English Basics

Active and Passive Voice – Change of Voice – All Tenses – Rules

Active and Passive Voice – Change of Voice - All Tenses – Rules

Active and Passive Voice – Change of Voice – All Tenses – Rules

There are two basic rules for converting sentences from Active Voice into Passive Voice, which are common for all tenses.  

  1. The places of subject and object will be interchanged in the sentence.
  2. Only 3rd form of the verb or Past Participle (e.g. written) will be used as a main verb in Passive Voice.

The rules for using ‘Auxiliary Verb’ in a sentence are different for each tense, as follows:

Present Simple Tense
Auxiliary verbs used in Passive Voice: Is/are/am
Active Voices Passive Voices
He writes a letter. A letter is written by him.
He does not write a letter. A letter is not written by him.
Does he write a letter? Is a letter written by him?
They sell books. Books are sold by them.
She helps me. am helped by her.
Present Progressive Tense 
Auxiliary verbs used in Passive Voice: Is being / Are being / Am being
Active Voices Passive Voices
She is singing a song. A song is being sung by her.
She is not singing a song. A song is not being sung by her.
Is she singing a song? Is a song being sung by her?
They are eating apples. Apples are being eaten by them.
You are disturbing me. am being disturbed by you.

 

Present Perfect Tense
Auxiliary verbs used in Passive Voice: Has been / Have been
Active Voices Passive Voices
He has completed the work. The work has been completed by him.
He has not completed the work. The work has not been completed by him.
Has he completed the work? Has the work been completed by him.
She has written five poems. Five poems have been written by her.
I have made some cakes. Some cakes have been made by me.

 

Past Simple Tense
Auxiliary verbs used in Passive Voice: Was / Were
Active Voices Passive Voices
He bought a car. A car was bought by him.
He did not buy a car. A car was not bought by him.
Did he buy a car? Was a car bought by him?
She decorated the walls. The walls were decorated by her.
I helped them. They were helped by me.

 

Past Progressive Tense 
Auxiliary verbs used in Passive Voice: Was being / Were being
Active Voices Passive Voices
She was washing a shirt. A shirt was being washed by her.
She was not washing a shirt. A shirt was not being washed by her.
Was she washing a shirt? Was a shirt being washed by her?
Boys were singing songs. Songs were being sung by boys.
Past Perfect Tense 
Auxiliary verbs used in Passive Voice: Had been
Active Voices Passive Voices
They had won the game. The game had been won by them.
They had not won the game. The game had not been won by them.
Had they won the game? Had the game been won by them?
He had collected coins. Coins had been collected by him.
Future Simple Tense
Auxiliary verbs used in Passive Voice: Will be
Active Voices Passive Voices
She will write a poem. A poem will be written by her.
She will not write a poem. A poem will not be written by her.
Will she write a poem? Will a poem be written by her?
You will receive the letter. The letter will be received by you.
They will arrange the money. The money will be arranged by them.
Future Perfect Tense
Auxiliary verbs used in Passive Voice: Will have been
Active Voices Passive Voices
He will have received the letter. The letter will have been received by him.
He will not have received the letter. The letter will not have been received by him.
Will he have received the letter? Will the letter have been received by him?

Note: The sentences of following tenses can’t be changed to Passive Voices.

  1. Present Perfect Continuous (or Progressive) Tense
  2. Past Perfect Continuous (or Progressive) Tense
  3. Future Perfect Continuous (or Progressive) Tense
  4. Future Continuous (or Progressive) Tense
  5. Sentences having Intransitive verbs

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