CHANGE THE VOICE – ACTIVE AND PASSIVE VOICE – SIMPLE SENTENCES

What is Voice – Active Voice & Passive Voice ? Why is voice needed?

While communicating we use words in a sentence according to the importance ascribed to them. Or  words  are placed in a sentence according to their importance in communication.

Usually a sentence has a subject, a verb and an object in it. A word is used as subject or object in a sentence according to the importance it carries with it.

Following example makes it clear further.

1. I wrote a letter to him.

2. I wrote him a letter.

3. A letter was written to him by me.

In  the sentences written above the key words are I (me), a letter and him. Action moves  between  these words. But these are placed in a  sentence according to the importance to be given to that particular word. A word is used in he beginning of the sentence on which we want to give more stress or importance. I is used as subject because here the doer of an action or the writer of the letter is more important. Out of  the words ‘a letter’ and ‘him’ either of the two is written according to importance of that particular word. In sentence 1, ‘letter’ is considered more important whereas in sentence 2 ‘him’ is more important.

 In case of  sentences 1. & 2. the word ‘I’ is shown more important and is written in the beginning of the sentence and the word ‘letter’ is in a secondary position. Besides this. in these two sentences choice is to be made as an object between He (him) and letter.

In case of sentence 3, the words ‘a letter’ are  given more importance than the words ‘I or him’ and is written in the beginning of the sentence.

 This is the reason that while communicating, we use different forms of sentences i.e. Active or Passive Voice. More important words are used as Subject and those of secondary place are used as an object in a sentence. For this necessary changes are made in the sentence.

 

 

The two forms of sentences are called Active and Passive forms of sentences and this process of making a change from active to passive form of a sentence is called ‘change of the voice’.

 

In examination there are questions in the form of change of sentences from one form of voice to another i.e. from active to passive form or vice versa  & there are questions to rectify errors due to wrong change of form of sentences.

 

A sentence generally has in it a  Subject , Verb and object. But some sentences do not have an object but for change of voice an object in a sentence is necessary.

 

 

 

 

Change of Voice –  

In case of Simple Sentences:-

While changing a sentence from active to passive form, we bring object in place of subject and move subject to the place of object. A word ‘by’ is used before subject (at object place). The remaining part of the sentence (other than Subject, verb and object)  is written after third form of verb.

For Example:

  • He waters the plants in the morning.            The plants are watered in the morning by him.
  • She wrote a letter in English.                          A letter was written in English by her.

 

 

 

 

Present Indefinite Tense, Past Indefinite Tense & Future Indefinite Sentences :

 

In case of  Present Indefinite tense,  words — ‘is am are’ (according to changed subject) + third form  of verb – are used.

 In case of  Past Indefinite Tense words — was , were ( according to changed subject)  + third form of verb – are used.
 While changing subject to object we make changes as follows:

I is changed to me and we to us.

First Person :

I           My       Me
We      Our      Us

 

 You (singular and plural) remains  you. 

Second Person

You   Your    You

 

He changes to him.  She changes to her. They changes to them.

Third Person

He      His        Him
She     Her       Her
They   Their    Them.

 

 

 

SIMPLE SENTENCES

Present Indefinite Tense

 

For example :-

I sing a song.             A song is sung by me.
We sing a song.        A song is sung by us.

 

He sings a song.        A song is sung by him.
She sings a song.       A song is sung by her.
They sing a song.       A song is sung by them.

A girl sings a song.    A song is sung by a girl.

Girls sing a song.       A song is sung by girls.

 

You sing a song.        A song is sung by you.

(Note ‘A song’ is third person singular word therefore ‘is’ is used for it.)

 

 

 

 

 

SIMPLE SENTENCES

Past Indefinite Tense

Similarly in case of Past tense ‘was and were’ are used.


For Example :

I painted a beautiful picture.           A beautiful picture was painted by me.
We painted a beautiful picture.       A beautiful picture was painted by us.

You painted a beautiful picture.       A beautiful picture was painted by you.


He painted a beautiful picture.         A beautiful picture was painted by him.
She  painted a beautiful picture.       A beautiful picture was painted by her. 
They painted a beautiful picture.      A beautiful picture was painted by them.
A girl painted a  beautiful picture.    A beautiful picture was painted by a girl.
Girls painted a beautiful picture.       A beautiful picture was painted by girls.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A few sentences for practice.

  1. We expect guests at our house today.
  2. She spoke her speech  very fluently.
  3. When do you expect him to come ?
  4. Where did you keep the ornaments?
  5. Why did  you not read this book earlier ?
  6. Heavy rains caused a great loss to crops standing in the fields.
  7. His friend  brought his luggage by train.
  8. He did not do his home work .
  9. Do you like his proposal ?
  10. Did you not help  your brother?

 

 

Simple Future Tense – Future Indefinite Tense, 


Shall or will + First form of verb are changed to                 Shall or will + be + Third form of verb.


Examples :

I shall  paint a beautiful picture.

A beautiful picture will be painted by me.
I shall not paint a beautiful picture.
A beautiful picture will not be painted by me.

 

Shall I paint a beautiful picture ?

Will a beautiful picture be  painted by me?

 

We shall paint a beautiful picture.

A beautiful picture will be painted by us.
We shall not  paint a beautiful picture.
A beautiful picture will not be painted by us.

 

Shall we paint a beautiful picture ?

Will a beautiful picture be painted by us?

 

You will paint a beautiful picture.

A beautiful picture will be  painted by you.

 

You will not  paint a beautiful picture.
A beautiful picture will not be painted by you.

 

Will you paint a beautiful picture ?

Will a beautiful picture be  painted by you?

 

 She will  paint a beautiful picture.

A beautiful picture will be  painted by her.

 

She will not paint a beautiful picture.
A beautiful picture will not be painted by her.

Will she paint a beautiful picture ?

Will a beautiful picture be painted by her?

 

 

They will  paint a beautiful picture.

A beautiful picture will be  painted by them.

 

 

They will not  paint a beautiful picture.

A beautiful picture will not be  painted by them.

 

 

Will they paint a beautiful picture ?

Will a beautiful picture be painted by them?

 

A few sentences for practice.

  1. We shall take our examinations next week.
  2.  The boys will play a football match tomorrow.
  3. Will the farmers plough their fields?
  4. They will pay a  visit at ours tonight.
  5. Will you attend your office tomorrow?
  6. When will you construct your new house?
  7. Will he borrow money from his brother?
  8. How will the cook prepare our food?
  9. Why will he not attend to his mother?
  10. His arrival will bring a great happiness in the family.

 

NOTE : While changing from active to passive voice in some cases  instead of the word ‘by’ some other words are used. A list of such words is appended for reference.

 

 

 

EXAMPLES

This box contains coins.                           Coins are contained in this box.

His behaviour astonished me.                  I was astonished at his behaviour.

Do you know her?                                      Is she  known to you?

This news alarmed us.                              We were alarmed at this news.

A thick fog covered the sky.                      The sky was covered with a thick fog.

 

 

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