Active voice is the subject doing the action and the passive voice is the subject receiving action. Active and passive voice are very important in English. Most of English verbs are Transitive and when a Transitive verb is changed into intransitive or it is used in the sense of an intransitive verb the sentence take the form of passive voice.
Example
Doing (Active voice): My son is writing a letter.
Being(passive): A letter is being written by my son.
(Active voice) :I take exercise.
(Passive voice): Exercise is taken by me.
Your paragraph text by shaz KhanIn these examples the meaning of both sentences are same but only the difference is the way they are represent. In active voice different forms of verb are used.
Passive voice
The state of being of an action in a certain aspect of time is called passive voice.
Difference between Active and Passive voice
| Active voice | Passive voice |
| Doer of action is active. | Doer of action is passive. |
| Different forms of principal verb are used. | Only 3rd form of principal verb is used. |
| Doer of action is available. | Doer of action is not available or least important. |
| Helping verb is used. | Helping verb +be form is used. |
Active Voice And Passive Voice Helping Verb Chart
| Active voice | Passive voice |
| Do/Does | Is/Are/Am |
| Is/Are/Am | Is/Are/Am +being |
| Has/Have | Has been/Have been |
| Has been/Have been | Not possible |
| Did | Was/Were |
| Was/Were | Was being/Were being |
| Had | Had been |
| Shall/Will | Shall be/Will be |
| Shall be/Will be | Not possible |
| Shall have/Will have | Shall have been/Will have been |
| Shall have been/Will have been | Not possible |
Understanding “Subject”/ “Object.
| Subject | Object |
| I | Me |
| You | You |
| We | Us |
| They | Them |
| He | Him |
| She | Her |
| It | It |
| Who | whom(by) |
Active And Passive Voice Example Sentences In All Tenses
| Active voice example sentences | Passive voice example sentences |
| I write a letter. | A letter is written by me. |
| I am writing a letter. | A letter is being written by me. |
| I have been writing a letter. | A letter has being written by me. |
| I wrote a letter. | A letter was written by me. |
| I was writing a letter. | A letter was being written by me. |
| I had written a letter. | A letter had been written by me. |
| I had been writing a letter. | A letter had been being written by me. |
| I shall write a letter. | A letter will be written by me. |
| I shall be writing a letter. | A letter will be being written by me. |
| I shall have written a letter. | A letter will have been written by me. |
| I shall have been writing a letter since morning. | A letter will have been being written by me since morning. |
why we use Passive voice
- When the subject is unknown.
- When the subject is unimportant.
- When the subject is confidential.
- When we talk about general facts.
- When the subject is to avoid being blamed or criticized.
1-When the subject is unknown
My mobile was stolen.
2-When the subject is unimportant
English is spoken all over the world. (Active voice)
People speak English all over the world. (passive voice)
3-When the subject is confidential
You have been brought here for a secret mission.
4-When the sentence is about general facts
Books are printed on paper.
Yogurt is made from Milk.
5-To avoid being blamed or criticized
I cannot repaired this phone.(Active)
This phone cannot be repaired.(Passive)