Mastering Active and Passive Voice Transformations
English with a size of 3.92 KBConcept of Active and Passive Voice
We focus the action of the verb in the subject (active voice) or object (passive).
Examples:
- Active Voice: The porter carries the bags. (The porter carries the bags.)
- Passive Voice: The bags are carried by the porter. (The bags are carried by the porter.)
Grammar Rules
The passive voice is formed using the verb to be + the main verb's past participle.
Table of Verbal Changes: Active to Passive Voice Transformation
Considering the points above, this scheme shows the changes to the tense when transforming an active sentence into a passive sentence. We use the example: to write a letter.
Verb forms for 'to write': write (present) / wrote (past) / written (past participle).
| Tense of the Active Sentence | Active Sentence Example | Passive Sentence Example |
|---|---|---|
| Present | I write a letter. | The letter is written. |
| Present Continuous | I'm writing a letter. | The letter is being written. |
| Past | I wrote a letter. | The letter was written. |
| Past Continuous | I was writing a letter. | The letter was being written. |
| Present Perfect | I've written a letter. | The letter has been written. |
| Past Perfect | I had written a letter. | The letter had been written. |
| Future (Simple) | I will write a letter. | The letter will be written. |
| Future (Going To) | I'm going to write a letter. | The letter is going to be written. |
| Modals (Have to) | I have to write a letter. | The letter has to be written. |
| Modals (Should) | I should write a letter. | The letter should be written. |
| Modals (Must) | I must write a letter. | The letter must be written. |
Uses of the Passive Voice
We use the passive voice in the following situations:
- When you want to give importance to what happened rather than who performed the action.
Example: Her money was stolen. - To maintain the same subject across several consecutive sentences, often for flow or emphasis on the recipient of the action.
Example: I met that woman. I was surprised at how attractive she was. (Here, the focus remains on the woman/the speaker's reaction to her.) - To describe scientific processes or procedures.
Example: The water is heated to a temperature between 60° and 80° C.