The English language gives us flexibility in how we build sentences. Sometimes we focus on who does the action, and sometimes on what receives the action. This difference is explained through active voice and passive voice.
In this blog, we’ll cover the definition, rules, examples, a tense-wise chart and a practice worksheet to help you master active and passive voice in English grammar.
Introduction to Active and Passive Voice
There are two ways to write most sentences in English:
- Active Voice – where the subject performs the action.
- Passive Voice – where the subject receives the action.
The active voice is more direct and concise, while the passive voice is longer and often more formal. Both are correct, but they are used in different contexts.
What is Active Voice?
An active voice sentence highlights the doer of the action. The subject comes first, performs the action, and then the object receives it.
Pattern: Subject + Verb + Object
Examples:
- The cat chased the mouse.
- Grandma hugged me.
- My mom plays the violin.
- I drank all the juice.
Active voice makes writing simple and clear, which is why it’s preferred in everyday speech and writing.
What is Passive Voice?
A passive voice sentence emphasizes the receiver of the action. The subject is acted upon rather than performing the action.
Pattern: Object + Verb (past participle) + by + Subject (optional)
Examples:
- The mouse was chased by the cat.
- Shopping is liked by Mitali.
- Insects are eaten by birds.
- French is being learnt by Liam this year.
Passive voice is useful when the doer is unknown, irrelevant, or when we want to highlight the action or its receiver.
Difference Between Active and Passive Voice
| Feature | Active Voice | Passive Voice |
| Focus | Subject performs the action | Subject receives the action |
| Structure | Subject + Verb + Object | Object + Verb (to be) + Past Participle + (by Subject) |
| Emphasis | On the doer | On the receiver |
| Clarity | Clear and direct | Can sound less direct |
| Conciseness | Shorter sentences | Usually longer sentences |
| When to use | For engaging, simple communication | When the doer is unknown or unimportant |
Active and Passive Voice Rules Chart (All Tenses)
Here’s a quick reference to help you transform sentences correctly:
| Tense | Active Voice Structure | Passive Voice Structure |
| Present Simple | Subject + Verb (s/es) | Subject + is/are + Past Participle |
| Present Continuous | Subject + is/are + Verb-ing | Subject + is/are + being + Past Participle |
| Present Perfect | Subject + has/have + Past Participle | Subject + has/have + been + Past Participle |
| Past Simple | Subject + Verb (past form) | Subject + was/were + Past Participle |
| Past Continuous | Subject + was/were + Verb-ing | Subject + was/were + being + Past Participle |
| Past Perfect | Subject + had + Past Participle | Subject + had + been + Past Participle |
| Future Simple | Subject + will + Base Verb | Subject + will + be + Past Participle |
| Future Perfect | Subject + will + have + Past Participle | Subject + will + have + been + Past Participle |
(Note: Continuous perfect tenses in passive are rarely used.)
Converting Active Voice to Passive Voice
Here are some active and passive voice examples to clarify:
- Active: Shakespeare wrote Hamlet.
Passive: Hamlet was written by Shakespeare. - Active: The wind blew the leaves.
Passive: The leaves were blown by the wind. - Active: They built a bridge.
Passive: A bridge was built by them. - Active: He will finish the project.
Passive: The project will be finished by him. - Active: The baker sells bread.
Passive: Bread is sold by the baker.
Worksheet for Active and Passive Voice
Instructions:
Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb in active or passive voice.
Section A – Active Voice:
- She ______ (write) a letter to her friend every week.
- The teacher ______ (explain) the lesson right now.
- He ______ (finish) his project before the deadline.
- The scientist ______ (discover) a new planet recently.
- The company ______ (launch) a new product next year.
Section B – Passive Voice:
6. A new shopping mall ______ (build) in the city.
7. Football ______ (play) by the children in the park yesterday.
8. The request ______ (approve) by the manager last Monday.
9. I ______ (not invite) to the party.
10. A movie ______ (watch) by us when the power went out.
Answer Key
- writes
- is explaining
- had finished
- has discovered
- will launch
- is being built
- was played
- was approved
- was not invited
- was being watched
Conclusion
Active and passive voice are two important ways of structuring sentences in English. While the active voice keeps sentences clear and direct, the passive voice shifts focus to the action or its receiver. Both have their importance and learning when to use them can significantly improve your communication skills.
To get better, keep practicing with worksheets and try converting sentences from one voice to the other until it feels natural.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the difference between active and passive voice?
The main difference is in focus. In active voice, the subject performs the action (e.g., “The cat chased the mouse”). In passive voice, the subject receives the action (e.g., “The mouse was chased by the cat”).
2. What is the rule of active and passive voice in English grammar?
The rule is that in active voice, the sentence follows Subject + Verb + Object, while in passive voice, it follows Object + be verb + Past Participle + by + Subject (optional).
3. Which voice is better to use—active or passive?
The active voice is usually better because it makes sentences short, direct, and clear. However, the passive voice is useful when the doer of the action is unknown, unimportant, or when you want to highlight the action itself.
4. Can all tenses be changed from active to passive voice?
Most tenses can be converted to passive voice, such as present, past, and future tenses. However, some forms like Future Continuous and Perfect Continuous tenses are rarely used in passive because they sound awkward or unnatural.
5. What is an example of passive voice?
An example is: “A letter was written by Riya.” Here, the focus is on the letter (receiver of the action) rather than on Riya (doer of the action).
6. How do you change active voice into passive voice?
To change active to passive, move the object of the active sentence to the subject position, change the verb to a be form + past participle, and place the subject after “by” (optional). Example: “She reads a book” → “A book is read by her.”
7. Why do writers use passive voice?
Writers use passive voice when:
The doer is unknown (e.g., “The window was broken.”)
The doer is unimportant (e.g., “The road is cleaned every day.”)
The action itself is more important than the performer.8. What is the formula for passive voice sentences?
The formula is: Object + be verb (is/was/will be etc.) + Past Participle + (by Subject). Example: “The cake was eaten by the kids.”
9. What is an example of active voice?
An example is: “The teacher explained the lesson.” The teacher (subject) is actively performing the action of explaining.
10. What are some common mistakes in using active and passive voice?
Common mistakes include:
Forgetting to change the verb into the past participle in passive.
Using both subject and object twice in a sentence.
Using passive voice unnecessarily, making sentences wordy.11. Which voice is preferred in academic writing?
Both voices are used in academic writing. Active voice is preferred for clarity and directness, while passive voice is used to focus on research findings or processes rather than the researcher.
12. How can I practice active and passive voice effectively?
You can practice by:
Converting daily sentences from active to passive and vice versa.
Using worksheets with blanks to fill correct forms.
Reading news articles and identifying passive voice sentences.