English Basics

Active and Passive Voice – Change of Voice – Imperative Sentences – Rules

Active and Passive Voice – Change of Voice - Imperative Sentences – Rules

Active and Passive Voice – Imperative Sentences – Rules

A sentence that expresses a command or an advice or a request is called an imperative sentence. Here are some examples:

  • Learn your lessons.               (An advice)
  • Open the door.                       (A command)
  • Help the poor.                        (An Advice)
  • Please, make a cup of tea.    (A request)

Changing imperative sentences into Passive voice:

An imperative sentence does not have a known-subject. It reflects a message conveyed to the listener in the form of an advice, a request or a command. The listener of the sentence is assumed to the subject, who is not directly mentioned in the sentence. Hence, imperative sentences in Passive Voices also do not have a mentioned-subject in the sentence.

There are three rules for converting an imperative sentence from Active Voice into Passive Voice.

  1. The imperative sentence in Passive Voice begins with word “Let”.
  2.  The word ‘Be’ is used is used as an auxiliary verb in Passive Voice of imperative sentences.
  3. Base form (or 1st form of verb, e.g. write etc) is converted into Past Participle (or 3rd form of verb e.g. written etc) for making passive voice of imperative sentence.

Read the following examples for better understanding:

Passive Voice for Imperative Sentences
Active Voice Passive Voice
Respect the elders. Let the elders be respected.
Finish the task. Let the task be finished.
Do not waste the time. Let the time not be wasted.
Close the door. Let the door be closed.
Wash the shirts. Let the shirts be washed.
Repair your camera. Let your camera be repaired.
Open the window. Let the window be opened.
Help the children. Let the children be helped.
Throw the ball. Let the ball be thrown.
Collect nice books. Let nice books be collected.  

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