Active and Passive Voice in English – Complete Guide with Hindi Explanation

Active and Passive Voice – Complete English Grammar Guide

Active and passive voice are two ways of presenting the same action. In active voice, the subject performs the action. In passive voice, the subject receives the action or is affected by it.

Understanding voice will help you write clearer sentences, communicate professionally and understand English news, reports, instructions and everyday conversations.

हिंदी में समझें: Active Voice में कर्ता (Subject) काम करता है, जबकि Passive Voice में जिस व्यक्ति या वस्तु पर काम होता है, उसे वाक्य का मुख्य विषय बनाया जाता है।

In This Lesson – Topic Index

1. Introduction to Active and Passive Voice
2. Subject, Verb and Object in Voice
3. Changing Present Tense Sentences into Passive Voice
4. Changing Past Tense Sentences into Passive Voice
5. Changing Future Tense Sentences into Passive Voice
6. Passive Voice with Modal Verbs
7. Passive Voice in Questions
8. Passive Voice with Two Objects
9. When to Use Passive Voice
10. Active and Passive Voice Exercises

1. Introduction to Active and Passive Voice

Voice tells us how the subject is connected to the action expressed by the verb. English mainly uses two voices: active voice and passive voice.

Active Voice

In active voice, the subject performs the action.

Riya writes a letter.
Riya = Subject (the person doing the action)
writes = Verb (the action)
a letter = Object (the thing receiving the action)

हिंदी: रिया एक पत्र लिखती है। यहाँ रिया काम करने वाली है।

Passive Voice

In passive voice, the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence.

A letter is written by Riya.
A letter = Subject of the passive sentence
is written = Passive verb form
by Riya = Agent (the person performing the action)

हिंदी: एक पत्र रिया द्वारा लिखा जाता है। यहाँ ध्यान पत्र पर है, न कि रिया पर।

Active vs Passive Voice

Active Voice	Passive Voice
The chef cooks the food.	The food is cooked by the chef.
The students cleaned the room.	The room was cleaned by the students.
Someone has opened the door.	The door has been opened.
They will announce the result.	The result will be announced.

Important: Not every active sentence can be changed into a natural passive sentence. Passive voice is normally formed with verbs that take an object (transitive verbs). A sentence such as “The baby sleeps” has no object, so it normally has no passive form.

2. Subject, Verb and Object in Voice

Before changing active voice into passive voice, you need to identify the subject, verb and object correctly.

Subject

The subject is the person or thing that the sentence is about. In an active sentence, it usually performs the action.

Rahul repaired the bicycle.
Subject: Rahul

Verb

The verb expresses the action or state.

Rahul repaired the bicycle.
Verb: repaired

Object

The object receives the action of a transitive verb.

Rahul repaired the bicycle.
Object: the bicycle

How the Sentence Changes

Active: Subject + Verb + Object
Passive: Object + be + Past Participle (V3) + by + Subject

Active: The teacher praised the student.
Passive: The student was praised by the teacher.

Steps to Change Active into Passive

1. Find the subject, verb and object in the active sentence.
2. Move the object to the subject position.
3. Choose the correct form of be according to the tense and new subject.
4. Use the past participle (V3) of the main verb.
5. Add by + the original subject when it is useful or necessary.
6. Check that the meaning and tense remain consistent.

Remember: The object pronoun changes when it becomes the subject: me → I, him → he, her → she, us → we, them → they. After by, use object pronouns: I → me, he → him, she → her, we → us, they → them.

3. Changing Present Tense Sentences into Passive Voice

Present tense sentences can be changed into passive voice by using the appropriate present form of be followed by the past participle of the main verb.

A. Simple Present Tense

Active: Subject + V1 / V1-s or -es + Object
Passive: Object + am/is/are + V3

Active: She writes a report.
Passive: A report is written by her.

Active: They clean the office every day.
Passive: The office is cleaned every day.

हिंदी: वह रिपोर्ट लिखती है → रिपोर्ट उसके द्वारा लिखी जाती है।

B. Present Continuous Tense

Active: Subject + am/is/are + V-ing + Object
Passive: Object + am/is/are + being + V3

Active: The workers are painting the wall.
Passive: The wall is being painted by the workers.

Active: She is preparing dinner.
Passive: Dinner is being prepared by her.

C. Present Perfect Tense

Active: Subject + has/have + V3 + Object
Passive: Object + has/have + been + V3

Active: He has completed the project.
Passive: The project has been completed by him.

Active: They have repaired the road.
Passive: The road has been repaired.

Present Tense Quick Reference

Tense	Passive Structure	Example
Simple Present	am/is/are + V3	The room is cleaned.
Present Continuous	am/is/are + being + V3	The room is being cleaned.
Present Perfect	has/have + been + V3	The room has been cleaned.

Usage note: Passive forms of the present perfect continuous are grammatically possible but very uncommon and often awkward. In most everyday situations, rewrite the sentence or use a more natural alternative instead.

4. Changing Past Tense Sentences into Passive Voice

To change past tense sentences into passive voice, use the appropriate past form of be with the past participle (V3).

A. Simple Past Tense

Active: Subject + V2 + Object
Passive: Object + was/were + V3

Active: The police arrested the thief.
Passive: The thief was arrested by the police.

Active: She bought a new laptop.
Passive: A new laptop was bought by her.

B. Past Continuous Tense

Active: Subject + was/were + V-ing + Object
Passive: Object + was/were + being + V3

Active: They were building a bridge.
Passive: A bridge was being built by them.

Active: The staff were checking the documents.
Passive: The documents were being checked by the staff.

C. Past Perfect Tense

Active: Subject + had + V3 + Object
Passive: Object + had + been + V3

Active: She had finished the assignment.
Passive: The assignment had been finished by her.

Active: They had delivered the package.
Passive: The package had been delivered.

Past Tense Quick Reference

Tense	Passive Structure	Example
Simple Past	was/were + V3	The letter was sent.
Past Continuous	was/were + being + V3	The letter was being written.
Past Perfect	had + been + V3	The letter had been written.

हिंदी में: Past Passive में काम पहले हो चुका था या अतीत में किसी समय चल रहा था। सही passive form चुनने के लिए मूल वाक्य का tense पहचानना जरूरी है।

5. Changing Future Tense Sentences into Passive Voice

Future passive sentences are formed by using will be followed by the past participle (V3). Other future expressions can also be used in passive constructions.

A. Simple Future with Will

Active: Subject + will + V1 + Object
Passive: Object + will + be + V3

Active: They will announce the results tomorrow.
Passive: The results will be announced tomorrow.

Active: She will complete the work.
Passive: The work will be completed by her.

B. Future with Going To

Active: Subject + am/is/are going to + V1 + Object
Passive: Object + am/is/are going to + be + V3

Active: The company is going to launch a new product.
Passive: A new product is going to be launched by the company.

Active: They are going to repair the road.
Passive: The road is going to be repaired.

C. Future Perfect Tense

Active: Subject + will have + V3 + Object
Passive: Object + will have been + V3

Active: They will have completed the building by June.
Passive: The building will have been completed by June.

Future Passive Quick Reference

Future Form	Passive Structure	Example
Simple Future	will + be + V3	The work will be done.
Going to	am/is/are + going to + be + V3	The work is going to be done.
Future Perfect	will have + been + V3	The work will have been done.

Remember: Future continuous passive and future perfect continuous passive forms are generally avoided because they are awkward or rarely needed. Use a natural alternative where possible.

6. Passive Voice with Modal Verbs

Modal verbs such as can, could, may, might, must, should and will can be used in passive sentences.

Active: Subject + Modal + Base Verb + Object
Passive: Object + Modal + be + V3

Examples

Active: You can solve this problem.
Passive: This problem can be solved by you.

Active: They must follow the rules.
Passive: The rules must be followed.

Active: We should protect the environment.
Passive: The environment should be protected.

Active: Someone may cancel the meeting.
Passive: The meeting may be cancelled.

Active: They might change the schedule.
Passive: The schedule might be changed.

Modal Perfect Passive

When a modal verb refers to a past action or possibility, use this structure:

Modal + have been + V3

The report should have been submitted yesterday.
रिपोर्ट कल तक जमा कर दी जानी चाहिए थी।

The package may have been delivered already.
हो सकता है कि पैकेज पहले ही पहुँचा दिया गया हो।

The mistake could have been avoided.
उस गलती से बचा जा सकता था।

Important: Do not write “can be solve” or “should be complete”. The passive form needs the past participle: can be solved, should be completed.

7. Passive Voice in Questions

Passive questions are formed by placing the appropriate auxiliary verb before the subject. Keep the past participle (V3) in the passive verb phrase.

Yes/No Questions

Simple Present: Am/Is/Are + Subject + V3?
Simple Past: Was/Were + Subject + V3?
Future: Will + Subject + be + V3?

Active: Does the manager approve the bills?
Passive: Are the bills approved by the manager?

Active: Did the police catch the thief?
Passive: Was the thief caught by the police?

Active: Will they publish the report?
Passive: Will the report be published?

Wh-Questions

Wh-questions use words such as what, when, where, why, how and who. Keep the question word at the beginning and use the correct passive auxiliary structure.

Active: When will they announce the result?
Passive: When will the result be announced?

Active: Why did the company cancel the order?
Passive: Why was the order cancelled by the company?

Active: Who wrote this book?
Passive: By whom was this book written?

Questions with Modal Verbs

Active: Can we solve this problem?
Passive: Can this problem be solved?

Active: Should they submit the form today?
Passive: Should the form be submitted today?

हिंदी में: Passive question में भी मुख्य क्रिया का V3 रूप बना रहता है। प्रश्न बनाने के लिए सही helping verb को subject से पहले रखें।

8. Passive Voice with Two Objects

Some verbs can take two objects: an indirect object (usually a person) and a direct object (usually a thing). These sentences can often have two passive forms.

Example

Active: The teacher gave the student a prize.

In this sentence:

• Subject: The teacher
• Verb: gave
• Indirect object: the student
• Direct object: a prize

Passive Form 1: Indirect Object as Subject

The student was given a prize by the teacher.

Passive Form 2: Direct Object as Subject

A prize was given to the student by the teacher.

More Examples

Active: My father bought me a bicycle.
Passive 1: I was bought a bicycle by my father.
Passive 2: A bicycle was bought for me by my father.

Active: She sent him an email.
Passive 1: He was sent an email by her.
Passive 2: An email was sent to him by her.

Active: They offered her a job.
Passive 1: She was offered a job.
Passive 2: A job was offered to her.

Important: The preposition used with the direct object form depends on the verb. For example, we say “give something to someone” but “buy something for someone”. Not every verb with two objects allows both passive forms equally naturally.

9. When to Use Passive Voice

Passive voice is useful when the action, result or receiver of the action is more important than the person who performs it.

1. When the Doer Is Unknown

My bicycle was stolen last night.
मेरी साइकिल कल रात चोरी हो गई।

We do not know who stole the bicycle.

2. When the Doer Is Unimportant

The road is cleaned every morning.
सड़क हर सुबह साफ की जाती है।

The focus is on the regular cleaning, not on the people doing it.

3. When the Action or Result Is More Important

The new hospital was opened last month.
नया अस्पताल पिछले महीने खोला गया था।

The opening of the hospital is the main information.

4. In Formal and Professional Writing

The documents have been verified.
दस्तावेज़ों का सत्यापन कर लिया गया है।

Passive voice is common in reports, official communication, scientific writing and workplace updates when the process or result matters most.

5. In Instructions and Processes

The form must be submitted before Friday.
फॉर्म शुक्रवार से पहले जमा किया जाना चाहिए।

When Active Voice Is Better

Active voice is often clearer and more direct when the person performing the action is important or should be clearly identified.

Less direct: The report was prepared by Neha.
More direct: Neha prepared the report.

Remember: Passive voice is not automatically more formal or better. Choose active or passive voice according to what you want to emphasise and which version makes the sentence clearer.

Using By and Leaving Out the Agent

Use by + agent when the person or thing performing the action is important or needs to be identified.

The novel was written by Premchand.

Leave out the agent when it is unknown, obvious, unimportant or unnecessary.

The road was repaired last week.

10. Active and Passive Voice Exercises

Practise changing sentences from active to passive voice and from passive to active voice. Check your answers after attempting each exercise.

Practice Exercise 1: Change into Passive Voice

1. She writes a letter.

2. The workers are repairing the road.

3. He has completed the assignment.

4. The police arrested the criminal.

5. They will announce the results tomorrow.

Show Answers

1. A letter is written by her.
2. The road is being repaired by the workers.
3. The assignment has been completed by him.
4. The criminal was arrested by the police.
5. The results will be announced tomorrow.

Practice Exercise 2: Change into Active Voice

1. The room is cleaned by the staff.

2. The email was sent by Rahul.

3. The project has been completed by the team.

4. The food is being prepared by my mother.

5. The rules must be followed by everyone.

Show Answers

1. The staff clean the room.
2. Rahul sent the email.
3. The team has completed the project.
4. My mother is preparing the food.
5. Everyone must follow the rules.

Practice Exercise 3: Choose the Correct Passive Form

1. English _____ in many countries.

a) speaks   b) is spoken   c) is speaking

2. The bridge _____ last year.

a) was built   b) is built   c) built

3. The work _____ right now.

a) is doing   b) is being done   c) has done

4. The report _____ tomorrow.

a) will submit   b) will be submitted   c) is submitted yesterday

5. The rules should _____ by all students.

a) follow   b) be followed   c) be follow

Show Answers

1. b) is spoken
2. a) was built
3. b) is being done
4. b) will be submitted
5. b) be followed

Practice Exercise 4: Correct the Mistakes

1. The letter is write by her.

2. The room was clean by the staff.

3. The work will be complete tomorrow.

4. The road is repairing by the workers.

5. The rules must followed by everyone.

Show Correct Sentences

1. The letter is written by her.
2. The room was cleaned by the staff.
3. The work will be completed tomorrow.
4. The road is being repaired by the workers.
5. The rules must be followed by everyone.

Practice Exercise 5: Translate into English

1. यह किताब मेरे द्वारा लिखी गई थी।

2. खाना बनाया जा रहा है।

3. रिपोर्ट कल जमा की जाएगी।

4. नियमों का पालन किया जाना चाहिए।

5. सड़क की मरम्मत कर दी गई है।

Show Suggested Answers

1. This book was written by me.
2. The food is being prepared.
3. The report will be submitted tomorrow.
4. The rules should be followed.
5. The road has been repaired.

Daily English Practice Plan

Spend 15–20 minutes each day practising active and passive voice. Focus on identifying the tense and choosing the correct passive structure.

Time	Activity
5 minutes	Identify the subject, verb and object in five sentences.
5 minutes	Change five active sentences into passive voice.
5 minutes	Practise passive questions and modal constructions.
5 minutes	Write a short workplace or daily-life update using passive voice.

अभ्यास का तरीका: रोज़ पाँच Active sentences को Passive में बदलें और पाँच Passive sentences को Active में बदलें। हर वाक्य का tense पहचानने की आदत डालें।

Final Summary

Active voice focuses on the person or thing performing an action, while passive voice focuses on the person or thing affected by the action.

To form passive voice correctly, identify the object, choose the appropriate form of be and use the past participle (V3) of the main verb.

Remember that passive voice is useful when the action or result matters more than the doer. Use active voice when it communicates the message more directly.

Practise regularly, and you will become more confident in using both voices in everyday English and professional writing.

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