Active and Passive Voice: Rules, Definition, Examples & Sentence Exercises

Voice shows whether the subject of a verb does the action or receives it. Let’s deep dive to understand the definition of active and passive voice to get more clarity. Some of the popular active voice and passive voice definitions are mentioned below. 

Active Voice Definition

The active voice definition, as per Collins Dictionary, is that

“A voice of verbs used to indicate that the subject of a sentence is performing the action or causing the event or process described by the verb.”

One such example of this is kicked in the sentence given below. 

 Ram kicked the ball. While here, Ram is a Noun.  

Passive Voice Definition

According to the Collins Dictionary, the Passive voice definition is that

“ The passive or passive voice is formed using 'be' and the past participle of a verb. The subject of a passive clause does not perform the action expressed by the verb but is affected by it.”

 For example, in 'She's been injured', the verb is in the passive. Here "She" is a Pronoun. 

“If you describe someone as passive, you mean that they do not take action but instead let things happen to them.”

 

Active Voice

First, understand the sentence formation of the Active voice. Active voice refers to the formation of a sentence when the subject performs the action expressed by the verb.

The active voice sentence formation structure is given below:

Subject + Verb + Object.

Let’s understand it with an example

The dog chased the cat.

This sentence clearly shows that the dog (subject) is performing the action (chased) on the cat (object).

Passive Voice 

Passive voice is identified in a sentence when the subject receives the action instead of doing it. The person or thing doing the action is either left out or mentioned later. A passive voice sentence structure is given below:

Subject + helping verb (like "is" or "was") + past participle + (optional) "by" + the doer.

For example, in “The cat was chased by the dog”. 

Here in this passive voice sentence, the cat receives the action, and the dog comes at the end. We use passive voice when the focus is more on the action or result than on who did it. Passive voice is useful when the action or result matters more than who performed it.

By understanding this example, we also get to know the difference between active voice and passive voice.

Also Read: Know What is Adverb

After knowing the active and passive voice definitions, students can check some of the active and passive voice examples given in the table below: 

Active Voice	Passive Voice
The dog bit the man.	The man was bitten by the dog.
Someone called the police.	The police were called.
The teacher praised the student.	The student was praised by the teacher.

Also Read: Tenses vs Mood vs Aspect: Know the Difference

To deep dive into the concept of active and passive voice, applicants are advised to know the different types of active and passive voice separately, one by one. As per English grammar tense, the sentences are mainly divided into present, past, and future tenses; hence, we will explore active and passive voice types in a similar format. 

(I). Present Tense Active & Passive Voice Types

In this type of voice-type sentence structure, we will see all the different types of present tense voices. The detailed description is given below. 

1. (A) Present Active Voice 

In present active voice, the subject performs an action that is happening now. It uses the present tense of the verb. The basic, simple active voice sentence structure and example are given below:

Structure: Subject + Present Verb (+ Object, if applicable) 

Example: She writes a letter (present tense). 

1. (B) Present Passive Voice

The conversion of passive voice is done through  

Structure: Subject + am/is/are + Past Participle (+ by + Agent, if specified)

Example: A letter is written by her. 

Explanation: The object "a letter" becomes the subject, receiving the action "is written", with "by her" indicating the doer (optional).

2. (A) Present Continuous Active Voice 

In this present continuous active voice, the subject is actively performing an action that is ongoing or happening at the present moment. It uses the present tense of the verb "to be" (am, is, are) combined with the present participle (base verb + -ing). The present continuous active voice structure and example are given below: 

Structure: Subject + am/is/are + Verb(-ing) (+ Object, if applicable)

Example: Sania is riding a scooter. (present continuous) 

Here, Sania (subject) is actively performing a task (riding).

2. (B) Present Continuous Passive Voice

When the action being received by the subject is ongoing or occurring right now. It combines the past participle of the main verb with the present continuous tense of the auxiliary verb "to be" (am being, is being, are being).

Structure: Subject + am/is/are being + Past Participle (+ by + Agent, if specified)

Example: The scooter is being ridden by Sania

Explanation: Identify the subject, verb, and object in the active sentence. Make the object of the active sentence the subject of the passive sentence. Change the verb to its passive form. At last, put the original subject after the verb, preceded by "by". 

3. (A) Present Perfect Active Voice 

In this type of active voice, the subject has actively performed an action in the past or has relevance to the present moment. It uses the present tense of the auxiliary verb "have" (has/have) combined with the past participle of the main verb.

Structure: Subject + has/have + Past Participle (+ Object, if applicable)

Example: Nidhi has written a letter. 

In this sentence, Nidhi (subject) has performed a task (writing) in the past. 

Note: 

1. An auxiliary verb, also known as a helping verb, is a verb used along with a main verb to compose different tenses and voices in a sentence.
2. A past participle is a verb form used to indicate a completed action or state, typically in perfect tenses.

 3. (B) Present Perfect Passive Voice

It describes an action completed or relevant to the present moment. In this type there is emphasis on the receiver of the action rather than the doer.

Structure: has/have + been + past participle

Example: The letter has been written by Nidhi.

Explanation: The active sentence "Nidhi has written a letter" (present perfect tense) is converted by making the object "a letter" the subject and using the structure has + been + past participle ("has been written"). The doer "Nidhi" follows the verb with "by," emphasizing the action and receiver over the doer.

Also Read: Learn Subject Verb Agreement in English Grammar

(II). Past Tense Active Voice Types

The past tense voice type structure lets us explore all the different types of past tense voices. The detailed description is given below.  

1. (A) Simple Past Active Voice:

A grammatical structure described as simple past active voice occurs when the subject actively carried out an activity that took place and was finished at a particular point in the past.

Structure: Subject + Auxiliary Verb (be) + Past Participle (+ by + Agent, if specified). 

Example: Akhil wrote a letter. 

Here, the subject “Akhil” performed an action (wrote).

1. (B) Simple Past Passive Voice

It is a grammatical form that emphasises the action or the recipient rather than the doer by giving the subject an action that was finished at a particular point in the past. It combines the past participle of the main verb with the past tense of the auxiliary verb "to be" (was/were).

Structure: Subject + was/were + Past Participle (+ by + Agent, if specified)

Example: The letter was written by Akhil. 

Explanation: In this sentence, the object "a letter" is converted to the subject, and the passive structure was/were + past participle ("was written") is used. The doer "Akhil" is placed after the verb with "by", focusing on the action and receiver rather than the doer.

 2. (A) Past Continuous Active Voice

Past Continuous Active voice defines a scenario in which the subject was continuously carrying out an ongoing action at a certain point in the past. 

Structure: Subject + was/were + Verb(-ing) (+ Object, if applicable)

Example: Vikrant was watching a cricket match yesterday. 

Here the subject is “Vikrant”, and the action is “watching”. 

2. (B) Past Continuous Passive Voice

When expressing a continuous action in the past, the past continuous passive voice highlights the recipient above the doer, which is frequently the case when the doer is unknown or of lesser importance.

Structure: was/were + being + past participle

Example: A cricket match was being watched by Vikrant yesterday.

Explanation: The verb becomes "was being watched", a past continuous passive form, and the object "a cricket match" becomes the subject. At last, add by in the sentence framing. 

3. (A) Past Perfect Active Voice

Past perfect active voice is a grammatical structure where the subject had actively completed an action before another action in the past.

Structure: Subject + had + Past Participle (+ Object, if applicable)

Example: Nitish had played football yesterday. 

Here, the subject is “Nitish” and completed the action “play”

3. (B) Past Perfect Passive Voice

The past perfect passive voice is used to show that an action had been completed in the past by someone or something, before another past action or time.

Structure:  Subject + had + been + past participle (V3) + (by + doer)

Example: Football had been played by Nitish yesterday.

Explanation: The verb takes on the past perfect passive form since the object "football" is now the subject: had been played. "By Nitish" indicates who carried out the action.

Future Active and Passive Voice Sentences

1 (A). Future Simple Active Voice

The future simple active voice is a verb tense in which the subject performs an action that will occur in the future. It conveys future facts, intents, choices, or projections.

Structure: Subject + will + base verb

Example: Nia will fly a kite tomorrow.  

1 (B). Future Simple Passive Voice

The future simple passive voice is used in English grammar when an action will happen in the future, where the subject receives the action rather than performing it. It focuses more on the action or the result rather than on who or what performs it.

Structure: Subject + will be + past participle (V3) + (by + agent)

Example: A kite will be flown by Nia tomorrow.

Explanation: The object "a kite" becomes the subject, and the verb changes to the simple future passive form “will be flown”. "By Nia" shows who will do the action. 

Also Read: Rules of Etymology and Roots

2. (A) Future Perfect Active Voice

The future perfect active voice is a verb tense used to describe an action that will be completed by a specific point in the future. It puts emphasis on the fact that the action will be finished before another future event or time.

Structure: Subject + will have + past participle of the main verb

Example: Manisha will have finished her homework by 9 PM.

2. (B) Future Perfect Passive Voice

The future perfect passive voice is a verb tense used to describe an action that will have been completed by a specific point in the future. In this type of passive voice the subject receives the action.

Structure: Subject + will have been + past participle of the main verb

Example: Her homework will have been finished by manisha by 9 PM.

Explanation: In this sentence, the object "her homework" becomes the subject. The verb is changed to the future perfect passive form: will have been + past participle (finished). "By Manisha" shows who will complete the action.

There are various rules to change active voice into passive and vice versa. The detailed description of active and passive voice rules is given in the table below. 

Tense	Active	Passive
Present Indefinite	Verb 1st form + s/es e.g. Abhay plays cricket at home.	Is/Am/Are + Verb 3rd form e.g. Cricket is played by Abhay at home.
Present Continuous	Is/Am/Are + Verb 1st form + ing e.g. Avika is writing a letter.	Is/Am/Are + being + Verb 3rd form e.g. A letter is being written by Avika.
Present Perfect	Has/Have + Verb 3rd form e.g. He has cleaned the room.	Has/Have + been + Verb 3rd form e.g. The room has been cleaned by him.
Past Simple	Verb 2nd form e.g. Nidhi played a guitar.	Was/Were + Verb 3rd form e.g. A guitar was played by Nidhi.
Past Continuous	Was/Were + Verb 1st form + ing E.g. They were riding the bike since morning.	Was/Were + being + Verb 3rd form E.g. The bike was being ridden by them since morning.
Past Perfect	Had + Verb 3rd form E.g. I had done my work.	Had been + Verb 3rd form E.g. My work had been done by me.
Future Simple	Will + Verb 1st form E.g. I will watch a movie this Sunday.	Will be + Verb 3rd form E.g. A movie will be watched by me this Sunday.
Future Perfect	Will have + Verb 3rd form E.g. Sapna will have bought a car by next year.	Will have been + Verb 3rd form E.g. A car will have been bought by Sapna next year.

Also Read: What are Conjunctions?

Passive Voice Rules: Change in Pronouns

While using the passive voice, we change the subject to the object. The table mentions the conversion of subject to object. 

Subject	Object
I	Me
We	Us
You	you
He	Him
She	Her
They	Them
It	It
Who	Whom

Some of the common active voice and passive voice exceptions where the normal rules are not applicable. Hence, students are advised to be careful while solving such examples. 

1. Intransitive Verbs

These verbs cannot be converted to the passive voice because they do not accept a direct object. Hence, after recognising that the sentence has an intransitive verb, we can mention that there is no object being acted upon; hence, conversion is not possible. 

Examples: Rain, go, sleep, come, die, arrive, exist
Active: Madhuri slept peacefully.
Passive: The passive voice can not be made. 

2. Reflexive Verbs

A reflexive verb is one in which the subject and object are the same. The passive voice can not be used for such sentences. 

Example:

Active: Piyush hurt himself.

Passive: Not normally used, as "himself" refers back to the subject, hence passive voice can not be made. 

3. Verbs Followed by Infinitives

When an infinitive is used after a verb, some verbs do not naturally change to the passive.

Active: Ankur wants to eat a banana.
Passive (awkward): A banana wants to be eaten by Ankur. (Not natural). Hence, for such sentences, the passive voice can not be made.

Students often search for the answer to how to learn active voice and passive voice. There is no shortcut or formula to master the active and passive voice quickly. Some of the tips and tricks to learn active and passive voice are listed below. 

1. Follow the standard books like Wren & Martin's High School & Objective General English.
2. Learn and internalise the active and passive voice rules listed above.
3. After this, solve and practise as many questions as we can. 
4. Solve previous year question papers of different competitive exams like SSC, SBI, and IBPS.
5. We need to solve both types, one being how to convert active to passive voice and the other being how to change passive to active voice. 
6. It will help us to learn active and passive voice in the best possible way. 

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