English Language Notes - Standard Vii Active and Passive Voice
English Language Notes - Standard Vii Active and Passive Voice
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.
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