📚 English — English Language and Competitive English
22. Voice
Exam-oriented Voice notes, rules and revision facts
Quick Reference
Major Tense-Wise Active and Passive Structures
22. Voice
| Structure/Case | Transformation Rule | Example |
|---|---|---|
Simple Present | उत्तर देखें Object + is/am/are + V3 (+ by subject) | उत्तर देखें A letter is written by him. |
Present Continuous | उत्तर देखें Object + is/am/are + being + V3 (+ by subject) | उत्तर देखें A letter is being written. |
Present Perfect | उत्तर देखें Object + has/have + been + V3 (+ by subject) | उत्तर देखें A letter has been written. |
Simple Past | उत्तर देखें Object + was/were + V3 (+ by subject) | उत्तर देखें A letter was written by him. |
Past Continuous | उत्तर देखें Object + was/were + being + V3 (+ by subject) | उत्तर देखें A letter was being written. |
Past Perfect | उत्तर देखें Object + had + been + V3 (+ by subject) | उत्तर देखें A letter had been written. |
Simple Future | उत्तर देखें Object + will/shall + be + V3 (+ by subject) | उत्तर देखें A letter will be written. |
Future Perfect | उत्तर देखें Object + will/shall + have been + V3 | उत्तर देखें A letter will have been written. |
Quick Reference
Special Passive Constructions (Modals, Imperatives & Interrogatives)
22. Voice
| Structure/Case | Transformation Rule | Example |
|---|---|---|
Modal Auxiliaries | उत्तर देखें Object + modal + be + V3 | उत्तर देखें The puzzle can be solved. |
Modal Perfect | उत्तर देखें Object + modal + have been + V3 | उत्तर देखें It should have been completed. |
Imperative (Order) | उत्तर देखें Let + object + be + V3 | उत्तर देखें Let the door be shut. |
Imperative (Moral Advice) | उत्तर देखें Object + should + be + V3 | उत्तर देखें The poor should be helped. |
Imperative (Request) | उत्तर देखें You are requested + to + V1 | उत्तर देखें You are requested to wait. |
Imperative (Prohibition) | उत्तर देखें You are forbidden + to + V1 | उत्तर देखें You are forbidden to enter. |
Interrogative (Yes/No) | उत्तर देखें Auxiliary + object + (being/been) + V3? | उत्तर देखें Was the report submitted by you? |
Interrogative (Who) | उत्तर देखें By whom + auxiliary + object + V3? | उत्तर देखें By whom was this book written? |
Interrogative (Whom) | उत्तर देखें Who + auxiliary + V3 (+ by subject)? | उत्तर देखें Who was invited by you? |
Two Objects (Ditransitive) | उत्तर देखें Indirect personal object preferred as passive subject | उत्तर देखें I was given a pen. |
To-Infinitive Passive | उत्तर देखें Subject + verb + to be + V3 | उत्तर देखें The project is to be submitted. |
Reporting Clause Passive | उत्तर देखें It is said/believed that + clause | उत्तर देखें It is said that he is honest. |
Voice Fundamentals, Transitivity & Object Identification
Definition of grammatical voice
Verb form indicating agent or patient focus.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Definition of active voice
Subject performs the verbal action.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Definition of passive voice
Subject receives the verbal action.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Essential grammatical requirement for passive voice transformation
Presence of a transitive verb.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Why intransitive verbs cannot form passive voice
Lack direct object to become subject.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Examples of purely intransitive verbs
Sleep, die, laugh, fall, arrive.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
How to identify direct object in active sentence
Ask 'what' or 'whom' after verb.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
How to identify indirect object in active sentence
Ask 'to whom' or 'for whom'.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Case taken by active subject in by-agent phrase
Objective case (e.g. by him).
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Case taken by active object becoming passive subject
Subjective/nominative case (e.g. He).
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Mandatory participle form across all passive constructions
Past participle (V3).
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Auxiliary verb family foundational to all passive structures
Be-verb family (is, was, been, being).
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
When is the by-agent omitted in passive voice?
Agent is vague, unknown, or obvious.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Examples of indefinite subjects typically dropped in passive
Someone, somebody, people, they, one.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'Someone stole my watch'
My watch was stolen.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'People speak English all over world'
English is spoken worldwide.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'Police arrested the thief'
The thief was arrested.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Communicative purpose of using passive voice
Focus on recipient or completed action.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
What happens to fixed preposition of a phrasal verb in passive?
Remains attached immediately to verb.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'They laughed at the beggar'
Beggar was laughed at by them.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'She looks after the child'
The child is looked after.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Can intransitive verb with preposition (prepositional verb) become passive?
Yes, prepositional object becomes passive subject.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Primary rule regarding sentence tense during voice transformation
Tense remains unchanged.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Primary difference between voice change and narration change
Voice keeps tense; narration shifts tense.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Core test for identifying active versus passive construction
Determine if grammatical subject acts or receives.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Tense-Wise Active to Passive Transformations
Passive formula for simple present tense
Is/am/are + past participle (V3).
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Passive formula for present continuous tense
Is/am/are + being + V3.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Passive formula for present perfect tense
Has/have + been + V3.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Passive formula for simple past tense
Was/were + past participle (V3).
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Passive formula for past continuous tense
Was/were + being + V3.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Passive formula for past perfect tense
Had + been + past participle (V3).
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Passive formula for simple future tense
Will/shall + be + V3.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Passive formula for future perfect tense
Will/shall + have been + V3.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Total number of tenses lacking standard passive voice
Four tenses.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
The four tenses lacking standard passive voice
Three perfect continuous tenses plus future continuous.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Why perfect continuous tenses avoid passive voice
Creates clumsy double-be construction (been being).
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'She sings a melodious song'
A melodious song is sung.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'They are composing a new anthem'
A new anthem is being composed.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'He has painted the exterior wall'
Exterior wall has been painted.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'The hunter shot the ferocious tiger'
The tiger was shot by hunter.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'Workers were repairing the damaged bridge'
Damaged bridge was being repaired.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'She had finished the scientific thesis'
Thesis had been finished.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'The company will launch a new product'
New product will be launched.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'They will have concluded the investigation'
Investigation will have been concluded.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Negative passive structure for simple present tense
Is/am/are + not + V3.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'He does not know the answer'
Answer is not known to him.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Negative passive structure for simple past tense
Was/were + not + V3.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'She did not accept the offer'
Offer was not accepted.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Role of subject-verb agreement after passive transformation
Be-verb agrees with new grammatical subject.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'He bought five books'
Five books were bought by him.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Modals, Infinitives, Gerunds & Causative Verbs in Passive
Passive formula for modal auxiliary verbs
Modal + be + past participle (V3).
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Passive formula for modal perfect forms
Modal + have been + V3.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'We can conquer this challenge'
This challenge can be conquered.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'Citizens must obey traffic regulations'
Traffic regulations must be obeyed.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'You should have informed the authority'
Authority should have been informed.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'They might have completed the project'
Project might have been completed.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Passive formula for to-infinitive (to + V1)
To be + past participle (V3).
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'I have to finish this report'
This report has to be finished.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'She wants to invite you'
You want to be invited.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'It is time to take tea'
It is time for tea to be taken.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Passive formula for 'It is time + to-infinitive'
It is time for + object + to be V3.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Passive formula for gerund (V-ing)
Being + past participle (V3).
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'She remembers her father taking her there'
She remembers being taken there.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'He dislikes people flattering him'
He dislikes being flattered.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Transformation rule for causative verb 'make' in passive
Takes to-infinitive in passive voice.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'They made him sign the confession'
He was made to sign confession.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Transformation rule for verbs of perception (hear, see) in passive
Bare infinitive converts to to-infinitive.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'I saw him enter the hall'
He was seen to enter hall.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'We heard her sing melodiously'
She was heard to sing melodiously.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Transformation rule for verb 'let' expressing permission in passive
Replaced by 'was/were allowed to'.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'He let me leave the room'
I was allowed to leave room.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Passive of bare infinitive after 'bid' / 'help'
Requires to-infinitive in passive voice.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'I helped him carry the luggage'
He was helped to carry luggage.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Can causative 'have' and 'get' take passive participles in active sentences?
Yes (e.g. I had my car washed).
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Grammatical name for 'I had my haircut'
Causative passive structure.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Imperative Sentences, Orders, Advice & Requests
Passive formula for imperative command or order with object
Let + object + be + V3.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'Shut the front door'
Let the front door be shut.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'Bring a cup of warm tea'
Let a cup of tea be brought.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Passive formula for negative imperative command
Let + object + not + be + V3.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'Do not pluck the flowers'
Let the flowers not be plucked.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Passive formula for moral advice or suggestion with object
Object + should + be + V3.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'Help the impoverished people'
Impoverished people should be helped.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'Respect your teachers and elders'
Teachers and elders should be respected.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'Love your motherland'
Motherland should be loved.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Passive formula for polite requests starting with 'Please' or 'Kindly'
You are requested + to + V1.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'Please grant me leave'
You are requested to grant leave.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'Kindly forward this email'
You are requested to forward email.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Passive formula for intransitive imperative advice (no object)
You are advised + to + V1.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'Work diligently for success'
You are advised to work diligently.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Passive formula for intransitive imperative order (no object)
You are ordered + to + V1.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'Stand up on the bench'
You are ordered to stand up.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Passive formula for negative prohibition without object
You are forbidden + to + V1.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'Do not smoke in the office'
You are forbidden to smoke here.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Can negative word 'not' follow 'forbidden' in passive?
No, forbidden inherently contains negation.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Passive formula for imperative beginning with 'Let' + pronoun
Let + object + be + V3 + by.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'Let him complete the assignment'
Let assignment be completed by him.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Passive formula for 'Let us' expressing proposal or suggestion
It is suggested that we should.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'Let us celebrate the victory'
It is suggested that we celebrate.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Alternative moral passive for: 'Do not insult the poor'
The poor should not be insulted.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Criteria for choosing between 'Let' and 'Should' in imperative passive
Commands use Let; moral advice uses Should.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Interrogative Sentences & Dual Object Constructions
Passive formula for Yes/No question in simple present
Is/am/are + object + V3 (+ by)?
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'Do you play cricket?'
Is cricket played by you?
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Passive formula for Yes/No question in simple past
Was/were + object + V3 (+ by)?
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'Did he complete the homework?'
Was homework completed by him?
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Passive formula for Yes/No question in present perfect
Has/have + object + been + V3?
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'Have they delivered the package?'
Has the package been delivered?
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Passive formula for questions beginning with 'Who'
By whom + auxiliary + object + V3?
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'Who broke this beautiful mirror?'
By whom was mirror broken?
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Alternative modern passive formula for 'Who'
Who was mirror broken by?
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Passive formula for questions beginning with 'Whom'
Who + auxiliary + V3 (+ by)?
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'Whom did the committee select?'
Who was selected by committee?
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Passive formula for questions beginning with 'What'
What + auxiliary + V3 (+ by)?
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'What did you discover?'
What was discovered by you?
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Passive formula for questions beginning with 'Which' + noun
Which + noun + auxiliary + V3?
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'Which author wrote this novel?'
By which author was novel written?
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
The two object types found in ditransitive clauses
Direct object and indirect object.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Which object is traditionally preferred as passive subject?
Indirect personal object.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive (preferred): 'He gifted me a watch'
I was gifted a watch.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive (secondary): 'He gifted me a watch'
A watch was gifted to me.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Preposition required when direct object becomes subject
Preposition 'to' or 'for'.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'She bought me an expensive dress'
Dress was bought for me.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'The teacher taught us grammar'
We were taught grammar by teacher.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Punctuation closing an interrogative sentence in passive voice
Question mark (?).
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Word order retained in interrogative passive sentences
Auxiliary verb precedes grammatical subject.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Why 'Who was the thief caught' is incorrect
Omission of by-agent or wrong pronoun.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Quasi-Passive, Prepositions Other Than 'By' & Common Traps
Definition of quasi-passive verbs
Active in form, passive in meaning.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Passive formula for quasi-passive perception verbs
Subject + be + adjective + when V3.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'Quinine tastes bitter'
Quinine is bitter when it is tasted.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'The rose smells sweet'
Rose is sweet when it is smelt.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'This velvet cloth feels smooth'
Cloth is smooth when it is felt.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Passive formula for reporting verbs with that-clause
It is said/believed that + clause.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'People say that he is a genius'
It is said that he is genius.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Alternative infinitive passive for: 'People say he is a genius'
He is said to be a genius.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'They believe that honesty pays'
It is believed that honesty pays.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Fixed preposition following passive verb 'know'
Preposition 'to' (never 'by').
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'I know Dr. Sharma thoroughly'
Dr. Sharma is known to me.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Fixed preposition following passive verb 'marry'
Preposition 'to' (never 'with').
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'Ram married Sita'
Sita was married to Ram.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Fixed preposition following passive verb 'surprise'
Preposition 'at'.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'His unexpected conduct surprised me'
I was surprised at his conduct.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Fixed preposition following passive verb 'please'
Preposition 'with'.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'Her dedication pleased the committee'
Committee was pleased with her dedication.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Fixed preposition following passive verb 'contain'
Preposition 'in'.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'This glass bottle contains pure honey'
Pure honey is contained in bottle.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Fixed preposition following passive verb 'fill'
Preposition 'with'.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Active to passive: 'Dense smoke filled the auditorium'
Auditorium was filled with smoke.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Why stative verb 'have' (possession) lacks passive form
Expresses state of ownership, not action.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Why 'A luxurious mansion is had by him' is erroneous
Possessive verb 'have' resists passive conversion.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Stative verbs resisting passive transformation
Resemble, suit, lack, fit, hold.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
Ultimate rule for solving voice questions in competitive exams
Preserve tense, determine subject-verb agreement.
उत्तर देखने के लिए टैप करें
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