Change of Voice

A key principle of passive voice construction is that it only works with transitive verbs, as these verbs require an object that can become the subject in passive form.

When a transitive verb in active voice has two objects, either object can become the subject in passive voice, creating two possible passive constructions.

Note that passive voice cannot be formed with verbs in future continuous tense or any perfect continuous forms (present, past, or future). This means only eight of the twelve verb forms can be transformed into passive voice.

Present Indefinite Tense

To form passive voice in present indefinite tense, use 'is', 'are', or 'am' followed by the past participle (third form) of the verb.

• Examples:

  • Active: I read a poem.

    
    

    Passive: A poem is read by me.

  • Active: He scolds me.

    
    

    Passive: I am scolded by him.

  • Active: You do not like her.

    
    

    Passive: She is not liked by you.

Present Continuous Tense

For present continuous tense, the passive structure is: is/am/are + being + past participle.

• Examples:

  • Active: I am writing a letter.

    
    

    Passive: A letter is being written by me.

  • Active: We are not listening to you.

    
    

    Passive: You are not being listened to by us.

  • Active: What are you doing?

    
    

    Passive: What is being done by you?

Present Perfect Tense

The passive structure in present perfect tense is: has/have + been + past participle.

• Examples:

  • Active: The farmer has tilled the field.

    
    

    Passive: The field has been tilled by the farmer.

  • Active: I have not bought a new bike.

    
    

    Passive: A new bike has not been bought by me.

  • Active: What have you done?

    
    

    Passive: What has been done by you?

Past Indefinite Tense

For past indefinite tense, use was/were + past participle.

• Examples:

  • Active: She wrote a letter.

    
    

    Passive: A letter was written by her.

  • Active: Did you waste money?

    
    

    Passive: Was money wasted by you?

  • Active: Who taught you Hindi?

    
    

    Passive: By whom were you taught Hindi?

Past Continuous Tense

The passive structure in past continuous tense is: was/were + being + past participle.

• Examples:

  • Active: He was winding his watch.

    
    

    Passive: His watch was being wound by him.

  • Active: Was he not reading a book?

    
    

    Passive: Was a book not being read by him?

  • Active: Which picture was he seeing?

    
    

    Passive: Which picture was being seen by him?

Past Perfect Tense

For past perfect tense, use had + been + past participle.

• Examples:

  • Active: I had sold my cow.

    
    

    Passive: My cow had been sold by me.

  • Active: The farmer had not sown the crop.

    
    

    Passive: The crop had not been sown by the farmer.

  • Active: He had not fed the poor.

    
    

    Passive: The poor had not been fed by him.

Future Indefinite Tense

The passive structure in future indefinite tense is: will + be + past participle.

• Examples:

  • Active: He will do it.

    
    

    Passive: It will be done by him.

  • Active: Who will pay your fine?

    
    

    Passive: By whom will your fine be paid?

  • Active: Will she not wear a saree?

    
    

    Passive: Will a saree not be worn by her?

Future Perfect Tense

For future perfect tense, use shall/will + have been + past participle.

• Examples:

  • Active: She will have opened a school.

    
    

    Passive: A school will have been opened by her.

  • Active: I shall have painted a picture.

    
    

    Passive: A picture shall have been painted by me.

  • Active: They will have bought a good television.

    
    

    Passive: A good television will have been bought by them.