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English Language Notes - Standard Vii Active and Passive Voice

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ENGLISH LANGUAGE NOTES – STANDARD VII

ACTIVE AND PASSIVE VOICE

The Voice of a verb tells whether the subject of a sentence performs or receives the action.
Example:
1. Birds build nests. (subject performs the action)
2. Nests are built by birds. (subject receives the action)

ACTIVE VOICE
In active voice, the subject performs the action expressed by the verb. The basic active
voice construction of a sentence is:
Subject + Verb + Object
(S) + (V) + (O)
Example:
1. The cashier counted the money.
2. The dog chased the squirrel.

PASSIVE VOICE
In passive voice, the subject receives the action expressed by the verb. The basic passive
voice construction of a sentence is:
Object + auxillary verb+ Past Participle + by + Subject
Example:
1. The money was counted by the cashier.
2. The squirrel was chased by the dog.

RULES FOR CONVERSION FROM ACTIVE TO PASSIVE VOICE


1. Identify the subject, the verb and the object in a sentence.
2. Change the object into the subject.
3. Put the ‘helping verb’ or the ‘auxiliary verb’.
4. Change the main verb into its past participle.
5. Add the preposition ‘by’.
6. Change the subject into object

RULES FOR CONVERSION FROM ACTIVE TO PASSIVE VOICE IN SIMPLE


TENSE
SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE
VOICE RULE EXAMPLE
Active voice Subject + present tense of He sings a song.
the verb + object
Passive voice Object + is /are / am + past A song is sung by him.
participle of the verb + by +
subject
SIMPLE PAST TENSE
VOICE RULE EXAMPLE
Active voice Subject + past tense of the He ate an apple.
verb + object
Passive voice Object + was / were + past An apple was eaten by him.
participle of the verb + by +
subject
SIMPLE FUTURE TENSE
VOICE RULE EXAMPLE
Active voice Subject + future tense of the The teacher will teach us.
verb(will/shall) + object
Passive voice Object + will be / shall be + We will be/shall be taught
past participle of the verb + by the teacher.
by + subject

RULES FOR CONVERSION FROM ACTIVE TO PASSIVE VOICE IN


CONTINUOUS TENSE
PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE
VOICE RULE EXAMPLE
Active voice Subject + is /are /am + -ing The gardener is watering the
verb+ object plants.
Passive voice Object + is /are /am + being The plants are being watered
+ past participle of the verb+ by the gardener.
by + subject

PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE


VOICE RULE EXAMPLE
Active voice Subject + was / were + -ing The cat was chasing the rat.
verb+ object
Passive voice Object + was / were + being The rat was being chased by
+ past participle of the verb+ the cat.
by + subject

RULES FOR CONVERSION FROM ACTIVE TO PASSIVE VOICE IN PERFECT


TENSE
PRESENT PERFECT TENSE
VOICE RULE EXAMPLE
Active voice Subject + has / have + past Tina has written five poems.
participle of the verb +
object
Passive voice Object + has/have +been + Five poems have been
past participle of the verb + written by Tina.
by + subject
PAST PERFECT TENSE
VOICE RULE EXAMPLE
Active voice Subject + had + past Ram had collected coins.
participle of the verb +
object
Passive voice Object + had + been + past Coins had been collected by
participle of the verb + by + Ram.
subject
FUTURE PERFECT TENSE
VOICE RULE EXAMPLE
Active voice Subject + will have /shall Harry will have received the
have + past participle of the letter.
verb + object
Passive voice Object + will have / shall The letter will have been
have + been + past participle received by Harry.
of the verb + by + subject

NOTE:
1. The tenses in the following sentences cannot be changed to passive voice.
a. Present Perfect Continuous Tense
b. Past Perfect Continuous Tense
c. Future Perfect Continuous Tense
d. Future Continuous Tense
2. Sentences having Intransitive verbs cannot be changed to passive voice.
3. Pronouns undergo a change in passive voice.
EXERCISES

Rewrite the following sentences by changing from active to passive voice:

a. Rama loves Sita.


b. My sister writes beautiful poems.
c. The carpenter is making a table.
d. The children are flying kites.
e. I have sent the parcel.
f. A girl from Tamil Nadu has won the first prize.
g. The watchman opened the gate.
h. The cat drank the milk.
i. The volunteers were helping the wounded people.
j. The children were singing a song.
k. They had challenged the verdict.
l. She had won the first prize.
m. Ms Sullivan teaches us grammar.
n. The teacher praised him.
o. The firemen took the injured to the hospital.
p. The manager will give you a ticket.
q. Everyone will blame us.
r. They are painting the walls.
s. The guests enjoyed the party.
t. We have shipped your order