ACTIVE &

PASSIVE VOICE

ACTIVE? PASSIVE?
The teacher scolds

Kenny

scolds

Kenny.

the teacher.

ACTIVE

Kenny is scolded by the teacher. PASSIVE

ACTIVE or PASSIVE?
Set 1 :
ACTIVE
a) The teacher scolds Kenny.
ACTIVE
b) Kenny scolds the teacher.
c) Kenny is scolded by the teacher. PASSIVE
Set 2 :
a) Alex prepares the report.
b) The report prepares Alex.
c) The report is prepared by Alex.

ACTIVE
ACTIVE
PASSIVE

Lets dissect these

sentences
The teacher scolds Kenny.
SUBJECT

OBJECT

(doer)

(receiver)

Kenny scolds the teacher.

SUBJECT

OBJECT

(doer)

(receiver)

Kenny is scolded by the teacher.

SUBJECT

OBJECT

(RECEIVER)

(DOER)

When to use the active or

passive?

Active?
- focus on the DOER (or agent) of action.
- subject performs action/acts

Passive?
- focus on the RECEIVER of action.
- subject receives action/is acted upon
- The subject of the active verb follows by
in a passive sentence.
- The noun that follows by is called an
agent

Look at these sentences

Active : An accident happened on the highway
Passive: None
Active : Every year the Turks to shop at Langkawi.
Passive: None

Only transitive verbs (verbs that can be followed

by an object) are used in the passives.

Not possible to use intransitive verbs (such as

happen. sleep, come, seem, agree, cry, exist,
go, live, occur,rain,stay,walk)in the passive.

Check! Transitive vs
Intransitive
I sold some books.
I took the bus.
I bought a radio.
I understood her question.
I wrote a letter.
I slept.
I coughed.
The glass fell.
My cat ran.

transitive
According to the instructions, we must
leave this zoo immediately.
In this example, the verb "leave" takes a
direct object, the noun phrase "this zoo.

intransitive
We would like to stay longer, but we must
leave.

I went to the store yesterday

Jack sits in the corner when he reads.

NOT The corner is sat when Jack reads.

Peter arrived early.

NOT Early was arrived Peter.

Identify the focus of each

sentence below.
a) Japan makes the Honda cars.
b) The Honda cars are made in Japan.
d) Rice is grown in Thailand.
e) Thailand grows rice.

Sometimes, in passive voice,

the doer of action is
In active voice, doer of action is placed at start of
unimportant
sentence. In passive voice, doer can be hidden.
Examples:
a) Animal skin is used to make leather goods.
b) The houses are developed for the poor.
c) It is believed that if you cut your fingernails at
night, you will see ghosts.
d) It was thought that the sun circled the earth.
e) America was discovered by Christopher Columbus.

CHANGING ACTIVE TO PASSIVE

HOW?
Look at TENSES
Changes in verb forms
ACTIVE VERB to PASSIVE VERB

Forming Tenses of Passive Verbs

The passive voice always consists of two parts: a form of the
verb "to be" + past participle:
Tense

Active Voice

Passive Voice

Simple Present

plays/drives

is played/ driven

Present Continuous

is playing/ driving

is being played/ driven

Present prefect

has played/has driven

has been played/driven

Simple past

played/ drove

was played/ was driven

Past continuous

was playing/ driving

was being played/

driven

Past Perfect

had played/driven

had been played/driven

Future

will play/ drive

will be played/ driven

SIMPLE PRESENT
present tense verb
is/are + past participle (pp.)
Tom eats the pear.
The pear is eaten by Tom.
Tom eats the pears.
The pears are eaten by Tom.

SIMPLE PAST
past tense verb
was/were + pp.
A)
Tom ate the pear.
The pear was eaten by Tom.
B)
Tom ate the pears.
The pears were eaten by Tom

PRESENT CONTINUOUS
is/are +ing
is/are + being + pp.
A)
Tom is eating the pear.
The pear is being eaten by Tom.
B)
Tom is eating the pears.
The pears are being eaten by Tom.

PAST CONTINUOUS
was/were +ing
was/were + being + pp.
A)
Tom was eating the pear.
The pear was being eaten by Tom.
B)
Tom was eating the pears.
The pears were being eaten by Tom.

PRESENT PERFECT
has/have +pp.
has/have + been + pp.
A)
Tom has eaten the pear.
The pear has been eaten by Tom.
B)
Tom has eaten the pears.
The pears have been eaten by Tom.

PAST PERFECT
had +pp
had + been + pp.
A)
Tom had eaten the pear.
The pear had been eaten by Tom.
B)
Tom had eaten the pears.
The pears had been eaten by Tom.

SIMPLE FUTURE
will + verb

Tom will eat the pear.

The pear will be eaten by Tom.

going to + verb

will + be+ pp.

going to + be + pp.

Tom is going to eat the pear.

The pear is going to be eaten by Tom.
Tom is going to eat the pears.
The pears are going to be eaten by Tom.

FUTURE PERFECT
will have + pp
will have + been + pp.
Tom will have eaten the pear.
The pear will have been eaten by Tom.

MODAL VERBS

will
would
can
could
shall
should
may
might
must
ought to

MODAL VERBS
modal verb
(modal) + be + pp.
A)
Tom should do the work.
The work should be done by Tom.
B)
Tom can do the work.
The work can be done by Tom.

MODAL PERFECT
(modal) + have
(modal) + have +been + pp.
A)
Tom will have done the work.
The work will have been done by Tom.
B)
Tom must have made the mistake.
The mistake must have been made by Tom.

to?
To +verb
to +be + pp.
A)
Tom is going to sing the song.
The song is going to be sung by Tom.
B)
The law ought to punish the criminals.
The criminals ought to be punished (by the
law).

Changing from Passive Voice to Active

PASSIVE VOICE

AGENT/Doer

The
presiding
officer

The leaders

The scientists

CHANGED TO
ACTIVE VOICE

SUMMARY
ing (present participle)
have / has / had (perfect)
modal / to

+ being
+ been
+ be

Active Passive

Active voice is the voice used to indicate that the subject of

the sentence is performing the action or causing the action.
Passive voice is the voice used when the subject is the
recipient of the action. Strong writing uses active voice.
Passive voice should only be used in the following
instances:
When intentionally hiding the subject of the sentence. For
example, a politician might say, "Mistakes were made."
When intentionally truing to minimize the guilt of the
subject. For example, a cheating husband might respond,
"Adultery was committed by me."
When passive voice better emphasizes the main point of
the passage. For example, Children were harmed by
unlicensed bus drivers.

Differences between Active &

Passive

If the subject receives the action or is not doing

the action, the voice is passive.
Passive voice is usually wordier.
If the subject performs the action, the voice is
active.
Active voice is preferred because it is direct and
concise.
Active voice creates interest. Has more impact on
readers.
Passive voice creates boredom. Has lesser impact
on readers.
Passive voice contains a lot of to be verbs.

To summarize

Active voice
It is used for most academic writing.

It clearly tells what the action is & who

is performing the action.

It is shorter. (concise)
It is more direct, sincere. Better impact
on receiver. Feels more trustworthy

Passive voice

To emphasize an action / the recipient of the

action

To de-emphasize negative news

To conceal the doer of an action (anonymous)

To add variety

To avoid responsibility

To sound less direct. Wordier. Less trustworthy.