Active And Passive Voice – Introduction, Examples And Exercises

Understanding active and passive voice is essential in English grammar. The active and passive voice allows students to express actions clearly and shift focus in writing. Mastery of sentence transformation between these two voices is crucial for exams, effective writing, and confident spoken English. Explore rules, examples, and practical uses below.

What is Active and Passive Voice?

Active and passive voice are two forms of sentence structure in English grammar. In the active voice, the subject performs the action in the sentence. In the passive voice, the subject receives the action, and the doer may be mentioned later or omitted. Mastering these forms improves both written and spoken English and helps in scoring better in school and competitive exams.

Difference Between Active and Passive Voice

Aspect	Active Voice	Passive Voice
Focus	The subject does the action	The subject receives the action
Structure	Subject + Verb + Object	Object + form of "to be" + Past Participle + (by + Agent)
Example	She writes a letter.	A letter is written by her.
Usage	Common and direct	Used when doer is unknown or focus is on result

The table above shows how the sentence focus and structure change with active and passive voice. Learning these differences is helpful for competitive English exams.

Rules of Voice Change in English Grammar

Rules for changing active to passive voice:

1. Identify the object and subject in the active sentence.

2. Move the object to the subject position in the passive form.

3. Use the correct form of "to be" based on the tense (is, are, was, were, etc.).

4. Change the main verb to past participle (V3 form).

5. Add "by + doer" if needed. This part is optional if the doer is not important.

Examples Based on Tense

Simple Present: He writes a story. → A story is written by him.

Simple Past: She sang a song. → A song was sung by her.

Present Continuous: They are reading books. → Books are being read by them.

These patterns help students solve questions in CBSE, ICSE, and other board exams.

Active and Passive Voice Examples

Active Voice	Passive Voice
The cat chased the mouse.	The mouse was chased by the cat.
The teacher explains the lesson.	The lesson is explained by the teacher.
I wrote a letter.	A letter was written by me.
They built a house.	A house was built by them.
She has completed the project.	The project has been completed by her.

Practice with real examples allows students to master sentence transformation in schoolwork and spoken communication.

Active and Passive Voice Chart: Tense-wise Conversion

Tense	Active Example	Passive Example
Present Simple	Rina sings a song.	A song is sung by Rina.
Past Simple	John broke the window.	The window was broken by John.
Present Continuous	They are making tea.	Tea is being made by them.
Present Perfect	He has finished the work.	The work has been finished by him.
Future Simple	She will bake a cake.	A cake will be baked by her.

Understanding tense-wise patterns helps in quick revision before exams and during worksheet practice.

Common Mistakes and Tips for Active and Passive Voice

1. Avoid missing the right "be" form: Always match the tense when converting voice.

2. Remember only transitive verbs (verbs with objects) can be used in the passive voice.

3. Check pronoun changes: "I" becomes "me", "they" becomes "them", etc.

4. Avoid redundant "by" phrases if doer is obvious or unnecessary.

5. Practice with solved examples to improve speed in exams.

Practice Exercise: Active and Passive Sentences

1. Mohan reads a book. (Passive: A book is read by Mohan.)

2. She bought a car. (Passive: A car was bought by her.)

3. The artist is painting the wall. (Passive: The wall is being painted by the artist.)

4. They have solved the sum. (Passive: The sum has been solved by them.)

5. The chef will prepare the meal. (Passive: The meal will be prepared by the chef.)

Active and Passive Voice Exercises

Download Worksheets and PDF for Practice

Download worksheets and summary PDFs to revise active and passive voice anywhere. Use these charts and exercises for last-minute revision before board exams or entrance tests.

Active and Passive Voice Worksheet Grammar

Page Summary

Active and passive voice are vital for shaping clear communication in English. Learning their rules, usage, and differences helps students excel in school exams, quick transformations, and fluent writing. Practice with Vedantu’s PDFs, tables, and exercises develops strong sentence skills and boosts confidence in both academic and competitive settings.