Learning active and passive voice rules is a fundamental part of mastering English grammar. These rules help you express ideas clearly, make your writing more precise, and communicate effectively in both spoken and written English.
Many students find voice change confusing at first. However, with the right approach and simple examples, it becomes easy to identify the subject, the action, and the object in a sentence. By practising active and passive transformations, you can not only write grammatically correct sentences but also improve your reading comprehension and overall language skills.
In this guide, we will cover all the important voice change rules, explain them clearly, and provide examples that are easy to remember, especially for exams.
What is Active and Passive Voice?
Active voice is when the subject performs the action in a sentence. It emphasizes the doer of the action.
For example:
- She sings a song.
- The dog ate the bone.
- Rafi writes a letter.
- The children play football.
- The teacher teaches English.
- She writes a letter.
Here, She is the subject doing the action of writing.
Passive voice is when the action is done to the subject. It emphasizes the action itself or the receiver of the action.
For example:
- A song is sung by her.
- The bone was eaten by the dog.
- A letter is written by Rafi.
- Football is played by the children.
- A letter is written by her.
In passive voice, A letter receives the action.
Active and Passive Voice Rules (Tense Chart)
To change an active voice sentence into passive voice, it is important to follow a few basic rules. The tense of the verb must remain the same, and the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence. At the same time, the correct auxiliary verb must be used according to the tense.
The table below shows how auxiliary verbs change when converting active voice to passive voice in different tenses.
Active and Passive Voice Tense Chart
| Tense | Active Voice Auxiliary | Passive Voice Auxiliary |
| Present Indefinite | Does / Do | Is / Are / Am |
| Present Continuous | Is / Am / Are | Is / Am / Are + Being |
| Present Perfect | Has / Have | Has been / Have been |
| Present Perfect Continuous | Has / Have been | Has / Have been + Being |
| Past Indefinite | Did | Was / Were |
| Past Continuous | Was / Were | Was / Were + Being |
| Past Perfect | Had | Had been |
| Past Perfect Continuous | Had been | Had been + Being |
| Future Indefinite | Will | Will be |
| Future Continuous | Will be | Will be + Being |
| Future Perfect | Will have | Will have been |
| Future Perfect Continuous | Will have been | Will have been + Being |
Important Notes:
- The main verb in passive voice is always in past participle (V3) form.
- The word by is used only when the doer of the action is important.
- Some continuous tenses in passive voice are rarely used in modern English.
Read More About: What is Voice in English?
Active and Passive Voice Rules (For Conversion)
Here are simple rules to follow when changing from active to passive voice:
Rule 1. Swap Subject and Object
The object of the active sentence becomes the subject in the passive sentence.
- Active: The teacher teaches students.
- Passive: Students are taught by the teacher.
Rule 2. Adjust the Verb
Use the correct form of be + past participle of the main verb.
- Active: He writes a report.
- Passive: A report is written by him.
Rule 3. Keep the Tense
Maintain the same tense while changing the voice.
- Active: She has completed her homework.
- Passive: Her homework has been completed by her.
Rule 4. Use by for the Doer
Include by before the person performing the action.
- Active: John built a house.
- Passive: A house was built by John.
Rule 5. Omitting the Doer
If the doer is unknown or irrelevant, you can omit it.
- Active: Someone stole my bag.
- Passive: My bag was stolen.
🔗 Keep Reading: Change Passive Voice to Active Voice: 10 Simple Steps
20 Important Voice Change Rules
Here are 20 essential voice change rules that help students accurately convert active sentences into passive ones, maintain correct tense structure, and avoid common exam mistakes through clear understanding and regular practice.
Rule 1: Identify Subject, Verb, and Object First
Before changing voice, clearly identify who does the action, what the action is, and who receives it.
Example:
Active: The teacher teaches the students.
Passive: The students are taught by the teacher.
Rule 2: Object of Active Becomes Subject of Passive
The object in the active sentence becomes the subject in the passive sentence.
Example:
Active: She wrote a letter.
Passive: A letter was written by her.
Rule 3: Subject of Active Comes After By
The subject of the active sentence usually comes after by in passive voice.
Example:
Active: Rahim cleaned the room.
Passive: The room was cleaned by Rahim.
Rule 4: Use Past Participle (V³) of Main Verb
In passive voice, the main verb is always in past participle form.
Example:
Active: He opens the door.
Passive: The door is opened by him.
Rule 5: Tense Must Not Change
Only the structure changes, not the tense.
Example:
Active (Past): She finished the work.
Passive (Past): The work was finished by her.
Rule 6: Use Correct Form of Be
Passive voice always needs a form of be according to tense and subject.
Example:
Active: They make chairs.
Passive: Chairs are made by them.
Rule 7: Present Indefinite Passive Structure
Structure: is / am / are + V³
Example:
Active: He writes a story.
Passive: A story is written by him.
Rule 8: Past Indefinite Passive Structure
Structure: was/were + V³
Example:
Active: She cooked the food.
Passive: The food was cooked by her.
Rule 9: Future Indefinite Passive Structure
Structure: will be + V³
Example:
Active: They will complete the work.
Passive: The work will be completed by them.
Rule 10: Continuous Tense Uses Being
All continuous tenses require being in the passive voice.
Example:
Active: She is drawing a picture.
Passive: A picture is being drawn by her.
Rule 11: Perfect Tense Uses Been
All perfect tenses require been in passive voice.
Example:
Active: He has repaired the car.
Passive: The car has been repaired by him.
Rule 12: Modal Verbs Remain Same
Structure: modal + be + V³
Example:
Active: You must obey the rules.
Passive: The rules must be obeyed.
Rule 13: Imperative Sentences Use Let
Passive imperatives usually begin with Let.
Example:
Active: Close the door.
Passive: Let the door be closed.
Rule 14: Interrogative Sentences Change Structure
Auxiliary verb comes before the subject in passive questions.
Example:
Active: Did she complete the task?
Passive: Was the task completed by her?
Rule 15: “By” Can Be Omitted
If the doer is unknown or unimportant, by + subject can be dropped.
Example:
Active: Someone stole my phone.
Passive: My phone was stolen.
Rule 16: Only Transitive Verbs Can Be Passive
Only verbs that take an object can form passive voice.
Example:
Active: She sings a song.
Passive: A song is sung by her.
Rule 17: Passive Voice Is Common in Formal Writing
Used in notices, reports, and scientific writing.
Example:
Active: The committee approved the plan.
Passive: The plan was approved.
Rule 18: Active Voice Is Clearer in Daily English
Active voice sounds more natural in conversation.
Example:
Active: I wrote this letter.
Passive: This letter was written by me.
Rule 19: Verb Must Agree with New Subject
Auxiliary verb agrees with the passive subject, not the original subject.
Example:
Active: She buys apples.
Passive: Apples are bought by her.
Rule 20: Avoid Overusing Passive Voice
Use passive only when needed; too much passive makes writing weak.
Example:
Better: The police arrested the thief.
Less clear: The thief was arrested.
Voice Change Examples for Exams
Below are carefully selected active to passive voice examples covering different tenses, sentence types, and exam patterns. Practising these examples will help you understand voice change rules clearly and apply them confidently in written exams.
Active Voice to Passive Voice Examples for Practice:
| No. | Active Voice | Passive Voice |
| 1 | She writes a letter. | A letter is written by her. |
| 2 | He cleans the room. | The room is cleaned by him. |
| 3 | They play football. | Football is played by them. |
| 4 | The boy broke the window. | The window was broken by the boy. |
| 5 | She cooked the food. | The food was cooked by her. |
| 6 | He solved the problem. | The problem was solved by him. |
| 7 | They are painting the wall. | The wall is being painted by them. |
| 8 | She is reading a book. | A book is being read by her. |
| 9 | He was repairing the car. | The car was being repaired by him. |
| 10 | They were cleaning the room. | The room was being cleaned by them. |
| 11 | She has completed the work. | The work has been completed by her. |
| 12 | He has written a story. | A story has been written by him. |
| 13 | They had finished the task. | The task had been finished by them. |
| 14 | She had prepared the report. | The report had been prepared by her. |
| 15 | They will announce the result. | The result will be announced by them. |
| 16 | He will complete the project. | The project will be completed by him. |
| 17 | She will be cooking dinner. | Dinner will be being cooked by her. |
| 18 | They will be watching the match. | The match will be being watched by them. |
| 19 | He will have finished the work. | The work will have been finished by him. |
| 20 | She will have written the letter. | The letter will have been written by her. |
| 21 | You must follow the rules. | The rules must be followed. |
| 22 | We can solve this problem. | This problem can be solved. |
| 23 | Someone stole my phone. | My phone was stolen. |
| 24 | The teacher teaches students. | Students are taught by the teacher. |
| 25 | The police arrested the thief. | The thief was arrested by the police. |
| 26 | Open the door. | Let the door be opened. |
| 27 | Close the window. | Let the window be closed. |
| 28 | Did she complete the task? | Was the task completed by her? |
| 29 | Is he writing a letter? | Is a letter being written by him? |
| 30 | Has she cleaned the room? | Has the room been cleaned by her? |
| 31 | They make toys in this factory. | Toys are made in this factory. |
| 32 | People speak English worldwide. | English is spoken worldwide. |
Voice Change Practice in Story
This story-based practice helps you identify and change active sentences into passive sentences naturally. Reading and converting sentences within a story improves understanding and strengthens exam-ready voice change skills.
Story 1: A Student’s Daily Routine (Voice Change Practice)
This short story helps students understand how daily routine sentences change from active to passive voice while keeping tense, meaning, and structure correct for exam-oriented voice change practice.
Active Voice
Rahim wakes up early every morning and prepares himself for school. He washes his face, eats breakfast, and packs his bag carefully. His mother reminds him about homework, and he thanks her politely. Then he rides his bicycle to school and attends classes attentively. Teachers explain lessons clearly, and Rahim writes notes regularly. After school, he completes his homework and revises lessons for the next day.
Passive Voice
Rahim is woken up early every morning, and he is prepared for school. His face is washed, breakfast is eaten, and his bag is packed carefully. Homework is reminded by his mother and she is thanked politely. Then a bicycle is ridden to school, and classes are attended attentively. Lessons are explained clearly by teachers, and notes are written regularly. After school, homework is completed and lessons are revised for the next day.
Story 2: Preparing for an Exam (Voice Change Practice)
This story shows how common exam-preparation actions change into passive voice, helping students understand tense control, auxiliary verbs, and correct past participle usage in real academic situations.
Active Voice
The student prepares seriously for the final exam. He studies grammar rules daily and practices voice change questions regularly. He solves model tests, checks mistakes, and corrects errors carefully. His teacher guides him properly and explains difficult topics clearly. Before the exam, he revises important rules and sleeps early. On exam day, he answers confidently and manages time wisely.
Passive Voice
Serious preparation is done by the student for the final exam. Grammar rules are studied daily and voice change questions are practised regularly. Model tests are solved, mistakes are checked, and errors are corrected carefully. Proper guidance is given by his teacher and difficult topics are explained clearly. Before the exam, important rules are revised and early sleep is taken. On exam day, answers are written confidently and time is managed wisely.
Story 3: A School Event (Voice Change Practice)
This story helps learners practice voice change using past and future structures, commonly asked in exams, while maintaining sentence clarity and formal tone in both active and passive forms.
Active Voice
The school organised a cultural program last week. Students decorated the stage beautifully and practised performances enthusiastically. Teachers guided participants and managed the event successfully. The principal appreciated everyone’s effort and encouraged students warmly. Parents enjoyed the program and praised the school management. The event created joyful memories and strengthened student confidence.
Passive Voice
A cultural program was organised by the school last week. The stage was decorated beautifully and performances were practiced enthusiastically by students. Participants were guided by teachers and the event was managed successfully. Everyone’s effort was appreciated by the principal and students were encouraged warmly. The program was enjoyed by parents and the school management was praised. Joyful memories were created and student confidence was strengthened.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main difference between active and passive voice?
The main difference lies in focus. In active voice, the subject performs the action, so the sentence feels direct and clear. In passive voice, the focus shifts to the action or the receiver. For example, exam questions often use passive voice when the doer is unknown or less important.
Why do students find voice change difficult?
Most students struggle because they try to memorize rules instead of understanding sentence structure. In real experience, once you learn to identify the subject, verb, and object, voice change becomes much easier. Practising tense-wise conversion helps reduce confusion significantly.
When should I use passive voice in exams?
Passive voice is useful when the doer is not mentioned in the question or when the sentence sounds more formal. In board exams and competitive tests, passive voice is commonly used in reports, notices, and scientific statements. Knowing active and passive voice rules helps you choose the correct form quickly.
Is it okay to avoid the word by in passive sentences?
Yes, and this is very common in real usage. If the doer is obvious, unknown, or unnecessary, you can safely omit “by”. For example, “The rules were announced” sounds more natural than adding an unclear subject.
How can I improve accuracy in voice change questions?
The most effective method is step-by-step practice. First, identify the tense. Second, change the auxiliary verb correctly. Finally, use the past participle form of the main verb. Students who follow this process make fewer mistakes and feel more confident during exams.
Does active voice always sound better than passive voice?
Not always. Active voice sounds more natural in everyday conversation, but passive voice fits better in formal writing, academic answers, and official instructions. Understanding both helps you write according to the situation instead of forcing one style everywhere.
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