Voice

Voice: Voice is a grammatical category that applies to the verb in a sentence. It shows the relationship between the doer of an action (subject) and the receiver of that action (object).

There are two types of voices in English-
• Active voice
• Passive voice

Active voice:
A verb is in the Active Voice when the person or thing denoted by the Subject is the ‘doer’ of the action.
• E.g. He kicks the ball.
General structure: Subject + verb + object

Passive voice:
A verb is in the Passive Voice when the person or thing denoted by the Subject is the ‘receiver’ of the action.
• E.g. The ball is kicked by him.
General structure: Object + helping verb + V3 + by + subject

Basic rules to change active voice into passive voice:
• Change the places of subject and object.
• Use the helping verb according to the tense.
• Use third form of the verb.
• Add ‘by’ if necessary.
• If the subject is a pronoun, change it into the objective case.

Rules based on tense:
• In simple tenses, ‘is/am/are, was/were and will be/shall be’ is used.
• In continuous tense ‘being’ is used.
• In perfect tense ‘been’ is used.
Examples,
• She reads the letter.
• The letter is read by her.

• He cooked the food.
• The food was cooked by him.

•He will write a letter.
• A letter will be written by him.

• She is singing a song.
• A song is being sung by her.

• He was correcting the errors.
• The errors were being corrected by him.

• They have completed the project.
• The project has been completed by them.

• She had done it before.
• It had been done by her before.

Imperative Sentences: An 'Imperative sentence' is a type of sentence that gives instructions or advice and expresses a command, an order, a direction, or a request.
Example,
• Help the needy.

There are two ways to change the voice of an imperative sentence.
1. With the help of ‘let’.
2. By using ‘you are ordered/ requested/ advised’.
For example,
• Help the needy. (Active voice)
1. Let the needy be helped.
2. You are advised to help the needy.

Exercise

Change the voice of the given sentences.

1. The tiger was chasing a deer.
a. A deer was being chased by the tiger.
b. A deer was been chased by the tiger.
c. A deer was chased by the tiger.
d. A deer is being chased by the tiger.

2. The police have caught the thief.
a. The thief have been caught by the police.
b. The thief has been caught by the police.
c. The thief had been caught by the police.
d. The thief is caught by the police.

3. He will not repair the car.
a. The car will be repaired by him.
b. The car is repaired by him.
c. The car will repair him.
d. The car will not be repaired by him.

4. Annie opened the door.
a. The door is opened by Annie.
b. The door was open by Annie.
c. The door was opened by Annie.
d. The door is open by Annie.

5. He collects money for the charity.
a. Money for the charity is collected by him.
b. Money for the charity collects by him.
c. Money for the charity was collected by him.
d. Money collects him for charity.

6. She made a cake yesterday.
a. A cake was make by her yesterday.
b. A cake yesterday is make by her.
c. A cake was made by her yesterday.
d. She made a cake yesterday.

7. The maid had cleaned the house.
a. The house was cleaned by the maid.
b. The house is cleaned by the maid.
c. The house had cleaned by the maid.
d. The house had been cleaned by the maid.

8. I will not watch TV tonight.
a. TV will not be watch by me tonight.
b. TV will not be watched by me tonight.
c. TV will be watched by me tonight.
d. TV will be watch by me tonight.

9. We have drunk green tea.
a. Green tea will be drunk by us.
b. Green tea has been drink by us.
c. Green tea has been drunk by us.
d. Green tea had been drunk by us.

10. They are painting their house.
a. Their house is being painted by them.
b. Their house was painted by them.
c. Their house was being painted by them.
d. Their house has been painted by them.

Answers

1. A
2. B
3. D
4. C
5. A
6. C
7. D
8. B
9. C
10. A