Voice Worksheet
Voice Worksheet
The verb that expresses that the subject is the doer of action is said to be in the active voice.
The verb that expresses what is done to the subject is said to be in the passive voice.
When we use the word voice, we refer to the form of the verb which indicates whether the
subject is the doer of the action or the receiver of the action.
We use the passive voice when:
1. the active form would involve the use of a pronoun or noun such as somebody, they, people or
anybody as the subject. For example:
3. we wish to focus on the person or the thing acted upon rather than the doer. For example:
4. the doer is not known or we do not intend to name the doer. For example:
Fire was discovered in the Stone Age. (We do not know who discovered fire.)
Grave mistakes were made. (We do not want to name the doer.)
Here are some rules to be kept in mind when changing the voice of the verb from active to passive.
4. If an active verb is followed by a preposition, it is retained when the voice is changed into passive. For
example:
5. When the active verb has two objects, one direct and the other indirect, either of them becomes the
subject, the other remains a retained object in the passive voice.
Asim kept the jar on the table. (active)
The jar was kept on the table by Asim. (passive)
6. Only transitive verbs (those that take objects) can be transformed into passive constructions.
Furthermore, active sentences containing certain verbs cannot be transformed into passive structures.
a. Yes/No questions.
b. 'Wh' questions
Questions beginning with Is/am/are. The passive structure of such questions will be as per
following