Verbs in Active and Passive Voice (Grade 10 NSC Matric English HL): Revision Notes
Verbs in Active and Passive Voice
Understanding active and passive voice
Voice in grammar refers to the relationship between the subject of a sentence and the verb. There are two voices in English: active and passive. Understanding the difference between these two forms is essential for effective writing and communication. The choice between active and passive voice affects the focus and tone of your sentences.
In active voice, the subject is the person or thing doing the action. This creates direct, clear sentences where the reader immediately knows who is responsible for the action. In passive voice, the subject is the person or thing receiving the action, which shifts the focus to what is being done rather than who is doing it.
The key distinction: Active voice emphasizes the doer of the action, while passive voice emphasizes the receiver of the action. This fundamental difference affects how readers perceive and understand your sentences.
Active voice
Active voice occurs when the subject of the sentence performs the action expressed by the verb. This means the subject is the 'doer' of the action. Active voice creates direct, straightforward sentences that clearly show who or what is responsible for the action.
Structure: Subject + Verb + Object
Example: The striker scored a goal.
Let's break down this sentence:
- Subject: The striker (the person doing the action)
- Verb: Scored (the action being performed)
- Object: A goal (what receives the action)
In this example, we can clearly see that the striker is performing the action of scoring. The sentence tells us directly who did what. Active voice sentences are generally more engaging and easier to understand because they follow the natural order of how we think about actions.
Passive voice
Passive voice occurs when the subject of the sentence receives the action of the verb rather than performing it. In this construction, the focus shifts from who is doing the action to what is being acted upon. The original subject (the doer) may appear later in the sentence or be omitted entirely.
Structure: Subject + Form of 'to be' + Past Participle (+ by + Doer)
Example: The goal was scored by the striker.
Let's analyse this sentence:
- Subject: The goal (receives the action)
- Verb: Was scored (passive verb form)
- Doer (optional): By the striker (who performed the action)
Notice how the goal, which was the object in the active sentence, has now become the subject. The focus has shifted from the striker's action to the goal itself. The phrase "by the striker" identifies who performed the action, but this information is optional in passive constructions.
Omitting the doer
One important feature of passive voice is that you can leave out the doer of the action when it is unknown, unimportant, or obvious from context.
Example: The goal was scored.
In this version, we don't mention who scored the goal. This might be used when the identity of the scorer doesn't matter, or when everyone already knows who it was. This flexibility makes passive voice useful in certain contexts, particularly in formal or scientific writing.
Converting active voice to passive voice
Changing a sentence from active to passive voice follows a systematic process. By following these four steps carefully, you can successfully convert any active sentence into its passive equivalent whilst maintaining the correct tense and meaning.
Step 1: Identify the verb
First, locate the main verb in the active sentence. The verb expresses the action or state of being. This is crucial because the verb will need to change form when you create the passive construction.
Example: In "The striker scored a goal," the verb is scored.
Step 2: Divide the sentence into parts
Break down the sentence to identify three key components: the subject (who does the action), the verb (the action itself), and the object (what receives the action). Understanding these parts helps you know what to move where.
Example:
- Subject: The striker
- Verb: Scored
- Object: A goal
Step 3: Start the new sentence with the object
The object from the active sentence becomes the subject of your passive sentence. This shift is what creates the passive construction, moving the focus from the doer to the receiver of the action.
Example: Begin with "A goal..." instead of "The striker..."
Step 4: Change the verb form
This is the most technical step. You need to:
- Use the past participle of the main verb (scored → scored, developed → developed, trained → trained)
- Add the correct form of 'to be' before the past participle (is, was, are, were, has been, etc.)
- Sometimes 'got' can be used instead of 'to be' (e.g., I was stung by a bee or I got stung by a bee)
The form of 'to be' must match the tense of the original sentence and agree with the new subject. This is the most common source of errors when converting between voices.
Example: "Scored" becomes "was scored" (past tense of 'to be' + past participle)
Complete transformation: The striker scored a goal → A goal was scored by the striker.
Examples across different tenses
Passive voice can be used in any tense. The key is to ensure the auxiliary verb 'to be' matches the tense of the original active sentence. Here are examples showing how active and passive voice work in various tenses:
Present continuous tense
- Active voice: The striker is scoring a goal.
- Passive voice: A goal is being scored by the striker.
In present continuous, we use "is being" (present continuous form of 'to be') plus the past participle. This tense describes actions happening right now.
Perfect tense
- Active voice: The striker has scored a goal.
- Passive voice: A goal has been scored by the striker.
In perfect tense, we use "has been" (perfect form of 'to be') plus the past participle. This tense describes completed actions with present relevance.
Simple future tense
- Active voice: The striker will score a goal.
- Passive voice: A goal will be scored by the striker.
In simple future, we use "will be" (future form of 'to be') plus the past participle. This tense describes actions that will happen in the future.
Notice how the tense stays consistent between active and passive versions - this is essential for maintaining the temporal meaning of the sentence. The pattern is always: appropriate form of 'to be' + past participle.
Worked examples
Converting active to passive voice
Let's work through several examples to see the conversion process in action.
Worked Example 1: Money provides financial freedom.
To convert this:
- Identify the verb: provides
- Identify parts: Subject (Money) - Verb (provides) - Object (financial freedom)
- Start with the object: Financial freedom
- Change the verb: is provided (present tense 'to be' + past participle)
- Add the doer: by money
Answer: Financial freedom is provided by money.
Worked Example 2: Robert is training someone every week.
To convert this:
- Identify the verb: is training
- Identify parts: Subject (Robert) - Verb (is training) - Object (someone)
- Start with the object: Someone
- Change the verb: is being trained (present continuous 'to be' + past participle)
- Add the doer: by Robert
- Keep time phrase: every week
Answer: Someone is being trained by Robert every week.
Worked Example 3: The 18-year-old had developed an illness causing paralysis.
To convert this:
- Identify the verb: had developed
- Identify parts: Subject (The 18-year-old) - Verb (had developed) - Object (an illness causing paralysis)
- Start with the object: An illness causing paralysis
- Change the verb: had been developed (past perfect 'to be' + past participle)
- Add the doer: by the 18-year-old
Answer: An illness causing paralysis had been developed by the 18-year-old.
Converting passive to active voice
The reverse process involves making the doer the subject again.
Worked Example: Graça Machel is admired greatly by the people of Mozambique.
To convert this:
- Identify who is doing the action: the people of Mozambique (currently in the 'by' phrase)
- This becomes your new subject
- Identify what is receiving the action: Graça Machel (currently the subject)
- This becomes your new object
- Change the verb from passive to active form: is admired → admire (but keep the tense: "greatly admire" in present tense)
Answer: The people of Mozambique greatly admire Graça Machel.
Exam tips
✓ Always identify the subject, verb, and object before changing voice. This prevents confusion and helps you keep track of all sentence elements. Write them down separately if needed.
✓ Ensure the tense remains the same when converting sentences. A present tense active sentence must become a present tense passive sentence. The meaning of time must not change during conversion.
✓ Passive voice often sounds more formal and is used in reports or academic writing. Recognising this can help you choose the appropriate voice for different writing contexts. Scientific reports, news articles, and formal documents frequently use passive constructions.
✓ In active voice, the subject is clearer and more direct. This makes active voice preferable for most everyday writing and communication. Use active voice when you want your writing to be engaging and straightforward.
Remember!
Key Points to Remember:
-
Active voice means the subject performs the action (the subject does something), whilst passive voice means the subject receives the action (something is done to the subject).
-
To change active to passive: move the object to the front, use the past participle of the verb, and add the appropriate form of 'to be' before it.
-
The doer in passive voice can be included with 'by' or omitted completely if it's unknown or unimportant.
-
Always maintain the same tense when converting between active and passive voice - only the structure changes, not the time reference.
-
Passive voice is more formal and indirect, making it suitable for academic writing, whilst active voice is clearer and more engaging for general communication.