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English Grammar : Voice Change






English Grammar : Voice Change

  1. Active Voice to Passive Voice

  2. Passive Voice to Active Voice

  3. Key Points for Voice Change

  4. Examples of Voice Change







Voice change

Voice change, also known as voice transformation or voice conversion, is a grammatical process in English where the active voice of a sentence is converted into the passive voice, or vice versa. The active voice focuses on the subject performing the action, while the passive voice emphasizes the action being done to the subject. Here's an explanation of voice change in English grammar with examples:



Active Voice to Passive Voice:

In the active-to-passive transformation, the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence, and the verb is changed accordingly.

Example: Active Voice - "Hari wrote the letter." Passive Voice - "The letter was written by Hari." .


More Examples :

  • Active: The chef prepared a delicious meal. Passive: A delicious meal was prepared by the chef.

  • Active: The teacher explained the lesson clearly. Passive: The lesson was explained clearly by the teacher.

  • Active: The team will complete the project by next week. Passive: The project will be completed by the team by next week.

  • Active: The company is launching a new product this summer. Passive: A new product is being launched by the company this summer.

  • Active: The artist painted a beautiful landscape. Passive: A beautiful landscape was painted by the artist.

  • Active: They have approved the new policy. Passive: The new policy has been approved.

  • Active: The scientists discovered a new planet. Passive: A new planet was discovered by the scientists.

  • Active: The gardener waters the plants every morning. Passive: The plants are watered every morning by the gardener.

  • Active: The students will organize the event tomorrow. Passive: The event will be organized by the students tomorrow.

  • Active: The editor reviewed the manuscript thoroughly. Passive: The manuscript was thoroughly reviewed by the editor.




English Grammar : Voice Change





Passive Voice to Active Voice:

In the passive-to-active transformation, the subject of the passive sentence becomes the object of the active sentence, and the verb is changed accordingly.

Example: Passive Voice - "The cake was baked by Mary." Active Voice - "Mary baked the cake." .


More Examples :

  • Passive: The report was written by Sarah. Active: Sarah wrote the report.

  • Passive: The cake was baked by the students. Active: The students baked the cake.

  • Passive: The documents will be reviewed by the manager. Active: The manager will review the documents.

  • Passive: The letter had been sent by John before the deadline. Active: John had sent the letter before the deadline.

  • Passive: The presentation was given by the team leader. Active: The team leader gave the presentation.

  • Passive: The car is being repaired by the mechanic. Active: The mechanic is repairing the car.

  • Passive: The novel was published by the author last year. Active: The author published the novel last year.

  • Passive: The flowers were arranged by the florist. Active: The florist arranged the flowers.

  • Passive: The meeting had been scheduled by the director. Active: The director had scheduled the meeting.

  • Passive: The software is being tested by the engineers. Active: The engineers are testing the software.





Key Points for Voice Change:

The subject and object switch positions. The verb form is changed to a passive form by using the appropriate auxiliary verb (usually "be" or "get") and the past participle of the main verb. The preposition "by" is used to indicate the agent (the doer of the action) in passive voice sentences, although it is not always necessary or included. .



More Examples of Voice Change:

Active Voice: "She opened the door."

Passive Voice: "The door was opened by her."

Active Voice: "They built the house."

Passive Voice: "The house was built by them."

Active Voice: "He is drinking coffee."

Passive Voice: "Coffee is being drunk by him."

Active Voice: "Someone stole my mobile."

Passive Voice: "My mobile was stolen."

Active Voice: "The company awarded her the prize."

Passive Voice: "She was awarded the prize by the company."


Final Words :

Remember that voice change can alter the focus and emphasis of a sentence, and the choice between active and passive voice depends on the context and intended meaning. Active voice is often preferred for its directness and clarity, while passive voice is used to shift attention or when the subject is unknown or less important.


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