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Change of Voice

Last Updated : 3 Mar, 2026

The forms of verbs that show the "subject doing an action" or " an action done on the subject" are called voice. Change of voice means converting a sentence from the Active to the Passive Voice or vice versa, without changing the original meaning.

👁 active_

Types of Voice

There are two voices in the English language, and they are as follows:

1. Active Voice: In active voice, the verb expresses the subject's action upon the object.

General Formula: subject + verb + object

Example: The chef cooks the meal.

2. Passive Voice: In passive voice, the verb expresses the object being acted upon.

General Formula: object + helping verb(according to tense) + V3 + by + subject

Example: The meal is cooked by the chef.

Change of voice means changing an active sentence into passive, or a passive sentence into active. Let's discuss them in detail below:

1. Changing Active Voice to Passive Voice

Step 1: Identify the object of the active sentence; it becomes the subject in the passive sentence.

Step 2: Use the appropriate form of the verb “to be” (is, am, are, was, were, will be, etc.), according to the tense of the active verb.

Step 3: Use the past participle of the main verb.

Step 4: Optionally add the original subject preceded by “by.”

Step 5: Adjust the sentence for proper grammar and meaning.

Example:

  • Active: The boy kicks the ball.
  • Passive: The ball is kicked by the boy.

2. Changing Passive Voice to Active Voice

Step 1: Identify the doer (agent) in the passive sentence, usually after “by.” It becomes the subject in the active sentence.

Step 2: Use the correct verb tense in active form.

Step 3: Remove the form of “to be” used in passive voice.

Step 4: Rearrange the sentence for clarity.

Example:

  • Passive: The cake was baked by her.
  • Active: She baked the cake.

Converting Rules

Given below are a few basic rules to follow while converting from active to passive voice and vice versa:

Tense

Active Structure + Example

Passive Structure + Example

Present Simple

Subject + V1 (s/es) + Object
She writes a report.

Object + is/am/are + V3 + by + Subject
A report is written by her.

Past Simple

Subject + V2 + Object
We built a house.

Object + was/were + V3 + by + Subject
A house was built by us.

Future SimpleSubject + shall/will + V1 + Object
She will write the letter.		Object + shall/will + be + V3 + by + Subject
The letter will be written by her.
Present ContinuousSubject + is/am/are + V1 + ing + Object
They are painting the wall.		Object + is/am/are + being + V3 + by + Subject
The wall is being painted by them.
Past ContinuousSubject + was/were + V1 + ing + Object
She was reading a book.		Object + was/were + being + V3 + by + Subject
The book was being read by her.
Future ContinuousSubject + shall/will + be + V1 + ing + Object
They will be painting the room		Object + will + be + being + V3 + by + Subject (Rarely used)
The room will be being painted by them.
Present PerfectSubject + has/have + V3 + Object
He has completed the task.		Object + has/have + been + V3 + by + Subject
The task has been completed by him.
Past PerfectSubject + had + V3 + Object
They had finished the work.		Object + had + been + V3 + by + Subject
The work had been finished by them.
Future PerfectSubject + shall/will + have + V3 + Object
He will have completed the job.		Object + shall/will + have + been + V3 + by + Subject
The job will have been completed by him.

Present Perfect Continuous

Subject + has/have + been + V1 + ing + Object
She has been writing a report.

Object + has/have + been + being + V3 + by + Subject (Rarely used)
A report has been being written by her.

Past Perfect Continuous

Subject + had + been + V1 + ing + Object
They had been cleaning the hall.

Object + had + been + being + V3 + by + Subject (Rarely used)
The hall had been being cleaned by them.

Future Perfect Continuous

Subject + will + have + been + V1 + ing + Object
We will have been delivering goods.

Object + will + have + been + being + V3 + by + Subject (Rarely used)
Goods will have been being delivered by us.

Active to Passive Voice

Below are some conversions from active to passive voice:

  • Active Voice: She reads a book.
  • Passive Voice: A book is read by her.
  • Active Voice: They built the house.
  • Passive Voice: The house was built by them.
  • Active Voice: He will complete the report.
  • Passive Voice: The report will be completed by him.
  • Active Voice: The chef is cooking the meal.
  • Passive Voice: The meal is being cooked by the chef.
  • Active Voice: The students have finished the assignment.
  • Passive Voice: The assignment has been finished by the students.

Passive to Active Voice

Below are some conversions from passive to active voice:

  • Passive Voice: The proposal is approved by the manager.
  • Active Voice: The manager approves the proposal.
  • Passive Voice: The plants are watered by the gardener.
  • Active Voice: The gardener waters the plants.
  • Passive Voice: A new product will be launched by the company.
  • Active Voice: The company will launch a new product.
  • Passive Voice: A beautiful poem was written by her.
  • Active Voice: She wrote a beautiful poem.
  • Passive Voice: The road is being repaired by them.
  • Active Voice: They are repairing the road.

Tips and Tricks

  • Find the object first — it becomes the new subject in passive.
  • Use the correct “to be” form past participle in passive.
  • Include “by” + doer only if necessary.
  • Intransitive verbs (no object) can’t be passive.
  • Keep the tense same when changing voice.
  • The passive form of perfect continuous tenses always uses “being” before the past participle.
  • These passive forms are rarely used in everyday English because they sound complicated.

Also Check:

➣ Change of Voice Solved Question- Refer Here!

➣ Test your knowledge- Quiz!

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