Active Voice and Passive Voice: A Detailed Guide
Website: Open Gateway Tamil
What is Voice in Grammar?
Voice refers to the form of a verb that shows whether the subject of a sentence performs the action (Active Voice) or receives the action (Passive Voice).
Active Voice
In Active Voice, the subject performs the action of the verb. This form is direct, clear, and commonly used in English.
Structure of Active Voice
- Simple Tenses: Subject + Verb + Object
- Continuous Tenses: Subject + is/am/are/was/were + Verb (-ing) + Object
- Perfect Tenses: Subject + has/have/had + Past Participle + Object
- Perfect Continuous Tenses: Subject + has/have/had been + Verb (-ing) + Object
Examples of Active Voice
- Simple Present: She writes a letter.
- Simple Past: He completed the project.
- Simple Future: They will deliver the package tomorrow.
- Present Continuous: I am reading a book.
- Present Perfect: They have finished the task.
Passive Voice
In Passive Voice, the subject receives the action of the verb. The object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence. Passive Voice is often used when the doer of the action is unknown or unimportant.
Structure of Passive Voice
- Simple Tenses: Object + is/am/are/was/were + Past Participle + (by Subject)
- Continuous Tenses: Object + is/am/are/was/were being + Past Participle + (by Subject)
- Perfect Tenses: Object + has/have/had been + Past Participle + (by Subject)
- Perfect Continuous Tenses: Passive form is rarely used.
Examples of Passive Voice
- Simple Present: A letter is written by her.
- Simple Past: The project was completed by him.
- Simple Future: The package will be delivered tomorrow.
- Present Continuous: A book is being read by me.
- Present Perfect: The task has been finished by them.
Rules for Converting Active Voice to Passive Voice
- The object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence.
- The verb is changed to its past participle form.
- A suitable form of the verb "to be" is added, depending on the tense.
- The subject of the active sentence becomes the object of the passive sentence, usually preceded by "by."
Comparison Table: Active Voice vs. Passive Voice
| Tense | Active Voice | Passive Voice |
|---|---|---|
| Simple Present | She writes a letter. | A letter is written by her. |
| Simple Past | He completed the project. | The project was completed by him. |
| Simple Future | They will deliver the package. | The package will be delivered by them. |
| Present Continuous | I am reading a book. | A book is being read by me. |
| Present Perfect | They have finished the task. | The task has been finished by them. |
When to Use Active Voice vs. Passive Voice?
- Active Voice: Use when the subject is important, and the sentence is direct and concise.
- Passive Voice: Use when the focus is on the action or the object receiving the action, or when the doer is unknown.
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