Active and Passive Voice For CGL Mains 2021 Complete Rules Pyq Concepts
Active and Passive Voice For CGL Mains 2021 Complete Rules Pyq Concepts
VOICE
Definition - Voice refers to the form of the verb that (d) many people were killed in the tsunami disaster.
indicates whether the doer of an action is the subject or (e) You are informed to fill your forms by tomorrow.
object in a sentence.
Formation of Passive Voice
John (subject, doer or agent of the action) ate an apple
(object, receiver of the action). (i) The object in the active becomes the subject in the
An apple (subject, receiver of the action) was eaten by passive.
John. (object, doer or agent of the action) (ii) The subject of the active is expressed as by+ agent.
Active voice: A verb is said to be in the active voice when (iii) The active verb becomes be+ past participle (3rd
the person or thing denoted by the subject acts. Deepak
form of the verb)
wrote a story.
Passive voice:A verb is said to be in the passive voice (iv) To be forms (is, am, are, was, were, be, been,
when the person or thing denoted by the subject does not being) are used.
act, but suffers the action by something/someone. This form of verb (be+ past participle) is the chief
A story was written by Deepak. marker of passive voice.
Why the Passive? Note: a) with by+ agent
1. When the performer (agent) of the activity is not well This construction is used only when the agent is
identified, e. g., definite and important:
(a) My book has been stolen. (Someone has stolen my 1. Tagore wrote Geetanjali.
book.)
Geetanjali was written by Tagore.
(b) The child was kidnapped for ransom. (Someone
2. Columbus discovered America.
kidnapped the child for ransom.)
America was discovered by Columbus.
In the sentence cited above the identity of the agent
is not known; we do not know who the ‘someone’ is. b) Without by+ agent
2. When the action is considered to be more emphatic by+ agent is not used when the agent is vague, so
and important than the doer (agent) e. g., when the active subject is vague it does not become
by+ agent:
(a) let the convict be hanged. (b) Let the traitor be shot.
1. My watch was stolen. 2. This chair has been broken.
In (a), the passive is used to put stress on the act of
hanging; it is not important to know who is to c) by+ agent is not used when agent is obvious
perform this act. Similarly, in (b), the stress is on the enough to be inferred:
act of shooting the traitor, who shoots is not 1. Bread is baked in a special kind of oven.
important to be known. 2. Books are sold at a 25% concession.
3. When an impersonal tone is given to a piece of Here one does not normally add by a baker, or by the
writing, particularly in news reports, office orders, bookseller.
scientific papers, Board or University instructions to
d) with+ object
the students, etc, the phrase by + agent is usually
When the object of the active voice is a
omitted, e. g.,
material/substance, with is used in the passive voice,
(a) It is thought that the committee will be dissolved.
instead of by:
(b) Examinations have been postponed.
1. A handkerchief covered his eyes.
(c) In France, malaria has been eradicated.
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His eyes were covered with a handkerchief. (not, by) New programs are being produced and beamed by
2. Gas filled the kitchen. the TV every day.
The kitchen was filled with gas. (not, by) Voice: Voice change affects only the form, so the
structure of a sentence can be changed without
Note : by+ object is used to indicate agent and with+ changing its meaning. There are a number of such
object is used to indicate means/instrument. structures.
e) Ellipsis of verb be: When two or more passive
verbs are used, verb be is used in the first instance
and ellipted (omitted) in the rest:
Active Passive
1. Present Simple VI s/es Is/am/are + VIII
I like apples. Apples are liked by me.
We keep the butter here. The butter is kept here.
James teaches Bond. Bond is taught by James.
She likes books. Books are liked by her.
He invites me. I am invited by him.
Present Continuous
2.
is/am/are + V ing form Is/am/are + being+ VIII
He is reading a book. A book is being read by him.
They are repairing the bridge. The bridge is being repaired.
They were carrying the injured player off the field. The injured player was being carried off the field.
She is not sweeping the floor. The floor is not being swept by her.
3. Present Perfect has/have + VIII has/have been + VIII
He has stolen my book. My book has been stolen by him.
People have seen wolves in the streets. Wolves have been seen in the streets.
He has invited me. I have been invited by him.
She has eaten food. Food has been eaten by her.
They have played cricket. Cricket has been played by them.
4. Past Simple VII Was/were + VIII
I killed a bird yesterday. A bird was killed by me yesterday.
He wrote a letter. A letter was written by him.
They broke the window. The window was broken.
The teacher taught me to speak English. I was taught to speak English by the teacher.
The students loudly cheered the Governor’s speech. The Governor’s speech was loudly cheered by the students.
Past Continuous
5.
Was / were + V ing form Was/were + being + VIII
The peon was ringing the bell. The bell was being rung by the peon.
She was not helping us. We were not being helped by her.
She was eating food. Food was being eaten by her.
They were playing cricket. Cricket was being played by them.
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Will you speak the truth? Will the truth be spoken by you?
Will he have written the novel before he goes to Will the novel have been written by him before he goes to
Simla? Simla?
Why will he give you money? Why will you be given money by him?
Why does he teach the children? Why are the children taught by him?
Why do people speak English everywhere? Why is English spoken everywhere?
Where did they find the purse? Where was the purse found?
33. Direct questions without object
What does he eat? What is eaten by him?
What has she done? What has been done by her?
What has he done? What has been done by him?
What will impress you? What will you be impressed with?
How much milk have you drunk? How much milk has been drunk by you?
How many books do you read? How many books are read by you?
34. Interrogative : Which (as subject)
By which teacher were you taught?
Which teacher taught you?
Which teacher were you taught by?
By which boy is James Bond loved?
Which boy loves James Bond?
Which boy is James Bond loved by?
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(d) Our age far surpasses all previous ages in knowledge. (c) She should have given a 50% raise in salary.
(SSC CGL MAINS 2020, 29.01.2022) (d) Let her be given a 50% raise in salary.
Sol. (d) (SSC CGL MAINS 2020, 29.01.2022)
Q. Light the lamp of knowledge in every heart. Sol. (d)
(a) Let the lamp of knowledge being lighted in every heart. Q. Have you placed an order for a cake?
(b) Let the lamp of knowledge be lit in every heart. (a) Have an order for a cake been placed by you?
(c) Let the lamp of knowledge be lighting every heart. (b) Was an order for a cake placed by you?
(d) Let the lamp of knowledge light in every heart. (c) Has an order for a cake been placed by you?
(SSC CGL MAINS 2020, 29.01.2022) (d) Is an order for a cake being placed by you?
Sol. (b) (SSC CGL MAINS 2020, 29.01.2022)
Q. You must sign the contract before you start working. Sol. (c)
(a) The contract will be signed by you before you start working.
(b) The contract has been signed by you before you start
working.
(c) The contract must being signed by you before you start
working.
(d) The contract must be signed by you before you start
working.
(SSC CGL MAINS 2020, 29.01.2022)
Sol. (d)
Q. What did you do to help the migrant labourers during the
pandemic?
(a) What is done by you to help the migrant labourers during
the pandemic? Q. A defamation case is being filed by him against his business
(b) What was being done by you to help the migrant labourers partner.
during the pandemic? (a) He is filing a defamation case against his business partner.
(c) What was done by you to help the migrant labourers during (b) He has filed a defamation case against his business partner.
the pandemic? (c) He has been filing a defamation case against his business
(d) What has been done by you to help the migrant labourers partner.
during the pandemic? (d) His business partner is filing a defamation case against him.
(SSC CGL MAINS 2020, 29.01.2022) (SSC CGL MAINS 2020, 29.01.2022)
Sol. (c) Sol. (a)
Q. I could not use his laptop as it was password protected. Q. Were you sent summons by the court?
(a) His laptop has not been used by me as it is password (a) Has the court sent you summons?
protected. (b) Did the court send you summons?
(b) His laptop cannot be used by me as it is password protected. (c) Will the court send you summons?
(c) His laptop could not been used by me as it was password (d) Is the court sending you summons?
protected. (SSC CGL MAINS 2020, 29.01.2022)
(d) His laptop could not be used by me as it was password Sol. (b)
protected. Q. Do not touch any items displayed on glass shelves.
(SSC CGL MAINS 2020, 29.01.2022) (a) Let any items displayed on glass shelves be touched.
Sol. (d) (b) No items displayed on glass shelves should be touched.
Q. Absolute liberty is enjoyed by us in matters of food and dress. (c) Any items displayed on glass shelves will not be touched.
(a) We are enjoying absolute liberty in matters of food and (d) Any items displayed on glass shelves not be touched.
dress. (SSC CGL MAINS 2020, 29.01.2022)
(b) We enjoy absolute liberty in matters of food and dress. Sol. (b)
(c) We will enjoy absolute liberty in matters of food and dress. Q. Let these ancient texts be preserved for posterity.
(d) We have enjoyed absolute liberty in matters of food and (a) Let us preserve these ancient texts for posterity.
dress. (b) You must preserve these ancient texts for posterity.
(SSC CGL MAINS 2020, 29.01.2022) (c) Let these ancient texts preserve us for posterity.
Sol. (b) (d) We have to preserve these ancient texts for posterity.
Q. Give her a 50% raise in salary. (SSC CGL MAINS 2020, 29.01.2022)
(a) Let her being given a 50% raise in salary. Sol. (a)
(b) She should give a 50% raise in salary.
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