There are two ways to express an action of a subject in relation
to its object
Ø Active voice
In “active voice” subject acts upon object. It
can also be said, in “active voice” subject does a work on object. The normal
structure of an active voice sentence is
Subject + verb + object
Ø Passive voice
In “passive voice” object is acted upon by
subject or object is worked on by subject. in passive the normal structure of
sentence is reversed according to certain rules and becomes like
Object + verb + subject
The real meaning of a sentence does not change
if the sentence is expressed either by active voice or by passive voice. The active
voice is mostly used in writing because it gives a direct and more
concise meaning. Passive voice is used sometimes due to the following reasons:
1. When intentionally hiding
the subject of sentence. For example, a student who failed in exam might say, some
chapters were not studied.
Another example. Women were not treated as equals
2. When passive voice better
explain thought of sentence. For example, to say, cloth is sold in
yards, is more meaningful than to say, Shop keepers sell cloth in
yards.
3. When passive voice better
emphasizes the main though of the sentence. For example, a man who is being
teased by another person might say in anger, “you will be beaten by me”
4. When subject is not exactly
known. For example, His watch was stolen. It is not known that who
stole his watch, the subject (thief) is not exactly known so it is better to
use passive voice for such sentence. There are certain rules for expressing a
thought in passive voice or for changing a sentence from active voice to
passive voice.
Fundamental
Rules for changing from active voice to passive voice
1. The places of subject and
object are interchanged i.e. the object shifts to the place of subject and
subject shifts to the place of object in passive voice.
Example: Active
voice: I write a letter.
Passive voice: I letter is written by me.
-
Subject (I) of sentence shifted to the place of
object (letter) and object (letter) shifted to the place of subject (I) in
passive voice.
2. Sometimes subject of
sentence is not used in passive voice. Subject of sentence can be omitted in
passive voice, if without subject it can give enough meaning in passive voice. Example: Passive voice: cloth
is sold in yards
3. 3rd form of verb (past
participle) is always used as main verb in sentences of passive voice
for all tenses. Base form of verb or present participle will be never used in
passive voice. The word “by” is used before subject in sentences in passive
voice.
Example: Active
voice: He sings a song.
Passive voice: A song is sung by him.
4. The word “by” is not always
used before subject in passive voice. Sometimes words “with, to, etc” may also
be used before subject in passive voice.
Examples: Active voice: The water
fills the tub.
Passive voice: The tub is filled with water.
Active voice: He knows me.
Passive voice: I am known to him.
5. Auxiliary verbs are used
passive voice according to the tense of sentence.
Sentences Which Cannot Be Changed Into Passive Voice
A verb can be either transitive or
intransitive. A transitive verb needs an object (in sentence) to give complete
meaning while intransitive verb does need an object (in sentence) to give
complete meaning. For
example:
Transitive verb.
He sent a letter.
(Send is a transitive verb and it needs an object i.e. letter
to express full meaning.)
Intransitive Verb.
He laughs.
(Laugh is an intransitive verb and it does not need object
for expressing full meaning.)
e.g. Sleep, go, reach, sit, die, are examples of intransitive
verbs.
Intransitive verb
cannot be changed into passive voice
The sentences having intransitive verbs
(belonging to any tense) cannot be changed into passive voice. The reason is
that there is not any object in such sentences and without object of sentence
passive voice is not possible.
A sentence can be changed into passive voice
if it has subject and object. Sometimes subject may not be written in passive
voice but it does not mean that it has no subject. Such sentences have subject
but the subject is so common or familiar or known that if even it is not
written in passive voice, it gives full meaning.
For example: Cloth
is sold in yards.
The following tenses can also not be changed into passive
voice.
1. Present
perfect continuous tense
2. Past
perfect continuous tense
3. Future
continuous tense
4. Future
perfect continuous tense
Passive Voice For Tenses
Rules
Fundamental Rules
1.
The places of subject and object in sentence are
inter-changed in passive voice.
2.
3rd form of verb (past participle) will be used
only (as main verb) in passive voice.
3.
Auxiliary verbs for each tense are given below
in the table.
Present Simple Tense
(passive Voice)
Auxiliary verb in passive
voice: am/is/are
|
|
Active voice:
He sings a song.
He does not sing a song.
Does he sing a song?
|
Passive voice:
A song is sung
by him.
A song is not
sung by him.
Is a song sung by him?
|
Present Continuous Tense
(passive Voice)
Auxiliary verb in passive
voice: am being/is being/are being
|
|
Active voice:
I am writing a letter
I am not writing a
letter.
Am I writing a letter?
|
Passive voice:
A letter is being written
by me.
A letter is not
being written by me.
Is a letter being written
by me?
|
Present Perfect Tense
(passive Voice)
Auxiliary verb in passive
voice: has been/have been
|
|
Active voice:
She has finished his work
She has not finished her
work.
Has she finished her
work?
|
Passive voice:
Her work has been finished
by her.
Her work has not been finished
by her.
Has her work been finished
by her?
|
Past Simple Tense
(passive Voice)
Auxiliary verb in passive
voice: was/were
|
|
Active voice:
I killed a snake
I did not kill a snake.
Did I kill a snake?
|
Passive voice:
A snake was killed
by me.
A snake was not
killed by me.
Was a snake killed by
me?\
|
Past Continuous Tense
(Passive Voice)
Auxiliary verb in passive
voice: was being/were being
|
|
Active voice:
He was driving a car.
He was not driving a car.
Was he driving a car?
|
Passive voice:
A car was being driven
by him.
A car was not
being driven by him.
Was a car being driven
by him.
|
Past Perfect Tense
(Passive Voice)
Auxiliary verb in passive
voice: had been
|
|
Active voice:
They had completed the
assignment.
They had not completed
the assignment.
Had they completed the
assignment?
|
Passive voice:
The assignment had
been completed by them.
The assignment had
not been complete by them.
Had the
assignment been completed by them?
|
Future Simple Tense
(Passive Voice)
Auxiliary verb in passive
voice: will be
|
|
Active voice:
She will buy a car.
She will not buy a car.
Will she buy a car?
|
Passive voice:
A car will be bought
by her.
A car will not be bought
by her.
Will a car be bought
by her?
|
Future Perfect Tense
(passive Voice)
Auxiliary verb in passive
voice: will have been
|
|
Active voice:
You will have started the
job.
You will have not started
the job.
Will you have started the
job?
|
Passive voice:
The job will have
been started by you.
The job will not
have been started by you.
Will the job have been started
by you?
|
Passive voice for
Present/Future Modals
“CAN, MAY, MIGHT, SHOULD,
MUST, OUGHT TO”
- The places of subject and object
in sentence are inter-changed in passive voice.
- 3rd form of verb (past participle)
will be used only (as main verb) in passive voice.
- To change sentences having
present/future modal into passive voice, auxiliary verb “be” / “been” is
added after modal in sentence.
Passive voice for
Present/Future Modals
“CAN, MAY, MIGHT, SHOULD, MUST, OUGHT TO”
Auxiliary verb in passive
voice: be
|
|
Active voice: CAN
She can play a violin.
She cannot play a violin.
Can she play a violin?
|
Passive voice: CAN BE
A violin can be played by
her.
A violin cannot be played
by her.
Can a violin be played by
her?
|
Active voice: MAY
I may buy the computer.
I may not buy the
computer.
May I buy the computer?
|
Active voice: MAY BE
The computer may be
bought by me.
The computer may not be
bought by me.
May the computer be
bought by me?
|
Active voice: MIGHT
Guests might play chess.
Guests might not play
chess.
|
Active voice: MIGHT BE
Chess might be played by
guests.
Chess might not be played
guests.
|
Active voice: SHOULD
Students should study all
lessons.
Students should not study
all lessons.
Should students study all
lessons?
|
Active voice: SHOULD BE
All lessons should be
studied by students.
All lessons should not be
studied by students.
Should all lessons be
studied by students?
|
Active voice: MUST
You must learn the
test-taking strategies.
You must not learn the
test-taking strategies.
|
Active voice: MUST BE
Test-taking strategies
must be learnt by you.
Test-taking strategies
must not be learned by you.
|
Active voice: OUGHT TO
They ought to take the
examination.
|
Active voice: OUGHT TO BE
The examination ought to
be taken by them.
|
Passive voice for Past
Modals
“MAY HAVE, MIGHT HAVE, SHOULD HAVE, MUST HAVE, OUGHT HAVE TO”
Auxiliary verb in passive
voice: been
|
|
Active voice: MAY HAVE
You may have availed the
opportunity.
You may not have availed
the opportunity.
|
Active voice: MAY HAVE
BEEN
The opportunity may have
been availed by you.
The opportunity may not
have been availed by you.
|
Active voice: MIGHT HAVE
He might have eaten meal.
He might not have eaten
meal.
|
Active voice: MIGHT HAVE
BEEN
Meal might have been
eaten by him.
Meal might not have been
eaten by him.
|
Active voice: SHOULD HAVE
You should have studied
the book.
You should not have
studied the book.
|
Active voice: SHOULD HAVE
BEEN
The book should have been
studied by you.
The book should have not
been studied by you.
|
Active voice: MUST HAVE
He must have started job.
He must not have started
job.
|
Active voice: MUST HAVE
BEEN
Job must have been
started by you.
Job must not have been
started by you.
|
Active voice: OUGHT TO
HAVE
You ought to have helped
him.
|
Active voice: OUGHT TO
HAVE BEEN
He ought to have been
helped by you
|
Active and passive voice exercises
Sentences are given in the active voice. Change them into the passive
voice.
1. He
teaches English.
- English is taught by him.
2. The child is eating bananas.
- Bananas are being eaten by
the child.
3. She is writing a letter.
- A letter is being
written by her.
4. The master punished the servant.
- The servant was punished by
the master.
5. He was writing a book.
- A book was being written by
him.
6. Who wrote this letter?
- By whom was this letter written?
7. Somebody cooks meal every day.
- Meal is cooked by someone
every day.
8. He wore a blue shirt.
- A blue shirt was worn by
him.
9. May God bless you with happiness!
- May you be blessed with
happiness!
10. They are building a house.
- A house is being built by
them.
11. I have finished the job.
- The job has been
finished by me.
12. I sent the report yesterday.
- The report was
sent yesterday.
13. She bought a diamond necklace.
- A diamond necklace was
bought by her.
14. Somebody had stolen my purse.
- My purse had been stolen by
somebody.
Sources :
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