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ACTIVE & PASSIVE VOICE

Tense Active voice Passive voice


verb to-be + past participle of main verb
Simple
She writes the letter.
present
The letter is written.
verb to-be + being +past participle of main verb
Present
She is writing the letter.
continuous The letter is being written.
has + been + past participle of main verb
Present
She has written the letter.
perfect The letter has been written.
Present has + been + being + past participle of main verb
perfect She has been writing the letter.
continuous The letter has been being written.*
verb to-be + past participle of main verb
Simple past She wrote the letter.
The letter was written.
verb to-be + being + past participle of main verb
Past
She was writing the letter.
continuous
The letter was being written.
had + been + past participle of main verb
Past perfect She had written the letter.
The letter had been written.
had + been + being + past participle of main verb
Past perfect
She had been writing the letter.
continuous
The letter had been being written.*
‘will or shall’ + be + past participle of main verb
Simple
She will write the letter.
future
The letter will be written.
‘will or shall’ + be + being + past participle of main verb
Future
She will be writing the letter.
continuous
The letter will be being written.*
‘will or shall’ + have + been + past participle of main verb
Future
She will have written the letter.
perfect
The letter will have been written.
‘will or shall’ + have + been + being + past participle of main
Future
verb
perfect She will have writing the letter.
continuous The letter will have been being written.*

 Study the table to understand how active voice is changed into passive voice.
 Do not change the tense. The passive voice must follow the tense used in the active voice.
E.g. Active voice – Simple Present Tense  Passive voice – Simple Present Tense, as well.
 The verb to-be/ to-have is the indicator of the tense of the passive voice
 Observe the formula of passive voice. The formulas are changing which depends on the tense
used in active voice.
* The sentences with star indicate that the sentence structures are rarely used. It is in the note just
for your knowledge.
ACTIVE & PASSIVE VOICE

EXERCISE
Change the active sentences to passive and passive sentences to active.

1. The bulls have been caught by the lions.

________________________________________________________________________________.

2. The wonderful performance presented by the children fascinated us.

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3. He has been invited to their party.

________________________________________________________________________________.

4. We have shipped your order.

________________________________________________________________________________.

5. The girl recited the poem beautifully.

________________________________________________________________________________.

6. The guests enjoyed the party.

________________________________________________________________________________.

7. The child impressed everyone with his polite manners.

________________________________________________________________________________.

8. A girl from Chennai won the first prize.

________________________________________________________________________________.

9. The readers like the latest book of the writer.

________________________________________________________________________________.

10. They are painting the walls.

________________________________________________________________________________.

11. The car has been fixed by the mechanic.

________________________________________________________________________________.

12. She accepted their invitation with pleasure.

________________________________________________________________________________.
ACTIVE & PASSIVE VOICE
What is “subject”?
A subject is a person or thing that is being discussed, described or dealt with.

What is “object”?
An object is a person or thing to which a specified action or feeling is directed.

Definition of Active and Passive voice.

 Active voice, the subject of the sentence performs or does the action expressed in the verb.
 Passive voice, the subject not doing the verb but the subject receives the action.

Verb To-Be/
Type Of Main Verb
Tense Subject Verb To-Have Continuous Perfect Object
Sentence (Past Participle)
/Will@Shall
Active voice Simple Present Ali eats a burger
Passive voice Tense A burger is eaten by Ali
Active voice Present Ali is eating a burger
Passive voice Continuous Tense A burger is being eaten by Ali
Active voice Ali has eaten a burger
Present Perfect
Passive voice A burger has been eaten by Ali
Active voice Simple Past Ali ate a burger
Passive voice Tense A burger was eaten by Ali
Active voice Past Continuous Ali was eating a burger
Passive voice Tense A burger was being eaten by Ali
Active voice Ali had eaten a burger
Past Perfect
Passive voice A burger had been eaten by Ali
Active voice Ali will eat a burger
Simple Future
Passive voice A burger will be eaten by Ali
Active voice Future Ali will be eating a burger
Passive voice Continuous Tense A burger will be being eaten by Ali
Active voice Ali will have eaten a burger
Future Perfect
Passive voice A burger will have been eaten by Ali

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