VOICE (Active ↔ Passive) – Rules & Regulations
Rule 1: Only Transitive Verbs Can Be Changed into Passive
A sentence can be changed into passive only if the verb has an object.
Formula:
Subject + Transitive Verb + Object
Examples:
✔ Ram wrote a letter. → A letter was written by Ram.
✔ She opened the door. → The door was opened by her.
✘ He slept well. (No object) → Cannot be changed.
✘ Birds fly. → Cannot be changed.
Remember:
No Object = No Passive Voice
Rule 2: Object Becomes Subject
Active
Subject + Verb + Object
Passive
Object + Helping Verb + V³ + by + Subject
Example:
Mohan killed the snake.
Passive:
The snake was killed by Mohan.
Rule 3: Always Use Third Form (V³)
No matter what tense,
Passive always uses Past Participle (V³).
Examples
Write → Written
Eat → Eaten
See → Seen
Take → Taken
Do → Done
Rule 4: Helping Verb Changes According to Tense
Examples
Present Simple
is/am/are + V³
Past Simple
was/were + V³
Future Simple
will be + V³
Present Perfect
has/have been + V³
Past Perfect
had been + V³
Present Continuous
is/am/are being + V³
Past Continuous
was/were being + V³
Future Perfect
will have been + V³
Rule 5: Subject Pronouns Change
| Active | Passive |
|---|---|
| I | me |
| We | us |
| He | him |
| She | her |
| They | them |
| You | you |
| It | it |
Example
She helped me.
I was helped by her.
Rule 6: "By" is Not Always Necessary
When the doer is unknown or unimportant, omit by + agent.
Examples
Someone stole my bike.
My bike was stolen.
People speak English here.
English is spoken here.
Rule 7: Keep "By" Only When the Doer is Important
Examples
Shakespeare wrote Hamlet.
Hamlet was written by Shakespeare.
The police arrested the thief.
The thief was arrested by the police.
Rule 8: Imperative Sentences
Formula
Let + Object + be + V³
Examples
Close the door.
Let the door be closed.
Finish the work.
Let the work be finished.
Rule 9: Sentences with Two Objects
Some verbs take two objects.
Examples
give, send, teach, offer, tell, show, lend, promise, buy
Example
Teacher gave me a prize.
Passive 1
I was given a prize.
Passive 2
A prize was given to me.
Both are correct.
Rule 10: Modal Verbs
Formula
Modal + be + V³
Examples
can → can be
may → may be
should → should be
must → must be
Examples
You should obey the rules.
The rules should be obeyed.
They can solve the problem.
The problem can be solved.
Rule 11: Questions
WH Questions
Where did you buy the book?
Where was the book bought?
Who wrote the letter?
By whom was the letter written?
Yes/No Questions
Did he complete the work?
Was the work completed by him?
Rule 12: Negative Sentences
Keep "not" after the helping verb.
Examples
He did not finish the work.
The work was not finished by him.
Rule 13: Sentences Beginning with "People", "Someone", "They"
Usually omit the agent.
People speak Hindi here.
Hindi is spoken here.
Someone stole my purse.
My purse was stolen.
Sentences That Cannot Be Changed into Passive
❌ Intransitive Verbs
sleep
come
go
arrive
laugh
die
cry
run
sit
Example
He arrived yesterday.
No Passive.
Common Transitive Verbs
write, read, eat, drink, make, buy, sell, open, close, wash, clean, teach, tell, ask, help, love, call, kill, build, paint, break, repair, invite, punish, reward, send, give, show, offer, bring, catch, complete, solve.
14. Verbs with Prepositions
The preposition stays with the verb.
Examples:
Everybody laughed at him.
→ He was laughed at by everybody.We must look after the children.
→ The children must be looked after.People talked about the issue.
→ The issue was talked about.
Never remove the preposition.
15. Passive of Infinitives
Formula:
to be + V³
Examples:
He wants to finish the work.
→ He wants the work to be finished.They expected us to complete the task.
→ They expected the task to be completed.
16. Passive of Gerunds
Formula:
being + V³
Examples:
I dislike people insulting me.
→ I dislike being insulted.She hates people ignoring her.
→ She hates being ignored.
17. Causative Verbs (Have, Get, Make)
Have/Get
I had the car repaired.
She got her hair cut.
These are already causative structures.
Make
The teacher made the students write.
→ The students were made to write by the teacher.
Remember: After make, to is added in the passive.
18. Verbs That Normally Don't Have Passive
These verbs generally don't take an object.
Examples:
happen
occur
seem
appear
belong
resemble
consist of
lack
Examples:
The accident happened yesterday. ❌
This book belongs to me. ❌
She resembles her mother. (Rarely used in passive.)
19. Reflexive Pronouns
If the object is a reflexive pronoun, passive is usually not used.
Examples:
He hurt himself.
She introduced herself.
Normally, these are not changed into passive.
20. Stative Verbs
Some verbs express states rather than actions.
Examples:
know
own
have (possession)
possess
resemble
Although grammatically possible in some cases, passive is uncommon.
Example:
I have a car. ❌
A car is had by me. ❌
21. Reporting Verbs
Common in newspapers and formal English.
Examples:
People say that he is honest.
Passive:
It is said that he is honest.
He is said to be honest.
Other reporting verbs:
believe
think
expect
report
consider
know
22. Passive Without "By"
Very common in notices, news, and official writing.
Examples:
Smoking is prohibited.
Admission is closed.
The road has been repaired.
The meeting has been postponed.
The doer is not mentioned.
23. Passive in Notices and Instructions
Examples:
Visitors are requested to keep silence.
Mobile phones are not allowed.
Shoes must be removed.
Identity cards should be carried.
24. Interrogative Passive
Examples:
Who wrote the poem?
→ By whom was the poem written?Why did you break the glass?
→ Why was the glass broken by you?
25. Active Preferred Over Passive
Avoid passive when the doer is important or the sentence becomes awkward.
Example:
Passive: Mistakes were made.
Active: The committee made mistakes.
Active is often clearer and more direct.
26. Passive is Common in:
Scientific writing
Water is heated to 100°C.
News reports
Three people were arrested.
Formal notices
Applications are invited.
Research papers
The experiment was conducted.
27. Common Exam Trap
Not every sentence containing "by" is passive.
Examples:
He travelled by bus. (Active)
She stood by the door. (Active)
Only by + doer (agent) is used in passive voice.
28. Ditransitive Verbs (Two Passive Forms)
Verbs such as give, teach, offer, send, tell, show, lend, promise, pay can form two passive sentences.
Example:
She offered me a job.
I was offered a job.
A job was offered to me.
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