01. Definition & Function

Voice is that form of a verb which shows whether what is denoted by the subject does something or has something done to it.

  • A verb is in the active voice when its form shows that the person or thing denoted by the subject does something, that is, is the doer of the action. The subject acts.
  • A verb is in the passive voice when its form shows that something is done to the person or thing denoted by the subject.

Consider the following sentences:

  1. The peon opened the gate.
  2. The gate was opened by the peon.

Both the sentences have the same meaning. The difference lies in emphasis. In the first sentence, the peon becomes prominent. In the second sentence, the gate becomes prominent. So, the function of voice lies in the shifting of prominence.

Note that the object of the verb becomes the subject in the passive voice. Thus only transitive verbs can be used in the passive voice because an intransitive verb has no object.

02. Prepositional Variations

Rule

The subject of the verb in the active voice comes after the verb in the passive voice and is usually preceded by the preposition by.

The mouse was killed of the cat.
The mouse was killed by the cat.

Notable Exceptions

However, there are a few notable exceptions where prepositions other than 'by' are native to the passive form:

  • The writer is enamoured (is inspired with love) of what he writes.
  • The entire place is infested (is spread over in large number) with vermin.
  • She was touched with pity for the animals.
  • The poor man was beset (was surrounded) with difficulties.
  • The master was pleased with the servant.
  • The road was lined with people.
  • The field was thronged (was crowded) with audience.
  • She was surprised at what her mother said.

Passive sense with active form

A few transitive verbs like eat, read, smell, taste etc., even in an active form, are sometimes used in a passive sense.

The mangoes are tasted sour.
The mangoes taste sour.
This fruit is smelt sweet.
This fruit smells sweet.

03. Tense Paradigms (Present Tense Conversion)

(i) Present Indefinite Tense

Active: Subject + Verb + Object
Passive: Subject + Helping Verb (is/am/are) + V3 + by + Object
Active: I love my children.
Passive: My children are loved by me.
Active: They call him a liar.
Passive: He is called a liar by them.

(ii) Present Continuous Tense

Active: Subject + Helping Verb (is/am/are) + Verb-ing + Object
Passive: Subject + Helping Verb (is/am/are) + being + V3 + by + Object
Active: He is writing a letter.
Passive: A letter is being written by him.
Active: The children are helping the poor.
Passive: The poor are being helped by the children.

(iii) Present Perfect Tense

Active: Subject + Helping Verb (has/have) + V3 + Object
Passive: Subject + Helping Verb (has/have) + been + V3 + by + Object
Active: He has invited all his friends.
Passive: All his friends have been invited by him.
Active: I have lost my watch.
Passive: My watch has been lost.

04. Tense Paradigms (Past & Future Conversion)

(iv) Past Indefinite Tense

Active: Subject + V2 + Object
Passive: Subject + Helping Verb (was/were) + V3 + by + Object
Active: He bought a watch yesterday.
Passive: A watch was bought by him yesterday.
Active: They kept us waiting.
Passive: We were kept waiting by them.

(v) Past Continuous Tense

Active: Subject + Helping Verb (was/were) + Verb-ing + Object
Passive: Subject + Helping Verb (was/were) + being + V3 + by + Object
Active: Ram was writing a book.
Passive: A book was being written by Ram.
Active: The horses were drawing a cart.
Passive: A cart was being drawn by the horses.

(vi) Past Perfect Tense

Active: Subject + Helping Verb (had) + V3 + Object
Passive: Subject + Helping Verb (had been) + V3 + by + Object
Active: She had finished the work.
Passive: The work had been finished by her.
Active: They had invited the students.
Passive: The students had been invited by them.

(vii) Future Indefinite Tense

Active: Subject + Helping Verb (shall/will) + Verb + Object
Passive: Subject + Helping Verb (shall/will) + be + V3 + by + Object
Active: He will give the news.
Passive: The news will be given by him.
Active: We will teach him.
Passive: He will be taught by us.

(viii) Future Perfect Tense

Active: Subject + Helping Verb (will/shall) + have + V3 + Object
Passive: Subject + Helping Verb (will/shall) + have + been + V3 + by + Object
Active: They will have planted trees.
Passive: Trees will have been planted by them.

05. Dual Objects & Sentences with “Let”

(B) TWO OBJECTS OF THE VERB

If a verb in the Active Voice takes two objects — a direct one and an indirect one after it, either of them may be retained in the Passive:

(i) Retaining the direct object:

Active: He teaches us Sanskrit.
Passive: We are taught Sanskrit by him.

Active: He forgave me my fault.
Passive: I was forgiven my fault by him.

(ii) Retaining the indirect object:

Active: He teaches us Sanskrit.
Passive: Sanskrit is taught to us by him.

Active: He forgave me my fault.
Passive: My fault was forgiven by him.

(C) SENTENCES BEGINNING WITH “LET”

Active: Let Neha run a show.
Passive: Let a show be run by Neha.
Active: Let me try this question.
Passive: Let this question be tried by me.

06. Imperatives & Preposition Retentions

(D) USE OF PREPOSITION

(i) Intransitives with a preposition retain it in the Passive

Active: He looks at the painting.
Passive: The painting is looked at by him.
Active: The parents spoke to their children.
Passive: The children were spoken to by the parents.

(ii) Prepositions other than “by” inside specific idioms

Active: Rita knows me.
Passive: I am known to Rita.
Active: It is time to send for the musician.
Passive: It is time for the musician to be sent for.

(E) PASSIVE OF IMPERATIVE SENTENCES

(i) Start with “Let”: Let + object + be + past participle

Active: Shut the door.
Passive: Let the door be shut.
Active: Tell the students to sit.
Passive: Let the students be told to sit.

(ii) Alternative method using modal advisories

Active: Please help me.
Passive: You are requested to help me.
Active: Always keep to the left.
Passive: You are always advised to keep to the left.

07. Interrogative Syntaxes

(F) PASSIVE OF INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES

(i) Active begins with Do/Does/Did → Is/Are/Was/Were + V3

Active: Do you speak French?
Passive: Is French spoken by you?
Active: Did India win the match?
Passive: Was the match won by India?

(ii) Active begins with a modal auxiliary → Modal + be + V3

Active: Must we finish this work?
Passive: Must this work be finished by us?
Active: Can he do the work?
Passive: Can the work be done by him?

(iii) Active begins with has/have/had → Has/Have/Had + been + V3

Active: Had you seen the boy before?
Passive: Had the boy been seen by you before?
Active: Has Priya invited you?
Passive: Have you been invited by Priya?

(iv) Active begins with what/where/why/when

Note: If the Active sentence begins with “who”, then it is changed into “By whom” in the Passive Voice.

Active: Who wrote the letter?
Passive: By whom was the letter written?
Active: Where did you pick it?
Passive: Where was it picked by you?

08. Verbs of Incomplete Predication

(G) VERBS OF INCOMPLETE PREDICATION

Whenever a transitive verb of incomplete predication (i.e. a verb which needs a complement in addition to an object) is changed from the Active Voice into the Passive Voice, the object (and never the complement) becomes the subject in the Passive Voice.

Active: They elected him secretary.
Passive: He was elected secretary by them.
Active: The people proclaimed him king.
Passive: He was proclaimed king by the people.
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