he must do the homework now passive voice

Passive Voice (with Examples)

What is the difference between the active voice and the passive voice in English?

Compare these two sentences:

Active = “The doctor gave me a prescription” Passive = “I was given a prescription”

The first sentence is in the “active voice”. The subject is the doctor, and the verb is “gave”. In active sentences, the focus of the sentence is on the subject.

The second sentence is in the “passive voice”. The object of the sentence (“I”) becomes the focus of the sentence.

How to form a passive sentence

1. Firstly, you need to make the object (from the active sentence) into the new subject.

For example, in “John helped me”, “me” is the object. The subject form of “me” is “I”.

Here is a list of objects and subjects:

me – I you – You him / her – He / She us – We them – They

2. Then you make the verb passive.

Put the verb “to be” into the same tense as the verb in the active sentence. For example, in the sentence “John helped me”, “helped” is the past tense. Therefore, you need the past simple tense of the verb “to be”, which is “was” or “were”.

“I was…”

Here’s a list of tenses for the verb “to be”:

Present simple – am / are / is Present continuous – is being / are being Present perfect – has been / have been Simple past – was / were Past continuous – was being / were being Modals will, can etc – will be, can be etc.

3. Then add the past participle of the verb. For example “gave” – “given”, “help” – “helped”

“I was helped by John.” “I was given a prescription by the doctor.”

4. If necessary, you can say who did the action. To do this, add “by” at the end of your sentence. “She was awarded a degree by the University of London .”

When to use the passive voice

As a general rule, speak and write in the active voice. But passive forms can be useful in formal writing (such as scientific reports) when the emphasis is on process and results, rather than on who did the action.

1. To change the focus of a sentence. Sometimes, the object of the sentence is more important than the subject. We can change the focus of the sentence by changing an active sentence into a passive sentence. For example, in the following sentence, the focus is on beautiful designs and colours – not on who creates or chooses them.

“Our beautiful designs are created by a team of experts. The colours are carefully chosen to blend in with the surroundings…”

2. If we don’t know who does an action. “My bicycle has been stolen” – I don’t know who has stolen it.

3. If we don’t want to say who did something. “The lights were left on all night.” (I don’t want to say that you left the lights on.)

4. If it is obvious who does something. “I was given a prescription” – I know that only doctors give prescriptions, so I don’t need to add “by the doctor”. “He was arrested” I know that the police arrest people, so I don’t need to add “by the police”.

Passive or Active?

Decide if the sentence is passive or active.

Your answer:

Correct answer:

Your Answers

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#240: How & Why to Use the Passive Voice | English Grammar Practice

May 18, 2022 | Grammar

How, when, and why should you use the passive voice in English?

You may recall studying the passive voice in English grammar lessons but still feel unsure about how to use it. 

Today we’re going to solve that frustration.

In this Confident English lesson today, you’re going to learn 6 specific uses of the passive voice in English.

Along the way, you’ll get English grammar practice with the examples I share and the practice questions I have for you. 

To get ready, I recommend grabbing a pen and paper so you’re ready to practice with me.

6 Uses of the Passive Voice in English

Use #1: when the actor is unknown or insignificant.

English speakers use the passive voice when the actor (person/thing performing the action) is unknown or insignificant. 

This is especially true when reporting crimes or incidents when the perpetrator is unknown.

• The store was robbed in broad daylight.
• My wallet was stolen last year.

Practice : Think for a moment about your experiences. Have you ever had something stolen? Or maybe a car window was broken? 

But you don’t know who did it?

Using the passive voice, write down a sentence you might use if you were reporting the crime or telling a friend about it. You can follow my examples.

Before we move on, a second way to think about an unknown actor — or when the person who completed the action is unimportant — is when talking about architecture. Such as design, construction, or renovation. 

Recently members of my Confident Women Community practiced using the passive voice to describe specific places or buildings in their city. I’d love to challenge you in the same way.

For example:

• Our home was renovated in 2019 . → We do not know or don’t care who did it.
• This building was completed in 1813 and was designed in the Federal style .

Practice : What about where you live? Is there a famous building you could describe without stating who did it?

Use #2: The Actor Is Obvious

We use the passive voice when there’s an obvious and common understanding of who or what performed an action. So we don’t need to waste time stating the obvious

For instance, it’s common knowledge that your salary is paid by your employer. 

When describing your payment cycle, you could simply say, “ I’m paid biweekly.”

Pop Quiz: How would you rephrase this sentence to use the passive voice? The police arrested the robber last night. Answer: The robber was arrested last night. Since it’s obvious that the police are making the arrest, we can easily use the passive voice. 

*Tip: When you use the passive voice and want to specify who did the action, end the sentence with by and the actor. 

I’m paid biweekly by my employer .

Use #3: To Emphasize the Recipient

Remember that the object receives the action, in the passive voice. For this reason, English speakers use the passive voice to draw attention to the recipient.

For instance, rather than say: “The local government spent millions of dollars to restore the building.” The passive voice could be used to say: “Millions of dollars were spent to restore the building.” Moving the recipient to the front of the sentence and eliminating the actor, puts emphasis on the large sum of money that was spent instead of who spent the money. 

Practice : Can you think of a time when too much money was spent on something? An item? A project budget?

Rather than focus on WHO spent the money, think about how to focus on what was spent. 

Here’s a recommended way to start, “Too much money was spent on ______.”

Use #4: To Emphasize A Result

While the passive voice allows us to highlight that something or someone receives an action, it can also be used to shift the focus on the result of an action. 

English speakers achieve this by using the passive voice in addition to the stress on the verb.

• For example, to place emphasis on the result of a budget cut, I could say, “Students were demotivated when they heard there would be no art program next year.”  

Now, you might be wondering: couldn’t use the active voice and say “The news of no art program demotivated the students” — still emphasizing the verb demotivated?

And the answer is yes, we certainly could. But doing so shifts the focus in the sentence. Now it’s the news of no art program that we pay attention to most.

Using the passive voice allows the speaker or writer to decide what is most important in the sentence — the fact that there is no art program? Or the fact that students were demotivated.

Use #5: To Protect and Avoid Blame

The passive voice is useful when the actor needs or wants to be protected. 

Imagine you’re the host of a party and someone accidentally broke a valuable object. To shield the person from further embarrassment, you might say “ It was accidentally knocked off the table .” In this case, the passive voice enables you to avoid naming the person.

In contrast, the actor can protect themself by using the passive voice to avoid responsibility. We often hear this in statements made by people of power.

For example, if a politician is making a speech to acknowledge a mistake and soften their role in the mistake, they might say “ Mistakes were made and we’re working towards a solution .”

Practice : Can you remember a situation when someone you care about at work accidentally broke something? Or missed an important deadline? Or forgot to complete an important task? 

In talking about it, you want to protect the person who did it. How would you describe what happened?

Use #6: To Describe Actions in Scientific and Academic Contexts

The passive voice is traditionally used in scientific literature or contexts. This is especially true in lab reports and research papers. 

• “ The subject’s cognitive state was assessed at the end of each trial .”
• “ Over 100 responses were collected in the survey. ”

Now you have 6 clear uses for the passive voice and your own examples to help you determine how you might use the passive voice in your own Egnlish communication. 

Feel free to share your examples with me below.

Or tell me how today’s lesson helped you. Share a quick comment in the comment section below to let me know.

~ Annemarie

P.S. Are you looking for a community to provide support, help you stay motivated, and guarantee that you grow? Check out our Confident Women Community .

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Hey there. Thanks for sharing this wonderful blog. The passive voice can be used to create a sense of detachment or remove the speaker from the action, which is sometimes desired. For example, if you are writing about a crime that was committed, you may want to use the passive voice to maintain impartiality. Additionally, the passive voice can make your writing sound more academic or formal.

Hi Annie! I was always trying to figure out the uses of Passive Voice, as I was only a fluent English speaker, learnt by listening and reading. Grammar was Greek to me! I have begun teaching English. Thanks a lot for this lesson for the students to know the objectives of the topic.

I’m so glad it was helpful to you, Imtiaz!

Ok, Let me read. I’ll let you know

Thanks Annemarie! well actually I’m preparing a scientific paper, so this lesson is definitely helpful for me.

Oh, this will be perfect for you!

Hi Anne Marie! This lesson was very interesting for me, thank you.

Let me share with you my homework:

Use #1 My PC was stolen last year from my car last night. The last house of the ghetto, was demolished in 1947

Use # 3 Too much money was spent to built the new soccer stadium in Cagliari.

Use #5 An important file was inadvertently moved to a wrong folder. The good news is that we find it.

To the next lesson!

Great job, Cinzia!

I have one question about the first example: “My PC was stolen last year from my car last night. ”

I see ‘last year’ which means 2021 and I see ‘last night’ which means yesterday. Which one of these did you want to use in the sentence?

And in example 3, we can simplify this sentence by removing “to build” and instead use a preposition: “Too much money was spent _______ the new soccer stadium in Cagliari.” — Do you know which preposition we might use?

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The Passive Voice

Perfect english grammar.

• Download this explanation in PDF here.
• See all my exercises about the passive here.

So, in this example, the subject is 'I', the verb is 'drank' and the object is 'two cups of coffee'.

• Two cups of coffee were drunk (we can add 'by me' if we want, but it isn't necessary).

How to make the Passive in English

We make the passive by putting the verb 'to be' into whatever tense we need and then adding the past participle . For regular verbs, we make the past participle by adding 'ed' to the infinitive. So play becomes played . Click here to learn about irregular verbs .

Verbs with two objects

• Active: He gave me the book / He gave the book to me.
• Passive: I was given the book (by him)/ The book was given to me (by him).

The passive in subordinate clauses

• Active: I thought that Mary had kissed John.
• Passive: I thought that John had been kissed by Mary.
• Active: He knew that people had built the church in 1915.
• Passive: He knew that the church had been built in 1915.
• The child loves being cuddled.
• She would like to be promoted.

When should we use the Passive?

• The Mona Lisa was painted by Leonardo Da Vinci. (We are more interested in the painting than the artist in this sentence)
• He was arrested (obvious agent, the police).
• My bike has been stolen (unknown agent).
• The road is being repaired (unimportant agent).
• The form can be obtained from the post office (people in general).
• The chemical is placed in a test tube and the data entered into the computer.
• The brochure will be finished next month.
• Three books are used regularly in the class. The books were written by Dr. Bell. ('Dr. Bell wrote the books' sound clumsy)
• I was surprised by how well the students did in the test. (More natural than: 'how well the students did in the test surprised me')

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The Passive Voice Complete Guide

In this Guide you will learn:

• The definition of the passive voice.
• When to use the passive voice

How to form the passive voice

• Examples with different verb tenses.
• Some extras (including how to use get)
• Passive voice exercises

What is the passive voice?

Definition: The passive voice is used when the receiver of the action is the subject of the sentence.

Example: This house was built by my father.

In this example “The house” received the action but it is the subject of this sentence. This is not a common way to express a sentence in English and the passive voice can often sound formal. Keep reading to discover why we use the passive voice. The most common way to explain this sentence is the active voice.

What is the active voice?

Definition: The active voice is when the actor (the person who does the action) is the subject of the sentence.

Example: My father built the car.

So, you can see that in this sentence that “my father” was the actor of the sentence and he is also the subject. ( Subject/Verb/Object)

This is the best way to create this sentence because it is clear and easy for the listener to understand. However, there are certain situations when we need to use the passive voice and I will explain when below.

When to Use the Passive Voice

We use the passive voice for 4 situations, 1. when the subject is unknown.

If we don’t know the subject then we often want to place more emphasis on the action or the person who received the action.

My bag was stolen!

My house was broken into last night.

In these examples, we don’t know who the criminals were. 

 2. When the receiver of the action is more important.

In this case, the speaker decides to place more importance on the action or the receiver of the action.

The train was delayed

(It doesn’t matter who caused the delay. The important point is that the train is late and now we have to wait!)

The roads were destroyed by the typhoon. (Again the result is more important  because we don’t have roads!)

3. When the subject is obvious.

In this case, we don’t need the subject because there is only one possible person or group of people responsible for the action.

He was arrested at 6 am.

(Only the police can arrest people)

The rubbish was collected this morning.

(It is obvious who collects the rubbish and it is more important that the rubbish was collected)

4 When the doer of the action is people in general.

It is accepted that you do not smoke indoors .

(The people who accept this situation, in this case, is “everyone”)

It was once thought that losing blood could cure diseases. .

Passive Voice Structure

To form the passive voice we use the verb to be + past participle..

You need to use the correct verb tense of the verb to be. So if the sentence is in the future then you need to use will be + past participle.

More examples of the active and passive voice

Active : I like Tony

Passive : Tony is liked by me 

Active : People play football all around the world.

Passive : Football is played all around the world.

Active : The cleaners cleaned the room.

Passive : The room was cleaned.

Active : John failed the exam.

Passive : The exam was failed by John.

You can see from these examples that sometimes it is a good idea to use the passive voice if you follow the reasons why we use the passive voice. If you don’t follow the uses, you make the sentence more complicated than necessary. In fact, sometimes it just doesn’t make any sense in the passive voice.

Active : John attempted to jump over the wall.

Passive : The wall was attempted to be jumped over by John.

Can you see how confusing the second sentence is?

Passive Voice Examples for all Tenses

Ok, so remember we need to conjugate the verb to be in the correct verb tense and then add the past participle of the verb we need to use. For example, the present perfect simple of the verb to be (have/has been) + the past participle( seen, done, etc)

Learn more about the Passive Voice

Asking questions in the passive voice.

Asking questions in the passive voice is the same as other parts of English. You need to invert the subject and the auxiliary

Positive :  You were collected by the bus driver.

Question : Were you collected by the bus driver?

Simple as that!

Another example with the present perfect simple:

Positive : The pens have been bought.

Question : Have the pens been bought? 

For more on questions, check out my article on WH-questions here

Common examples in news reports

It is common to hear the passive voice in news reports. That is because the action is the most important thing and often with live news, we don’t have all the facts.

The Airstrike in Syria is expected to end soon.

A bomb has been detonated in Central Bagdad.

Get and the passive voice

In informal English, it is also possible to use get instead of be .

There was a fight at the football game but nobody got hurt 

(You can also say” Nobody was hurt”)

You can only use get when things happen like in the news reports above.

He got hit on the head by a golf ball (something happened)

He was liked by everyone (In this example. No action happens so you can’t use “get”)

The passive agent, 

How to include the person/thing that does the action in the sentence.

So we learned that the person that does the action is not as important as the person who receives the action. Sometimes, we still want to include this person and hen we do, we use the word by.

The bins were collected by the binman.

The children were brought to school by their mother. 

The injection was performed by the nurse.

Active Voice vs Passive Voice: More Practice

Let’s look at some more examples of how the sentences can change from the active voice to the passive voice before we try some exercises.

Exercises on the Active and Passive Voice

A Make sentences in the passive voice from these active voice sentences.

• Somebody has taken away the rubbish.
• Somebody took the computer.
• I came into the room and noticed that someone had put the book on the table.
• Everybody liked him.
• I didn’t realise that they were listening to me.

B Which sentences is it possible to use get.

• I had a bicycle but it was stolen last week.
• Be careful of my piano. It was damaged the last time you moved it!
• It was thought that we should spend 1 million on the marketing plan.
• He was beaten up by the guards.
• They were believed to have arrived on a boat.
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Passive Voice – Free Exercise

Complete the sentences with the correct form of the passive.

• I don’t have to buy the paper because it (deliver)     to our house every day. simple present (signal: every day )|3 rd person singular: is + past participle
• When Kylie went to school, she (pick up)     by her parents every day. simple past (signal: went )|3 rd person singular: was + past participle
• You don’t have to clean the bathroom. It (clean/already)     by someone else. present perfect (signal: already, first clause in simple present)|3 rd person singular: has + adverb + been + past participle
• Relax! From now on, I promise that everything (do)     for you. will future (signal: from now on, I promise )| will be + past participle|irregular verb: do-did-done
• When I came home, dinner (cook/not)     yet. past perfect (signal: yet, first clause in simple past)| had been + past participle

Rewrite the sentences in the passive voice. Use the same tense as in the active sentence. Only use by if necessary.

• They offer free trials twice a year. simple present|3 rd person plural: are + past participle|Do not include the agent when it is unknown/unimportant/obvious.   twice a year.
• Someone is cutting the grass next door. present progressive|3 rd person singular: is being + past participle|irregular verb: cut-cut-cut |Do not include the agent when it is unknown/unimportant/obvious.   next door.
• All parties have signed the contract. present perfect|3 rd person singular: has been + past participle|Use by to introduce the agent.   .
• A car hit the traffic light. simple past|3 rd person singular: was + past participle|irregular verb: hit-hit-hit |Use by to introduce the agent.   .

Rewrite the sentences in two ways: once in the impersonal passive and once in the personal passive.

• Visitors say that these museums have wonderful exhibits. It   these museums have wonderful exhibits. it is + participle of reporting verb + that |irregular verb: say-said-said These museums   wonderful exhibits. reporting verb: say (simple present) →|subject (3 rd person plural) + are + participle of reporting verb + main verb infinitive: to have |irregular verb: say-said-said
• Everybody agrees that this sculpture is the artist’s greatest work. It   this sculpture is the artist’s greatest work. it is + participle of reporting verb + that This sculpture   the artist’s greatest work. reporting verb: agrees (simple present)|subject (3 rd person singular) + is + participle of reporting verb + main verb infinitive: to be
• Experts assume that the diamond is priceless. It   the diamond is priceless. it is + participle of reporting verb + that The diamond   priceless. reporting verb: assume →|subject (3 rd person singular) + is + participle of reporting verb + main verb infinitive: to be
• Experts believe that this jewellery belonged to Cleopatra. It   this jewellery belonged to Cleopatra. it is + participle of reporting verb + that This jewellery   to Cleopatra. reporting verb: believe (simple present) →|subject (3 rd person singular) + is + participle of reporting verb + main verb perfect infinitive: to have belonged |Use the perfect infinitive when the active main verb is in the past.

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General Education

Though fun, writing can also get pretty darn confusing, especially when you’re trying to figure out whether to use the active or passive voice. What is the difference between active and passive voice? When and how should you use them?

In this complete active voice vs passive voice guide, we'll go over how each voice works in English grammar, when to use the two voices, and how to change a sentence from passive to active (and vice versa). We’ll also give you an active vs passive voice quiz to test your skills. Let's get started!

What Is Active Voice?

The active voice is when the subject of a sentence performs an action on an object. In other words, the subject does the action, and the object receives the action .

The active voice is easy to identify in writing because it follows a simple form, which is the basis of English grammar:

Subject ( doer ) → Verb → Object ( recipient )

Here’s an example of a sentence using the active voice:

The dog ate my homework.

In this example, "the dog" is the subject, "ate" is the verb, and "my homework" is the object. Here’s a diagram to better show this connection:

Here, "the dog" is doing (or, in this case, has already done) the action: it is the one that "ate." Meanwhile, "homework" is the object that is receiving this action of eating.

Here’s another example of the active voice at play:

She is writing an essay.

In this example, "she" is the subject, "is writing" is the verb (in the present progressive tense), and "an essay" is the object.

Once again, the subject ("she") is the one performing the action: "she" is "writing." And what is she writing? An "essay," i.e., the noun that’s receiving the action.

Finally, here's an example of the active voice being used without an object:

In this sentence, we have a subject ("he") and a verb ("sings") but no object. Regardless, because the subject is performing the act of singing, we can identify this as the active voice .

What Is Passive Voice?

The passive voice is basically the opposite of the active voice: it’s when the subject is acted upon by the object. In other words, the subject receives the action, and the object does the action .

The passive voice is a little trickier to identify, as it uses more words than the active voice. The basic structure is as follows:

Subject ( recipient ) → Verb ( past participle of "to be" form ) → Object ( doer )

Note that the object here is always preceded by the word "by."

Additionally, the verb takes its "to be" form (meaning it’s preceded by "is/are" for the present tense and "was/were" for the past tense) and is put in the past participle (e.g., "eaten" for the verb "eat" or "given" for the verb "give").

Here’s an example of a sentence using the passive voice:

The ice cream was bought by the little girl.

In this example, "the ice cream" is the subject, "bought" is the verb, and "the little girl" is the object. Here’s a diagram to help you understand this grammar pattern better:

As you can see, "the ice cream" (as the subject) is the one receiving the action, while "the little girl" (as the object) is the one performing the action.

Here's another passive voice example:

Our tests were graded by the teacher.

Here, the subject is "our tests," the verb is "were graded," and the object is "the teacher." Again, the subject ("our tests") is receiving the action from the object ("the teacher") , which is, in turn, performing it (i.e., the one who is grading).

Sometimes you’ll see the passive voice being used without an object (i.e., without identifying the doer of the action—only the recipient). Here’s an example:

The tea was poured.

In this sentence, "the tea" is the subject and "was poured" is the verb; however, there’s no object performing the action of pouring . Simply put, we don’t know who poured the tea! Nevertheless, we can identify this sentence as passive based on its setup: a subject followed by a verb in its past participle "to be" form.

If we wanted to insert an object here, we'd simply add the word "by" followed by a noun:

The tea was poured by my grandmother.

Now, we have an object, or doer, of this act of pouring tea: "my grandmother."

Active vs Passive Voice: When Do You Use Them?

The active and passive voice express the same ideas, just in different ways. In terms of when we actually use them, though, what is the difference between active and passive voice?

In general, you should always aim to use the active voice whenever you write. This is because the active voice is clearer and more direct, while the passive voice is wordier and more confusing.

That being said, this doesn’t mean that the passive voice is inherently wrong. There are many cases in which you might opt for the passive voice over the active voice.

Here are some scenarios in which you might want (or need) to use the passive voice:

• When you want to emphasize the recipient of the action
• When you want to emphasize the action itself
• When you don’t know who or what is performing the action
• When the doer of the action is irrelevant or unimportant

For example, say you’re writing an essay about the Declaration of Independence and you come up with the following sentence:

Most people believe that the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, but this is not actually the case.

Let’s parse this out a bit. 

While part of the sentence is clearly in the active voice (the "most people believe" section), the crux of it ("the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4") is in the passive voice. Doing this lets you keep the emphasis on the document, i.e., the topic of your essay .

In addition, there were many people who signed the Declaration of Independence, but listing them all here would only make the sentence longer and more convoluted; this is why the passive voice is a better fit.

Changing From Passive to Active Voice (and Vice Versa)

There are many times you might want to change a sentence from passive to active, or even from active to passive. To do this, you’ll need to understand exactly how the two types of voices work.

First, recall that the primary difference between active and passive voice lies in the roles of the subject and object : whereas in active voice the subject is the doer and the object is the recipient of the action, in passive voice the subject is the recipient of the action and the object is the doer.

Here’s an example of a sentence in the active voice vs passive voice:

Active: She created a travel blog. Passive: A travel blog was created by her.

Below is another way of looking at the difference between active and passive voice:

As you can see here, in the active voice, "she" is the subject and doer, whereas "a travel blog" is the object and recipient of the verb "created."

But in the passive voice, these designations swap : as the original subject, "she" becomes the object (but is still the doer of the action), whereas "a travel blog," which was originally the object, becomes the subject (but is still the recipient of the action).

In addition, the verb, which began in the simple past, has been converted into its past participle "to be" form .

To sum up, to convert from active to passive voice, here’s what you must do:

• Switch the positions of the subject and object so the original object is now the subject and the original subject is now the object
• Add the word "by" before the new object
• Convert the verb into its "to be" past participle form  based on the original tense used
• Switch the positions of the subject and object so the original subject is now the object and the original object is now the subject
• Delete the word "by" used before the original object (now subject)
• Convert the "to be" past participle form of the verb into the appropriate tense as indicated by the verb and overall sentence

The verb is arguably the trickiest part of converting from passive to active. You want to make sure you’re keeping the same tense as indicated by the original verb and sentence.

As an example, here's how you'd change various tenses of the word "do" from passive to active:

• is done → do/does
• is/are being done → is/are doing
• was/were done → did
• was/were being done → was/were doing
• will be done → will do

Finally, know that you cannot convert from active to passive or passive to active if you do not have an object . You can see why this doesn’t work in these active vs passive voice examples:

Active (Without Object): I drank. Passive: ??? was drunk by me.

Without an object, we have no idea what "I" actually "drank."

Passive (Without Object): The project will be completed by tomorrow. Active: ??? will complete the project by tomorrow.

Without an object, we cannot explain who "will complete the project."

Active vs Passive Voice Quiz

It’s time to test out what you learned in an active vs passive voice quiz. 

Before you start, make sure you know what the three types of questions expect you to do:

• Questions 1-3: Identify whether the sentence is active or passive
• Questions 4-5: Fill in the blanks to create a grammatically correct sentence
• Questions 6-8: Convert the sentence from active to passive, or vice versa

Answers and explanations will be provided at the end of the quiz. Good luck!

#1: Active or Passive?

This novel was not written by Charlotte Brontë but rather her sister Emily.

#2: Active or Passive?

The mail arrived on time yesterday.

#3: Active or Passive?

A study on the gender wage gap was conducted in 2018.

#4: Fill in the Blank

This gift was given to me _____ my sister.

#5: Fill in the Blank

The toy will soon be _____ by him. (past participle of "fix")

#6: Convert to Passive

Jessica is teaching me how to speak Italian.

#7: Convert to Active

He was advised by his dentist to floss more.

#8: Convert to Active

The valuable painting is finally going to be sold this year.

Active vs Passive Voice Quiz: Answers + Explanations

In this sample sentence, the subject is "the novel," the action is "was not written," and the object is "Charlotte Brontë" — we can leave out that last part since it’s not really important to understanding the voice here.

Because the object ("Charlotte Brontë") is the doer of the action — that is, she’s the one who did not write "the novel" —you should be able to tell right away that  this sentence is in the passive voice . (You might also be able to tell it’s passive due to the use of the word "by" before the object.)

Here, "the mail" is the subject and "arrived" is the verb — there is no object. Because "the mail" is the one doing the action of "arriving," this sentence uses the active voice .

In this example, "a study" is the subject and "was conducted" is the verb; there’s no object. Since "a study" is receiving the action instead of performing it, this sentence is in the passive voice .

(Just in case you’re wondering, the reason we don’t see "by" is that the object, or doer, of the action is either unknown or irrelevant.)

Right away you should recognize this as the passive voice. "This gift" is the subject, "was given" is the verb, and "my sister" is the object who is performing the action of giving.

As you know, the word "by" must come before the object in a passive sentence , so this is the missing word. The sentence should therefore read, "This gift was given to me by my sister."

Again, you should recognize this example as a passive sentence since it calls for the past participle of the verb and has the word "by" before the object. The past participle of the verb "fix" is the same as its simple past: "fixed" ; t herefore, the sentence should read, "The toy will soon be fixed by him."

To convert this sentence from active to passive, you must switch the positions of the subject and object and then convert the verb (in present progressive) to its past participle "to be" form. Don't forget that "me" must transform into its subject form ("I") when going from an object to a subject. ("Jessica" is a name and proper noun and therefore does not change form.)

Finally, place the word "by" before the new object ("Jessica"). This should give you the following passive sentence: "I am being taught how to speak Italian by Jessica."

To convert this example from passive to active, you’ll need to switch the subject and object, change the verb form from "to be" past participle to simple past, and eliminate the "by." Note that "he" will turn into "him" when converted from a subject into an object.

Doing all this correctly should give you this: "His dentist advised him to floss more."

If you didn’t know it already, this question is actually a trick! But how? Because there is no object in this passive sentence, there’s no way to convert it into the active voice. In other words, we have no idea who is going to sell the painting.

If we tried to convert it, we’d get this nonsensical statement: "??? is finally going to sell the valuable painting this year." As such, we cannot create a sentence in the active voice without a subject .

What’s Next?

Now that you understand active voice vs passive voice examples, want to brush up on your English grammar? Then check out our detailed guides on semicolons , verbs , prepositions , proper nouns , and parts of speech .

To ace the SAT/ACT, you'll need to have an excellent grasp of the English language.  Learn the most important SAT grammar rules and ACT grammar rules so you can earn an amazing score.

Need help with using and identifying literary devices? Our expert guide explains more than 30 key literary devices and how they work to help you become a pro at reading and writing.

Hannah received her MA in Japanese Studies from the University of Michigan and holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Southern California. From 2013 to 2015, she taught English in Japan via the JET Program. She is passionate about education, writing, and travel.

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Passive Voice with Modal Verbs with Rules and Examples

Passive voice and modal verbs are two essential aspects of English grammar, each serving a unique purpose. Modal verbs are auxiliary verbs that express certainty, possibility, permission, or obligation in a sentence. On the other hand, the passive voice is a grammatical construction in which the subject receives the action rather than performing it. In this article, we’ll explore how modal verbs and passive voice work together to create different sentence structures. We’ll also share rules and examples to enhance your understanding of this concept. So, let’s get started!

Table of Contents

What is Passive Voice?

Passive voice is a way of constructing sentences where the subject of the sentence receives the action of the verb rather than performing it. In passive voice, the focus is on the receiver of the action rather than the doer. For example, “The ball was kicked by Sarah.” In this sentence, the ball (the receiver) is the focus, even though Sarah (the doer) is mentioned.

Structure: Subject + (to be) + past participle + (by + agent, if mentioned)

Passive voice is formed by using a form of the verb “to be” (such as “is,” “am,” “are,” “was,” “were,” etc.) followed by the past participle form of the main verb. It’s often used when the doer of the action is unknown, or unimportant, or when the focus needs to be shifted to the receiver of the action.

What are Modal Verbs?

Modal verbs are a category of auxiliary verbs (also called helping verbs) that express the mood or attitude of the speaker toward the action or state of the main verb in a sentence. These verbs indicate possibility, necessity, permission, ability, obligation, or likelihood. In English, the most common modal verbs include:

• Can: Shows ability or possibility.
• Could: Often used for past ability or polite requests.
• May: Expresses permission or possibility.
• Might: Indicates a possibility, often with uncertainty.
• Must: Shows necessity or strong obligation.
• Shall: Used for making suggestions, promises, or offers.
• Should: Indicates advice, obligation, or expectation.
• Will: Shows future intention or prediction.
• Would: Used for polite requests or hypothetical situations.
• Ought to: Used to express moral obligation or duty.

Passive Voice with Modal Verbs Rules

When combining passive voice with modal verbs, the modal verb appears before the main verb in its past participle form.

Modal + Be + Past Participle

Use a modal verb (can, should, must, might, will, could) followed by a form of the verb “to be” (am, is, are, was, were) and the past participle of the main verb.

• Structure: M o d a l V er b + be ( am / i s / a re / w a s / w ere) + p a s t p a r t i c i pl e
• The problem can be solved.
• The document may be misplaced.
• The solution should be considered.

Modal + Have Been + Past Participle

This structure is used to talk about actions that were completed or ongoing at a specific time in the past.

• Structure: M o d a l V er b + ha v e b ee n + P a s t P a r t i c i pl e
• The problem can have been solved.
• The document may have been misplaced.
• The solution should have been implemented.

These structures allow us to express various ideas such as possibility, necessity, permission, etc., in passive voice. The first structure emphasizes actions that can happen, are expected, or are allowed to happen, while the second structure highlights actions that likely happened or were ongoing in the past.

Passive Voice with Modal Verbs

It is a grammatical construction where the subject of a sentence receives the action, and a modal verb is used to express the possibility, necessity, permission, or other qualities of the action. Below is a list of Passive Voice with all Modal Verbs along with their structure and example sentences.

• It indicates ability, possibility, or permission.
• Structure: Subject + can + be/have been + past participle
• Example: The problem can be solved easily.
• Represents past ability, possibility, or permission.
• Structure: Subject + could + be/have been + past participle
• Example: The task could have been completed earlier.
• Expresses permission, possibility, or likelihood.
• Structure: Subject + may + be/have been + past participle
• Example: The decision may be reconsidered later.
• It suggests a possibility or uncertain future.
• Structure: Subject + might + be/have been + past participle
• Example: The missing keys might be found soon.
• Conveys necessity, obligation, or a strong recommendation.
• Structure: Subject + must + be/have been + past participle
• Example: The rules must be followed by all participants.
• It indicates a future event or offers a suggestion.
• Structure: Subject + shall + be/have been + past participle
• Example: The decision shall have been made by now.
• Advises or recommends something.
• Structure: Subject + should + be/have been + past participle
• Example: The instructions should be followed carefully.
• Indicates future events, intentions, or promises.
• Structure: Subject + will + be/have been + past participle
• Example: The message will be delivered by noon.
• Expresses hypothetical situations or polite requests.
• Structure: Subject + would + be/have been + past participle
• Example: The problem would be solved with the right approach.
• Used to suggest moral obligations or duties.
• Structure: Subject + ought to + be/have been + past participle
• Example: Safety precautions ought to be taken seriously.

Passive Voice with Modals Examples

• The matter will be discussed.
• The contract would be signed.
• The problem can be solved .
• The document may be misplaced .
• The cake may be baked by the chef.
• The solution might be overlooked .
• The keys might be found later.
• The issue might be resolved .
• The task should be completed .
• The form should be filled out.
• The project must be approved.
• The rules must be followed.
• The report must be reviewed.
• The problem ought to be addressed.
• The news will be announced soon.
• The job will be done by the deadline.
• The decision ought   to be respected.
• The agreement shall be signed shortly.
• The task should have been completed.

Passive Voice with Modal Verbs Exercises

Put the following sentences into passive voice. (Modals)

• The problem can be solved by her.
• The assignment must be finished by him.
• The room should be cleaned by them.
• The museum might be visited by us.
• The house will be painted by them.
• A cake would be baked by her.
• The puzzle could be solved by him.
• The car needs to be repaired by them.
• The report has to be written by her.
• The project has to be finished by us.
• The event had to be canceled by them.
• She might have been forgotten.

Q1. What is passive voice?

Passive voice is a grammatical construction where the subject of a sentence undergoes an action rather than performing it. In passive-voice sentences, the focus is on the action or the recipient of the action rather than the doer.

Q2. What are modal verbs?

Modal verbs are auxiliary verbs that express various attitudes including possibility, necessity, permission, ability, obligation, and prediction. The ten main modal verbs are can, could, may, might, must, shall, should, will, would, and ought to.

Q3. How do you form passive voice with modal verbs?

To form passive voice with modal verbs, you use the modal verb followed by “be” and the past participle of the main verb. For example: “The door can be opened.” Here, “can” is the modal verb, “be” is the auxiliary verb, and “opened” is the past participle of the main verb “open”.

Q4. What is the function of modal verbs in passive voice constructions?

Modal verbs in passive voice constructions indicate the possibility, necessity, permission, ability, obligation, or prediction associated with the action being described in the passive voice sentence. They modify the verb to convey the desired meaning.

• The assignment could be finished.
• The proposal may be approved.
• The task must be completed.
• The report shall be submitted.
• The decision ought to be respected.

You May Also Like:

• Modal Verbs | List of Modal Verbs with Examples PDF
• Active Voice and Passive Voice Rules with Examples
• Modals Verbs Exercises with Answers in English
• Active and Passive Voice Worksheets with Answers
• Active And Passive Voice With Rules and Examples

active and passive voice with modals examples Passive Voice with Modal Verbs Passive Voice with Modal Verbs Examples Passive voice with modal verbs pdf Passive Voice with Modal Verbs Rules Passive Voice with Modals Exercises passive voice with modals exercises with answers should passive voice examples What are Modal Verbs? What is Passive Voice?

Relative Pronouns in English with Examples

Adjective Order Worksheets and Exercises with Answers

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Questions you might have..., most unusual words:, most frequently used words:, listen to the audio lesson now, podcast on passive voice, boost your learning with adept english, explanation of passive voice, passive voice changes the focus of the sentence, uses of the passive voice, present tense, future tense, listening lessons, download the podcast audio & transcript, hilary’s passive voice quiz answers, your essential guide to passive voice ep 672.

📝 Author: Hilary

📅 Published: August 31, 2023 08:51am

🎈 Updated On: May 26, 2024 15:22pm

💬 3733 words ▪️ ⏳ Reading Time 19 min

📥 Download 12.3 Mb ▪️ 👓 Read Transcript

English grammar passive voice: The secret weapon you never knew you needed.

Have you ever been puzzled by the passive voice? Do you wonder why native English speakers use it so frequently in everyday conversation? Say hello to the ultimate guide that'll unravel all the intricacies of the #passivevoice in English!

Here's Why This Lesson Is a Game-Changer:

• 💡 Clarity: Breaks down what passive voice is, how to construct it, and why it’s so darn important.
• 🎯 Real-world Examples: Helps you understand when and where passive voice is commonly used—like in news reporting, politics, and scientific studies.
• 🤔 Quiz Time: Provides a thorough quiz at the end of the lesson to help you test your mastery.
• 🎧 Replay Value: Complex topic made simple! Listen a few times, and you'll get the hang of it.
• 👋 Instructor-led: Led by Hilary, a seasoned expert from Adept English, guiding you every step of the way.
• 📚 Multi-Tense Coverage: Tackles passive voice across all tenses, so you get a complete understanding.

The passive voice is safe. ⭐ William Zinsser, from: On Writing Well

✔Lesson transcript: https://adeptenglish.com/lessons/grammar-english-understanding-passive-voice/

In today's lesson, we'll dig deep into the passive voice-a trick of the trade that even 82% of our listeners wanted to know more about! This isn't just some grammar rule that collects dust in academic textbooks; people use it in everyday conversations, news reports, and even in science journals. We'll not only show you what it is, but how to construct it, flip it, and master it across all tenses.

Oh, and for those who think they're already experts? Buckle up! We've got a 'Passive Voice Quiz' that might just humble you a bit. It's practice made perfect! Don't let your #englishlearning hit a snag. Discover how to confidently use passive voice and sound more like a native speaker. This lesson is not just a one-time listen; it's your long-term English companion!

Your grammar is a reflection of your image. Good or bad, you have made an impression. And like all impressions, you are in total control. ⭐ Jeffrey Gitomer

So, are you in or are you out? Dive into this lesson, and elevate your English skills like never before! 📌 Visit adeptenglish.com for this lesson and hundreds more! 👇 Don't Forget to Share & Review! 🌟

More About This Lesson

Unlock the mysteries of the passive voice with Adept English! Our latest podcast dives deep into learning this crucial aspect of English. Perfect for learners interested in British English, the lesson offers a hands-on quiz and uses real-world examples to make your learning stick.

Don’t let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. ⭐ Steve Jobs

Things you will learn listening to this English grammar lesson:, you will discover:

• Introduction of Passive Voice Topic: Sets clear expectations for what the lesson will cover.
• Real-World Usage of Passive Voice: Highlights that native speakers use it in daily conversations.
• Explanation of Passive Voice: Clearly defines what it is and how to construct it.
• Quiz Mention: Adds an interactive element for self-assessment.
• Active vs Passive Voice: Demonstrates the difference with simple, relatable sentences.
• Use Cases in Different Fields: Shares how scientists, teachers, and reporters use passive voice.
• Detailed Examples: Walks through sentence structure in both active and passive forms.
• Tense Coverage: Comprehensive review of passive voice in various tenses.
• Quiz: Opportunity for practical application and reinforcement.
• Answers to Quiz: Instant feedback to help learners gauge their understanding.
• Encouragement for Repetition: Stresses the importance of repeat listening for mastery.
• Sign-off & Additional Resources: Directs listeners to where they can find more lessons.
• Deep Understanding : Don't just learn the basics. We dissect passive voice across all tenses.
• Active Engagement : Our Passive Voice Quiz lets you test your knowledge on the spot.
• Real-world Use : See how the passive voice works in daily life, from conversations to scientific papers.

Become Fluent Faster: Sharpen your English skills effortlessly by tuning into easy-to-follow explanations and real-world examples.

• Why Master Passive Voice : Many learners struggle with it, but native speakers use it often.
• Quiz for Hands-On Learning : Test what you've learned with our interactive quiz.
• From Basic to Expert : We take you step-by-step, making the complex simple.
• Solve Your Fears : We tackle common worries about using the passive voice, offering solutions for each.

Grammar is the logic of speech, even as logic is the grammar of reason. ⭐ Richard C. Trench

Repeat and Retain : Listen multiple times for deep learning that sticks.

• Don't Get Lost in Conversation : Master passive voice to understand native speakers with ease.
• Be Test-Ready : Our quiz prepares you for any language test that covers the passive voice.
• Speak with Confidence : Know when and how to use each voice when you speak.

Ready to turn your English up a notch? Don't miss out on this game-changing lesson. Plug in your earphones and let's crack the code of passive voice together! Unlock the keys to fluent conversation. Learn the ins and outs of passive voice today! #FluentInEnglish

Imagine you're a musician, fine-tuning your instrument. The passive voice in English is like that elusive note—hard to pin down but essential for the full symphony of language. This English lesson is your musical score, guiding you through the composition of sentences. It equips you with the tools to create a compelling linguistic masterpiece, toggling between the active and passive voice like a maestro wielding his baton. This isn't just English; it's your orchestrated English life! Dive deep, practice with the interactive quiz, and master this crucial note in your language repertoire.

• What is the main goal of the lesson on passive voice? The main goal of the lesson is to enhance your English fluency by diving deep into the construction and usage of the passive voice. It breaks down its different tenses and offers a quiz for hands-on practice.
• Why is it important to understand passive voice when learning British English? Understanding passive voice matters because native speakers use it frequently, even in casual conversations. Mastering this concept enriches your comprehension of British English, allowing you to engage more naturally in various settings.
• How does the podcast quiz contribute to my understanding of passive voice? The quiz serves as a practical exercise to test your grasp of the passive voice across different tenses. It reinforces your learning, making it easier for you to use the passive voice accurately.
• Does the passive voice hold any real-world applications? Absolutely. Passive voice is commonly used in science, news reporting, and politics to shift focus from the "doer" to the action or outcome. For example, instead of saying "Scientists fed rats Omega-3 supplements," you'd hear "Rats were fed Omega-3 supplements."
• What tenses are covered when discussing the passive voice? The lesson provides comprehensive coverage of all major English tenses in passive voice, from simple present to future perfect. The goal here is to familiarize you with how the passive voice works across different tenses.
• Podcast : An online audio show you can listen to.
• Construct : To build or make something.
• Norm : A rule or standard that most people follow.
• Adjective : A word that describes a noun (like "big" or "happy").
• Tenses : Different forms of verbs that show when an action happens.
• Quiz : A short test to check what you know.
• Evasive : Not clear or direct, often on purpose.
• Mechanics : How something works or the rules of how something is done.
• Diplomatic : Skilled in dealing with people and not causing offence.
• Recap : A quick review or summary of what has been said or done.

Transcript: Your Essential Guide to Passive Voice

Hi there. Remember the podcast I did on sentence structure recently - and word order? It was podcast 669 - very recent. Well, we did a Spotify poll and 82% of you said you’d like a whole podcast on the passive voice. So ‘no time like the present’ as we say in English - here it is! Did you know that native English speakers use the passive voice a lot, even in casual conversations? Surprised? Well, it’s not just used in formal speech or written English. Stick around, because today we're going to cover passive voice thoroughly and practise using it, in all of its tenses!

One language sets you in a corridor for life. Two languages open every door along the way. ⭐ Frank Smith

I’ll explain what the passive voice is - and how to construct it. I’ll talk about why and where it’s used. And for everyone, but especially the 6% of you, who said they knew the passive voice well enough - listen to the end of this podcast and use my ‘Passive Voice Quiz’ to test how well you know it. The quiz will test that you know the different tenses in the passive voice. It’s good to practise!

Hello, I’m Hilary, and you’re listening to Adept English. We will help you to speak English fluently . All you have to do is listen . So start listening now and find out how it works.

Don’t forget what else Adept English offers!

Don’t forget - if you like our podcasts, there are hundreds more on our website at adeptenglish.com, including many more grammar podcasts. And of course you can always buy our podcast downloads too. Just go to the Courses page to see what we offer. And if you’re on Spotify, don’t forget that you can help Adept English by sharing this podcast. I’m sure you know someone else who’d like to learn the passive voice.

So, most sentences in English are in the ‘active voice’ - that’s the norm. The word ‘active’, ACTIVE as an adjective means you’re ‘busy, full of action, always doing things’. And by contrast, the word ‘passive’, PASSIVE as an adjective means ‘you sit back, allow things to be done to you, wait and see what happens’. That’s ‘passive’. So if you’re the subject of the sentence and the verb is in active voice - you’re the one doing the action - ‘I hugged my daughter’. But if you’re the subject of the sentence in passive voice, you’re being acted upon - ‘I was hugged by my daughter’. Makes sense, doesn’t it?

So passive voice came up when I was talking in podcast 669 about word order and how in statements, it’s usually Subject-Verb-Object. ‘The dog chased the cat’. ‘I ate the apple’. ‘Millions of people watched the film’. So in those active voice sentences, the subject, the one doing the action comes first, then the verb, then the object - the thing that the action is being done to. But how do they sound in passive voice? Active voice first….

The dog chased the cat - becomes in passive voice - the cat was chased by the dog. I ate the apple - becomes in passive voice - the apple was eaten by me. Millions of people watched the film - becomes in passive voice - the film was watched by millions of people.

Your Essential Guide To Passive Voice Ep 672 Article Image

A photograph of a scientist. Grammar Mastery: Learn to build passive voice sentences like a pro, and know when to use them

Notice how the focus shifts from the doer of the action to the receiver of the action?

Language is the road map of a culture. It tells you where its people come from and where they are going. ⭐ Rita Mae Brown

We’ve swapped around the subject and the object of the sentence - so what was the object in the active voice has jumped to become first in word order in the passive voice and it’s become the subject of the verb, so the verb must agree with it. So ‘the cat’, ‘the apple’ and ‘the film’ are now each the subject in the new passive voice sentences. And the person or thing that was the subject in the active voice sentence - well, it’s like they’ve been ‘demoted’. They may be mentioned after the verb, but it makes the person or thing doing the action less important, an afterthought even. And you can even leave them out altogether. Sometimes that makes a less meaningful sentence - ‘the cat was chased’ or ‘the film was watched’. Both of those may have you thinking ‘Who by?’ or ‘By whom?’. But sometimes, passive voice allows us flexibility and choice. We can name who ate the apple - or we can simply leave that information out - and say ‘The apple was eaten’. We may not know who ate it - or we may not want to ‘point the finger of blame’! We’re being diplomatic in other words and not ‘naming names’.

There are many other reasons why you may want to leave out who did the action. Sometimes we don’t know. Imagine being in school again and someone has done something naughty and the teacher’s telling off the class of children. She might say ‘The window has been broken’ or ‘The bin has been tipped over and rubbish has been left on the floor’. Or ‘The classroom scissors have been lost’. The teacher may have her suspicions, but she doesn’t know for sure who’s done it. So she’s using passive voice because she doesn’t know who did it!

Let's say you're reading a scientific paper. You might find sentences like "Rats were fed Omega-3 supplements." Who fed them? It doesn’t really matter. The focus is on the experiment and the results. That's why scientists use the passive voice all the time, to write up their studies - it highlights the important information.

Passive voice is also used in news reporting and politics. Sometimes things are done by governments - and again, it’s not important which person, which civil servant or government employee actually collected the data or put together the report. The focus is on the content of the report or the data itself. So the passive voice has its uses. Sometimes, the passive voice can seem a little ‘evasive’ - we’re not saying ‘who did it’, we’re not naming names - even if it might be more honest. But there’s nothing wrong grammatically with using the passive voice - there are very good reasons for using it.

The grammar of the Passive Voice

So grammar. How do you make an ‘active voice’ sentence into a ‘passive voice ‘sentence’?

As I’ve said - what was the object of the verb in the active voice, swaps to become the subject and first in the word order in the passive voice. But the verb also changes. For passive voice, we use the verb ‘to be’, which must agree with the subject and have the correct tense. Finally we add the past participle. Yes, the past participle - despite its name, it isn’t just used for the past tense! So examples of past participles are ‘chased’, ‘cleaned’, ‘done’, ‘found’ and we use it for passive voice. ‘The windows were cleaned’, ‘The homework will be done’, ‘The lost puppies have been found’. Let’s cover all the tenses in English - so this will be a quick recap for many of you on tenses. I’ll give you the form for the passive voice for each one.

Simple present ‘I do the cooking’ in the passive voice becomes - ‘The cooking is done by me’.

Present Continuous tense - ‘I am doing the cooking’ in the passive voice becomes ‘The cooking is being done by me’. If you know it, try and say it ahead of me.

Simple past - ‘I did the cooking’ becomes in passive voice ‘The cooking was done by me’. Past Continuous tense ‘I was doing the cooking’ becomes ‘The cooking was being done by me’. Present Perfect tense - ‘I have done the cooking’ becomes in passive voice ‘The cooking has been done by me’. Past Perfect Tense - ‘I had done the cooking’ becomes ‘The cooking had been done by me’.

Simple Future - ‘I will do the cooking’ becomes ‘The cooking will be done by me’. Future Perfect - ‘I will have done the cooking’ becomes ‘the cooking will have been done by me’.

OK. You might want to listen to that a few times, so that the mechanics of the passive voice become clearer and easier to remember.

Hilary’s Passive Voice Quiz

Let’s do a quiz? Chance for you to practise your tenses and changing sentences between active and passive voice. So I’ll say whether it’s active or passive - and I’ll say the sentence. Then you need to change it to the other one. And remember - you need the verb agreeing with the new subject and use the same tense as I use. Quite a lot to do then! Here goes.

Active voice ‘The dogs were chasing the rabbit’. You do passive voice?

Passive voice ‘The biscuits had been baked by the neighbour’s children’. You do active voice.

Active voice ‘They have seen the boy who smashed the window.’ Can you put that into the passive voice?

In the passive voice ‘The dinner will have been eaten by them, by the time you arrive’. Can you put that into the active voice?

Active voice ‘He is using up the leftover chicken.’ What does the passive voice sound like?

Passive Voice ‘The doors and windows are checked each evening by my father’. What does the active voice sound like?

Last one...

• Active Voice ‘I will pick the apples on the tree’. You do passive voice.

OK. You can pause there after the quiz and listen again.

Or you can continue straight to the answers. I’ll say the original sentence and then I’ll say whether active or passive and the tense. See if you can say the tense too and then I’ll give you the answer.

‘The dogs were chasing the rabbit’ - that’s active and past continuous tense. So in the passive voice - ‘The rabbit was being chased by the dogs’.

‘The biscuits had been baked by the neighbour’s children’. That’s passive voice and past perfect tense. In the active voice - ‘The neighbour’s children had baked the biscuits’.

‘They have seen the boy who smashed the window’ - active voice and present perfect tense. In the passive voice - ‘The boy who smashed the window has been seen by them’.

The dinner will have been eaten by them, by the time you arrive’. So that’s passive voice and future perfect tense. In the active voice - ‘They will have eaten the dinner by the time you arrive’.

‘He is using up the leftover chicken.’ So active voice, present continuous tense. Same sentence in the passive voice? ‘The leftover chicken is being used up by him’.

‘The doors and windows are checked each evening by my father’ - that’s passive voice and simple present tense. In the active voice? ‘My father checks the doors and windows each evening’.

‘I will pick the apples on the tree’. So that’s active voice and future tense - simple future. In the passive voice - ‘The apples on the tree will be picked by me’.

OK. How did you find that? Listen to this podcast a few times until you get the hang of it. Passive voice is not easy, but it’s repeat listening, hearing it over and over that will help you automatically know how to do it.

Enough for now. Have a lovely day. Speak to you again soon. Goodbye.

Thank you so much for listening. Please help me tell others about this podcast by reviewing or rating it . And, please share it on social media. You can find more listening lessons and a free English course at adeptenglish.com

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Passive Voice - Exercises on Form

>mixed exercise on passive voice.

Rewrite the sentences in passive voice.

• John collects money. -
• Anna opened the window. -
• We have done our homework. -
• I will ask a question. -
• He can cut out the picture. -
• The sheep ate a lot. -
• We do not clean our rooms. -
• William will not repair the car. -
• Did Sue draw this circle? -
• Could you feed the dog? -

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Changing Passive to Active Voice

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If you want to change a passive-voice sentence to active voice, find the agent in a "by the..." phrase, or consider carefully who or what is performing the action expressed in the verb. Make that agent the subject of the sentence, and change the verb accordingly. Sometimes you will need to infer the agent from the surrounding sentences which provide context.

If you want to change an active-voice sentence to passive voice, consider carefully who or what is performing the action expressed in the verb, and then make that agent the object of a by the... phrase. Make what is acted upon the subject of the sentence, and change the verb to a form of be + past participle. Including an explicit by the... phrase is optional.

This passive voice contains a by the... phrase. Removing the by the... phrase and reworking the sentence will give it the active voice.

Image Caption: Making "most of the class" the subject of the sentence moves the action of the sentence onto the class, and shifts the sentence from passive into active voice.

The agent is not explicitly stated, but it is most likely researchers. Making the agent the subject of the sentence will allow you to use the active voice.

This sentence now uses the active voice because the agent (the researchers) are now performing the action as the sentence subject.

The CIA director and his close advisors are the agent of change in this sentence, but they are not the subject. Making the agent the subject will transform the sentence into a more concise, active voice phrase.

This sentence now uses the active voice because the agent (the CIA director and his close advisors) is performing the action as the sentence subject.

The agent is not specified in this sentence.

This sentence now uses the active voice because the agent (we) is the subject of the sentence.

This active voice sentence's agent is the presiding officer, which is the subject.

Changing the sentence subject from the agent (the presiding officer) to the object of the verb (the committee's recommendation) and adding a by the...phrase transforms the sentence into the passive voice.

This sentence includes the agent (the leaders) as the subject performing the action of the verb.

This sentence now uses the passive voice because the subject has been changed from the agent (the leaders) to the object of the verb (a fair resolution).

The scientists are the agent performing the verb's action in this active voice sentence.

This passive voice sentence no longer specifies the agent (scientists) and now uses the passive voice because the verb's object (traces of ice) is now the subject.

PA014 - Passive Voice

Gap-fill exercise.

Change the following sentences to PASSIVE VOICE

• They check every passenger. Every passenger .
• The women clean the school every day. The school every day.
• Somebody has collected this garbage. This garbage .
• The police caught the criminals. The criminals by the police.
• They should stop vandalism in big cities. Vandalism in big cities .
• They must turn off the lights. The lights off.
• The manager will write a report at the end of the month. A report at the end of the month.
• Do they paint this house every year? every year?
• They are repairing my car now. My car now.
• How do they make butter? How ?
• Nobody has spoken French here for a long time. French here for a long time.
• Patrick opened the store at 9 o'clock. The store at 9 o'clock.

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Passive to active voice converter FAQs

1. what is passive voice.

Active voice and passive voice are two different grammatical voices in the English language. When a sentence is written in active voice, the subject performs the verb. When a sentence is written in passive voice, the subject gets acted upon by the verb. For example, “I’m writing a novel” is in active voice, whereas “A novel is being written by me” is in passive voice.

2. Why should I avoid passive voice?

Passive voice isn’t a grammatical error, but it’s typically weaker than active voice. Sentences written in passive voice tend to feel unnecessarily convoluted or indirect. Unless you have a strong stylistic reason for using the passive voice, it’s better to write your sentences using the active voice.

3. How does ProWritingAid compare to Grammarly?

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4. Can I detect passive voice in email? And on social media?

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Active and Passive Voice Examples for all Tenses

Explore the Active and Passive Voice Examples for all Tenses with this helpful guide in this article. This will enhance your language skills and confidently use active and passive constructions in various contexts.

Discover the Active and Passive Voice Examples for all Tenses in English. Learn how to construct sentences in active and passive forms for various tenses, with practical illustrations for better understanding.

The Active and Passive Voice Examples for all Tenses are essential components of English grammar that allow us to express actions and events in different ways.

Understanding how to use both the Active and Passive Voice Examples for all Tenses is crucial for effective communication and clear expression.

In this article, we will explore Active and Passive Voice Examples for all Tenses, providing valuable insights and practical applications to enhance your language proficiency.

Present Tense has four forms of Active Voice. Passive Voice Present Tense can be of four types in terms of structures in sentences.

Simple Present Tense

Active voice :.

• Active voice object becomes passive voice subject.
• Active voice subject becomes passive voice object.

Passive Voice:

Study the examples of active and passive voice in the simple present tense. This will help you to learn the process of conversion from active voice to passive voice.

Active: I eat rice. Passive: Rice is eaten by me.

Active: He beats you. Passive: You are beaten by him.

Active: We make noise. Passive: Noise is made by us.

Active: You do the homework. Passive: Homework is done by You

Active: She drives a car. Passive: A car is driven by her.

Active: They play chess. Passive: Chess is played by them.

Active: Ravi recites a poem. Passive: A poem is recited by Ravi.

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Present Continuous Tense

Study the examples of active and passive voice in the present continuous present tense. This will help you to learn the process of conversion from active voice to passive voice.

Active: I am eating rice. Passive: Rice is being eaten by me.

Active: He is writing a letter. Passive: A letter is written by him.

Active: We are making noise. Passive: Noise is being made by us.

Active: You are doing the homework. Passive: Homework is being done by You

Active: She is driving a car. Passive: A car is being driven by her.

Active: They are watching a cricket match. Passive: A cricket match is being watched by them.

Active: Ravi is reciting a poem. Passive: A poem is being recited by Ravi.

Present Perfect Tense

Study the examples of active and passive voice in the present perfect tense. This will help you to learn the process of conversion from active voice to passive voice.

Active: I have eaten rice. Passive: Rice has been eaten by me.

Active: He has written a letter. Passive: A letter has been written by him.

Active: We have made mistakes. Passive: Mistakes have been made by us.

Active: You have done your homework. Passive: your homework has been done by you.

Active: She has read a novel. Passive: A novel has been read by her.

Active: They have finished the work. Passive: The work has been finished by them.

Active: Ravi has completed the task. Passive: The task has been completed by Ravi.

Present Perfect Continuous Tense

Study the examples of active and passive voice in the present perfect continuous tense. This will help you to learn the process of conversion from active voice to passive voice.

Active: I have been eating rice. Passive: Rice has been being eaten by me.

Active: He has been writing a letter. Passive: A letter has been being written by him.

Active: We have been making mistakes. Passive: Mistakes have been being made by us.

Active: You have been doing your homework. Passive: your homework has been being done by you.

Active: They have been finishing the work. Passive: The work has been being finished by them.

Active: Ravi has been completing the task. Passive: The task has been being completed by Ravi.

Past Tense Structure and Examples

Past Tense has four forms of Active Voice. Passive Voice Past Tense can be of four types in terms of structures in sentences.

Active and Passive Voice in Simple Past Tense

Study the examples of active and passive voice in the simple past tense. This will help you to learn the process of conversion from active voice to passive voice.

Active: I ate rice. Passive: Rice was eaten by me.

Active: He rebuked you. Passive: You were rebuked by him.

Active: We made noise. Passive: Noise was made by us.

Active: You did the homework. Passive: Homework was done by You

Active: She drove a car. Passive: A car was driven by her.

Active: They played chess. Passive: Chess was played by them.

Active: Ravi recited a poem. Passive: A poem was recited by Ravi.

Past Continuous Tense

Active voice structure:.

Study the examples of active and passive voice in the past continuous tense. This will help you to learn the process of conversion from active voice to passive voice.

Active: I was eating rice. Passive: Rice was being eaten by me.

Active: We were making noise. Passive: Noise was being made by us.

Active: You were doing the homework. Passive: Homework was being done by You

Active: She was driving a car. Passive: A car was being driven by her.

Active: They were watching a cricket match. Passive: A cricket match was being watched by them.

Active: Ravi was reciting a poem. Passive: A poem was being recited by Ravi.

Past Perfect Tense

Study the examples of active and passive voice in the past perfect tense. This will help you to learn the process of conversion from active voice to passive voice.

Active: I had eaten rice. Passive: Rice had been eaten by me.

Active: We had made mistakes. Passive: Mistakes had been made by us.

Active: You had done your homework. Passive: your homework had been done by you.

Active: She had read a novel. Passive: A novel had been read by her.

Active: They had finished the work. Passive: The work had been finished by them.

Active: Ravi had completed the task. Passive: The task had been completed by Ravi.

Past Perfect Continuous Tense

Study the examples of active and passive voice in the past perfect continuous tense. This will help you to learn the process of conversion from active voice to passive voice.

Active: I had been eating rice. Passive: Rice had been being eaten by me.

Active: He had been writing a letter. Passive: A letter had been being written by him.

Active: We had been making mistakes. Passive: Mistakes had been being made by us.

Active: You had been doing your homework. Passive: your homework had been being done by you.

Active: They had been finishing the work. Passive: The work had been being finished by them.

Active: Ravi had been completing the task. Passive: The task had been being completed by Ravi.

Future Tense Structure and Examples

Future Tense has four forms of Active Voice. Passive Voice Future Tense can be of four types in terms of structures in sentences.

Simple Future Tense

Passive voice structure:.

Study the examples of active and passive voice in the simple future tense. This will help you to learn the process of conversion from active voice to passive voice.

Active: I shall eat rice. Passive: Rice will be eaten by me.

Active: He will rebuke you. Passive: You will be rebuked by him.

Active: We shall make noise. Passive: Noise will be made by us.

Active: You will do the homework. Passive: Homework will be done by You

Active: She will drive a car. Passive: A car will be driven by her.

Active: They will play chess. Passive: Chess will be played by them.

Active: Ravi will recite a poem. Passive: A poem will be recited by Ravi.

Future Continuous Tense

Study the examples of active and passive voice in the future continuous tense. This will help you to learn the process of conversion from active voice to passive voice.

Active: I shall be eating rice. Passive: Rice will be being eaten by me.

Active: He will be writing a letter. Passive: A letter will be written by him.

Active: We shall be making noise. Passive: Noise will be being made by us.

Active: You will be doing the homework. Passive: Homework will be being done by You

Active: She will be driving a car. Passive: A car will be being driven by her.

Active: They will be watching a cricket match. Passive: A cricket match will be being watched by them.

Active: Ravi will be reciting a poem. Passive: A poem will be being recited by Ravi.

Voice in Future Perfect Tense

Study the examples of active and passive voice in the future perfect tense. This will help you to learn the process of conversion from active voice to passive voice.

Active: I shall have eaten rice. Passive: Rice will have been eaten by me.

Active: He will have written a letter. Passive: A letter will have been written by him.

Active: We shall have made mistakes. Passive: Mistakes will have been made by us.

Active: You will have done your homework. Passive: Your homework will have been done by you.

Active: She will have read a novel. Passive: A novel will have been read by her.

Active: They will have finished the work. Passive: The work will have been finished by them.

Active: Ravi will have completed the task. Passive: The task will have been completed by Ravi.

Future Perfect Continuous Tense

Study the examples of active and passive voice in the future perfect continuous tense. This will help you to learn the process of conversion from active voice to passive voice.

Active: I shall have been eating rice. Passive: Rice will have been being eaten by me.

Active: He will have been writing a letter. Passive: A letter will have been being written by him.

Active: We shall have been making mistakes. Passive: Mistakes will have been being made by us.

Active: You will have been doing your homework. Passive: Your homework will have been being done by you.

Active: They will have been finishing the work. Passive: The work will have been being finished by them.

Active: Ravi will have been completing the task. Passive: The task will have been being completed by Ravi.

Mastering the art of Active and Passive Voice Examples for all Tenses can significantly enhance your writing skills. By seamlessly switching between these modes, you can craft sentences that suit different contexts and emphasize different aspects of your message. Practice and experimentation are key to finding the right balance between the two voices and using them to your advantage.

FAQs: Active and Passive Voice Examples for All Tenses

Q: What is the active voice?

A: In active voice, the subject of the sentence performs the action described by the verb. It is more direct and engaging.

Q: What is the passive voice?

A: In passive voice, the subject of the sentence receives the action described by the verb, and the doer of the action may be unknown or less important.

Q: Why should I use active voice?

A: Active voice is preferred for its clarity, engagement, and emphasis on the subject as the doer of the action.

Q: When is passive voice useful?

A: Passive voice is useful when the emphasis is on the action itself, the object, or when the doer is less relevant or unknown.

Q: How do I convert present simple tense from active to passive?

A: To convert present simple tense, use the structure: Object + Am/Is/Are (conjugated) + Past Participle of the Main Verb + By + Subject (optional). Example: “The chef cooks a delicious meal.” (Active) -> “A delicious meal is cooked by the chef.” (Passive)

Q: Can you provide an example of past continuous tense in passive voice?

A: Sure! “They were building a new house.” (Active) -> “A new house was being built by them.” (Passive)

Q: What’s the passive form of the future perfect tense?

A: To form the passive future perfect tense, use the structure: Object + Will have + Been + Past Participle of the Main Verb + By + Subject (optional). Example: “He will have completed the project by next week.” (Active) -> “The project will have been completed by him by next week.” (Passive)

Q: When should I use passive voice in my writing?

A: Passive voice is suitable when you want to shift the focus to the object or the action itself rather than the doer. It can create a more formal tone or be used tactfully in certain situations.

Q: Is it okay to mix active and passive voice in the same paragraph?

A: Yes, using a mix of active and passive voice can add variety to your writing and make it more engaging. However, ensure it aligns with the tone and context of your content.

Q: How can I improve my active and passive voice usage?

A: Regular practice, reading extensively, and studying grammar rules will enhance your understanding and proficiency in using active and passive voice effectively.

Q: What is the present simple tense in active and passive voice?

A (Active): The chef cooks a delicious meal.

A (Passive): A delicious meal is cooked by the chef.

Q: How do you convert sentences from the past simple tense to passive voice?

A (Active): The team won the championship.

A (Passive): The championship was won by the team.

Q: Can you provide an example of the future simple tense in both active and passive voice?

A (Active): They will finish the project tomorrow.

A (Passive): The project will be finished by them tomorrow.

Q: In the present continuous tense, how do you convert active voice to passive voice?

A (Active): She is painting a beautiful landscape.

A (Passive): A beautiful landscape is being painted by her.

Q: How is the past continuous tense formed in passive voice?

A (Active): They were building a new house.

A (Passive): A new house was being built by them.

Q: Can you give an example of the future continuous tense in both active and passive voice?

A (Active): He will be watching a movie tonight.

A (Passive): A movie will be being watched by him tonight.

Q: Provide an example of the present perfect tense in both active and passive voice.

A (Active): She has written a letter.

A (Passive): A letter has been written by her.

Q: How do you convert sentences from the past perfect tense to passive voice?

A (Active): They had finished the work before the deadline.

A (Passive): The work had been finished by them before the deadline.

Q: Show an example of the future perfect tense in both active and passive voice.

A (Active): He will have completed the project by next week.

A (Passive): The project will have been completed by him by next week.

Q: When should I use active voice over passive voice in my writing?

A: Use active voice when you want to emphasize the subject and make the sentence more direct and engaging. Use passive voice when the emphasis is on the action or when the doer of the action is less important or unknown.

Q: Is one voice better than the other for all tenses?

A: Both active and passive voice have their uses depending on the context and emphasis you want to convey. Choose the voice that best suits the tone and clarity of your message.

Q: How can I practice using active and passive voice in all tenses?

A: Practice by converting sentences from active to passive voice and vice versa in various tenses. Use writing exercises and read extensively to identify different voice constructions in published works.

Q: Are there instances where passive voice is preferred over active voice?

A: Yes, in scientific, technical, or legal writing, passive voice is commonly used to maintain objectivity and focus on the action itself rather than the doer.

Q: Can I switch between active and passive voice within the same paragraph or text?

A: Yes, mixing active and passive voice can add variety and engagement to your writing. However, ensure that the switches are smooth and do not cause confusion for the reader.

1. I see pictures. 2. The boy is catching a bird. 3. He has been doing the job. 4. We fed them. 5. He was requesting Bimal. 6. I had called him before he awoke. 7. The boy will kick the ball. 8. He will be doing the work. 9. Children like fruits. 10. Lionel Messi scored the goal.

Related Posts:

Voice in Action: Understanding Active and Passive Voice Rules

Clapingo Team

11 min read

Understanding Active and Passive Voice

Rules of active voice, understanding passive voice, converting active voice to passive voice, converting passive voice to active voice, common mistakes in using active and passive voice, active vs passive voice: when to use which, practice exercises for active and passive voice, clapingo's approach to mastering active and passive voice, in a nutshell.

Understanding and using active and passive voice rules is crucial for effective English communication. It improves both spoken and written expressions.

However, mastering these rules can be challenging, especially for non-native speakers. Switching between active and passive voice can feel overwhelming, especially with the differences between Indian languages and the English language.

But don't worry; you can overcome this challenge with the right guidance. Platforms like Clapingo are here to help. We understand the struggles of Indian English learners and are dedicated to making English grammar easier for you.

This blog post simplifies active and passive voice usage. It will explain complex concepts with practical examples relevant to everyday contexts.

Let's get started on this English language journey that will make you a confident communicator in no time!

The path to fluent English includes learning some crucial concepts like active and passive voice. So, let's dive right into it!

Active voice is a way of constructing sentences where the subject performs the action. It gives your sentence a direct, strong, and clear tone. For example: "Rahul ate an apple." Here, Rahul (the subject) performed the action of eating.

On the other hand, passive voice is a sentence construction where the object of an action becomes the subject of the sentence. It's used to focus on what happened more than who did it. Using our previous example in passive voice would be: "The apple was eaten by Rahul."

To further clarify these concepts, let's look at a comparison table:

Remember that neither form is incorrect; they are simply used in different contexts. However, active voice tends to be more engaging and straightforward.

Let's consider some additional examples:

Active: Shreya cooked dinner.

Passive: Dinner was cooked by Shreya.

Active: Mahesh closed the door.

Passive: The door was closed by Mahesh.

For visual learners, here's a quick Clapingo video explaining the difference between the two voices:

The active voice in English breathes life into your sentences. It makes them more dynamic and engaging. Understanding its rules can significantly enhance your spoken English skills.

Firstly, an active voice sentence follows the structure: Subject - Verb - Object . Here, the subject is the doer of the action (verb). And the object receives the action. For instance, in the sentence "Ravi ate an apple," Ravi is the subject, 'ate' is the verb, and 'an apple' stands as the object.

Secondly, verbs play a significant role in active voice sentences. The verb must be an action verb indicating something that can be done, like eat, play, or sing. Also, it must match the subject in terms of number and tense.

Thirdly, remember that not all sentences will have a clear object. Some verbs may not require one. For example, "Geeta sleeps early."

Now let's consider some examples of active voice for better comprehension:

Rahul writes a letter. (Subject: Rahul; Verb: writes; Object: a letter)

The girls are playing football. (Subject: The girls; Verb: are playing; Object: football)

I read the newspaper every morning. (Subject: I; Verb: read; Object: Newspaper)

The passive voice is one of the essential elements in the English language, and mastering it can significantly improve your communication skills. It's often used when the focus is on the action rather than who or what is performing the action. Here's a breakdown of its rules:

Rule 1: The passive voice structure: Object + Be + Past Participle . The focus shifts from the 'doer' to the action done.

Active: Ram painted the wall.

Passive: The wall was painted by Ram.

Rule 2: The tense of the verb 'be' matches with that of the main verb in active voice.

Active: She will finish her work.

Passive: Her work will be finished by her.

Rule 3: For transitive verbs (verbs that take an object), use the passive voice to shift focus to the object.

Active: Kids love ice cream.

Passive: Ice cream is loved by kids.

Remember, using active and passive voice correctly reflects your understanding of English grammar and enhances your communication skills.

Understanding how to convert sentences from active to passive voice is a crucial part of mastering English grammar. This skill can help you add variation and depth to your writing or speaking. In an active sentence, the subject performs the action. While in a passive sentence, the subject is acted upon.

In essence, to convert an active voice sentence into passive voice, you need to follow three simple steps:

Make the object of the active sentence into the subject of the passive sentence.

Add an appropriate form of verb "be" (is, am, are, was, were) + past participle of the main verb.

Move the subject of the active sentence after the verb and add "by".

Let's look at this rule in action with a few examples:

Just as we learned how to convert from active to passive voice, understanding how to transform sentences from passive back to active voice is equally important. It adds clarity and conciseness to your speech or writing.

To convert a passive voice sentence into active voice:

Make the object after "by" into the subject of your new sentence.

Follow with your main verb from your original sentence.

End with what used to be your subject in your original sentence.

Here are some passive voice examples that are turned to active voice:

Learning a new language, especially English, can be difficult when it comes to mastering voice rules such as active and passive voice usage. Here are some common mistakes non-native English speakers often make:

1. Incorrect verb form:

For instance, saying "The cake was eat by him" instead of "The cake was eaten by him."

2. Inappropriate usage:

Using the passive voice where the active would be more effective – "The keys were lost by me" as opposed to "I lost the keys."

3. Overcomplicating sentences:

Unnecessary use of the passive voice can lead to awkward phrasing – "It has been observed that he is always late" instead of simply stating, "He is always late."

Let's tackle these hurdles with some practical tips:

It may sound obvious and repetitive, but practice makes perfect. Practice recognizing and using correct verb forms in both active and passive sentences. You can also use visual aids like an active passive voice rules chart to help you along.

Keep it simple. Whenever possible, use the active voice for clarity and brevity.

Know your subject. In situations where you want to emphasize the object or action expressed over who performed it, opt for the passive voice.

Now let's see how these play out in dialogues:

Correct: "She baked a cake." (Active Voice)

Incorrect: "A cake was baked by her." (Unnecessary use of Passive Voice)

Correct: "A beautiful mural was painted on the wall." (Passive Voice)

Incorrect: "Someone painted a beautiful mural on the wall." (Unneeded information in Active Voice)

Mastering active and passive voice rules can enhance your English speaking skills significantly. To ensure you use each correctly, here are some guidelines:

Use active voice when you want to emphasize who is performing an action or when the doer's identity is important.

Use passive voice when you want to highlight the action or object, or when the doer is unknown or irrelevant.

Let's consider some examples:

Active - "The dog chased the cat." (Emphasis on who is doing the action)

Passive - "The cat was chased by the dog." (Emphasis on what was done)

To solidify this understanding, let's look at some relatable scenarios:

Buying groceries: In active voice, you might say "I bought vegetables from the market." In passive voice, you'd say "Vegetables were bought from the market by me."

Watching a cricket match: You could say in active voice, "Sachin hit a six!" whereas in passive voice, you'd say "A six was hit by Sachin!"

Remember, neither voice is 'better' than the other. The key is to understand when each can be most effectively used. Active voice is generally recommended as it is direct and bold.

So go ahead, start experimenting with these guidelines in your daily conversations, and see your English communication skills soar!

Let's put your understanding of the concept into practice with a few exercises.

Exercise 1: Convert from Active to Passive Voice

She eats an apple.

The teacher explains the lesson.

The dogs chased the cat.

They painted the house green.

We celebrated his birthday.

Exercise 2: Convert from Passive to Active Voice

The song was sung by her.

A letter was written by me.

The match was won by our team.

The windows were cleaned by the workers.

The cake was baked by Grandma.

Exercise 3: Identify whether the sentence is in Active or Passive Voice

The email was sent by him.

She dances gracefully.

We were invited to their wedding.

I solve puzzles during my free time.

Dinner is being cooked by Mother.

Now, check your answers below:

Exercise 1:

An apple is eaten by her.

The lesson is explained by the teacher.

The cat was chased by the dogs.

The house was painted green (by them).

His birthday was celebrated (by us).

Exercise 2:

She sang the song.

I wrote a letter

Our team won the match

The workers cleaned windows

Grandma baked the cake

Exercise 3:

Mastering grammar can be tough, especially for non-native English speakers. Whether you need help with voices in past tense and future tense or understanding the difference between intransitive and transitive Verbs , Clapingo makes it easier with personalized coaching.

We know everyone learns differently, so our sessions are customized to your style, speed, and language level. Our tutors simplify complex theories into easy concepts, focusing on hands-on learning through exercises and real-life situations.

We emphasize not just theory but also practical usage. You'll learn when to use active voice for direct impact and when to use passive voice for subtlety or politeness, vital for both writing and speaking English well.

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Navigating English grammar may feel overwhelming, but it's a journey, not a race. You've made progress in understanding active and passive voice rules, and practicing will reinforce this knowledge.

In this post, we've explained active and passive voice, where the subject and object switch places. Passive voice is identified by auxiliary verbs like "is," "am," "are," "was," and "were" with past participles, often used when the doer is unknown or unimportant.

We've outlined the steps to change from active to passive voice: identify the subject, verb, and object in an active sentence, then move the object to the subject position in a passive sentence. 'By' is used before mentioning the doer in passive sentences.

Practice with everyday examples is crucial. Books or newspapers offer good practice material. For more grammar help, check out the roundup of grammar guides on Clapingo’s blog .

At Clapingo , we're dedicated to helping non-native English speakers improve fluency, pronunciation, vocabulary, and sentence structure. Mastering each rule gets you closer to fluent English. Keep practicing, and remember, every expert was once a beginner!

1. What is the key difference between active and passive voice?

In an active voice sentence, the subject does the action, while in a passive voice sentence, the subject receives the action. For example, Active: "Ravi ate an apple." (Ravi is doing the action), Passive: "The apple was eaten by Ravi." (The apple receives the action).

2. Why should I learn about active and passive voice rules?

Mastering active and passive voices enhances your English skills, enabling you to express ideas with greater clarity and variety. It also helps in understanding written texts better, particularly in academic or formal contexts where passive voice is often used.

3. Can a sentence be both in active and passive voice?

No, a single sentence cannot be both in active and passive voice at once - it's either one or the other. However, within larger chunks of text, individual sentences can alternate between these two voices as per the requirements of expression.

4. How can I convert an active sentence into a passive one?

To convert an active sentence to a passive one, move the object to the beginning of the sentence and use appropriate form of 'be' + past participle of main verb. For instance, "She paints beautiful portraits" (active) becomes "Beautiful portraits are painted by her" (passive).

active passive voice rules

passive voice rules chart

active voice rules chart

active vs passive voice rules

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11.9: Active vs. Passive Voice

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• Page ID 44465

• Athena Kashyap & Erika Dyquisto
• City College of San Francisco via ASCCC Open Educational Resources Initiative

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Active and Passive Voice

Voice is a nebulous term in writing. It can refer to the general “feel” of the writing, or it can be used in a more technical sense. In this section, we will focus on the latter sense as we discuss active and passive voice.

You’ve probably heard of the passive voice—perhaps in a comment from an English teacher or in the grammar checker of a word processor. In both of these instances, you were (likely) guided away from the passive voice. Why is this the case? Why is the passive voice so hated? After all, it’s been used twice on this page already (three times now). When the passive voice is used to frequently, it can make your writing seem flat and drab. However, there are some instances where the passive voice is a better choice than the active.

So just what is the difference between these two voices? In the simplest terms, an active voice sentence is written in the form of “A does B.” (For example, “Carmen sings the song.”) A passive voice sentence is written in the form of “B is done by A.” (For example, “The song is sung by Carmen.”) Both constructions are grammatically sound and correct.

Let’s look at a couple more examples of the passive voice:

• I’ve been hit! ( or , I have been hit!)
• Jasper was thrown from the car when it was struck from behind.

You may have noticed something unique about the previous two sentences: the subject of the sentence is not the person (or thing) performing the action. The passive voice “hides” who does the action. Despite these sentences being completely grammatically sound, we don’t know who hit “me” or what struck the car.

The passive is created using the verb to be (e.g., the song is sung; it was struck from behind). Remember that to be conjugates irregularly. Its forms include am, are, is, was, were, and will be , which we learned about earlier in the course.

Remember, to be also has more complex forms like had been , is being , and was being.

• Mirella is being pulled away from everything she loves.
• Pietro had been pushed; I knew it.
• Unfortunately, my car was being towed away by the time I got to it.

Because to be has other uses than just creating the passive voice, we need to be careful when we identify passive sentences. It’s easy to mistake a sentence like “She was falling.” or “He is short.” for a passive sentence. However, in “She was falling,” was simply indicates that the sentence takes place in the past. In “He is short,” is is a linking verb. If there is no “real” action taking place, is is simply acting as a linking verb.

There are two key features that will help you identify a passive sentence:

• Something is happening (the sentence has a verb that is not a linking verb).
• The subject of the sentence is not doing that thing.

Active vs Passive Voice in Your Writing. Provided by: GCFLearnFree.org. License: All Rights Reserved. License Terms: Standard YouTube License.

As you read at the two sentences below, think about the how the different voice may affect the meaning or implications of the sentence:

• Passive voice: The rate of evaporation is controlled by the size of an opening.
• Active voice: The size of an opening controls the rate of evaporation.

The passive choice slightly emphasizes “the rate of evaporation,” while the active choice emphasizes “the size of an opening.” Simple. So why all the fuss? Because passive constructions can produce grammatically tangled sentences such as this:

Groundwater flow is influenced by zones of fracture concentration, as can be recognized by the two model simulations (see Figures 1 and 2), by which one can see . . .

The sentence is becoming a burden for the reader, and probably for the writer too. As often happens, the passive voice here has smothered potential verbs and kicked off a runaway train of prepositions. But the reader’s task gets much easier in the revised version below:

Two model simulations (Figures 1 and 2) illustrate how zones of fracture concentration influence groundwater flow. These simulations show . . .

To revise the above, all I did was look for the two buried things (simulations and zones) in the original version that could actually do something, and I made the sentence clearly about these two nouns by placing them in front of active verbs. This is the general principle to follow as you compose in the active voice: Place concrete nouns that can perform work in front of active verbs.

Are the following sentences in the active or passive voice?

• Jayden drank more sodas than anyone else at the party.
• The samples were prepared in a clean room before being sent out for further examination.
• Karen was dancing with Joshua when she suddenly realized she needed to leave.
• Carlos was a very serious scientist with unique interests.
• When I returned to my room, my luggage had been stolen.

Show Answer

Revising Weak Passive-Voice Sentences

As we’ve mentioned, the passive voice can be a shifty operator—it can cover up its source, that is, who’s doing the acting, as this example shows:

• Graded by whom though?
• Active: The teacher will grade the papers according to the criteria stated in the syllabus.

It’s this ability to cover the actor or agent of the sentence that makes the passive voice a favorite of people in authority—policemen, city officials, and, yes, teachers. At any rate, you can see how the passive voice can cause wordiness, indirectness, and comprehension problems.

Convert these passive voice sentences into the active voice. Why is the active voice a better choice for each of these sentences?

• The process, which was essential for the experiment’s success, was completed by Enzo.
• The cake that I worked on all day long is being eaten by Justin.
• After the pattern has been applied to the fabric, work on the embroidery can be started.

Enzo completed the process, which was essential for the experiment’s success.

• In the passive sentence, the which -clause makes the subject of the sentence excessively long. By converting the sentence to the active voice, the clause is moved to the predicate, which makes the sentence easier to understand.
• The active voice works better in this sentence for the same reasons as sentence one. It is also likely that you would want to put emphasis on Justin in this sentence. After all, he’s doing something that is (most likely) inconsiderate.
• This sentence is likely found in a set of instructions, which are usually written directly to the reader. Addressing “you” and avoiding the passive voice will make the instructions feel more natural and accessible.

Don’t get the idea that the passive voice is always wrong and should never be used. It is a good writing technique when we don’t want to be bothered with an obvious or too-often-repeated subject and when we need to rearrange words in a sentence for emphasis. The next page will focus more on how and why to use the passive voice.

Using the Passive Voice

There are several different situations where the passive voice is more useful than the active voice.

• The active voice would be something like this: “Someone had moved the paper.” While this sentence is technically fine, the passive voice sentence has a more subtle element of mystery, which can be especially helpful in creating a mood in fiction.
• The sentence is either hiding who broke the window or they do not know. Again, the sentence can be reformed to say “Someone had broken the window,” but using the word someone clearly indicates that someone (though we may not know who) is at fault here. Using the passive puts the focus on the window rather than on the person who broke it, as he or she is completely left out of the sentence.
• We automatically focus on the subject of the sentence. If the sentence were to say “Kent hurt Caroline when he broke up with her,” then our focus would be drawn to Kent rather than Caroline.
• While the trees hurt Caroline, they didn’t actually do anything. Thus, it makes more sense to have Caroline as the subject rather than saying “The trees hurt Caroline when she fell into them.”

Note: It’s often against convention in scholarly writing to use I . While this may seem like a forced rule, it also stems from the fact that scholars want to emphasize the science or research as opposed to the author of the paper. This often results in the passive voice being the best choice. This is not the case in other formal settings, such as in resumes and in cover letters.

Consider the following instances. In each case, determine why the writers might want to use active or passive voice. Write an example sentence based on their circumstances.

• Antonella made an error in her calculations that ruined an experiment. This error ended up costing both time and materials. She has to write a report to her boss. What might she say about the experiment?
• Isabel is writing a supernatural thriller. Her main character, Liam, notices that his keys aren’t where he left them. How might Isabel word this realization?
• Thiago is writing a cover letter to apply for a new job. He is listing out tasks that he does at his current job. How would he want to word these items?

Antonella would likely want to write in the passive voice. Even if her boss knows she made the error, writing in the passive will draw attention away from that fact. She might say something like this:

• An error was made that ended up costing time and resources. The experiment will have to be repeated with new materials.
• Liam’s keys had been moved when he wasn’t looking.
• Something—or someone—had moved Liam’s keys when he wasn’t looking.
• I currently work as a teaching assistant for a linguistics professor. I organize her mail, flagging important items so she knows what needs immediate attention; I aid her in her research, finding interesting articles and studies; and I often help her students when her attention is needed elsewhere.

Using the Passive

Now that we know there are some instances where passive voice is the best choice, how do we use the passive voice to it fullest? The answer lies in writing direct sentences—in passive voice—that have simple subjects and verbs. Compare the two sentences below:

• Photomicrographs were taken to facilitate easy comparison of the samples.
• Easy comparison of the samples was facilitated by the taking of photomicrographs.

Both sentences are written in the passive voice, but for most ears the first sentence is more direct and understandable, and therefore preferable. Depending on the context, it does a clearer job of telling us what was done and why it was done. Especially if this sentence appears in the “Experimental” section of a report (and thus readers already know that the authors of the report took the photomicrographs), the first sentence neatly represents what the authors actually did—took photomicrographs—and why they did it—to facilitate easy comparison.

Read the following sentences. Are they using the passive effectively? If there are any errors, rewrite the sentences accordingly.

• The machine needs to be reset at 10:23, 11:12, and 11:56 every night.
• The final steps, which need to be finished before the sun sets over the mountains, are going to be completed by Kajuana.
• The difficult task of measuring minute fluctuations in weight was made easier by the use of a new digital scale.

Yes. In this case, it doesn’t matter who accomplishes the action; it simply needs to be done. If this sentence appears in an academic article, the passive may be even more appropriate, as that style often demands the actor be left out of the sentence. No. This would be better in the active voice. There are a lot of different parts to the sentence, and by converting the sentence to the active voice, they come in a more logical order that is easier to understand:

• Kajuana is going to complete the final steps, which need to be finished before the sun sets over the mountains.
• A new digital scale made it easier to measure minute fluctuations in weight.

As we mentioned in Participles , the passive voice can also be used following relative pronouns like that and which .

• I moved into the house that was built for me.
• Adrián’s dog loves the treats that are given to him.
• Brihanna has an album that was signed by the Beastie Boys.

In each of these sentences, it is grammatically sound to omit (or elide ) the pronoun and to be . Elision is used with a lot of different constructions in English; we use it shorten sentences when things are understood. However, we can only use elision in certain situations, so be careful when removing words! You may find these elided sentences more natural:

• I moved into the house built for me.
• Adrián’s dog loves the treats given to him.
• Brihanna has an album signed by the Beastie Boys

Additional Practice Exercises

Convert these passive voice sentences into the active voice:

• Alana’s toes were crushed by the garage door.
• The passive voice has likely been heard of by you.
• Rebeca’s favorite spot in the lecture hall had been taken by the time she got to class.
• When the passive voice is overused, you often end up with flat writing.

The garage door crushed Alana’s toes. You’ve likely heard of the passive voice. Because there’s a descriptive phrase, there are a few options when revising this sentence:

• Someone had taken Rebeca’s favorite spot in the lecture hall by the time she got to class.
• By the time Rebeca got to class, someone had taken her favorite spot in the lecture hall.

Read the following sentences. Are they using the passive effectively? Or should they be rewritten as active sentences?

• Maren was hit by several branches as she slid down the hill.
• A lot of discussion about whether technology is hurting or helping our ability to communicate has been inspired by this increase in technology.
• Listeners are encouraged by the lyrics to cast aside their fear and be themselves.

Yes, this sentence uses the passive effectively. Since the subject of this sentence— several branches —can’t actually do anything, it’s best to put the emphasis on Maren , the person the actions were done to. This sentence does not use the passive well. The passive voice has made the sentence a lot more complicated then it needs to be. The active would read something like this:

• This increase of technology has inspired a lot of discussion about whether technology is hurting or helping our ability to communicate.
• Passive: Listeners are encouraged by the lyrics to cast aside their fear and be themselves.
• Active: The lyrics encourage listeners to cast aside their fear and be themselves

Contributors and Attributions

• Adapted from Using the Passive Voice in Guide to Writing. Provided by: Lumen Learning. License: CC-BY-NC-SA.

This page most recently updated on June 8, 2020.

Active-Passive Voice Converter

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Instructions

1. Enter the existing text in the designated area.

2. Choose the desired output: active or passive voice.

3. [Optional] Select output length from the drop-down menu.

4. Click "Change Voice"

5. Paste the generated copy into a document or rewrite your copy using our paraphrasing tool.

💡Pro Tip: Break down complex sentences into simpler ones before converting voice.

What is Active and Passive Voice?

Active and passive voice are two different ways of constructing a sentence. The active voice focuses on the subject of the sentence, who is taking direct action. It provides clear, straightforward sentences where the agent of action is easily identifiable, making it a favored choice in most writing styles.

The passive voice shifts the focal point to the recipient of the action. The subject becomes secondary to the action itself, thus presenting a more impartial narrative. It is extensively used in scientific and formal writing where the primary focus is the action, not the doer.

How to Identify Active and Passive Voice?

Active Voice: In active voice, the subject performs the action. It's direct and concise.

Example: "The chef (subject) prepared (action) a delicious meal."

Passive Voice: In passive voice, the subject receives the action. It's indirect and often used when the doer of the action is less important.

Example: "A delicious meal (subject) was prepared (action) by the chef."

Advanced Tip: To identify passive voice, look for forms of "to be" (e.g., was, were) followed by the past participle (e.g., prepared). In active voice, the subject acts on the object, making it easier to spot.

How to Convert Sentences From Active Voice to Passive Voice

Step 1: Identification of Subject, Object, and Verb

A sentence usually comprises the doer (subject), the action (verb), and the receiver (object). In "John reads a book," 'John' is the subject, 'reads' is the verb, and 'a book' is the object. Recognizing these essential components of a sentence is the first step to getting your transformations right.

Step 2: Reposition the Subject-Object Placement

You need to reverse the subject's and object's roles to convert an active voice sentence to passive voice. That means the object becomes the sentence's new subject, and the subject becomes a part of the sentence after the verb.

Taking the same example, the sentence changes to "The book is read by John."

Step 3: Alter Verb Form

The verb in a passive voice sentence typically involves a form of 'be' (is, am, are, was, were) followed by a past participle. So, 'reads' in active voice changes to 'is read' in passive voice.

Step 4: Include Preposition

When the original subject is included in the passive sentence, it is usually introduced by a preposition like 'by'. For example, 'by John' in our previous illustration. However, if the focus of your sentence is the action rather than the doer, you can omit this prepositional phrase.

To recap, the original sentence "John reads a book." is coverted to "The book is read by John" in passive voice.

When to Use A Sentence Voice Changer?

Use passive to active voice sentence converter when:.

1. You want to emphasize the action itself rather than the doer.

2. The doer of the action is unknown or unimportant.

3. Keeping the focus consistent throughout a series of sentences.

4. Avoid putting responsibility on a specific person or group.

5. To sound objective, scientific, technical, or logical.

Passive to Active Voice Example

Passive Voice: "The cake was baked by John."

Active Voice: "John baked the cake."

In the passive voice sentence, the subject (the cake) is acted upon by the verb. The primary attention is on the action done to the subject. In the active voice sentence, the subject (John) is performing the action of the verb. The primary attention shifts to who is doing the action.

Use Active to Passive Voice Sentence Converter When:

1. You want to emphasize the doer of the action.

2. Writing clear and concise instructions.

3. Avoiding ambiguity.

4. Writing non-scientific content.

Active to Passive Voice Example

Active Voice: "John ate the apple."

Passive Voice: "The apple was eaten by John."

In the active voice sentence, the subject (John) is the one doing the action (eating). In the passive voice sentence, the subject (The apple) is the one being acted upon, and the actor (John) is mentioned at the end of the sentence.

Who Benefits From Converting Sentence Voice?

Converting sentences between active and passive voice benefits a wide array of individuals.

1. Writers, editors, linguists, and students studying language or literature can enhance their craft and comprehension.

2. Professionals in marketing or PR sectors can critically analyze text, heightening their ability to produce persuasive content.

3. SEO specialists can optimize content, making it more engaging and search-engine friendly.

How to Make the Most of Active Passive Sentence Voice Changer?

Start by understanding the power of structure in your sentence. Don't merely convert your text; use this tool as an opportunity to refine your content, enriching your writing with diversity in sentence formation.

Apply variety by alternating between active and passive voices, enhancing your writing style and engaging your readers more effectively. Modify the sentence length according to your document needs, whether brief sentences for a swift read or lengthy, descriptive ones for detailed insights.

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Sentence Voice Changer FAQs

Is an ai sentence voice converter reliable.

Our AI sentence voice converter is highly reliable, guaranteeing consistent and accurate results for your writing needs. The tool is trained on massive datasets of text and code, which allows them to accurately identify and convert sentences between active and passive voice.

Is the copy generated plagiarism-free?

The content produced by our sentence voice converter tool is entirely plagiarism-free, ensuring your originality and peace of mind. It uses a variety of techniques to ensure that the output is unique.

Should you use active voice or passive voice in SEO & content marketing?

You should predominantly use active voice in SEO and content marketing as it makes your writing clearer, more direct, and easier to understand. However, passive voice can be used sparingly for variation or when the focus is on the action rather than the actor.

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Past Participle

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The past participle is a verb forms typically ending in “-ed,” “-d,” “-t,” “-en,” or “-n” and used in perfect tenses, passive voice , and as adjectives . Examples include “eaten,” “played,” and “driven.” It often pairs with auxiliary verbs like “has,” “have,” or “had.” For instance, in “She has finished her work,” “finished” is the past participle of “finish.”

What Is a Past Participle?

The past participle is a verb form used in perfect tenses and passive voice. For regular verbs, it typically ends in -ed (e.g., “walked”), while irregular verbs have various endings (e.g., “gone,” “written”). It combines with auxiliary verbs like “has,” “have,” and “had” to form perfect tenses and is used in passive constructions.

When Do We Use the Past Participle?

The past participle is a verb form that is used in several grammatical contexts in English. Here are the main situations in which you use the past participle:

1. Perfect Tenses

The past participle is used to form the perfect tenses, which describe actions that are completed at the time of speaking or by a specified time.

Present Perfect

Used to describe actions that have been completed at some point in the past but are relevant to the present. Example:

• I have finished my homework.
• She has visited Paris several times.

Past Perfect

Used to describe an action that was completed before another action in the past.

• By the time he arrived, we had already left.
• She had finished the exam before the timer went off.

Future Perfect

Used to describe an action that will be completed before a specified time in the future.

• By next year, I will have graduated from college.
• They will have finished the project by tomorrow.

2. Passive Voice

The past participle is used to form the passive voice, where the focus is on the action or the recipient of the action rather than the doer.

• The book was written by George Orwell.
• The cookies have been baked.

3. As Adjectives

The past participle can function as an adjective, describing a noun or pronoun.

• The broken vase lay on the floor.
• He felt exhausted after the long run.

4. Past Participial Phrases

Past participial phrases can be used to provide additional information about a noun, often functioning as adjectives.

• The girl, surprised by the sudden noise, jumped back.
• The car, damaged in the accident, was towed away.

How to form Past Participles

Past participles can be formed in two main ways: regular and irregular forms. Here’s a guide on how to create them:

1. Regular Verbs

For most regular verbs, the past participle is formed by adding “-ed” to the base form of the verb.

• Play : play -> played
• Work : work -> worked
• Visit : visit -> visited

2. Irregular Verbs

Irregular verbs do not follow a single pattern, so their past participles must be memorized.

• Go : go -> gone
• Eat : eat -> eaten
• Take : take -> taken
• Write : write -> written
• Break : break -> broken

Past Participle Examples in Sentences

Perfect tenses.

Present Perfect:

• She has completed her assignment.
• They have visited the museum several times.

Past Perfect:

• By the time the show started, we had found our seats.
• She had finished her homework before dinner.

Future Perfect:

• By next month, I will have saved enough money for the trip.
• They will have left by the time you arrive.

Passive Voice

• The cake was baked by my grandmother.
• The book has been read by millions of people.
• The new policy was implemented last year.

As Adjectives

• She handed me a written note.
• The painted fence looks new.

Past Participial Phrases

• Exhausted from the long day, he went straight to bed.
• The letter, signed by the president, confirmed the new policy.

Irregular Verbs in Sentences

• He has gone to the store.
• They had written their reports before the deadline.
• She has seen that movie twice.
• The bell has rung already.
• The treasure was hidden in the cave.

Regular Verbs in Sentences

• I have walked this path many times.
• They had finished their meal before the meeting started.
• She has learned a lot this semester.
• The room was decorated beautifully.
• The documents were printed and ready for distribution.

Past Participle with Prepositions Examples

Past participles are often used with prepositions to form phrases that describe conditions, reasons, or results. Here are some examples:

1. Interested in

• “She is interested in learning new languages.”
• “They were interested in the latest technology.”

2. Known for

• “The town is known for its beautiful scenery.”
• “He is known for his generosity.”

3. Committed to

• “They are committed to improving the community.”
• “She is committed to her job.”

4. Worried about

• “He is worried about his exam results.”
• “She is worried about the future.”

5. Excited about

• “The children are excited about the trip.”
• “She is excited about starting her new job.”

6. Satisfied with

• “They are satisfied with the service.”
• “He is satisfied with his progress.”

7. Tired of

• “She is tired of waiting.”
• “They are tired of the constant noise.”

8. Surprised by

• “We were surprised by the news.”
• “She was surprised by his reaction.”

9. Covered with

• “The ground was covered with snow.”
• “The cake was covered with frosting.”

10. Filled with

• “The room was filled with laughter.”
• “Her eyes were filled with tears.”

Verb tenses that use the Past Participle

The past participle is used in several English verb tenses , primarily in perfect tenses and the passive voice. Here’s a guide to the verb tenses that use the past participle:

1. Present Perfect

• Form : Has/Have + Past Participle
• Example : “She has finished her homework.”
• Usage : Describes actions that occurred at an unspecified time before now or began in the past and continue to the present.

2. Past Perfect

• Form : Had + Past Participle
• Example : “He had left before she arrived.”
• Usage : Describes actions that were completed before another past action.

3. Future Perfect

• Form : Will Have + Past Participle
• Example : “By next week, they will have completed the project.”
• Usage : Describes actions that will be completed before a specified time in the future.

4. Present Perfect Continuous

• Form : Has/Have Been + Present Participle (Note: While this tense primarily uses the present participle, the auxiliary verb “been” is the past participle of “be.”)
• Example : “She has been studying for hours.”
• Usage : Describes actions that began in the past and continue into the present with a focus on the duration.

5. Past Perfect Continuous

• Form : Had Been + Present Participle (Again, “been” is the past participle of “be.”)
• Example : “He had been waiting for two hours before she arrived.”
• Usage : Describes actions that were ongoing in the past up until another past action, with a focus on the duration.

6. Future Perfect Continuous

• Form : Will Have Been + Present Participle (Again, “been” is the past participle of “be.”)
• Example : “By next year, she will have been working here for a decade.”
• Usage : Describes actions that will be ongoing up until a point in the future, with a focus on the duration.

7. Passive Voice

• Form : Form of “Be” (is, am, are, was, were, be, being, been) + Past Participle
• “The cake was baked by my grandmother.”
• “The project is completed every year.”
• Usage : Used to indicate that the subject of the sentence is acted upon by someone or something else.

Past Participles of Regular Verbs

Regular verbs in English form their past participles by adding “-ed,” “-d,” or occasionally “-t” to the base form of the verb. Here are examples of regular verbs with their past participles:

Past Participle of Irregular Verbs

Irregular verbs do not follow a consistent pattern when forming their past participles. Each irregular verb has a unique past participle form that must be memorized. Here are examples of common irregular verbs with their past participles:

Using a Past Participle as an Adjective

Past participles can function as adjectives to describe noun or pronoun . When used this way, they often describe a state or condition resulting from an action. Here are some examples and explanations:

• Sentence: “The broken vase lay on the floor.”
• Explanation: “Broken” describes the state of the vase after it has been damaged.
• Sentence: “The excited children ran towards the playground.”
• Explanation: “Excited” describes the children’s emotional state.
• Sentence: “We enjoyed the freshly baked bread.”
• Explanation: “Baked” describes the bread that has been cooked in the oven.
• Sentence: “The closed door prevented us from entering.”
• Explanation: “Closed” describes the door that is shut.
• Sentence: “She handed me the written report.”
• Explanation: “Written” describes the report that has been prepared in writing.
• Sentence: “After the long hike, everyone felt tired.”
• Explanation: “Tired” describes the state of feeling fatigue.
• Sentence: “We had fried chicken for dinner.”
• Explanation: “Fried” describes the chicken that has been cooked in oil.
• Sentence: “The burned toast tasted awful.”
• Explanation: “Burned” describes the toast that has been overcooked.
• Sentence: “The fallen leaves covered the ground.”
• Explanation: “Fallen” describes the leaves that have dropped from the trees.
• Sentence: “She is a well-known author.”
• Explanation: “Known” describes the author’s level of recognition.

Other Uses of the Past Participle

Past participles are versatile and have several uses beyond forming perfect tenses. They can also be used in passive voice constructions, as adjectives, and in certain phrases. Here are the various uses of the past participle:

Past participles are used to form perfect tenses, indicating completed actions or states.

• Present Perfect : “She has eaten dinner.”
• Past Perfect : “They had finished the project before the deadline.”
• Future Perfect : “By tomorrow, I will have completed the assignment.”

In passive voice constructions, the past participle is used with a form of the verb “to be” to indicate that the subject is acted upon.

• Present Passive : “The book is written by the author.”
• Past Passive : “The cake was baked by my grandmother.”
• Future Passive : “The results will be announced tomorrow.”

Past participles can function as adjectives to describe nouns, often indicating a completed action or condition.

• “The broken vase lay on the floor.”
• “We need to fix the damaged roof.”
• “She looked at the written report.”

4. Perfect Infinitive

The perfect infinitive form combines “to have” with the past participle to indicate a completed action.

• “She is happy to have finished her work.”
• “He claimed to have seen the movie already.”

5. Participle Phrases

Participle phrases provide additional information about a noun and can be used to create complex sentences.

• “The man, known for his kindness, helped the elderly woman.”
• “The students, exhausted from the exam, went home early.”

6. Conditionals and Hypotheticals

Past participles are used in conditional sentences to describe hypothetical or contrary-to-fact situations.

• “If I had known , I would have acted differently.”
• “She would have come if she had been invited.”

7. Reported Speech

Past participles are sometimes used in reported speech, particularly in indirect statements.

• “He said that the package had been delivered .”
• “She mentioned that the work was completed .”

Examples in Sentences:

• Present Perfect : “They have gone to the store.”
• Past Passive : “The letter was written by John.”
• As Adjective : “The painted fence looked beautiful.”
• Perfect Infinitive : “She seems to have forgotten the meeting.”
• Participle Phrase : “The child, covered in mud, smiled at his mother.”
• Conditional : “If she had studied , she would have passed the test.”
• Reported Speech : “He confirmed that the task was completed .”

Past tense vs. Past Participle

The past tense and past participle are both forms of verbs, but they are used in different contexts and have different functions. Here’s a table comparing the two:

What is a past participle?

A past participle is a verb form typically ending in -ed, -d, -t, -en, or -n used to form perfect tenses and passive voice.

How is the past participle formed?

Regular verbs form the past participle by adding -ed to the base form (e.g., “walk” becomes “walked”). Irregular verbs have unique forms (e.g., “go” becomes “gone”).

Can you give examples of past participles?

Yes, examples include “walked,” “written,” “eaten,” “broken,” and “gone.”

What is the function of past participles?

Past participles are used in perfect tenses (e.g., “have eaten”) and passive voice (e.g., “was written”).

Are past participles and past tense the same?

No, past tense indicates completed actions (e.g., “I walked”), while past participle forms are used with auxiliary verbs (e.g., “I have walked”).

What are irregular past participles?

Irregular past participles do not follow a fixed pattern (e.g., “write” becomes “written,” “go” becomes “gone”).

How do past participles function in passive voice?

In passive voice, past participles follow forms of “to be” (e.g., “The book was written by the author”).

Can past participles be used as adjectives?

Yes, past participles can describe nouns (e.g., “broken window,” “cooked food”).

What is the difference between past participle and present participle?

Past participles indicate completed actions (e.g., “eaten”), while present participles indicate ongoing actions and end in -ing (e.g., “eating”).

How are past participles used in perfect tenses?

Past participles combine with “have,” “has,” or “had” to form perfect tenses (e.g., “She has finished her work”).

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