How to Change Active to Passive Voice (with Examples)
Active and passive voice exercises help students understand how actions are described from different viewpoints. This is important for exams, clear writing, and real-life communication. Practising these exercises helps you use correct grammar in your schoolwork, tests, and daily English.
| Tense | Active Voice Example | Passive Voice Example |
|---|---|---|
| Simple Present | The teacher explains the lesson. | The lesson is explained by the teacher. |
| Present Continuous | The chef is baking a cake. | A cake is being baked by the chef. |
| Simple Past | The students finished the project. | The project was finished by the students. |
| Present Perfect | She has written a letter. | A letter has been written by her. |
| Future Simple | The team will win the match. | The match will be won by the team. |
Active and Passive Voice Rules for All Tenses
Changing a sentence from active to passive voice requires using the correct structure for each tense. Always begin with the object, select the appropriate form of “be,” and use the past participle of the main verb. Add “by” only if the doer matters.
- Simple Present: am/is/are + past participle
- Present Continuous: am/is/are + being + past participle
- Simple Past: was/were + past participle
- Present Perfect: has/have been + past participle
- Future Simple: will be + past participle
Active and Passive Voice Exercises
Practise changing sentences between active and passive voice to build confidence. Use these short exercises to test your skills for class and competitive exams.
- Active: The manager approves the application.
Passive: The application is approved by the manager. - Active: The children are flying kites.
Passive: Kites are being flown by the children. - Passive: The song was sung by the choir.
Active: The choir sang the song. - Active: The company has started a new project.
Passive: A new project has been started by the company. - Passive: The homework will be completed by the students.
Active: The students will complete the homework.
Common Mistakes in Active and Passive Voice
Be careful with auxiliary verbs and tense consistency. The subject and object must switch places. Always use the right past participle. Double-check the meaning to avoid confusion.
- Omitting “by” when the agent is needed
- Using wrong tense forms (e.g., is sung instead of was sung for past events)
- Forgetting to change the subject/object order
Why Practise Active and Passive Voice Exercises?
These grammar exercises help you score better in school and entrance exams. Understanding both voices improves your writing and speaking. At Vedantu, we offer active and passive voice worksheets and solved examples to help you study easily on any device.
In summary, active and passive voice exercises train you to write with clarity and correctness. Learning the rules for tense, trying many examples, and avoiding common mistakes will boost your confidence for all types of English exams and daily life. Practise often and use Vedantu’s resources to improve faster.
FAQs on Active and Passive Voice Exercises: Rules, Examples & Practice
1. What is the difference between active and passive voice?
Active voice means the subject does the action (e.g., "The cat eats fish"). Passive voice means the subject receives the action (e.g., "Fish is eaten by the cat"). Active forms are direct; passive forms emphasize the action or receiver.
2. How do you convert an active sentence to passive voice?
To change active to passive, make the object the new subject, use the correct form of "be," and add the past participle. For example:
- Active: She writes a letter.
- Passive: A letter is written by her.
3. When is passive voice used in English?
Use passive voice when the doer is unknown, unimportant, or you wish to emphasize the action. For example:
- The window was broken.
- Cakes are baked daily.
4. What is the rule for changing tense in passive voice?
Use the auxiliary verb "be" in the correct tense with the past participle. For example:
- Present Simple: is/am/are + V3
- Past Simple: was/were + V3
- Future: will be + V3
5. Can all sentences be changed to passive voice?
No, only sentences with a direct object (transitive verbs) can be changed to passive voice. Intransitive verbs, like "sleep," "arrive," or "go," cannot form passive sentences as there’s no object.
6. What is a common structure for passive voice sentences?
The basic passive voice structure is:
- Object + form of "be" + past participle (V3) + by + subject (optional)
7. How do you form passive voice in the present continuous tense?
Use: am/is/are + being + past participle (V3). Example:
- Active: They are cleaning the room.
- Passive: The room is being cleaned (by them).
8. Give an example of an imperative sentence changed to passive voice.
Imperative sentence (command):
- Active: Close the door.
- Passive: Let the door be closed.
9. What are common mistakes in passive voice exercises?
Common mistakes include:
- Using the wrong tense of "be"
- Missing the past participle form
- Forgetting the agent (by whom) when required
10. Why should students practice active and passive voice exercises?
Practicing these exercises helps students understand sentence structure, improves writing variety, and prepares for grammar exams. Mastery enables better communication and clarity, especially when emphasizing either the action or the actor in sentences.
