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ActivetoPassiveVoiceConversion
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WhatisVoice?
A Grammar of Contemporary English defines Voice as voice is a
grammatical category which makes it possible to view the action of a sentence
in two ways, without change in the facts reported. One and the same idea can
often be expressed in two different ways, by means of an active, and by means
of a passive construction.

1.ActiveVoice
Active voice is used to indicate the grammatical subject of the verb is
performing the action or causing the happening denoted by the verb. With the
active voice, you learn who or what is responsible for the action at the
beginning of the sentence. In other words, the subject performs the action
denoted by the verb. With help of active voice more powerful sentences can be
build than passive voice.
Useofactivevoice:
1. Active voice is used in a clause whose subject expresses the agent of the
main verb.
2. Subject can be easily identified by asking who or what to the verb.
3. Sentences are short and easily understandable.
Example :
John wrote the letter.
-John (subject) performs the action denoted by the verb (write).

2.PassiveVoice
In Passive voice the sentence focus on object i.e. who/what is receiving the
action and not on who/what is performing the action. In passive voice, the
actor of the of the verb (action) is either understood at the end of the sentence
or maybe not told. The passive voice is used in writing facts, truth, lab or
technical reports in which the actor is not important or unknown, but the action
happening on the object is very important.
Useofpassivevoice:

1. It is used if it doesnt need to know or we dont know the actor performing

the job.
2. In the end of the clause or sentence by is prefixed to know the actor
performing the job.
3. It is used if we are more interested in the job than the actors who work.
Example :
The letter was written by John.
- letter receives the action denoted by the write (verb).

Howtoidentifytheactive/passivevoice?
Ask who/what performed the action(verb)? -- if the who or what is at the
beginning of the sentence, the sentence is active voice.
Example :
Jack is eating the apple.
Question will be : Who is eating the apple?
Look for the word by, if present it is passive voice.
Active/PassivevoiceusingModals:
The modal verbs consist of will, would, can, could, shall, should, may, might,
must which are
used with main verbs to express ability, probability, obligation, advice etc.
To convert active voice having modal into passive voice, auxiliary verb be is
added after modal in sentence.
RulesforActivetoPassiveconversion
Tense

Simple Present Tense

Active voice

Passive voice

Subject + infinitive + object

S + to be + past participle + by object

E.g. The grocer sells fresh vegetables.

E.g. Fresh vegetables are sold by the grocer.

S + to be (is, am, are) + being + past participle +

by object
Subject + to be (is, am, are) being + present participle + object
Present Continuous Tense

Present Perfect Tense

Simple Past Tense

Past Continuous Tense

Past Perfect Tense

E.g. Many assignments are being given by my

E.g. My boss is giving many assignments.

boss.

Subject + has/have + past participle + object

S + have/has been + past participle + by object

E.g.I have taken him out.

E.g.He has been taken out by me.

Subject + past participle + object

S + was/were + past participle + by object

E.g. He built a large house.

E.g. A large house was built by him.

S + was/were + being + past participle + object

S + was/were + being + past participle +by

object

E.gShe was cooking dinner.

E.g. Dinner was being cooked by her.

Subject + had + past participle + object

S + had been + past participle + by object

E.g. She had posted the letter.

E.g. The letter had been posted by her.

Simple Future Tense

Future Perfect Tense

Subject + will + infinitive + object

S + will + be + past participle + by object

E.g. I will give you a present.

E.g. A present will be given to you by me.

Subject + would + infinitive + object

S + would + be + past participle + by object

E.g. The doctor shall have examined ten patients by 10

Oclock.

E.g. Ten patients will have been examined by

10 Oclock by the doctor.

RulesforPronounsinActivetoPassive
conversion
Active voice

Passive voice

me

you

you

we

us

they

them

it

it

Pronoun number and person

table

Person

Number

III

I -> am

you >
are

we ->
are

you > are

Singular

Plural

II

he,she,it -> is
John,Sara -> is

they -> are