ACTIVE AND PASSIVE VOICE

   PASSIVE VOICE

      The passive voice is a grammatical construction (specifically, a "voice"). The noun or noun phrase that would be the object of an active sentence (such as Our troops defeated the enemy) appears as the subject of a sentence with passive voice (e.g. The enemy was defeated by our troops).

    The subject of a sentence or clause featuring the passive voice typically denotes the recipient of the action (the patient) rather than the performer (the agent). The passive voice in English is formed periphrastically: the usual form uses the auxiliary verb be (or get) together with the past participle of the main verb.

    For example, Caesar was stabbed by Brutus uses the passive voice. The subject denotes the person (Caesar) affected by the action of the verb. The agent is expressed here with the phrase by Brutus, but this can be omitted. The equivalent sentence in active voice is Brutus stabbed Caesar, in which the subject denotes the doer, or agent, Brutus. A sentence featuring the passive voice is sometimes called a passive sentence, and a verb phrase in passive voice is sometimes called a passive verb.

1.      Simple Present Tense

       S + To be (Is, am, are) + Verb III + by + O

       Example :

·         His motor cycle is repaired by me there.

·         His car is cleaned by him steadily.

·         You are helped by her to clean your room.

2.      Simple Past Tense

      S + Was / Were + Verb III + by + O

      Example :

·         You were waited by her for two hours.

·         Some pudding was made by us yesterday.

·         The match was watched by them yesterday.

3.      Simple Future Tense

      S + Shall / Will + be + Verb III + by + O

                  Example :

·         Our friend will be visited  by us in the hospital.

·         The examination will be followed by  them next week.

·         The cake will be eaten by him.

             4.      Present Continous Tense

                   S + is,  am, here + being + Verb III + by + O

                   Example :

·         My work is being finished by me now.

·         Flower is being planted by us in the school yard.

·         Her fishes are being stolen by her friend

             5.      Present Perfect Tense

                   S + have / has + been + Verb III + O

                   Example :

·         The training has been followed by us.

·         My magazine have been sold by them.

·          Your home work has been done by me.

   A.    Change the verb to the active voice and rewrite the sentence. Be sure to keep the same tense. In    some cases, it will be necesary to supply a subject (see the second example).

1.      The books were taken by John.

Jhon took the books.

2.      The boxes were mailed today.

He mailed the boxes today

3.      The two packages were opened by my secretary.

My secretary opened the two packages.

4.      Our homework is corrected by our teacher.

Our teacher corrected our homework.

5.      Two buildings have been constructed by that company.

That company have constructed two buildings.

6.      That room wasn’t cleaned carefully yesterday.

He didn’t clean that room carefully yesterday.

7.      The truck is being loaded by the men now.

The men is loading the truck now.

8.      Was that machine checked by the inspector ?

Did the inspector checked that machine ?

9.      Will that report be written by the same committee ?

Will the same committe write that report ?

10.  Has the news been announced by the presiden yet ?

Has the president announced the news ?

11.  The mail is delivered to this office twice a day.

He delivered the mail to this office twice a day.

12.  All of us were suprised by his frank attitude.

His frank attitude suprised all of us.

13.  Was the repair work done by the mechanic ?

Did  the mechanic done the repair work ?

14.  He wasn’t very much respected by the employees.

The employees didn’t respected him very much.

15.  Are many courses in English given during the summer ?

Are you give many courses in English during the summer ?

     B.     Change the verb to the passive voice and rewrite the sentence. Be sure to keep the same                 tense.

1.      He signed the letter.

The letter was signed by him.

2.      The secretary opens the mail every morning.

The mail is opened by the secretary every morning.

3.      The committee is considering that proposal right now.

That proposal is being considered by the committee right now.

4.      The army will complete that project next  year.

That project will be completed by the army next year.

5.      His boss has transfered him to the another department.

He has been transfered by his boss to the another department. 

6.      Will the company distribute the announcements ?

Will the announcements be distributed bye the company ?

7.      An artist wrote that interisting article about Paris.

That interisting article about Paris was written by an artist.

8.      Today a large number of people speak English.

Today English spoke by a large number of people.

9.      Didn’t they return those books to the library ?

Wasn’t those book returned by them to the library ?

10.  The government has not changed that regulation yet.

That regulation has not been changed by the government yet.

11.  Someone stole all her valuable jewelry last night.

Her valuable jewelry was stolen by someone last night.

12.  Miss Peters wrote all of the reports for Mr. Jhonson.

All of the reports for Mr. Jhonson was written by miss Peters.

13.  Bad weather has delayed flight 202 from Miami.

Flight 202 from Miami has been delayed by bad weather.

14.  Did the court divide the money among the children ?

Was the money among the children by the court divided ?

15.  Many scholars have translated that famous Greek epic.

That famous Greek epic have been translated by many scholars.

ACTIVE VS PASSIVE

Use the correct voice (active or passive) and the correct tense of verb in each sentence.

1.      Everyone (shock) by the terrible news yesterday.

 The terrible news was shocked everyone yesterday.

2.      Almost everyone (enjoy) the lecture last night.

The lecture was enjoyed by almost everyone last night.

3.      English (teach) in the schools of almost every nation.

English taught in the schools of almost every nation.

4.      That proposal (consider) by the members right now.

That proposal is considering by the members right now.

5.      The accident (happen) right here at 6:30 last night.

The accident happened right here at 6:30 last night.

6.      Smith (teach) at the University of Washington since 1948.

Smith has taught at the University of Washington since 1948.

7.      Mr. Harris (divide) the class into two sections tomorrow.

The class will be divided into two sections by Mr. Harris tomorrow.

8.      Wilson (borrow) the money from Brown two weeks ago.

Wilson borrowed the money from Brown two weeks ago.

9.      Not much (say) about the matter since that time.

Not much said about the matter since that time.

10.  My friend (write) to me about it several times now.

My friend is writing to me about it several times now.

11.  Davis (promote) to the rank of sergeant last week.

Davis was promoted to the rank of sergeant last week.

12.  That event (occur) shortly after the meeting last week.

That event occurred shortly after the meeting last week.

13.  All the students (bring) guests to the party tomorrow night.

Guests will be brought by all the students to the party tomorrow night.

14.  Less than half of the cans of paint (use) up to now.

The cans of paint is being used less than half up to now.

15.  More classes in English (list) in the catalog next fall.

The catalog will be listed more classes in English next fall.

16.  Everything (go) well so far. There (be) no trouble yet.

Everything is going well so far. There is no trouble yet.

17.  That movie about Napoleon’s life (disappoint) me greatly.

That movie about Napoleon’s life disappointed me greatly.

18.  The mail (deliver, always) to this office before 10 a.m.

The mail is always deliver to this office before 10 a.m.

19.  Who (furnish) the food for the picnic next weekend?

Who will furnish the food for the picnic next weekend?

20.  At this time, much attention (devote) to that problem.

At this time, much attention is devoting to that problem.

21.  Think carefully. I’m sure you (remember) his name.

Think carefully. I’m sure you remember his name.

22.  We (treat) very kindly by our hosts last Saturday.

Our hosts were treated us very kindly last Saturday.

23.  Mr. Wilson (make) something interesting statements yesterday.

Something interesting statements were made by Mr. Wilson yesterday.

24.  A new textbook (publish) by that company next year.

That company will publish a new textbook next year.

25.  The noise from the trains (annoy) me terribly last night.

The noise from the trains annoyed me terribly last night.

26.  That old red house (build) in the year 1822.

That old red house was built in the year 1822.

27.  The report (examine, not) by a committee of experts yet.

A committee of expert has not examine the report yet.

28.  Cocktails (serve) to the guests about 10 minutes from now.

Cocktails will be served to the guests about 10 minutes from now.

29.  His sharp remarks (embarrass) everyone last night.

His sharp remarks embarrassed everyone last night.

30.   Fred (introduce) to the fellow by Mr. Brown yesterday.

Mr. Brown introduced Fred to the fellow yesterday.

31.  Listen to this! I think this news (surprise) you!

Listen to this! I think this news will surprise you!

32.  The Ajax Shoe Company (employ) 25 new men next month.

The Ajax Shoe Company will employ 25 new men next month.

33.  Only 25 new students (admit) into the department in 1955.

Only 25 new students were admitted into the department in 1955.

34.  A second coat of paint (spread) over that surface tomorrow.

A second coat of paint will spread over that surface tomorrow.