Learn how to change sentences from active to passive voice and use them correctly in different tenses. Perfect for Class 4-12 students. Master voice transformation with clear rules and examples.
1. What is Voice?
Voice tells us whether the subject does the action (Active) or receives the action (Passive).
| Voice | Subject | Focus | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active Voice | Does the action | On the doer | Rohan reads a book. |
| Passive Voice | Receives the action | On the action/receiver | A book is read by Rohan. |
| Key Difference: Active = Who does it? Passive = What is done? | |||
2. When to Use Passive Voice?
| Situation | Example (Active) | Example (Passive) | Why Passive is Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Doer is unknown | Someone stole my bike. | My bike was stolen. | We don't know "who" |
| Doer is not important | They clean this room daily. | This room is cleaned daily. | Focus on the action |
| Emphasize the receiver | The police arrested the thief. | The thief was arrested. | Focus on the thief |
| Formal/scientific writing | Scientists conducted the experiment. | The experiment was conducted. | More objective |
3. Rules for Changing Active to Passive
| Step | Active Voice | Passive Voice | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Object becomes Subject | Rohan reads a book. | A book is read... | Object moves to front |
| 2. Add correct form of "be" | Rohan reads a book. | A book is read... | Use "be" verb matching tense |
| 3. Use Past Participle | Rohan reads a book. | A book is read... | Main verb → past participle |
| 4. Add "by" + doer (optional) | Rohan reads a book. | ...by Rohan. | Only if doer is important |
| Formula: Object + be + Past Participle + (by + Subject) | |||
4. Present Tense - Active to Passive
| Tense | Active Voice | Passive Voice | Structure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple Present | She writes letters. | Letters are written by her. | am/is/are + past participle |
| Present Continuous | She is writing letters. | Letters are being written by her. | am/is/are + being + past participle |
| Present Perfect | She has written letters. | Letters have been written by her. | has/have + been + past participle |
| Present Perfect Continuous | She has been writing letters. | ❌ No passive form | Cannot be made passive |
5. Past Tense - Active to Passive
| Tense | Active Voice | Passive Voice | Structure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple Past | She wrote letters. | Letters were written by her. | was/were + past participle |
| Past Continuous | She was writing letters. | Letters were being written by her. | was/were + being + past participle |
| Past Perfect | She had written letters. | Letters had been written by her. | had + been + past participle |
| Past Perfect Continuous | She had been writing letters. | ❌ No passive form | Cannot be made passive |
6. Future Tense - Active to Passive
| Tense | Active Voice | Passive Voice | Structure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple Future | She will write letters. | Letters will be written by her. | will + be + past participle |
| Future Continuous | She will be writing letters. | ❌ No passive form | Cannot be made passive |
| Future Perfect | She will have written letters. | Letters will have been written by her. | will + have + been + past participle |
| Future Perfect Continuous | She will have been writing letters. | ❌ No passive form | Cannot be made passive |
7. Modal Verbs in Passive Voice
| Modal | Active Voice | Passive Voice | Structure |
|---|---|---|---|
| can | She can solve this problem. | This problem can be solved by her. | modal + be + past participle |
| could | She could solve this problem. | This problem could be solved by her. | modal + be + past participle |
| may | She may solve this problem. | This problem may be solved by her. | modal + be + past participle |
| might | She might solve this problem. | This problem might be solved by her. | modal + be + past participle |
| must | She must solve this problem. | This problem must be solved by her. | modal + be + past participle |
| should | She should solve this problem. | This problem should be solved by her. | modal + be + past participle |
8. Quick Practice (5 Questions)
9. Common Mistakes to Avoid
| Wrong ❌ | Right ✅ | Why? |
|---|---|---|
| Football is play by boys. | Football is played by boys. | Need past participle (played, not play) |
| The letter is wrote by her. | The letter is written by her. | Irregular verb: write→written (not wrote) |
| Cakes are being bake. | Cakes are being baked. | Being + past participle (baked, not bake) |
| She has been being called. | ❌ No such form | Perfect continuous cannot be passive |
| The work can done by him. | The work can be done by him. | Modal + be + past participle |
🔄 Voice Transformation Challenge
Change these active sentences to passive:
1. Active: The chef cooks delicious food.
Passive: Delicious food is cooked by the chef.
2. Active: They are painting the walls.
Passive: The walls are being painted by them.
3. Active: She has completed the work.
Passive: The work has been completed by her.
Hover to see answers (or select the blank area)
10. Memory Aids & Tips
Active → Passive Checklist:
1. Find object → Make it subject
2. Add correct "be" verb (match tense)
3. Use past participle of main verb
4. Add "by + doer" if needed
Tenses with NO Passive Form:
• Present Perfect Continuous
• Past Perfect Continuous
• Future Continuous
• Future Perfect Continuous
Remember: Perfect Continuous tenses are never passive!
"Be" Verb Forms for Different Tenses:
Present: am/is/are
Past: was/were
Perfect: has been/have been/had been
Future: will be
Continuous: being
Exam Tip:
1. Check if sentence has object → Can be passive
2. Identify tense first → Use correct "be" form
3. Remember irregular past participles
4. Perfect Continuous = No passive (important for exams!)
📝 Practice Active & Passive Voice
Test with our 25-question worksheet covering all tenses!
Download Voice WorksheetIncludes answer key • All tenses • Modal passives • Printable PDF
