- Active : what subject does.
- Passive : The focus is on the action.
- Examples:
- Active : Tony killed Ravan .
- Passive : Ravan was killed by Tony.
- Conclusion:
- Active = subject + object
- Passive = object+be+v3+by subject
- Examples :
- Active: he is following us.
- Passive: we are being followed by him
- Active : I am buying a pen .
- Passive : A pen is being bought by me.
- The common rule :
- Bring the object first.
- choose correct ‘be’ verb.
- change the verb into participle.
- add by + subject .
- How the subjct and the verb change :
Subject : I , we , you , they, He , She .
Object : Me , Us , You , Them , Him ,Her . - Note: If there are two objects use any one.
- For example :
- She told us a story.
- 1- we were told a story by her
- 2- a story was told to us by her .
- –Active rule : have/has/had/is/am/are/was/were +to +v1
- –Passive rule: have/has/had/is/am/are/was/were +to be+ v3
- For example:
We have to learn English .
English has to be learnt. - Modal auxilliary verbs: can , could , shall, should , may ,might ,will , would ,must .
Active rule :Modals + v1
passive rule : Modals + be + v3
Examples :
She can speak French.
French can be spoken by her . - Modals : must have , should have , could have , might have would have .
Active : Modals + v3
Passive : Modals + been + v3 - Example :
They should have stolen my bag.
my bag should have been stolen by them.
- Passive voice for tenses
- Simple present : obj + is/am/are +v3
- Example : The poem is written by her.
- Continuous present : obj + is/am/are+ being + v3
- Example : Rice is being cooked by her.
- Perfect present : Obi + have / has + been + v3
- Example : Homework has been done by him.
- Simple future : obj + will/shall + be+ v3
- Example : beautiful poem will be written by her.
- Perfect future : obj + will/shall + have been + v3
- Example : Homework will have been done by him.
- Note : negative sentences remain negative.
- Example :
- active : they have not stolen my pen.
- Passive : My pen has not been stolen.
- Passive voice of “yes/no” questions :
- Active rule : did or does + subj + v1 + obj
- Passive rule : (was/were) or (is/am /are) + obj + v3
- Examples :
- Can you speak English?
- Can English be spoken by you?
- Did you help him?
- Was he helped by you?
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One response to “General rules for active and passive voice”
Good work
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