Verbs in Active and Passive Voice (Grade 12 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 action being performed. Understanding this concept is essential for your NSC English exam success.
There are two main types of voice that you need to understand for your NSC English exam: active voice and passive voice.
Active voice
In active voice, the subject of the sentence is the one doing the action. This means the subject is actively performing whatever the verb describes. Active voice creates direct, clear sentences where it's immediately obvious who is doing what.
Key characteristics:
- The subject carries out the action
- The sentence follows a Subject + Verb + Object pattern
- The meaning is straightforward and direct
Worked Example: Active Voice Structure
"The striker scored a goal."
- Subject: The striker (who did the action)
- Verb: scored (the action)
- Object: a goal (what received the action)
This sentence clearly shows who performed the action and what was affected.
Passive voice
In passive voice, the subject of the sentence receives the action rather than performing it. The focus shifts from who is doing the action to what is being done or what is receiving the action.
Key characteristics:
- The subject receives the action
- The sentence structure changes significantly
- The person doing the action (called the doer) may or may not be mentioned
Worked Example: Passive Voice Structure
"A goal was scored by the striker."
- Subject: A goal (what received the action)
- Verb: was scored (the action in passive form)
- Doer: by the striker (optional - who performed the action)
In passive voice, you can sometimes leave out the doer completely. For example: "A goal was scored." This is perfectly acceptable when the doer is unknown, unimportant, or obvious from context.
How to change active voice to passive voice
Converting sentences from active to passive voice follows a systematic four-step process. Master this method and you'll be able to handle any transformation question confidently.
Step-by-step transformation method
The Four Essential Steps:
Follow this method every time to ensure accuracy in your transformations.
Step 1: Identify the verb Look for the main action word in the sentence. This will need to change form in the passive version.
Step 2: Divide into subject-verb-object Break down the sentence into its basic components. Remember that only sentences with objects can be changed to passive voice.
Step 3: Start with the object The object from the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence.
Step 4: Transform the verb This is the most complex step and involves two parts:
- Use the past participle form of the main verb
- Add the appropriate form of 'to be' (am, is, are, was, were, will be, etc.) or sometimes 'get'
Voice across different tenses
Understanding how active and passive voice work across various tenses is crucial for exam success. Here are the most common tense transformations you'll encounter:
Present continuous tense
Present Continuous Transformation
- Active: "The striker is scoring a goal"
- Passive: "A goal is being scored by the striker"
Notice how "is scoring" becomes "is being scored" - the continuous aspect is maintained.
Perfect tense
Perfect Tense Transformation
- Active: "The striker has scored a goal"
- Passive: "A goal has been scored by the striker"
The perfect aspect "has scored" becomes "has been scored."
Simple future tense
Simple Future Transformation
- Active: "The striker will score a goal"
- Passive: "A goal will be scored by the striker"
"Will score" transforms to "will be scored."
Notice how the tense of the helping verb ('to be') changes to match the original tense, whilst the main verb always becomes a past participle in passive voice.
Practical examples and solutions
Converting active to passive voice
Worked Example 1: Simple Present
Original: "Money provides financial freedom."
Step 1: Verb = provides
Step 2: Subject = Money, Verb = provides, Object = financial freedom
Step 3: Start with object = Financial freedom
Step 4: Change verb = is provided
Answer: "Financial freedom is provided by money."
Worked Example 2: Present Continuous
Original: "Robert is training someone every week."
Step 1: Verb = is training
Step 2: Subject = Robert, Verb = is training, Object = someone
Step 3: Start with object = Someone
Step 4: Change verb = is being trained
Answer: "Someone is being trained by Robert every week."
Worked Example 3: Past Perfect
Original: "The 18-year-old had developed an illness causing paralysis."
Step 1: Verb = had developed
Step 2: Subject = The 18-year-old, Verb = had developed, Object = an illness causing paralysis
Step 3: Start with object = An illness causing paralysis
Step 4: Change verb = had been developed
Answer: "An illness causing paralysis had been developed by the 18-year-old."
Converting passive to active voice
Worked Example: Passive to Active Conversion
Original: "Graça Machel is admired greatly by the people of Mozambique."
Step 1: Identify the doer = the people of Mozambique
Step 2: Make the doer the new subject
Step 3: Change the verb back to active form = admire
Answer: "The people of Mozambique greatly admire Graça Machel."
Essential exam tips for success
Understanding these key strategies will help you tackle voice questions with confidence:
Always identify sentence components first: Before attempting any transformation, clearly identify the subject, verb, and object in the original sentence. This prevents confusion and ensures accuracy.
Maintain tense consistency: When converting between voices, the tense must remain exactly the same. If the original sentence is in past tense, your converted sentence must also be in past tense.
Recognise formal vs informal contexts: Passive voice tends to sound more formal and professional. It's commonly used in academic writing, scientific reports, and official documents where the focus is on the action rather than who performed it.
Use active voice for clarity: Active voice creates clearer, more direct communication. When the subject is important and you want to emphasise who is doing the action, active voice is usually the better choice.
Watch out for sentences without objects: Remember that only sentences containing a direct object can be converted to passive voice. Sentences with intransitive verbs (verbs that don't take objects) cannot be made passive.
Remember!
Key Points to Remember:
- Active voice: The subject performs the action - creates direct, clear sentences
- Passive voice: The subject receives the action - often sounds more formal
- Transformation steps: Identify verb → Divide sentence → Start with object → Change verb form
- Tense consistency: Always keep the same tense when converting between voices
- Exam strategy: Identify subject, verb, and object before attempting any conversion