her. Passive Voice
Ten letters subject plural; have been signed verb
have -- plural
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Active-Passive Voice Tense Change 1
She bakes cakes. Active
bakes verb
Simple Present Tense

Cakes are baked by her.
Passive Voice
are baked verb
Simple Present Tense
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Active-Passive Tense Change 2
He is building a sand castle.
is building verb
present continues tense
ACTIVE VOICE FORM

A sand castle is being built by him.
is being built verb
present continues tense
PASSIVE VOICE FORM
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Active-Passive -- Tense Change 3
He has drawn a picture.
has drawn verb
present perfect tense
ACTIVE VOICE

A picture has been drawn by him.
has been drawn verb
present perfect tense
PASSIVE VOICE
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Active-Passive Tense Change 4
According to the traditional grammar rules, the
present perfect continues tense is not used in
PASSIVE VOICE FORM; however, in the
contemporary English, there are occasions where
the present perfect continues tense is used in the
Passive Voice:
e.g. He has been mowing the lawn. Active Voice
The lawn has been being mowed by him.
Passive Voice
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Active-Passive Voice
Tense Change 5
She told me a secret. Active Voice
told verb simple past tense

A secret was told (to) me by her.
Passive Voice
was told verb simple past tense
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Active-Passive Voice
Tense Change 6
The postman was delivering the post.
was delivering -- verb -- Past Continuous Tense
ACTIVE VOICE FORM
The post was being delivered by the postman.
was being delivered -- verb -- Past continuous Tense
PASSIVE VOICE FORM
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Active-Passive Voice -- Tense Change 7
She had eaten several peas before she offered him any.
had eaten verb past perfect tense Active

Several peas had been eaten by her before she offered
him any.
had been eaten verb past perfect tense -- Passive


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Active-Passive Voice Tense Change 8
According to the traditional grammar rules, the
past perfect continuous tense is not used in
Passive form; however, in the contemporary
English, there are occasions where the past
perfect tense is used in the Passive Form, too!
He had been writing letters for half an hour
before somebody called him out.
Letters had been being written for half an hour
(by him) before somebody called him out.
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Active-Passive Voice Tense Change 9
They will give the beggar some money.
will give -- verb -- simple future tense -- Active

The beggar will be given some money by them.
will be given -- verb -- simple future tense -- Passive
05-05-2009 BCK 20
Active-Passive -- Tense Change10
According to the traditional grammar rules,
the future continuous tense in the Active is
not used in Passive Voice Form.
e.g. They will be playing with fireworks by
the time their father reaches home. Active
will be playing verb future continuous
-------- NO PASSIVE --------
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Active-Passive Voice Tense Change 11
Sue will have sewn two dresses by 12 O clock.
will have sewn verb future perfect tense Active

Two dresses will have been sewn by 12 O clock by Sue.
will have been sewn verb future perfect tense --
Passive
05-05-2009 BCK 22
Active-Passive Voice Tense Change 12
According to the traditional grammar rules, the
future perfect continuous tense is not used in the
Passive Voice Form:
e.g. You will have been working on the course
material for 2 hours by 6 in the evening.
will have been working verb
Future Perfect Continuous Tense Active
---------- NO CHANGE ----------
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Active-Passive Voice Tense Change 13
The Modal Auxiliary (helping) Verbs in
Passive Voice Form take be:
e.g. He will give you a book. Active Voice
You will be given a book by him. Passive
e.g. They can pick a number. Active Voice
A number can be picked by them. Passive
e.g. We must finish this job. Active Voice
This job must be finished by us. Passive
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Active-Passive Voice note 1
The Subject of the active voice sentence becomes the object of the
preposition in the Passive Voice sentence. The preposition is usually
by when the object is a person, and with when the object is a
thing, such as a knife, gun, arrow, etc.

e.g. The hunter shot the deer with an arrow. Active
The deer was shot with an arrow by the hunter. Passive
an arrow -- a thing preposition with
a hunter -- a person -- preposition by


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Active-Passive Voice note 2
When there are two objects of the verb in the active
voice sentence, we can change that active sentence
into passive in two way: using the first object in one
sentence and the second object in the other.

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Active-Passive Voice note 2
(continued)
e.g. The teacher teaches you a lesson. Active
you object of the verb / a lesson object of the verb

(A) You are taught a lesson by the teacher. Passive
(B) A lesson is taught to you by the teacher. Passive
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Active-Passive Voice -- note 3
In writing the Passive Voice, in most cases, the
preposition by or with and its object are not used,
because they are understood:
e.g. The cook made me an omelette. Active Voice
An omelette was made for me
by the cook.
.
Passive Voice