Tamilnadu State Board Class 10 English Grammar Active & Passive Voice
♦ Active & Passive Voice (Text Book Page No.: 14–16)
The voice of a verb tells whether the subject of the sentence performs or receives the action. When a verb represents a person or a thing as doing something, it is said to be in Active Voice.
In most English sentences with an action verb, the subject performs the action denoted by the verb. So, when we express an idea giving importance to the doer, the sentence is written in the active form.
Structure of active voice :
Subject + verb + object.
Examples:
Hari won the prize.
Sona sang a song.
These examples show that the subject is doing the action. The subject does or “acts upon” the verb in such sentences so, the sentences are said to be in the active voice.
On the other hand, when a verb represents a person or thing being acted upon, it is said to be in Passive Voice. When we express an idea giving importance to the action rather than to the doer, the sentence is written in the passive form.
Structure of Passive Voice :
Object + be verb + verb as past participle + by + subject.
Examples:
The prize was won by Hari.
A song was sung by Sona.
Pronouns get changed when they change their positions in the following way:
I ↔ Me; We ↔ Us You You; He ↔ Him She ↔ Her; It ↔ It; They ↔ Them
Note: Only the third form of Verb is used in Passive Constructions.
Change Of Voice Exercises
Active Voice — Passive Voice
Simple Present
Arjun sees a deer. – A deer is seen by Arjun.
I do not like kites. – Kites are not liked by me.
He does not eat apples. – Apples are not eaten by him.
Do you take tea? – Is tea taken by you?
Present Continuous
Arjun is seeing a deer. – A deer is being seen by Arjun.
He is not eating apples. – Apples are not being eaten by him.
Are you taking tea? – Is tea being taken by you?
Present Perfect
Partha has played violin. – Violin has been played by Partha.
He has not eaten apples. – Apples have not been eaten by him.
Have you taken tea? – Has tea been taken by you?
Present, Past and Future Indefinite Tenses
He sings a song – A song is sung by him.
Do you like music? – Is music liked by you?
I do not play chess. – Chess is not played by me.
He told a lie. – A lie was told by him.
Did he help you? – Were you helped by him?
She did not like them. – They were not liked by her.
You will win the prize. – The prize will be won by you.
Will you take tea? – Will tea be taken by you
He will not harm you. – You will not be harmed by him.
Exercises
Change the sentences to passive voice.
Question 1.
Many people begin new projects in January.
Answer:
New projects are begun in January.
Question 2.
The mother is going to prepare the food.
Answer:
The food is going to be prepared by mother.
Question 3.
They make shoes in that factory.
Answer:
Shoes are made in that factory.
Question 4.
We will have to examine you again.
Answer:
You will have to be examined again by us.
Question 5.
We must look into the question.
Answer:
The question must be looked into by us.
Question 6.
Someone reads the newspaper to him every day.
Answer:
The newspaper is read to him every day.
Question 7.
The Chinese discovered acupuncture thousands of years ago.
Answer:
Acupuncture was discovered by the Chinese thousands of years ago.
Question 8.
The police locked up the criminals.
Answer:
The criminals were locked up by the police.
Question 9.
They must have left the keys behind.
Answer:
The keys must have been left behind.
Question 10.
The boy is eating the cake.
Answer:
The cake is being eaten by the boy.
Question 11.
The spider scared her.
Answer:
She was scared by the spider.
Question 12.
The guide will show us the Museum in the afternoon.
Answer:
We will be shown the Museum by the guide in the afternoon.