Active and Passive voice

ACTIVE AND PASSIVE VOICE : ACTIVE AND PASSIVE VOICE ENGLISH GRAMMAR

Use in day-to-day language : Use in day-to-day language We use a lot of sentences in our day-to-day life to converse.Most of the sentences which we say are in active voice as they are shorter.Examples for the same would be discussed later in the session. So let us understand the meaning of Active voice and Passive voice and then go ahead with the examples while we discuss the rules for the same. In grammar, Voice refers to the form of a verb that shows whether the subject of a sentence performs the action or is affected by it.

ACTIVE VOICE : ACTIVE VOICE Def A verb is in the Active Voice when its form shows that the person or thing denoted by the Subject does something ; or, in other words , is the doer of the action. The Active Voice is so called because the person denoted by the Subject acts. E.g. Jim killed a snake.

PASSIVE VOICE : PASSIVE VOICE Def A verb is in the Passive Voice when its form shows that something is done to the person or thing denoted by the Subject. The Passive Voice is so called because the person or thing denoted by the Subject is not active but passive ,that is ,suffers or receives some action. E.g. A snake was killed by Jim.

General Rule : General Rule Normally , only those verbs can be passivized which have an object. Such verbs are called Transitive verbs i.e. verbs with objects. Thus , a typical active voice sentence should have the following parts in order for it to be passivized. Subject ( Doer ) + Verb + Object It is noticed that when the verb is changed from the Active Voice to the Passive Voice , the Object of the Transitive verb in the Active Voice becomes the Subject of the Verb in the Passive Voice.

Slide 6 :

Slide 7 :

Slide 8 : MODALS

SOME MORE RULES : SOME MORE RULES You may have to use an appropriate preposition like ‘by’ before the passive object whenever it is mentioned.

Some more rules : Some more rules When we change a sentence from active voice to passive voice , the tense of the verb remains the same. The verb has to agree with the subject of the sentence.

Passive of imperative sentences : Passive of imperative sentences Commands form : let + subject +be (not) +past participle e.g. Active : Shut the door. Passive : Let the door be shut. Requests In these sentences the action does not pass to the object. The advice remains limited to the subject only. e.g. Active : Kindly help him. Passive : You are requested to help him.

TIME FOR EXAMPLES : TIME FOR EXAMPLES LET US TAKE SOME EXAMPLES TO UNDERSTAND ACTIVE VOICE AND PASSIVE VOICE MORE CLEARLY.

ACTIVEMark wrote a letter. : ACTIVEMark wrote a letter.

PASSIVE A letter was written by Mark. : PASSIVE A letter was written by Mark.

Change from active to passive voice : Change from active to passive voice My uncle looks after me. The boys are running a race. Floods have destroyed crops. Do you like her? Are they flying kites? I am looked after by my uncle. A race is being run by the boys. Crops have been destroyed by floods. Is she liked by you? Are kites being flown by them?

Contd; : Contd; He shot a bird. He was writing a letter . They had bribed the clerk. Did you eat my cheese? A bird was shot by him. A letter was being written by him. The clerk had been bribed by them. Was my cheese eaten by you?

Contd; : Contd; You must reveal the facts. Someone must have stolen the necklace. Children ought to obey the elders. They may not have sent the letter. The facts must be revealed by you. The necklace must have been stolen by you. The elders ought to be obeyed by children. The letter may not have been sent by them.

Contd ; : Contd ; Inform the police. Work hard. Please wait for me. Kindly do me a favour. Let the police be informed. You are advised to work hard. You are requested to wait for me. You are requested to do me a favour.

Any doubts?? : Any doubts??

THANK YOU STUDENTS! : THANK YOU STUDENTS!