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Change of Voice in Active and Passive
CHANGE OF VOICE IN ACTIVE AND PASSIVE

Change of Voice in Active and Passive in English

Change of Voice in Active & Passive

"Voice is the quality of a verb that indicates whether its subject acts (Active Voice) or is acted upon (Passive Voice)."

Active voice defines that the subject is doing the action and the Passive voice refers to that the subject is being acted upon.

Change of Voice: Interrogative, Negative, Imperative and Infinitive Sentences.
Interrogative Sentences:
Examples:
  • • Where did she find a book? (Active)
  • • Where was the book found (by her)? (Passive)
  • • Who collets stamps? (Active)
  • • By whom the stamps are collected? (Passive)
  • • Why do you read this book? (Active)
  • • Why this book is read by you? (Passive)
  • • Which library do you visit? (Active)
  • • Which library is visited by you? (Passive)
  • • How does she prepare the notes? (Active)
  • • How are the notes prepared by her? (Passive)
  • • When does she buy books? (Active)
  • • When are the books bought by her? (Passive)
  • • What did you buy in Super-Mall? (Active)
  • • What was bought by you in Super-Mall? (Passive)
Negative Sentences:
Examples:
  • • Meena does not like coffee. (Active)
  • • Coffee is not liked by Meena. (Passive)
  • • No one liked the play. (Active)
  • • The play was not liked (by all). (Passive)
  • • He does not like late coming. (Active)
  • • Late coming is not liked by him. (Passive)
  • • Rekha does not like to see movies. (Active)
  • • Movies is not seen by Rekha. (Passive)
  • • The seller do not give discount. (Active)
  • • The discount is not given by the seller. (Passive)
Imperative Sentences:
Examples:
  • • Do it. (Active)
  • • Let it be done. (Passive)
  • • Allow him to go. (Active)
  • • Let him go. (Passive)
  • • (You) sit down. (Active)
  • • Let him be sited. (Passive)
  • • Let them come in. (Active)
  • • They be let to come in. (Passive)
  • • Stand up. (Active)
  • • You are ordered to stand up. (Passive)
  • • Work hard. (Active)
  • • You are advised to work hard. (Passive)
  • • Don’t smoke. (Active)
  • • You are requested not to smoke here. (Passive)
  • • Shut the door. (Active)
  • • Let the door be shut. (Passive)
  • • Please let him write. (Active)
  • • You are requested to allow him to write. (Passive)
  • • Don’t allow any one inside. (Active)
  • • No one / nobody be allowed inside. (Passive)
Infinitive Sentences:
Examples:
  • • I am going to write a book. (Active)
  • • A book will be written by me. (Passive)
  • • He has to write a report. (Active)
  • • A report has to be written by him. (Passive)
  • • I want them to help you. (Active)
  • • I want you to be helped (by them). (Passive)
  • • Cold drink is too cold to drink. (Active)
  • • Cold drink is too cold to be drunk. (Passive)
  • • I want Krupa to solve this puzzle. (Active)
  • • I want this puzzle to be solved by Krupa. (Passive)
  • • I would prefer him to teach my son. (Active)
  • • I would prefer my son to be taught by him. (Passive)
  • • The Government expects us to pay Taxes. (Active)
  • • The Government expects taxes to be paid (by us). (Passive)
  • • You will have to submit your project tomorrow. (Active)
  • • Your project will have to be submitted tomorrow by you. (Passive)
Common Mistakes in Using Active and Passive Voice:
1. Incorrect verb form:

Forming passive voice requires the verb to be and a past participle.

Example:
  • x The cake was eat by him. -(Incorrect)
  • • The cake was eaten by him. -(Correct)
2. Inappropriate usage:

Using the passive voice where the active would be more effective.

Example:
  • x The keys were lost by me. -(Incorrect)
  • • I lost the keys. -(Correct)
3. Overcomplicating sentences:

Unnecessary use of the passive voice can lead to awkward phrasing.

Example:
  • x It has been observed that he is always late. -(Incorrect)
  • • He is always late. -(Correct)

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