Active & Passive Voice – Rules, Patterns & Examples

Definition & Function

Voice is that form of a verb which shows whether what is denoted by the subject does something or has something done to it.

• A verb is in the active voice when its form shows that the person or thing denoted by the subject does something, that is, is the doer of the action. The subject acts.
• 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 subject is not active but passive. It does not act, but suffers or receives some action.

Consider the following sentences.

1. The peon opened the gate.
2. The gate was opened by the peon.

Both the sentences have the same meaning. The difference, however, lies in emphasis. In the first sentence, the peon becomes prominent. In the second sentence, the gate becomes prominent. So, the function of voice lies in the shifting of prominence.

Sentence 1 is in the active voice because the subject (the peon) is the doer of the action (opened). Note that the gate is the object here.

Sentence 2 is in the passive voice because the subject (the gate) is not the doer of the action, but the receiver (was opened). It does not have any object. Note that the object of the verb becomes the subject in the passive voice. Thus only transitive verbs can be used in the passive voice because an intransitive verb has no object.

Rule: Subject placement & “by”

Notable exceptions

However, there are a few notable exceptions:

• The writer is enamoured (is inspired with love) of what he writes.
• The entire place is infested (is spread over in large number) with vermin.
• She was touched with pity for the animals.
• The poor man was beset (was surrounded) with difficulties.
• The master was pleased with the servant.
• The road was lined with people.
• The field was thronged (was crowded) with audience.
• She was surprised at what her mother said.

Passive sense with active form

A few transitive verbs like eat, read, smell, taste etc., even in an active form, are sometimes used in a passive sense.

This fruit example:

SYNTACTICAL CHANGES IN ACTIVE–PASSIVE CONVERSION PROCESS

(A) TENSE

(B) TWO OBJECTS OF THE VERB

If a verb in the Active Voice takes two objects — a direct one and an indirect one after it, either of them may be retained in the Passive such as,

(C) SENTENCES BEGINNING WITH “LET”

(D) USE OF PREPOSITION

(i) Intransitives with a preposition retain it in the Passive

(ii) Sometimes a preposition other than “by” is used

(E) PASSIVE OF IMPERATIVE SENTENCES

(i) Start with “Let”: Let + be + past participle

(ii) Alternative method

(F) PASSIVE OF INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES

(i) If Active begins with Do/Does/Did → Is/Are/Was/Were + V3

(ii) If Active begins with a modal auxiliary → Modal + be + V3

(iii) If Active begins with has/have/had → Has/Have/Had + been + V3

(iv) If Active begins with what/where/why/when

Form: Question word + is/am/are/was/were + V3

Note: If the Active sentence begins with “who”, then it is changed into “By whom” in the Passive Voice.

(G) VERBS OF INCOMPLETE PREDICATION

Whenever a transitive verb of incomplete predication (i.e. a verb which needs a complement in addition to an object) is changed from the Active Voice into the Passive Voice, the object (and never the complement) becomes the subject in the Passive Voice.