2. INTRODUCTION ON ACTIVE AND
PASSIVE VOICE
A
transitive verb may be in the
ACTIVE or PASSIVE voice.
A verb is in the Active Voice when the
subject in the sentence DOES the
action.
A verb is in the Passive Voice when the
subject is made to RECEIVED the
action.
3. What is Past Continuous
Tense?
The past continuous describes actions
or events in a time before now, which
began in the past and was still going
on at the time of speaking. In other
words, it expresses an unfinished or
incomplete action that was
interrupted by another event or
action.
am/is/are + being + past participle
was/were + being + past participle
4.
Active sentences in the past continuous
tense have the following structure:
Subject + was/were + -ing form of the
verb + object
Passive sentences in the past continuous
tense have the following structure:
Object of the active sentence +
was/were + being + past participle
form of the verb + by + subject of the
active sentence
5. Example of Past Continuous
Tense
(active voice)
Which is :
• Subject + was/were + -ing form of
the verb + object
Example :
• She was writing a novel.
6. Example of Past Continuous
Tense
(passive voice)
Which is :
Object of the active sentence +
was/were + being + past participle
form of the verb + by + subject of
the active sentence
Example :
A novel was being written by her.
7. OTHER EXAMPLE OF ACTIVE AND
PASSIVE VOICE
NO
ACTIVE VOICE
PASSIVE VOICE
1
They were saying their
prayers.
Their prayers were being
said by them.
2
He was giving a lecture.
A lecture was being given
by him.
3
I was cleaning the
bathroom.
The bathroom was being
cleaned by me.
4
They were cleaning the
bedroom.
The bedroom was being
cleaned by them.
5
Susan was cleaning the
kitchen and patio.
The kitchen and patio were
being cleaned by Susan.
8. CHANGING
AN INTERROGATIVE
SENTENCE INTO THE PASSIVE
NO
ACTIVE
PASSIVE
1
Is she writing a letter?
Is a letter being written by her?
2
Why were you cheating
me?
Why was I being cheated by you?
3
Which book were you
reading?
Which book was being read by
you?
4
Why was she beating the
child?
Why was the child being beaten
by her?
5
For what were you making For what was such a noise being
such a noise?
made by you?
9. CONCLUSION
To change active to passive voice :
o change
the position of subject and
object and the verb used must be in
past participle form.