English Second Language Notes

1. Chairman Mao Zedong High
School
ENGLISH 2nd LANGUAGE
ACTIVE AND PASSIVE VOICE
By: Mr. Fillipus Lineekela

2. INTRODUCTION
• The voice of a verb explain whether the subject of the
sentence does or receives the action of the verb.
• The choice between the active or passive voice of any
particular verb is usually a matter of taste, not of
correctness.
• In this unit we are going to discuss the use of these voices.

3. Exit Learning Outcomes
By the end of this unit you should be able to:
•Distinguish between the active and passive
voice;
•Form various passive forms
•Use the passive in different contexts

4. Uses of Passive
• Passive voice is used when the focus is on action/To
stress the action done rather than the doer of the
action
• It is not important or known; however, who or what
is performing the action.
• If the doer(Active person) is unknown
• When it is more convenient.

5. When rewriting active sentence in passive
voice, note the following:
• In the passive voice, the verb takes an object.
• When using the active voice, the subjects are the ones performing
the action.

6. Example
Passive voice
Object Verb Subject
• All men | are loved | by God.
• Nests | are built | by birds.
• Bones | are eaten | by dog.
Active Voice
Subject Verb Object
• God | loves |all men.
• Birds | build | nests.
• Dog | eats | bones.

7. Examples of passive voice
My bike was stolen.
A mistake was made.
A letter was written.

8. When rewriting active sentence in passive
voice, note the following:
•The object sentence becomes the subject of the
passive.
•The finite form of the verb is changed (to be +
past participle)
•The subject of the active sentence becomes the
object of the passive sentence.

9. Examples
Simple Present
Active Voice : Rita writes a letter.
Passive Voice: A letter is written by Rita.
Simple Past
Active Voice : Rita wrote a letter.
Passive Voice: A letter is written by Rita.

10. Change of auxiliary verbs:
Infinitive To be washed
Simple
present It is washed.
past It was washed.
future It will be washed.
conditional It would be washed.
Continuous
present It is being washed.
past It was being washed.
future It will be being washed.
conditional It would be being washed.
Perfect Simple
present It has been washed.
past It had been washed.
future It will have been washed.
conditional It would have been washed.
Perfect continuous
present It has been being washed.
past It had been being washed.
future It will have been being washed.
conditional It would have been being
washed.

11. Change of Pronouns:
Active Voice Passive Voice
I me
we us
you you
he him
she her
it it
they them

12. Rules for changing Active Voice into Passive Voice:
• Identify the subject, the verb and the object: SVO
• Change the object into subject
• Put the suitable helping verb or auxiliary verb. In case
helping verb is given, use the same. But note that the
helping verb given agrees with the object.
• Change the verb into past participle of the verb.
• Add the preposition "by"
• Change the subject into object

13. Active to Passive Voice
Declarative sentences:
Active Voice Passive Voice
I write a letter. A letter is written by me.
We must keep the rule. The rule must be kept by us.
You bought a book. A book have been bought by you.
He closed the window. The window was closed by him.
She was writing letters. Letters were being written by her.
I had posted a letter. A letter had been posted by me.
I do not drink tea. Tea is not drunk by me.
She does not eat a mango. A mango is not eaten by her.

14. Active to Passive Voice
Imperative sentences
If the given sentence in the active voice is in the imperative, to get the passive
voice use ‘Let’. Hence, Passive Voice = Let + Object + be + Past Participle
Active Voice Passive Voice
Help me Let me be helped
Open the door Let the door be opened
Don’t eat this fruit Let not this fruit be eaten
Sing a song Let a song be sung

15. Class work
Question 1
Rewrite the following sentence starting with the underlined
word.
1. We were stopping the bus. (2)
2. A thief stole my car. (2)
3. They didn’t let him go.(2)
4. Kerrie has paid the bills.(2)
5. Tom had inspired many people through his life as an
actor.(2)
Total Marks=10

16. Class work (Memo)
1. The bus was being stopped by us.
2. My car was stolen by a thief.
3. He wasn’t let gone by them.
4. The bills has been paid by Kerrie.
5. Many people had been inspired by Tom through his
life as an actor
=10/10