for
3
PASSIVE VOICE
CHAPTER
Those forms of verb that
the subject' is called show the 'subject doing an action' or 'an action done
voice. on
Active Voice:
m In active voice, the verb expresses the action of the
ust subject upon the object.
General structure Sub+ verb+obj
Passive Voice:
In passive voice, the verb
expresses the object being acted upon.
On General structure : Obj+Helping
Verb + V +by + sub
According toTense
Passive Voice is used in the following cases:
1. When the subject cannot do an
action.
E.g: Tea grows both in Assam and
Ceylon. (x)
Tea is grown both in Assam and
2. When the action is Ceylon. ()
important and not the doer although the doer is
known. quite
E.g: He was rushed to the
hospital where he was declared brought dead.
In the above sentence the action
is more important. The
in the process are irrelevant. people and doctor involved
3. When the subject or the doer of the action is either unknown or irrelevant.
E.g People were relocated from the flood affected
villages.
Different Tense in Active Voice and Passive
Voice:
Indefinite Tense Active Passive
Present IndefiniteSub +V, +obj Obj+is/am/are + V, +by + sub.
Past Indefinite Sub V, + obj + Obj +was/were + V, +by + sub.
Future Indefinite Sub +shall/will +V,obj Obj+ shall/will+ be+ V,+ by + sub.
Modal (Indefinite) Sub + modal+ V, +obj Obj+modal + be+ V, +
by + sub.
English for General Competition 41
- PASSIVE
Change the voice
Active Passive
Eg. 1. Police arrested him. 1. He was arrested.
2. People speak English all over the world. 2. English is spoken all over
3. A teacher teaches
English here. 3. English is taught here. the
4. No one 4. Riots are not desired,
desire riots.
5. I will not tolerate 5. This nonsense will not be
this nonsense. to
by me. toler
EXPLANATION CFSENTENCES 1,2 &3:
Certain actions are done by a particular subject only. In such cases by u
not be mentioned in the passive voice (Se sentences 1 and 3). And if the sub,
s
Pa
1s given in Passive Voice without 'by subject', use that subject in active vo sent
generally does that work.
Eg-
E.g- The room was cleaned.
The cleaner cleaned the room.
Ifthe subject is not clear (Vague noun / indefinite pronounj,the agent(by +8u
need not be mentioned in passive voice .(See sentences 2 & 4). E
I f any form of be' is used as main verb, the sentence cannot be turned into pa
E.g: 1. I am happy. (A.V)
m.v.
2. He was sad. (A.V)
1.v.
The above sentences cannot be converted into Passive Voice.
CONTINUOUS TENSE
Continuous Tense Active Passive
Present Continuous Sub +is/ am/ are/ V, + ing + obj Obj+is/am/are + being+ V, + by +sub
Sub +was / were+ V, + ing + obj
Past Continuous Obj + was/were + being + V, + by + sub
Future Continuous Sub +shall/will + be + V, + ing + obj Passive voice not possible
Modal Continuous Sub +modal + be +V, + ing+ obj Passive voice not possible
Note- Do not forget to use "being' in Passive Voice of Continuous Tense.
Change the voice
1. The commfttee is looking into the matter. (Active)
The matter is being looked into by the committee. (Passive)
Note: Do not forget to use the preposition in Passive Voice that follows the vet
Active Voice.
2. They are laughing at you. (Active)
You are being laughed at by them. (Passive)
3. The accused is being produced before the court.
(Passive)
The police are producing the accused before the
court.(Active)
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-English for General Compe
PASSIVE VoICE-
4. Right to protest peacefully is being demanded by the revolutionaries.
(Passive)
The revolutionaries are demanding right to protest peacefully. (Active)
5. You were not taking the exam seriously. (Active)
The exam was not being taken seriously by you. (Passive)
PERFECT TENSE
Perfect Tense Active Passive
Present Perfect |Sub + has/have + V, + obj Obj + has/ have + been +V,+ by + sub
Past Perfect Sub+ had + V,+ obj
Obj+ had +been +V, +by +sub
Future Perfect Sub + shall/ will + have +V, + obj Obj+ shall /will + have + been + V,+ by + sub
-
Modal Perfect Sub +Modal+ have + V, +obj Obj+modal + have + been + V,+ by + sub
Note: If passive voice is used in perfect tense, there "been" must be used.
CHANGE THE VOICE
E.g.:1. Who has seen him? (Active)
By whom has he been seen? (Passive)
2. The news has surprised us. (Active)
We have been surprised at the news. (Passive)
He will have understood your ulterior motive by that time. (Active)
Your ulterior motive will have been understood by him by that time. (Passive)
4. The committee had looked into the matter impartially before he was found
guilty
matter had been looked into by the committee impartially before it found him
guilty.
Note: Certain verbs take fixed preposition after them that replaces the "by' of "by
+sub'.
known to, surprised at/by, amazed at, astonished at, startled at, vexed at,
annoyed with somebody, annoyed at something, contained in, embodied in,
crammed with, decorated with, filled with, ornamented with, thronged with, tired
of, engulfed in.
Note: 'Surprised' is followed by 'at when the action was contrary to our expectation.
Eg I was surprised at his impudent behaviour.
In all other cases 'surprised by' is used.
Eg.: surprised by his result.
I was
E.g1. The fire engulfed the building.
The building was engulfed in the fire.
2. This box contains ten cigars.
Ten cigars are contained in this box.
PASSIVE VOICE F INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES
> Interrogative Sentences,
In the Passive Voice of we start the sentence with the
helping verb that goes with the object.
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English for General Competition
PASSIVE
broken the glass?
Active: Have you
broken by you?
Passive: Has the glass been
Interrogative
sentence of "WH Fami
Family' we
form of the sentence
make a n
If w e want to
interrogative
the
word before
the 'Wh' window pane
?
broken the
Active Why have you broken by you?
window pane been
has the E
Passive: Why
of tense
form
Interrogative
Interrogative word
when, where' and
applicable 'how,
to 'why,
d i f f e r e n t and the Passiet
This rule is only rules a r e N
whom, the
In case of who and
is made a s illustrated below:-
Who wrote the Ramayana?
Active: written?
whom was the Ramayana
Passive: By
Or
the Ramayana
written by?
Who was
written by ?' is wrong
[Whom was the Ramayana
Active: Whom have you invited?
Passive:Who has been invited by you?
IMPERATIVE SENTENCES
2. Without obj Moral Suggestion
1. With obj
() Go away. (A.V.) (i) Help the poor. (A
i) Shut the door (A.V.) The poor should be
You are ordered too
1" way Let the door be shut. (P.V.)
go away. (P.V.) helped. (P.V.)
Let + obj + be + V
2d way You are ordered to shut You are ordered/ requested/ |Obi + should +be
the door. (P.V.) forbiddenete. +to +V+ obj
You are ordered/ requested/
forbidden etc. + to + V, t obj. |
INFINITIVE (TO +
V,d
Active: To+Vb.
Passive: To+ be +Va
1. Active: I am to do it.
Passive: It is to be done by me.
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vOI
PASSIVE VoICE-
2. Active: You are to write it in ink.
Passive: It is to be written in ink.
edad Note.: To+ V is
changed into 'to + be + V, in Passive Voice but this is not a universa
rule. If we change 'to + Va into 'to +be +
V,, we open the option of 'by+Sub' and
if the same subject is repeated in the sentence that has
already come in the
sentence earlier, we do not change 'to + V, into 'to + be +
E.g.: Active: The teacher gave me a book to read
V,
Passive: I was given a book by my teacher to read.
FORCED ACTION
aat Active: S+have / has/ had + to + Vp.r +Obj
oic Passive: Obj+have / has / had+to +be +Vs +by +sub.
E.g.: (i) Active: I have TO finish this work.
S have to
V. Obj
Passive:This work finished by me
Obj has to be by sub
(ii) Active: You have to choose a dress.
Passive: A dress has to be chosen by you.
VERB- LET, BID, HELP, MAKE
Bare Infinitive.
Verb-Let, bid, help and make are used in Active Voice followed by a
E.g.: 1. She let me go.
2. I bade him leave the room.
3. They must help me finish the work.
4. I made him wash all the clothes
Bid, help and make are used in Passive Voice followed by Infinitive not Bare
Infinitive
E.g.: 1. He was bidden to leave the room by me.
2. I must be helped to finish the work.
3. He was made to wash all the clothes by me.
sentences and the meaning of the
Note: 'Let' is used in different sense in different
sentence determines the Passive Voice.
-81. Let me play (Request for permission)
I may be allowed to play.
2. Let him do this work.
by him.
Let this work be done
3. Let us organize a party. (suggestion)
A party should be organized.
4. Let us help the poor. (moral suggestion)
The poor should be helped.
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EnglishforGeneral Competition-
VERBS FOLLOWED BY ADJECTIVES.
PASSIVE
Rose smells sweet.
(Active)
Rose is sweet when it is smelt. 7
(Passive)
Sub+ + H.V + Va
verb +adjective +when+ pronouun
according to
according to tense according to M.V in
tense and
and number number
number
V3 form.
E.g. 1. Quinine tastes bitter. (Active)
Quinine is bitter when it is tasted. (Passive)
2 Those mangoes tasted sour. (Active)
tasted. (Passive)
Those mangoes were s o u r when they were
