Mastering Active and Passive Voice Transformation

Written at December 20, 2024 on English with a size of 4.31 KB.

Here are some examples illustrating the transformation from active to passive voice:

Police use trained dogs to find drugs. (Active)
Trained dogs are used by the police to find drugs. (Passive)
Nurses give the patients their medicine every morning. (Active)
The patients are given their medicine every morning. (Passive)
A lifeguard rescued the drowning boy. (Active)
The drowning boy was rescued by a lifeguard. (Passive)
An electrician is repairing our water heater. (Active)
Our water heater is being repaired. (Passive)
A defense lawyer will represent you. (Active)
You will be represented by a defense lawyer. (Passive)
They clean the rooms daily. (Active)
The rooms are cleaned daily. (Passive)
Customs officers searched her suitcases. (Active)
Her suitcases were searched by customs officers. (Passive)
Hijackers were holding the plane passengers hostage. (Active)
The plane passengers were being held hostage by hijackers. (Passive)
A gas leak had caused the explosion. (Active)
The explosion had been caused by a gas leak. (Passive)
An eyewitness gave the police a full report. (Active)
A full report was given to the police by an eyewitness. (Passive)
The government has increased the tax on cigarettes. (Active)
The tax on cigarettes has been increased. (Passive)
They are going to launch the product in May. (Active)
The product is going to be launched in May. (Passive)

The passive voice can also be used in impersonal constructions, often with verbs like say, hope, believe, expect, and think:

They say that the Loch Ness monster exists. (Active)
It is said that the Loch Ness monster exists. (Passive)
The Loch Ness monster is said to exist. (Passive)
They hope that a cure for the disease is imminent. (Active)
It is hoped that a cure for the disease is imminent. (Passive)
A cure for the disease is hoped to be imminent. (Passive)
They believe that the hostage had died. (Active)
It is believed that the hostage had died. (Passive)
The hostage is believed to have died. (Passive)
They expect that Jim will be offered a promotion. (Active)
It is expected that Jim will be offered a promotion. (Passive)
Jim is expected to be offered a promotion. (Passive)
They say that he was a dishonest man. (Active)
It is said that he was a dishonest man. (Passive)
He is said to have been a dishonest man. (Passive)
They believed that Elvis Presley is alive. (Active)
It is believed that Elvis Presley is alive. (Passive)
Elvis Presley is believed to be alive. (Passive)
Everyone expects Rangers to win the cup. (Active)
It is expected that Rangers will win the cup. (Passive)
Rangers are expected to win the cup. (Passive)
People think that man is related to apes. (Active)
It is thought that man is related to apes. (Passive)
Man is thought to be related to apes. (Passive)

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