Active and Passive Voice – Complete Explanation with Rules, Tricks & All Tense Examples

Active and Passive Voice

In English grammar, Voice shows whether the subject of a sentence performs the action (Active) or receives the action (Passive). Understanding this concept is very important for candidates preparing for government exams like SSC, Bank, Railway, Defence, or State PSC. Voice change questions are common in grammar sections, so let’s understand everything in detail with examples.

📘 What is Voice in English Grammar?

Voice is the form of a verb that shows whether the subject performs the action or receives it.

• Active Voice: Subject performs the action.
• Passive Voice: Subject receives the action.

🔹 Active Voice

In Active Voice, the subject performs the action of the verb. The sentence is clear and direct.

Structure: Subject + Verb + Object

Examples:
1️⃣ Ram eats an apple.
2️⃣ The teacher punished the student.
3️⃣ They are playing football.

🔹 Passive Voice

In Passive Voice, the subject receives the action instead of performing it. The focus shifts from the doer to the receiver.

Structure: Object + Be (am/is/are/was/were/been/being) + Verb (Past Participle) + by + Subject

Examples:
1️⃣ An apple is eaten by Ram.
2️⃣ The student was punished by the teacher.
3️⃣ Football is being played by them.

🔄 Rules to Change Active Voice into Passive Voice

1. Identify the Subject, Verb, and Object.
2. Move the Object to the Subject’s place.
3. Use the correct form of “be” according to tense.
4. Change the verb into Past Participle (V3).
5. Add “by + Subject” (optional if not important).

Example: Ram eats an apple. → An apple is eaten by Ram.

🕐 Tense-wise Conversion Table (Affirmative, Negative & Interrogative)

1️⃣ Simple Present Tense

2️⃣ Present Continuous Tense

3️⃣ Present Perfect Tense

4️⃣ Simple Past Tense

5️⃣ Past Continuous Tense

6️⃣ Past Perfect Tense

7️⃣ Simple Future Tense

8️⃣ Future Perfect Tense

❌ Tenses with No Passive Form

• Present Perfect Continuous
• Past Perfect Continuous
• Future Continuous
• Future Perfect Continuous

Example:
He has been writing a letter. → ❌ No passive voice possible.

All Tense Structures in Active & Passive Voice

🕐 1️⃣ Simple Present Tense

🔹 Active Voice:

🔹 Passive Voice:

🕑 2️⃣ Present Continuous Tense

🔹 Active Voice:

🔹 Passive Voice:

🕒 3️⃣ Present Perfect Tense

🔹 Active Voice:

🔹 Passive Voice:

🕓 4️⃣ Simple Past Tense

🔹 Active Voice:

🔹 Passive Voice:

🕔 5️⃣ Past Continuous Tense

🔹 Active Voice:

🔹 Passive Voice:

🕕 6️⃣ Past Perfect Tense

🔹 Active Voice:

🔹 Passive Voice:

🕖 7️⃣ Simple Future Tense

🔹 Active Voice:

🔹 Passive Voice:

🕗 8️⃣ Future Perfect Tense

🔹 Active Voice:

🔹 Passive Voice:

🚫 9️⃣ Tenses जिनका Passive Voice नहीं बनता

Shortcut to Remember Passive Formation

⚠️ Tricky & Exceptional Rules

1️⃣ Intransitive Verbs

Verbs like go, come, sleep, die, cry have no object, so no passive form.

2️⃣ Imperative Sentences

• Active: Open the door. → Passive: Let the door be opened.
• Active: Please help me. → Passive: You are requested to help me.

3️⃣ Interrogative Sentences

• Active: Did he complete the work? → Passive: Was the work completed by him?
• Active: Who wrote this book? → Passive: By whom was this book written?

4️⃣ Two Objects

He gave me a book. → I was given a book by him. / A book was given to me by him.

5️⃣ Preposition with Verb

They laughed at him. → He was laughed at by them.

6️⃣ Modals

You should obey the rules. → The rules should be obeyed by you.

7️⃣ Infinitives

I want to meet him. → I want him to be met.

8️⃣ Gerunds

I remember someone calling me. → I remember being called.

9️⃣ Sentences with “It is said / believed / thought”

People say he is honest. → It is said that he is honest. / He is said to be honest.

🔟 Causative Verbs (make, let, help, see, hear)

11️⃣ “Need to / Have to / Used to”

• You need to clean the room. → The room needs to be cleaned.
• He used to drive the car. → The car used to be driven by him.

12️⃣ Indirect Speech

He told me to work hard. → I was told to work hard.

🎯 Quick Tricks to Remember

• Always identify the object first.
• Use correct form of “be”.
• Verb must be in V3 form.
• Use “by” only if the doer is important.
• No passive for intransitive verbs.

✍️ Practice Exercises

1. Does she make tea?
2. He is not repairing the car.
3. They have written many letters.
4. Did he open the door?
5. Will she help you?

✅ Answers:

1. Is tea made by her?
2. The car is not being repaired by him.
3. Many letters have been written by them.
4. Was the door opened by him?
5. Will you be helped by her?

📚 Conclusion

Understanding Active and Passive Voice with all tense forms, tricky rules, and exceptions helps you score full marks in grammar sections of government exams. Revise these examples regularly to master this topic easily.