Grammatical Voice: A Comprehensive Guide with Explanations

Grammatical voice is a fundamental aspect of English grammar that affects how a sentence is structured and how information is conveyed. Understanding the different types of voices, their rules, and how to transform sentences between voices is essential for mastering English grammar. This comprehensive guide will take you through the A to Z of grammatical voice, providing detailed explanations, examples, and exercises to enhance your learning.

What is Voice?

In grammar, voice or grammatical voice refers to the relationship between the subject and the action expressed by the verb. It indicates whether the subject is performing the action or receiving it.

Types of Voices Or Grammatical Voice

There are two primary types of voices or Grammatical voices in English grammar:

• Active Voice
• Passive Voice

Definitions of Voice Or Grammatical Voice Types

• Active Voice: The subject performs the action of the verb. For example, “The cat (subject) chased (verb) the mouse (object).”
• Passive Voice: The subject receives the action of the verb. For example, “The mouse (subject) was chased (verb) by the cat (agent).”

Explanation of Each Voice Type

• Active Voice: Focuses on the doer of the action, making sentences more direct and vigorous.
• Passive Voice: Focuses on the action or the receiver of the action, often used to emphasize the action or when the doer is unknown or irrelevant.

Usage in Sentences

• Active Voice: Generally preferred in writing for clarity and directness. E.g., “The researcher conducted the experiment.”
• Passive Voice: Used when the focus is on the action or its recipient. E.g., “The experiment was conducted by the researcher.”

Active vs. Passive Voice

Rules for Transforming Active to Passive

• Identify the subject, verb, and object in the active sentence.
• Move the object of the active sentence to the subject position in the passive sentence.
• Use the appropriate form of the verb ‘to be’ followed by the past participle of the main verb.
• Include the original subject (now the agent) after the preposition ‘by’ (optional).

Examples in All 9 Tenses about Grammatical Voice

• Simple Present
  • Active: “She writes a letter.”
  • Passive: “A letter is written by her.”
    • Explanation: Identify the subject (“She”), verb (“writes”), and object (“a letter”). Move “a letter” to the subject position, use “is” (present simple of “to be”) + past participle “written,” and add “by her.”
• Present Continuous
  • Active: “She is writing a letter.”
  • Passive: “A letter is being written by her.”
    • Explanation: Identify the subject (“She”), verb (“is writing”), and object (“a letter”). Move “a letter” to the subject position, use “is being” (present continuous of “to be”) + past participle “written,” and add “by her.”
• Present Perfect
  • Active: “She has written a letter.”
  • Passive: “A letter has been written by her.”
    • Explanation: Identify the subject (“She”), verb (“has written”), and object (“a letter”). Move “a letter” to the subject position, use “has been” (present perfect of “to be”) + past participle “written,” and add “by her.”
• Simple Past
  • Active: “She wrote a letter.”
  • Passive: “A letter was written by her.”
    • Explanation: Identify the subject (“She”), verb (“wrote”), and object (“a letter”). Move “a letter” to the subject position, use “was” (past simple of “to be”) + past participle “written,” and add “by her.”
• Past Continuous
  • Active: “She was writing a letter.”
  • Passive: “A letter was being written by her.”
    • Explanation: Identify the subject (“She”), verb (“was writing”), and object (“a letter”). Move “a letter” to the subject position, use “was being” (past continuous of “to be”) + past participle “written,” and add “by her.”
• Past Perfect
  • Active: “She had written a letter.”
  • Passive: “A letter had been written by her.”
    • Explanation: Identify the subject (“She”), verb (“had written”), and object (“a letter”). Move “a letter” to the subject position, use “had been” (past perfect of “to be”) + past participle “written,” and add “by her.”
• Simple Future
  • Active: “She will write a letter.”
  • Passive: “A letter will be written by her.”
    • Explanation: Identify the subject (“She”), verb (“will write”), and object (“a letter”). Move “a letter” to the subject position, use “will be” (future simple of “to be”) + past participle “written,” and add “by her.”
• Future Continuous
  • Active: “She will be writing a letter.”
  • Passive: “A letter will be being written by her.”
    • Explanation: Identify the subject (“She”), verb (“will be writing”), and object (“a letter”). Move “a letter” to the subject position, use “will be being” (future continuous of “to be”) + past participle “written,” and add “by her.”
• Future Perfect
  • Active: “She will have written a letter.”
  • Passive: “A letter will have been written by her.”
    • Explanation: Identify the subject (“She”), verb (“will have written”), and object (“a letter”). Move “a letter” to the subject position, use “will have been” (future perfect of “to be”) + past participle “written,” and add “by her.”

Special Cases in Passive Voice

Passive Voice with Double Object

In sentences with two objects (direct and indirect), either object can become the subject of the passive sentence.

• Active: “She gave him a book.”
  • Passive: “He was given a book by her.”
    • Explanation: “Him” (indirect object) becomes the subject “He,” use “was given,” and add “by her.”
  • Passive: “A book was given to him by her.”
    • Explanation: “A book” (direct object) becomes the subject, use “was given,” and add “to him by her.”
• Active: “The teacher sent the students an email.”
  • Passive: “The students were sent an email by the teacher.”
    • Explanation: “The students” (indirect object) becomes the subject, use “were sent,” and add “by the teacher.”
  • Passive: “An email was sent to the students by the teacher.”
    • Explanation: “An email” (direct object) becomes the subject, use “was sent,” and add “to the students by the teacher.”

Passive Voice with Modal Auxiliary

Sentences with modal auxiliaries (can, may, must, etc.) are transformed by placing the modal before the ‘be’ verb in the passive form.

• Active: “She can finish the project.”
  • Passive: “The project can be finished by her.”
    • Explanation: Move “the project” to the subject position, use “can be finished,” and add “by her.”
• Active: “They must complete the assignment.”
  • Passive: “The assignment must be completed by them.”
    • Explanation: Move “the assignment” to the subject position, use “must be completed,” and add “by them.”
• Active: “You should read this book.”
  • Passive: “This book should be read by you.”
    • Explanation: Move “this book” to the subject position, use “should be read,” and add “by you.”
• Active: “We might see the movie.”
  • Passive: “The movie might be seen by us.”
    • Explanation: Move “the movie” to the subject position, use “might be seen,” and add “by us.”

Passive Voice with WH-words

When questions contain WH-words (who, what, where, etc.), the passive form rephrases the question while keeping the WH-word at the beginning.

• Active: “Who wrote this book?”
  • Passive: “By whom was this book written?”
    • Explanation: Change “who” to “by whom,” move “this book” to subject position, use “was written.”
• Active: “What did he say?”
  • Passive: “What was said by him?”
    • Explanation: Keep “what” at the beginning, move “say” to “was said,” and add “by him.”
• Active: “Where did they find the keys?”
  • Passive: “Where were the keys found by them?”
    • Explanation: Keep “where” at the beginning, move “the keys” to subject position, use “were found,” and add “by them.”
• Active: “Why did she leave the meeting?”
  • Passive: “Why was the meeting left by her?”
    • Explanation: Keep “why” at the beginning, move “the meeting” to subject position, use “was left,” and add “by her.”

Passive Voice of Intransitive Verbs

Some intransitive verbs can be used transitively in passive constructions.

• Active: “The teacher read the book.”
  • Passive: “The book was read by the teacher.”
    • Explanation: Move “the book” to the subject position, use “was read,” and add “by the teacher.”
• Active: “The committee approved the plan.”
  • Passive: “The plan was approved by the committee.”
    • Explanation: Move “the plan” to the subject position, use “was approved,” and add “by the committee.”
• Active: “The storm destroyed the town.”
  • Passive: “The town was destroyed by the storm.”
    • Explanation: Move “the town” to the subject position, use “was destroyed,” and add “by the storm.”
• Active: “The judge dismissed the case.”
  • Passive: “The case was dismissed by the judge.”
    • Explanation: Move “the case” to the subject position, use “was dismissed,” and add “by the judge.”

Passive Voice of Imperative Sentences

Imperatives in passive voice focus on the action rather than who should perform it.

• Active: “Close the door.”
  • Passive: “Let the door be closed.”
    • Explanation: Use “let” + the object “the door” + “be closed.”
• Active: “Complete the form.”
  • Passive: “Let the form be completed.”
    • Explanation: Use “let” + the object “the form” + “be completed.”
• Active: “Clean the room.”
  • Passive: “Let the room be cleaned.”
    • Explanation: Use “let” + the object “the room” + “be cleaned.”
• Active: “Write the report.”
  • Passive: “Let the report be written.”
    • Explanation: Use “let” + the object “the report” + “be written.”

Passive Voice of Reflexive Verbs

Reflexive verbs, though rare in passive voice, follow the same passive transformation rules.

• Active: “He hurt himself.”
  • Passive: “He was hurt.”
    • Explanation: Move “he” to the subject position, use “was hurt,” and omit “himself” as it is implied.
• Active: “She enjoyed herself.”
  • Passive: “She was enjoyed.”
    • Explanation: Move “she” to the subject position, use “was enjoyed,” and omit “herself.”
• Active: “They helped themselves.”
  • Passive: “They were helped.”
    • Explanation: Move “they” to the subject position, use “were helped,” and omit “themselves.”
• Active: “I taught myself.”
  • Passive: “I was taught.”
    • Explanation: Move “I” to the subject position, use “was taught,” and omit “myself.”

Passive Voice of Quasi-Passive Verbs

Quasi-passive verbs appear passive but function as active.

• Active: “The book reads well.”
  • Passive: “The book is well read.”
    • Explanation: Move “the book” to the subject position, use “is well read.”
• Active: “The cake tastes delicious.”
  • Passive: “The cake is deliciously tasted.”
    • Explanation: Move “the cake” to the subject position, use “is deliciously tasted.”
• Active: “The theory holds true.”
  • Passive: “The theory is truly held.”
    • Explanation: Move “the theory” to the subject position, use “is truly held.”
• Active: “The rule applies universally.”
  • Passive: “The rule is universally applied.”
    • Explanation: Move “the rule” to the subject position, use “is universally applied.”

Passive Voice of Infinitives

Passive infinitives are formed with ‘to be’ followed by the past participle.

• Active: “She wants to finish the project.”
  • Passive: “She wants the project to be finished.”
    • Explanation: Use “to be” + past participle “finished” after “the project.”
• Active: “They expect to win the game.”
  • Passive: “They expect the game to be won.”
    • Explanation: Use “to be” + past participle “won” after “the game.”
• Active: “He hopes to receive an award.”
  • Passive: “He hopes an award to be received.”
    • Explanation: Use “to be” + past participle “received” after “an award.”
• Active: “We need to clean the house.”
  • Passive: “We need the house to be cleaned.”
    • Explanation: Use “to be” + past participle “cleaned” after “the house.”

When to Use Passive Voice

Passive voice is useful when the doer is unknown, or unimportant, or you want to emphasize the action itself.

See More “Right form of Verbs”

Practical Applications On Grammatical Voice

Subjective Case vs. Objective Case

Negative Grammatical Voice of Passive Voice

Negative sentences in passive voice include ‘not’ after the auxiliary verb.

• Active: “She did not write the letter.”
  • Passive: “The letter was not written by her.”
    • Explanation: Move “the letter” to the subject position, use “was not written,” and add “by her.”
• Active: “They do not accept the offer.”
  • Passive: “The offer is not accepted by them.”
    • Explanation: Move “the offer” to the subject position, use “is not accepted,” and add “by them.”
• Active: “He has not completed the task.”
  • Passive: “The task has not been completed by him.”
    • Explanation: Move “the task” to the subject position, use “has not been completed,” and add “by him.”
• Active: “We will not attend the meeting.”
  • Passive: “The meeting will not be attended by us.”
    • Explanation: Move “the meeting” to the subject position, use “will not be attended,” and add “by us.”

Interrogative Grammatical Voice of Passive Voice

Interrogative sentences in passive voice invert the subject and auxiliary verb.

• Active: “Did she write the letter?”
  • Passive: “Was the letter written by her?”
    • Explanation: Move “the letter” to the subject position, use “was written,” and add “by her.”
• Active: “Are they making the cake?”
  • Passive: “Is the cake being made by them?”
    • Explanation: Move “the cake” to the subject position, use “is being made,” and add “by them.”
• Active: “Will he deliver the speech?”
  • Passive: “Will the speech be delivered by him?”
    • Explanation: Move “the speech” to the subject position, use “will be delivered,” and add “by him.”
• Active: “Have they completed the project?”
  • Passive: “Has the project been completed by them?”
    • Explanation: Move “the project” to the subject position, use “has been completed,” and add “by them.”

Exercises for You On Grammatical Voice

• Transform the following sentences into passive voice:
  • Active: “The chef cooked the meal.”
    • Passive: “The meal was cooked by the chef.”
      • Explanation: Move “the meal” to the subject position, use “was cooked,” and add “by the chef.”
  • Active: “The students are reading the books.”
    • Passive: “The books are being read by the students.”
      • Explanation: Move “the books” to the subject position, use “are being read,” and add “by the students.”
  • Active: “She has written the report.”
    • Passive: “The report has been written by her.”
      • Explanation: Move “the report” to the subject position, use “has been written,” and add “by her.”
  • Active: “They will build the house.”
    • Passive: “The house will be built by them.”
      • Explanation: Move “the house” to the subject position, use “will be built,” and add “by them.”
• Identify the voice in the following sentences and convert them to the opposite voice:
  • Passive: “The car was repaired by the mechanic.”
    • Active: “The mechanic repaired the car.”
      • Explanation: Move “the mechanic” to the subject position, use “repaired,” and move “the car” to the object position.
  • Active: “The manager reviews the applications.”
    • Passive: “The applications are reviewed by the manager.”
      • Explanation: Move “the applications” to the subject position, use “are reviewed,” and add “by the manager.”
  • Active: “The team is designing the website.”
    • Passive: “The website is being designed by the team.”
      • Explanation: Move “the website” to the subject position, use “is being designed,” and add “by the team.”
  • Passive: “The song has been sung by the artist.”
    • Active: “The artist has sung the song.”
      • Explanation: Move “the artist” to the subject position, use “has sung,” and move “the song” to the object position.
• Fill in the blanks with the correct passive form of the verbs:
  • “The project ___ (finish) by the team.”
    • Passive: “The project is finished by the team.”
  • “The movie ___ (watch) by millions.”
    • Passive: “The movie is watched by millions.”
  • “The letter ___ (send) yesterday.”
    • Passive: “The letter was sent yesterday.”
  • “The book ___ (publish) next month.”
    • Passive: “The book will be published next month.”
• Write sentences in passive voice for the following:
  • Active: “The teacher gave the students homework.”
    • Passive: “The students were given homework by the teacher.”
      • Explanation: Move “the students” to the subject position, use “were given,” and add “by the teacher.”
  • Active: “The company will launch a new product.”
    • Passive: “A new product will be launched by the company.”
      • Explanation: Move “a new product” to the subject position, use “will be launched,” and add “by the company.”
  • Active: “They are building a new school.”
    • Passive: “A new school is being built by them.”
      • Explanation: Move “a new school” to the subject position, use “is being built,” and add “by them.”
  • Active: “She can solve the problem.”
    • Passive: “The problem can be solved by her.”
      • Explanation: Move “the problem” to the subject position, use “can be solved,” and add “by her.”
• Transform the following imperative sentences into passive voice:
  • Active: “Open the door.”
    • Passive: “Let the door be closed.”
      • Explanation: Use “let” + the object “the door” + “be closed.”
  • Active: “Complete the assignment.”
    • Passive: “Let the assignment be completed.”
      • Explanation: Use “let” + the object “the assignment” + “be completed.”
  • Active: “Call the doctor.”
    • Passive: “Let the doctor be called.”
      • Explanation: Use “let” + the object “the doctor” + “be called.”
  • Active: “Check the answer.”
    • Passive: “Let the answer be checked.”
      • Explanation: Use “let” + the object “the answer” + “be checked.”

Conclusion of Grammatical Voice

Grammatical voice is a vital tool in writing and communication, providing flexibility in sentence construction and emphasis. Mastery of active and passive voice, along with their various applications, enhances clarity and precision in language use. Through understanding and practice, one can effectively employ voice to convey meaning with impact and elegance.

FAQs about Grammatical Voice

What is grammatical voice?

Grammatical voice is a grammatical feature that indicates the relationship between the subject and the action of the verb in a sentence. It shows whether the subject is performing the action (active voice) or receiving the action (passive voice).

What is active voice?

In the active voice, the subject of the sentence performs the action expressed by the verb. For example, “The cat chased the mouse.”

What is passive voice?

In the passive voice, the subject of the sentence receives the action of the verb. The action itself or the recipient of the action is emphasized rather than who is performing it. For example, “The mouse was chased by the cat.”

When should I use passive voice?

The passive voice is used when the focus is on the action itself or the recipient of the action, when the performer of the action is unknown or unimportant, or when you want to create a sense of objectivity. For example, “The window was broken.”

How do I change a sentence from active to passive voice?

To change a sentence from active to passive voice, follow these steps:

1. Identify the object of the active sentence.
2. Make the object the subject of the passive sentence.
3. Use the appropriate form of the verb “to be” followed by the past participle of the main verb.
4. Optionally, include the original subject preceded by “by.”

Can all sentences be changed to passive voice?

Not all sentences can be changed to passive voice. Only sentences with transitive verbs (verbs that take an object) can be converted to passive voice. Intransitive verbs (verbs that do not take an object) cannot be used in passive constructions.

What are some examples of passive voice sentences?

• The book was read by the student.
• The letter was written by the manager.
• The song is being sung by the choir.
• The project will be completed by the team.

How do I identify passive voice in a sentence?

To identify passive voice in a sentence, look for the following clues:

1. The subject of the sentence receives the action of the verb.
2. The sentence includes a form of the verb “to be” (e.g., is, was, were, been) followed by the past participle of the main verb.
3. The performer of the action may be included after the verb, often preceded by “by.”

What are the advantages and disadvantages of using passive voice?

Advantages:

• Focuses on the action or recipient of the action.
• Creates a sense of objectivity or formality.
• Can be used to avoid specifying the performer of the action.

Disadvantages:

• Can make sentences longer and more complex.
• May obscure the performer of the action.
• Can lead to vagueness or lack of clarity.

Is passive voice always incorrect or less preferred?

No, passive voice is not always incorrect or less preferred. While active voice is generally more direct and concise, passive voice is useful and appropriate in many contexts, such as scientific writing, formal reports, and situations where the focus is on the action rather than the performer.

How can I practice converting sentences between active and passive voice?

To practice converting sentences between active and passive voice:

1. Start with simple sentences and identify the subject, verb, and object.
2. Change the position of the object to the subject position.
3. Apply the correct form of the verb “to be” and the past participle of the main verb.
4. Gradually move on to more complex sentences and different tenses.
5. Use exercises and worksheets to reinforce your understanding and skills.