you should do your homework active or passive

Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, active vs passive voice: understanding the difference.

General Education

Though fun, writing can also get pretty darn confusing, especially when you’re trying to figure out whether to use the active or passive voice. What is the difference between active and passive voice? When and how should you use them?

In this complete active voice vs passive voice guide, we'll go over how each voice works in English grammar, when to use the two voices, and how to change a sentence from passive to active (and vice versa). We’ll also give you an active vs passive voice quiz to test your skills. Let's get started!

What Is Active Voice?

The active voice is when the subject of a sentence performs an action on an object. In other words, the subject does the action, and the object receives the action .

The active voice is easy to identify in writing because it follows a simple form, which is the basis of English grammar:

Subject ( doer ) → Verb → Object ( recipient )

Here’s an example of a sentence using the active voice:

The dog ate my homework.

In this example, "the dog" is the subject, "ate" is the verb, and "my homework" is the object. Here’s a diagram to better show this connection:

Here, "the dog" is doing (or, in this case, has already done) the action: it is the one that "ate." Meanwhile, "homework" is the object that is receiving this action of eating.

Here’s another example of the active voice at play:

She is writing an essay.

In this example, "she" is the subject, "is writing" is the verb (in the present progressive tense), and "an essay" is the object.

Once again, the subject ("she") is the one performing the action: "she" is "writing." And what is she writing? An "essay," i.e., the noun that’s receiving the action.

Finally, here's an example of the active voice being used without an object:

In this sentence, we have a subject ("he") and a verb ("sings") but no object. Regardless, because the subject is performing the act of singing, we can identify this as the active voice .

What Is Passive Voice?

The passive voice is basically the opposite of the active voice: it’s when the subject is acted upon by the object. In other words, the subject receives the action, and the object does the action .

The passive voice is a little trickier to identify, as it uses more words than the active voice. The basic structure is as follows:

Subject ( recipient ) → Verb ( past participle of "to be" form ) → Object ( doer )

Note that the object here is always preceded by the word "by."

Additionally, the verb takes its "to be" form (meaning it’s preceded by "is/are" for the present tense and "was/were" for the past tense) and is put in the past participle (e.g., "eaten" for the verb "eat" or "given" for the verb "give").

Here’s an example of a sentence using the passive voice:

The ice cream was bought by the little girl.

In this example, "the ice cream" is the subject, "bought" is the verb, and "the little girl" is the object. Here’s a diagram to help you understand this grammar pattern better:

As you can see, "the ice cream" (as the subject) is the one receiving the action, while "the little girl" (as the object) is the one performing the action.

Here's another passive voice example:

Our tests were graded by the teacher.

Here, the subject is "our tests," the verb is "were graded," and the object is "the teacher." Again, the subject ("our tests") is receiving the action from the object ("the teacher") , which is, in turn, performing it (i.e., the one who is grading).

Sometimes you’ll see the passive voice being used without an object (i.e., without identifying the doer of the action—only the recipient). Here’s an example:

The tea was poured.

In this sentence, "the tea" is the subject and "was poured" is the verb; however, there’s no object performing the action of pouring . Simply put, we don’t know who poured the tea! Nevertheless, we can identify this sentence as passive based on its setup: a subject followed by a verb in its past participle "to be" form.

If we wanted to insert an object here, we'd simply add the word "by" followed by a noun:

The tea was poured by my grandmother.

Now, we have an object, or doer, of this act of pouring tea: "my grandmother."

Active vs Passive Voice: When Do You Use Them?

The active and passive voice express the same ideas, just in different ways. In terms of when we actually use them, though, what is the difference between active and passive voice?

In general, you should always aim to use the active voice whenever you write. This is because the active voice is clearer and more direct, while the passive voice is wordier and more confusing.

That being said, this doesn’t mean that the passive voice is inherently wrong. There are many cases in which you might opt for the passive voice over the active voice.

Here are some scenarios in which you might want (or need) to use the passive voice:

• When you want to emphasize the recipient of the action
• When you want to emphasize the action itself
• When you don’t know who or what is performing the action
• When the doer of the action is irrelevant or unimportant

For example, say you’re writing an essay about the Declaration of Independence and you come up with the following sentence:

Most people believe that the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, but this is not actually the case.

Let’s parse this out a bit. 

While part of the sentence is clearly in the active voice (the "most people believe" section), the crux of it ("the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4") is in the passive voice. Doing this lets you keep the emphasis on the document, i.e., the topic of your essay .

In addition, there were many people who signed the Declaration of Independence, but listing them all here would only make the sentence longer and more convoluted; this is why the passive voice is a better fit.

Changing From Passive to Active Voice (and Vice Versa)

There are many times you might want to change a sentence from passive to active, or even from active to passive. To do this, you’ll need to understand exactly how the two types of voices work.

First, recall that the primary difference between active and passive voice lies in the roles of the subject and object : whereas in active voice the subject is the doer and the object is the recipient of the action, in passive voice the subject is the recipient of the action and the object is the doer.

Here’s an example of a sentence in the active voice vs passive voice:

Active: She created a travel blog. Passive: A travel blog was created by her.

Below is another way of looking at the difference between active and passive voice:

As you can see here, in the active voice, "she" is the subject and doer, whereas "a travel blog" is the object and recipient of the verb "created."

But in the passive voice, these designations swap : as the original subject, "she" becomes the object (but is still the doer of the action), whereas "a travel blog," which was originally the object, becomes the subject (but is still the recipient of the action).

In addition, the verb, which began in the simple past, has been converted into its past participle "to be" form .

To sum up, to convert from active to passive voice, here’s what you must do:

• Switch the positions of the subject and object so the original object is now the subject and the original subject is now the object
• Add the word "by" before the new object
• Convert the verb into its "to be" past participle form  based on the original tense used
• Switch the positions of the subject and object so the original subject is now the object and the original object is now the subject
• Delete the word "by" used before the original object (now subject)
• Convert the "to be" past participle form of the verb into the appropriate tense as indicated by the verb and overall sentence

The verb is arguably the trickiest part of converting from passive to active. You want to make sure you’re keeping the same tense as indicated by the original verb and sentence.

As an example, here's how you'd change various tenses of the word "do" from passive to active:

• is done → do/does
• is/are being done → is/are doing
• was/were done → did
• was/were being done → was/were doing
• will be done → will do

Finally, know that you cannot convert from active to passive or passive to active if you do not have an object . You can see why this doesn’t work in these active vs passive voice examples:

Active (Without Object): I drank. Passive: ??? was drunk by me.

Without an object, we have no idea what "I" actually "drank."

Passive (Without Object): The project will be completed by tomorrow. Active: ??? will complete the project by tomorrow.

Without an object, we cannot explain who "will complete the project."

Active vs Passive Voice Quiz

It’s time to test out what you learned in an active vs passive voice quiz. 

Before you start, make sure you know what the three types of questions expect you to do:

• Questions 1-3: Identify whether the sentence is active or passive
• Questions 4-5: Fill in the blanks to create a grammatically correct sentence
• Questions 6-8: Convert the sentence from active to passive, or vice versa

Answers and explanations will be provided at the end of the quiz. Good luck!

#1: Active or Passive?

This novel was not written by Charlotte Brontë but rather her sister Emily.

#2: Active or Passive?

The mail arrived on time yesterday.

#3: Active or Passive?

A study on the gender wage gap was conducted in 2018.

#4: Fill in the Blank

This gift was given to me _____ my sister.

#5: Fill in the Blank

The toy will soon be _____ by him. (past participle of "fix")

#6: Convert to Passive

Jessica is teaching me how to speak Italian.

#7: Convert to Active

He was advised by his dentist to floss more.

#8: Convert to Active

The valuable painting is finally going to be sold this year.

Active vs Passive Voice Quiz: Answers + Explanations

In this sample sentence, the subject is "the novel," the action is "was not written," and the object is "Charlotte Brontë" — we can leave out that last part since it’s not really important to understanding the voice here.

Because the object ("Charlotte Brontë") is the doer of the action — that is, she’s the one who did not write "the novel" —you should be able to tell right away that  this sentence is in the passive voice . (You might also be able to tell it’s passive due to the use of the word "by" before the object.)

Here, "the mail" is the subject and "arrived" is the verb — there is no object. Because "the mail" is the one doing the action of "arriving," this sentence uses the active voice .

In this example, "a study" is the subject and "was conducted" is the verb; there’s no object. Since "a study" is receiving the action instead of performing it, this sentence is in the passive voice .

(Just in case you’re wondering, the reason we don’t see "by" is that the object, or doer, of the action is either unknown or irrelevant.)

Right away you should recognize this as the passive voice. "This gift" is the subject, "was given" is the verb, and "my sister" is the object who is performing the action of giving.

As you know, the word "by" must come before the object in a passive sentence , so this is the missing word. The sentence should therefore read, "This gift was given to me by my sister."

Again, you should recognize this example as a passive sentence since it calls for the past participle of the verb and has the word "by" before the object. The past participle of the verb "fix" is the same as its simple past: "fixed" ; t herefore, the sentence should read, "The toy will soon be fixed by him."

To convert this sentence from active to passive, you must switch the positions of the subject and object and then convert the verb (in present progressive) to its past participle "to be" form. Don't forget that "me" must transform into its subject form ("I") when going from an object to a subject. ("Jessica" is a name and proper noun and therefore does not change form.)

Finally, place the word "by" before the new object ("Jessica"). This should give you the following passive sentence: "I am being taught how to speak Italian by Jessica."

To convert this example from passive to active, you’ll need to switch the subject and object, change the verb form from "to be" past participle to simple past, and eliminate the "by." Note that "he" will turn into "him" when converted from a subject into an object.

Doing all this correctly should give you this: "His dentist advised him to floss more."

If you didn’t know it already, this question is actually a trick! But how? Because there is no object in this passive sentence, there’s no way to convert it into the active voice. In other words, we have no idea who is going to sell the painting.

If we tried to convert it, we’d get this nonsensical statement: "??? is finally going to sell the valuable painting this year." As such, we cannot create a sentence in the active voice without a subject .

What’s Next?

Now that you understand active voice vs passive voice examples, want to brush up on your English grammar? Then check out our detailed guides on semicolons , verbs , prepositions , proper nouns , and parts of speech .

To ace the SAT/ACT, you'll need to have an excellent grasp of the English language.  Learn the most important SAT grammar rules and ACT grammar rules so you can earn an amazing score.

Need help with using and identifying literary devices? Our expert guide explains more than 30 key literary devices and how they work to help you become a pro at reading and writing.

Hannah received her MA in Japanese Studies from the University of Michigan and holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Southern California. From 2013 to 2015, she taught English in Japan via the JET Program. She is passionate about education, writing, and travel.

Ask a Question Below

Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!

Improve With Our Famous Guides

• For All Students

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 160+ SAT Points

How to Get a Perfect 1600, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 800 on Each SAT Section:

Score 800 on SAT Math

Score 800 on SAT Reading

Score 800 on SAT Writing

Series: How to Get to 600 on Each SAT Section:

Score 600 on SAT Math

Score 600 on SAT Reading

Score 600 on SAT Writing

Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests

What SAT Target Score Should You Be Aiming For?

15 Strategies to Improve Your SAT Essay

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 4+ ACT Points

How to Get a Perfect 36 ACT, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 36 on Each ACT Section:

36 on ACT English

36 on ACT Math

36 on ACT Reading

36 on ACT Science

Series: How to Get to 24 on Each ACT Section:

24 on ACT English

24 on ACT Math

24 on ACT Reading

24 on ACT Science

What ACT target score should you be aiming for?

ACT Vocabulary You Must Know

ACT Writing: 15 Tips to Raise Your Essay Score

How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League

How to Get a Perfect 4.0 GPA

How to Write an Amazing College Essay

What Exactly Are Colleges Looking For?

Is the ACT easier than the SAT? A Comprehensive Guide

Should you retake your SAT or ACT?

When should you take the SAT or ACT?

Stay Informed

Get the latest articles and test prep tips!

Looking for Graduate School Test Prep?

Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here:

GRE Online Prep Blog

GMAT Online Prep Blog

TOEFL Online Prep Blog

Holly R. "I am absolutely overjoyed and cannot thank you enough for helping me!”

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Changing Passive to Active Voice

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

If you want to change a passive-voice sentence to active voice, find the agent in a "by the..." phrase, or consider carefully who or what is performing the action expressed in the verb. Make that agent the subject of the sentence, and change the verb accordingly. Sometimes you will need to infer the agent from the surrounding sentences which provide context.

If you want to change an active-voice sentence to passive voice, consider carefully who or what is performing the action expressed in the verb, and then make that agent the object of a by the... phrase. Make what is acted upon the subject of the sentence, and change the verb to a form of be + past participle. Including an explicit by the... phrase is optional.

This passive voice contains a by the... phrase. Removing the by the... phrase and reworking the sentence will give it the active voice.

Image Caption: Making "most of the class" the subject of the sentence moves the action of the sentence onto the class, and shifts the sentence from passive into active voice.

The agent is not explicitly stated, but it is most likely researchers. Making the agent the subject of the sentence will allow you to use the active voice.

This sentence now uses the active voice because the agent (the researchers) are now performing the action as the sentence subject.

The CIA director and his close advisors are the agent of change in this sentence, but they are not the subject. Making the agent the subject will transform the sentence into a more concise, active voice phrase.

This sentence now uses the active voice because the agent (the CIA director and his close advisors) is performing the action as the sentence subject.

The agent is not specified in this sentence.

This sentence now uses the active voice because the agent (we) is the subject of the sentence.

This active voice sentence's agent is the presiding officer, which is the subject.

Changing the sentence subject from the agent (the presiding officer) to the object of the verb (the committee's recommendation) and adding a by the...phrase transforms the sentence into the passive voice.

This sentence includes the agent (the leaders) as the subject performing the action of the verb.

This sentence now uses the passive voice because the subject has been changed from the agent (the leaders) to the object of the verb (a fair resolution).

The scientists are the agent performing the verb's action in this active voice sentence.

This passive voice sentence no longer specifies the agent (scientists) and now uses the passive voice because the verb's object (traces of ice) is now the subject.

• Twin Cities
• Other Locations
• Hours & locations
• by appointment in Nicholson
• Zoom appointments
• How does it work?
• Frequently asked questions
• Tech troubleshooting
• Important policies
• Especially for multilingual writers
• Especially for graduate writers
• Writing process
• Common writing projects
• Punctuation
• Documenting sources
• Consultant bios
• Resources for instructors
• Why participate?
• How to apply
• Participant history
• E-12 Writing Centers Collective
• Job opportunities

schedule, manage, and access your SWS visits

Email [email protected] for questions about Student Writing Support

Phone 612-625-1893

center for writing | student writing support | style | active vs. passive voice

Active vs. passive voice

Beginning or inattentive writers tend to overuse passive voice, which can weaken their prose, lead to the omission of important information, and make them appear unsure of their ideas. When instructors draw attention to the problem, some students overcompensate, eliminating all passive voice from their writing.

Although many academic writers often favor active voice because it is direct and concise, both voices are useful and necessary. That is why the grammar check on word processing programs highlights all passive constructions—it gives writers a chance to consider whether each choice is appropriate according to the purpose of the sentence.

Understand how both active and passive sentences are structured.

            Active Voice: The subject of the sentence is the one doing the action .

The researchers compared the behavior of two groups of children. The clerk was helping the customer. Students need good study skills to succeed in college. You should tell him.

Passive Voice: The subject of the sentence is now being acted upon . The actor moves to the end of the sentence with by or drops off altogether if it is unimportant or unknown. The verb must include a form of be , followed by a past participle (normally an -ed ending).  

The behavior of two groups of children was compared (by the researchers). The customer was being helped (by the clerk). Good study skills are needed to succeed in college. He should be told .

Only verbs that are followed by an object can be used in the passive. It is not possible to use verbs such as come , exist , happen , seem , and sleep (intransitive verbs) in the passive.

incorrect Something was happened. correct Something happened.

Know when active voice is appropriate or preferred.

All of the examples below are choices based on style and rhetorical context, not strict grammar rules.

To focus readers’ attention on the actor, not what is being acted upon. Active: Captain Ahab pursues the whale relentlessly.       Passive:  The whale is pursued relentlessly. ( Or , The whale is pursued relentlessly by Captain Ahab.)             In the above example, the active voice would be preferred if the writer wanted to focus readers’ attention on Captain Ahab. The passive voice would be preferred if the writer wanted to focus readers’ attention on the whale, or on the fact that it is pursued relentlessly. When it is important that readers know exactly who did (or said) what to whom. Active: When U.S. troops invaded Iraq, they inadvertently killed many civilians. Passive: When Iraq was invaded, many civilians were killed inadvertently. In the above example, the active voice would be appropriate if the writer wanted to name or emphasize the actors ( U.S troops ), not only their actions. The passive voice would be appropriate if the writer did not think it was important for readers to know who did the actions in the sentence.

Know when passive voice is appropriate or preferred.

To focus attention on the process or materials, rather than on the actor, as in scientific or technical writing. Next, salicylic acid was added to the test tube.

To focus attention on the object, rather than the actor. Paper, the main writing material today, was invented by the Chinese. This is appropriate when the focus is on the history of paper, not on Chinese innovations. Choosing passive voice allows the writer to use “paper” as the subject of the sentence. The new highway will be completed sometime next month. This is appropriate when the focus is on the highway project, not on the workers completing it.

To connect ideas in different clauses or sentences more clearly. When interviewing for a job, avoid making grammatical errors. They are often used by employers to weed out job applicants. In the beginning of the second sentence, using passive voice (“ used by employers ”) allows the writer to refer to grammatical errors (“ They ”) right away in order to clearly connect to the end of the previous sentence.

For more grammar information: Azar, B.S. (1989). Understanding and using English grammar . (2nd ed .). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

For more usage information: Anson, C.M., Schwegler, R.A., & Muth, M.F. (2000). The Longman writer’s companion . New York: Longman.

Miles, R., Bertonasco, M., & Karns, W. (1991). Prose style: A contemporary guide . (2nd ed.). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Williams, Joseph M. (2000). Style: Ten lessons in clarity and grace . (6th ed.). New York: Longman.

• Address: 15 Nicholson Hall , 216 Pillsbury Dr SE , Minneapolis, MN 55455 | Phone: 612.625.1893
• Address: 9 Appleby Hall , 128 Pleasant St SE , Minneapolis, MN 55455
• © 2011 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved.
• The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer
• Last modified on October 25, 2023
• Twin Cities Campus:
• Parking & Transportation
• Maps & Directions
• Directories
• Contact U of M

Active vs. Passive Voice – Definitions, Examples, Rules, and Uses

Active vs. passive voice

Active voice occurs when the subject of a sentence performs the action of the verb, whereas when a sentence is written in passive voice, the subject is the recipient of the action:

Active Voice: The teacher took an informal poll.

Passive Voice: An informal poll was taken by the teacher.

Sentences in the passive voice contain a conjugated form of the verb to be (is, was, has been, will be, etc.) and the past participle form of a verb. Past participle refers to an action that was started and completed in the past. These verbs typically end in -ed, -d, -en, or -t. Passive voice sentences often contain a preposition or prepositional phrase, like by .

Active voice helps writers present their information clearly and concisely. Passive voice emphasizes the action or the object within a sentence, limiting the importance of the subject.

Active vs. passive voice examples

Below are two lists of example sentences written in both the active and passive voice.

The following are examples of active voice sentences:

She delivered the letters yesterday.

The teacher assigned a book report.

The company will hire at least two new employees.

The salesman helped the confused customer at the store.

Hundreds of tourists visit the museum each year.

Below are examples of sentences written with a passive voice:

The letters were delivered by her yesterday.

A book report was assigned.

At least two new employees will be hired by the company.

The confused customer was helped at the store.

The museum is visited each year by hundreds of tourists.

Active and passive voice rules

General rules for active and passive voice include the following:

The placement of the subject, verb, and object determines if a sentence is active or passive.

Active Voice: subject + verb + object

Passive Voice: object + to be + past participle verb + subject (optional)

Interchanging the object and subject determines if a sentence is active or passive.

Active Voice: The dog (subject) jumped over the fence (object) .

Passive Voice: The fence (object) was jumped over by the dog (subject) .

The subject does not need to be directly identified when using passive voice.

Passive Voice: The fire was extinguished in less than an hour.

The verb form can determine if a sentence is active or passive.

Active Voice: He ate (past tense verb) the entire cake by himself.

Passive Voice: The entire cake was eaten (past participle) by himself.

How to change passive voice to active voice

To change a sentence from passive to active, first determine what makes the sentence passive, and then apply one of the following rules:

Position of subject and object: The position of the subject and the object in a passive sentence are often switched, with the object placed before the verb and the subject placed after.

Switching the position of the object and subject will change the sentence to active voice.

Passive Voice: A letter (object) was written by him (subject) to his family.

Active Voice: He (subject) wrote a letter (object) to his family.

Missing Subject: The grammatical subject of the sentence is often omitted in passive voice.

If the subject or “doer” of the action is not identified, rewrite the sentence with it positioned before the main verb.

Passive Voice: The apples were sold all day.

Active Voice: The farmer (subject) sold the apples all day.

Conjugation and Past Participle: Sentences written in passive voice include a conjugated form of to be followed by the past participle form of the main verb.

To change this type of passive voice to an active sentence, remove the verb to be and change the verb form to agree with the subject. The subject should then be placed before the new verb.

Passive Voice: The pizza was (conjugated form of to be)eaten (past participle verb) by the entire team.

Active Voice: The entire team ate (new conjugated verb) the pizza.

When to use active vs. passive voice

It is typically recommended that writers use active voice in academic writing, as it allows the writer to provide direct and concise information. However, use of the passive voice can be preferred under certain circumstances:

To emphasize the action in the sentence rather than the actor

To create mystery regarding the subject

To avoid naming the subject or when the subject is unknown

To focus on the object rather than the subject

To focus on objective or factual information, like in scientific writing

Active and Passive Voice Exercise With Answers

We use passive voice when we do not know who the subject is, or it is not important who the subject is or when it is obvious to the listener or reader who the subject is because it is the person who usually does it.  When we give more importance to the object of the sentences rather than the subject, we use passive voice. Below we have prepared active and passive voice exercises for ESL students. Attempt the following exercise, then compare your answers with the correct answers given below.

Active and Passive Voice Complete Grammar Rules

Active and passive voice exercise.

Change the active sentences below into passive sentences. Write “No change” if you think sentences cannot be changed.

• She writes a letter.
• They go to school every day.
• He doesn`t paint the wall.
• Why are you crying?
• Did the mechanic fix your car?
• You should do your homework.
• Don`t talk so loudly.
• They are painting their house.
• We have drunk milk tea.
• Will you watch TV tonight?
• I am not going to work today.
• He has been teaching English for ten years.
• When are you going to buy a car?
• Who taught you the active and passive sentences?
• She had cleaned the kitchen.
• We will have eaten dinner by the time you get there.
• People speak English in the USA.
• Would you rather learn English or French?
• You must not come late to class.
• She has to pass the test.
• He bought his son a book.
• Bismo teaches us every day.
• Who is your teacher?
• Who fights the coalition forces?
• Who have you invited to the party?
• I`ll build a hospital if I have a million dollars.
• If I had had a million dollars, I would have built a big mosque.
• We will be playing cricket at this time tomorrow.
• Aren’t they going to be building a house?
• It has been raining since yesterday.
• The explosion had killed many people.
• I have never been to Egypt.
• Have you been digging out the ground since morning?
• I will have written a poem by the time you call me.
• The heavy storm damaged a lot of crops in Mumbai.
• I was playing football yesterday.
• Could you help me, please?
• Who can answer my question?
• Will she have been watering the garden?
• Milad is helping me solving the active and passive voice exercise.
• A letter is written by her.
• Not Change.
• The wall isn’t painted by him.
• Intransitive verb (Crying)
• Was your car fixed by the mechanic?
• Your homework should be done by you.
• Intransitive verb (talk)
• Their house is being painted.
• Milk tea has been drunk.
• Will TV be watched by you?
• Not change.
• English has been taught by him for ten years.
• When is a car going to be bought by you?
• By whom were you taught the active and passive sentences?
• The kitchen had been cleaned.
• Dinner will have been eaten by the time you get there.
• English is spoken in the USA.
• Would English or French rather be learned by you?
• You are ordered not to come late to class.
• The test has to be passed by her.
• His son was bought a book by him.
• We are taught every day by Bismo.
• By whom were the coalition forces fought?
• Who has been invited to the party?
• A hospital will be built if I have a million dollars.
• If I had had a million dollars, a big mosque would have been built.
• Cricket will be played at this time tomorrow by us.
• Isn’t a house be going to be built by them?
• Many people had been killed by the explosion.
• A poem will have been written by me by the time you call me.
• A lot of crops were damaged by the heavy rain in Mumbai.
• Football was being played yesterday by me.
• Could I be helped, please?
• By whom my answer can be answered?
• I am being helped by Milad to solve the active and passive voice exercises.

Exercise 02:

Change the following sentences from Active Voice into Passive Voice and write your answers in the comment section below.

• The chef prepares a delicious meal every evening.
• People speak English in many countries around the world.
• The company will launch a new product next month.
• The teacher assigned homework to the students yesterday.
• We are planting flowers in the garden this weekend.
• The mechanic fixed my car last week.
• The storm damaged several houses in the neighborhood.
• The students are studying for their exams in the library.
• The police arrested the suspect yesterday.
• Someone will deliver the package to your house tomorrow.

New Article:

Active and Passive Voice Quiz with Answers

Share this:.

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)

Related posts

Included question in question/ embedded questions, future perfect or future perfect continuous exercises, uses of adverbs in a sentence.

Thanks, it helped me a lot.

You are welcome!

exercise is good to practice

33 and 39 can be passive if not can anyone explain why?

I don’t understand the question types. Could you explain me a little bit? Do I need to leave (you) in question type? Can (you) be used in its behind (by)?

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Passive Voice: Important Rules and Useful Examples

Posted on Last updated: December 21, 2023

Sharing is caring!

Understanding how to construct sentences in the passive voice is an essential skill that can enhance the variety and sophistication of your communication. Throughout this lesson, we will delve into the key rules that govern the formation of passive constructions and explore their appropriate usage in various contexts.

Table of Contents

Understanding Passive Voice

Definition of Passive Voice

Passive voice  occurs when the subject of the sentence is acted upon by the verb. The focus is not on who is performing the action, but rather on the action itself or the recipient of that action. Sentences in passive voice typically follow this structure: the object + be + past participle + by + the subject. For example, “ The cake was eaten by us ,” puts emphasis on the cake and the action of it being eaten.

Active vs. Passive Voice

Active Voice

The active voice illustrates a sentence where the subject performs the action that stated by the verb.

Form: SUBJECT + VERB + OBJECT.

• I do my home work.
• My mom cooks the dinner.
• Our teacher gives us a lot of homework.
• She receives a letter from her father.

Passive Voice

In contrast, passive voice is describe a sentence in which the subject receives an action.

Form: SUBJECT + VERB + “TO BE” + PAST PARTICIPLE.

• My homework is done (by me).
• The dinner is cooked (by my mom).
• We are given a lot of homework (by our teacher).
• A letter from her father is received (by her).

Note: “By+…” can be taken out in passive voice.

When to Use Passive Voice?

 1. In formal texts

• Active: They invite him to the party.
• Passive: He is invited to the party. (sounds more formal)

2. To show interest in the person or object that receive an action rather than the person or object that performs the action.

• The party was held in a luxury hotel. (we’re interest in the party rather than who held it.)
• All tickets were sold out! (we’re interest in the ticket rather than who sold it.)

3. When we don’t know (or do not want to express) who performed the action.

• My purse was stolen!
• A whole pot of jam was eaten!

Passive Voice For All Tenses

Passive voice for all tenses in English.

• V1 : Base Form of Verb
• V2 : Past Simple
• V3 : Past Participle

Present Simple Tense

Learn passive voice for present simple tense in English.

• Active : S + V1 + O.
• Passive : S + is/am/are +V3.
• Active : He receives a letter.
• Passive : A letter is received by him.

Present Continuous Tense

• Active : S + am/are/is +V-ing + O.
• Passive : S + am/are/is +being + V3.
• Active : She is cooking the dinner.
• Passive : The dinner is being cooked by her.

Past Simple Tense

• Active : S + V2+O.
• Passive : S+was/were+V3.
• Active : I did my homework last night.
• Passive : Homework was done by me last night.

Past Continuous Tense

• Active : S + was/were + V-ing + O.
• Passive : S+was/were + being +V3.
• Active : He was playing the volleyball yesterday afternoon.
• Passive : The volleyball was being played by him yesterday afternoon.

Present Perfect Tense

• Active : S + have/has + V3 + O.
• Passive : S+have/has been +V3.
• Active : I have studied English for 10 years.
• Passive : English has been studied for 10 year.

Past Perfect Tense

• Active : S + had + V3 + O.
• Passive : S + had been +V3.
• Active : I had bought a new car.
• Passive : A new car had been bought by me.

Future Simple Tense

• Active : S + will + V1 + O.
• Passive : S + will be +V3.
• Active : I will make a cake on my Mom’s birthday.
• Passive : A cake will be made on my Mom’s birthday.

Future Tense with Going to

• Active : S + am/are/is going to + V1 + O.
• Passive : S + am/are/is going to be +V3.
• Active : She is going to do housework.
• Passive : Housework is going to be done by her.

Modals Verb

• Active : S + can/could/may/might… + V1 + O.
• Passive : S + can/could/may/might…be +V3.
• Active : She could lift this box.
• Passive : This box could be lifted by her.

Modal Perfect

• Active : S + should/could/may/might…have + V3+ O.
• Passive : S + should/could/may/might…have been + V3.
• Active : You should have finished the task on time.
• Passive : The task should have been finished on time.

Interactive Exercises

Exercise 1: change from active to passive voice.

Rewrite the following active sentences in the passive voice. Be sure to keep the same tense.

• The team is preparing the report.
• The chef cooked a delicious meal.
• The students will present the project next week.
• The company has shipped your order.
• The mechanic fixed the car.
• The teacher is grading the exams.
• The artist painted a beautiful portrait.
• The gardener has planted new flowers.
• The committee will announce the results tomorrow.
• The kids are making a mess in the living room.
• The report is being prepared by the team.
• A delicious meal was cooked by the chef.
• The project will be presented by the students next week.
• Your order has been shipped by the company.
• The car was fixed by the mechanic.
• The exams are being graded by the teacher.
• A beautiful portrait was painted by the artist.
• New flowers have been planted by the gardener.
• The results will be announced by the committee tomorrow.
• A mess is being made in the living room by the kids.

Exercise 2: Identify the Correct Passive Voice Sentence

Choose the correct passive voice sentence from the options provided.

• The novel (was written/was wrote) by the author last year.
• The windows (are cleaned/were cleaned) every Saturday.
• The song (has been sung/was been sung) by the choir beautifully.
• The homework (must be finished/must finished) before the deadline.
• The instructions (will be given/are given) by the instructor shortly.
• The trophy (is being awarded/was being awarded) to the winner as we speak.
• The agreement (has been signed/had been signed) by both parties.
• The message (was being delivered/is being delivered) when the system crashed.
• The new policy (is being implemented/was being implemented) starting next month.
• The cake (was being baked/is being baked) when the power went out.
• was written 
• are cleaned 
• has been sung
• must be finished 
• will be given 
• is being awarded 
• has been signed 
• was being delivered 
• is being implemented 
• was being baked 

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I convert a sentence from active to passive voice?

To convert from active to passive, you first identify the object of the active sentence. Make this object the subject of the passive sentence. Then, add the appropriate form of the verb “to be” followed by the past participle of the main verb. If necessary, you may include “by” followed by the original subject to indicate who performed the action.

Can you provide some examples of passive voice in different tenses?

Sure, here are some examples:

• Present simple: “The mail is delivered daily.”
• Past simple: “The window was broken by the storm.”
• Future simple: “The project will be completed by next week.”
• Present perfect: “The agreement has been signed.”

What are some common mistakes to avoid when using passive voice?

Common mistakes include overusing passive voice, which can make writing seem dull or evasive. Make sure the subject of your sentence is clear, as sentences with obscured subjects can be confusing. Also, watch out for the correct form of ‘to be’ to match the tense of your sentence.

In what situations is using passive voice considered inappropriate?

Passive voice is typically avoided in writing that requires action and clarity, such as in most forms of academic writing, journalism, and calls to action. It’s also less appropriate when it’s important to know who performed the action.

How does passive voice affect the clarity of writing?

While passive voice can reduce the clarity of writing by shifting the focus away from the subject performing the action, it can also be used intentionally to emphasize the action itself or when the performer is unknown or irrelevant.

What tools can help me check if I’ve used passive voice correctly?

Grammar checking tools like Grammarly can help identify passive constructions. Additionally, word processing software often has built-in grammar checks that can highlight passive voice, allowing you to reconsider its usage.

Ali md shapon

Thursday 11th of January 2024

I think it’s good memory.

Mustapha mohammed lawan

Tuesday 24th of October 2023

It's educating and so Interesting!

Tuesday 6th of December 2022

i am not going to school is it passive?

Friday 8th of July 2022

So confused with this.. difficult to get!

Friday 16th of July 2021

I AM SOOO CONFUSED

hehheheheeheh

Active vs. Passive Voice: The Complete Guide

by Liz Bureman | 44 comments

Want to Become a Published Author? In 100 Day Book, you’ll finish your book guaranteed. Learn more and sign up here.

You've probably heard people decry the use of the passive voice. “Avoid it at all costs!” they say. That's a little misleading. Let's look at active vs. passive voice and when to use each.

First off, let's understand what we mean when we're talking about “voice” in a passive sentence versus an active voice sentence. In this case, grammatical voice refers to the verb form used in relationship with the subject and receiver of the action. 

(This should not be confused with author voice which is more about the personality and style of a writer throughout their work. That's something entirely different.)

If you're still confused, let's look at some examples that will help you see the difference, and then look at how to use each type of sentence to its best effect. Ready? 

What Is Active Voice?

A sentence in the active voice has a traditional sentence structure: subject + verb + object.

Beth stubbed her toe. John will love this pie. People sometimes hate country music.

In each of these sentences, the subject does or performs the action of the verb, and the object of the sentence receives that action. Beth, the subject, does the stubbing. Her toe receives the stubbing (and hurts a lot).

(If this explanation is confusing, brush up on subjects and objects here .)

What Is Passive Voice?

A sentence is in the passive voice when the subject receives the action. It will feel like the subject is either delayed or missing. 

Let's use the passive voice in our examples from above:

The toe was stubbed by Beth. This pie will be loved by John. Country music is sometimes hated.

Now, the nouns receiving the actions are the subjects of these sentences. Instead of thinking about Beth, now we're focusing on her toe. Instead of thinking about John, we're focusing on the pie. Instead of considering the opinions of some people, we're focusing on country music.

Note that in each sentence, there is a form of to be + a past participle. That's a dead giveaway that the sentence is in passive voice.

When to Use Active Voice

As a general rule, you should use active voice whenever possible. Active voice has quite a few advantages over passive voice.

It's bold. “Beth stubbed her toe” is more clear, direct, and interesting than “The toe was stubbed by Beth.” Get straight to the point and engage your readers with active voice.

It's precise. “Country music is sometimes hated” conveys less information than “People sometimes hate country music.” You could expand it to say “Country music is sometimes hated by people,” but that makes the sentence more clunky. Just use active voice. (Also, we could get more precise by sharing specifics about “people,” but that's another lesson.)

It's succinct. Sentences in active voice are often shorter than their passive-voice counterparts. Cut the fluff and tighten your prose with active voice.

When to Use Passive Voice

That said, you'll encounter occasions in your writing when the passive voice is actually a better choice than the active voice. Here are three times you should use passive voice:

1. When you don't know who did the action

If you don't know who did the action, it's difficult to use the active voice.

The plate didn't fall on its own—it was dropped on the floor.

But who dropped the plate? No one knows.

2. When the person who did the action isn't important

If it's not helpful for your readers to know who performed the action, use the passive voice and don't mention them.

In this experiment, the eggs were placed in vinegar overnight.

The experiment with the eggs is the important bit; mentioning the person who did it would be distracting.

3. When you want your readers to focus on the object of the action

If the main point of the sentence is the noun that receives the action, use the passive voice to foreground it.

All the fruit in the pantry is covered in mold.

The focus in this sentence is on the fruit, not the mold. (Although if you were standing in that pantry, your focus would probably be on the mold.)

It's a Style Choice

Ultimately, both active voice and passive voice are grammatically correct. Determining which to use comes down to your own style choices.

As you edit, consider what you want your readers to focus on and how you want them to engage with your writing. You'll find some instances where passive voice is actually the best choice.

Remember to use the passive voice in moderation, as too much of it is exhausting to read.

When do you use passive voice? Have any effective examples? Let me know in the comments .

Take fifteen minutes to write about a major historical event, either as an observer or an active participant. Use the passive voice in your writing to describe the action.

Post your practice in the Pro Practice Workshop here , and leave notes for your fellow writers.

Join 100 Day Book

Enrollment closes May 14 at midnight!

Liz Bureman

Liz Bureman has a more-than-healthy interest in proper grammatical structure, accurate spelling, and the underappreciated semicolon. When she's not diagramming sentences and reading blogs about how terribly written the Twilight series is, she edits for the Write Practice, causes trouble in Denver, and plays guitar very slowly and poorly. You can follow her on Twitter (@epbure), where she tweets more about music of the mid-90s than writing.

44 Comments

The passive voice should be avoided by you. 😉

I don’t really understand the ‘passive voice’ thing. Is this correct?

We are shuffled into a compact line; sweaty bodies are rubbed up against each other; children’s cries have pierced the air; guards fire off their guns into groups of the disobedient. I traced the now faded Star of David with my finger in attempt to keep my mind off things that I knew would inevitably come.

“Joann! Joanna!” I heard my little sister, Carolyn, yell out through the remorseful crowd in search of me. I felt a small hand wrap around my fingers. I patted Carolyn’s head and tried to wipe away some of the dust that had matted her face. “Shh…” I comforted her as she buried her face into my side, “It’ll all be over soon.

Carolyn looked up at me in disbelief and shook her head, “I know  we’re all going to die!” she yelled over the quiet crowd. Heads quickly snapped in our direction, lips pulled into grimaces and eyebrows knot in anger. I placed a hand over Carolyn’s mouth and got down on one knee so I was face to face with her. “I’m pretty sure you don’t know the future, dear, so don’t try to make it up for yourself.”

When I think of passive voice I always think, “The ball was kicked by her” rather than “She kicked the ball.” Does that help? Katie

“We are shuffled into a compact line” is in passive voice. After that I didn’t pay attention. I don’t really examine the small stuff when I read or write. (I’m hoping to use that as a strength, rather than a weakness.)

A for your story, I found it compelling. Makes me want to read more.

I’ve never been too sure about passive voice and how to detect it, but here’s my attempt.

Lieutenant John Wellesly looked across the field and let his eyes zigzag along the line of defense that was established by the Confederates. He could see where the road had been scorched by the fires from previous camp sites. He took out his canteen and took a long swig of warm water and brushed his sleeve across his lips as he had a vision of the battle that was looming.

Exercises had been conducted yesterday in by the artillery unit so they would know how to aim their cannon, but the men who would fight the actual battle stayed in camp. Wellesly thought that it would have been better if all the units had been involved in the exercise. He worried that there would be a disaster so large it would be remembered for hundreds of years.

Lt. Wellesly checked the crude map General Meade’s assistant gave him yesterday. He would have to find an escape route in case the Confederates broke through his lines. To his east he saw Devil’s Den, and to the west, Culp’s Hill, but he thought that Cemetery Hill would be most important to him because it was directly behind his men.

It was cool and clear on the morning of July 1, 1863 as Lt. Wellesly checked his map again. He worried about what the day would bring.

The passive voice gives this a kind of ominous inevitable seriousness.

It’s hard to actively inject passive voice in your story (at least for me) but you were able to do it here 🙂

The story made me want to know more about what happened next. Great writing Angelo 🙂

I agree with mariannehvet; your use of the passive voice speaks of impending doom. It does make me want to read more.

The position is generally held among wordsmiths that any statement is weakened by use of the passive voice. However, this position was not held by Thomas Jefferson; nor was any passivating of the Monticellan’s verb usage rejected when the final draft of the Declaration of Independence was approved in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776. For the fledgeling colonies’ prosperity and free enterprise had been stifled for too long by King George with his exploitative taxes and the many other oppressive burdens with which the Americans had been burdened for, lo, those many years. So finally, during the hot summer of that fateful year, the bond was broken between Britain and America, and the feisty yankees were at last set apart from that cruel limey monarch and his wiggy lackeys. Good riddance was then celebrated by all on this side of the pond, except the hegemonious Brits of course. No, let it not be wagged among the opinions of mankind that the Americans were kept as clueless servants of a tyrant king! They were no longer kept as passive vassals, and gone forever were their massive hassles; well, maybe for a while anyway, until was heard among the ears of men that musket shot heard round the world, and the Betsy’s stars and stripes were very soon unfurled!

Boy you got a lot of passive verbs in there.

I like the banter in the language, and the clever rhymes!

JFK’s funeral was one of the most heartbreaking things I’ve ever watched on TV His coffin was carried on a horse-drawn caisson to the Capitol where he lay in state. Jackie Kenned, holding a child with each hand, could be seen walking toward the coffin and then kneeling beside it. I felt so sorry for her and for those young children. The saddest image was of little John, just a toddler at the time, saluting his father. That family has suffered, in my lifetime, more than should be any family’s quota.

I don’t know if I did the practice right but I hope you’ll still enjoy my story 🙂

We were sixteen and awkward. Seated on top of the rooftop of an abandoned house, we watched fat clouds drifting by. Too afraid to turn my head and look, I tried to watch Ayako by the corner of my eye. Her smooth, pale skin a complete contrast to her night, black hair. She was quiet; she had always been the quiet type, as her eyes followed a cloud overhead. Then I saw her turn and look at me and I quickly looked away. It must have been too obvious because I heard her giggle. I looked at her with an embarrassed smile.

In front of us, the city of Hiroshima lay sprawled. People were moving on its surface like busy ants getting ready for the winter. Soldiers were scattered here and there. It was a normal day save for the fact that this was the day I’ll confess to Ayako. I gathered all my courage and I reviewed the tips given to me by my mom.

I looked at Ayako and I cleared my throat. Smiling, she looked at me. But before I could say something to her, something caught my eye. It was something falling leaving behind it a streak of red fire. I laid a hand on Ayako’s and I pointed at the sky.

“What’s that?” I heard her say.

I shrugged my shoulders and I stood up. It kept on falling, like some sort of wishing star. Below us, we heard the screams and the sirens and the barking of commands. The star finally kissed the land of Hiroshima and the city violently shook.

Beside me, Ayako let out a cry. I pulled her up and I shouted to her to run. We did. We ran down the roof and down the streets like hell and all of its demons were chasing us—which I really thought was happening at that time, we were being chased by hell. I could feel its fire licking our backs.

I heard Ayako say something but her voice was overpowered by the roaring of the flames and the cries of the city and its people. I turned around to look at her but she was no longer there. My hand was holding nothing.

I mouthed her name.

Hell caught up with me and I felt my body burn.

I cried reading this. I confess, I didn’t pay attention to what was active or passive voice. I don’t really do that when I write, either.

As for doing the practice “right,” there is no right or wrong way to practice. The goal of these practice exercises should be to get us writing, not the specifics of how we do or do not go about it. You wrote. Mission accomplished.

It was the day the battle of Gettysburg began. Pretty serious stuff. I’m glad you found some passive voice, I tried to get it in there but wasn’t sure if I was successful or not. Passive voice is still a mystery to me.

I know it’s confusing. I can recognize it but have trouble deliberately creating it. I’m glad it’s not popular. I’ve been to the Gettysburg Battlegrounds. Those were brave men.

The Maori warriors had been hidden in the bush on the edge of town since nightfall. They watched as the British soldiers camp fires were put out one by one. Hone Heke, their faithful leader, having struck the flagpole once before, knew the lay of the land. He could see that more guards had been put on watch since the last time. The town had gone quiet. The tavern had long since closed its doors and the last drunk wandered home. Then Hone Heke whistled. Two of his warriors crept out and used their greenstone clubs to dispatch the guards before a single word was said. That night, the Union Jack fluttered above the Maori heads like a goodbye wave. Then the great flagpole came crashing down to the ground with a reverberating thump that was heard even on the far edges of town. And the Maori war party melted back into the night.

Nice. Wish it was a a bit longer though. 🙂

Much more interesting than any of the history texts I read in school. Wish I had a context for it. Since the Louisiana public school system used history texts written by committees, I never had an interest in history, with the result that I am historically illiterate.

https://active-voice-tense.blogspot.com/

 Going back to copying other writers: I learned when studying art, that if you copy the work of a great painter, consistently, you will effect changes in your own brain that will be similar to the painter you are copying and thus help you to do work of a similar style. I imagine this is like copying the style of another writer. INTERESTING!

good article i just sat a lingustics exam and was wondering if I had gotten this right, which I did

but you didnt mention what passive voice means semantically

Now, I clearly understand the difference between passive and active voice. I will not be afraid to use them both, but I always make sure that whenever necessary I will use active voice. If I really need to use passive voice and I don’t have other options but to use it, I will use it for the sake of the article I am writing.

Oh, I see now. I believe I use more of the “Active”voice. Much easier.

Indeed – it’s a “cleaner” solution, so to speak 🙂

Passive voice can be useful to convey helplessness, hopelessness – whenever we want our readers to feel a character has no control.

Informative article and interesting practice, Liz, Thank you. Here goes my practice: The city now known as Santa Fe was long inhabited by indigenous peoples, until the arrival of Spaniards in search of a mythical City of Gold. Categorizing the native people was difficult for the Spanish because they found them settled in pueblos farming. The belief was that only hunter gatherers and nomadics were Indians, so finding farmers confused the Spanish Conquistadors. But no matter, the native people were perceived as sub-human or inferior, deserving of being conquered and subjugated to the needs of the Spaniards, Natives were also viewed as being in need of conversion by the Catholic padres first and later by all other religious people we settled the area. Meanwhile, the Spaniards were welcomed by the Pueblo natives which proved to be a mistake by the natives as their own own cultures were abused and pillaged in various ways and they were forced to adopt the Spanish culture. Although to be fair, there was some blending of cultures, in that surviving in the area was dependent upon learning suiccessful agricultural methods. But much of the religion of the natives was made secret by the natives, to protect and preserve it. Eventually after the natives were pushed or run out, this area that lies at the foot of the Sangre de Cristo peaks was claimed by the Spanish. It was christianed as El Ciudad Royal de Santa Fe de San Francisoco, the Royal City of the Holy Faith of St. Francis, by Spanish govenor Don Pedro de Pealta, and thus the distinction of being the oldest capital city in North America has been conferred upon it as well as the oldest European city east of the MIssissippi.

Okay that’s enough for me, passive voice is clunky! However I also want to note here that we will often find passive voice in politics especially when someone discovers abuse of power or position including illegal activities. It is rare that a politician ever says “I (or we) made a mistake.” The classic passive sentence is “Mistakes were made” as if they made themselves.

Susan Page passive voice exercise/ BABY STEPS

Confused senses with no where to go. Smoke made eyes shut. Sirens made ears ring. With every swallow a moment of clarity followed. Quickly phased out by reality.

Boarded up windows and bandaged hearts take time to mend. Minds wait for the heavens to open . Clenched hands pray, begging brains cry, please God wash all this hate away.

Days pass and two friends sit and watch from a worn out bench. The crowds move at the speed of a toddlers stroll. My eyes search for what used to be. They only see what is now.

Boston is the birth place of my daughter. The birth place of dreams not nightmares. I watch as strangers become acquaintances and a sense of warmth briefly visits me.

“Thinking this was a good article, I am”. Yoda

Contrary to popular belief, Yoda did not “talk backwards.” That is only the perception of an English-centric audience.

The skyscraper, one minute whole and undisturbed, was suddenly being ripped apart, its metal organs plummeting to the crowded streets below. Shock, horror and panic came in quick succession as we started to recognize our danger. I started to run, the hail of metal cords and glass slowly making its deadly descent from the skies above. I was tripped by a frightened man holding a crumpled bouquet of white lilies, now dirtied by the sidewalk. The inclination to help him came and went as quickly as his refusal of my outstretched hand. He makes his own choices. I kept running.

Red fog started to invade my vision. I had run miles and yet I was still trapped in a hailstorm of falling debris. The whole city must have been exploding.

The passive voice does great things for your already clear imagery here — I especially love the addition of the man with the crumpled lilies.

Thank you for your reply! This is my first time posting my practice and I had fun working with the passive voice.

More! More!

I’d never learned about the difference between active and passive voice before, though I have found myself using a mix of the two in my own writing, albeit in an unintentional and perhaps disorganised way. So thank you for the article, and here is my first conscious attempt at practising (though it’s a personal event rather than a historical one):

The doors had been closed, the jar of water filled. The curtains had been drawn — neatly, tightly — and there was a warm flush of sunlight diffusing through the window, bathing one side of the bed in an aureate wash. The duvet had been folded and arranged carefully, woefully, not an hour ago, but was now pulled over, rustling irregularly. The lilies beside the bed had not been watered. A little sound was made at intervals of no more than three or four minutes, and it was meek, such that an impression of uncertainty, or of innocence was exuded. It had previously been argued that indeed, these were not wholly two terms in conflict with each other. The sound would be heard along the corridor whenever the cold, tiled floor would be made to come in contact with a familiar pair of shoes, for the narrow, whitewashed walls had been designed to carry forth whatever echoes lingered there in those chambers. It was said occasionally — and at other times bawled — that the sounds were conveyed too well, for there were many to whom sleep did not gently come, and their gratitude was not retrieved with ease. Within the time that the last sound had filtered beneath the crack in the door and traversed the hall, stopping at the final locked door, the figure upon the sun-soaked bed had been awoken.

I don’t pay much attention to which voice I am using when I write. If it works, I keep it. If it doesn’t, I either revise it or throw it out. Here then is my practice, an event from my personal history with (unless I missed it somewhere) no passive voice at all.

* * * I will never forget where I was the moment Akiko fell in love. She was in the school library with Tommy. The two of them always went there after lunch, before their next class. Tommy would read to her.

Akiko had been rescued from a fire, which had left her blind. That had only been a few months ago. She was learning Braille, but still had a way to go before anyone could call her “fluent.” The fire had not only left her blind: it had left her illiterate.

Tommy had been reading Karen Vance Hammond’s “Shoe Marks.” Akiko’s friend Sarah had told her Tommy liked her. Akiko had been skeptical, but Sarah pointed out how much time Tommy spent with her. That day, as Tommy read, Akiko had reached out and found his shoulder. She rested her hand there as he read.

When the bell rang for the next class, they both stood. Akiko thanked Tommy for reading to her yet again. That was when Tommy suggested they go out. He had tried to sound casual, but Akiko clearly heard the nervous quaver in his voice. She smiled and told him she would like that. She resisted the urge to jump up and down excitedly and squeal.

And where was I when this all happened? Why is it so indelibly burned into my memory? I was at the Graham Public Library, right across the street from the Lutheran church, seated at a little round wooden table typing away on my laptop. A wall of books silently watched as I created; books with titles like “Get a Literary Agent,” “In the Shadow of Edgar Allen Poe,” and “Teenagers 101.”

For me, it was the first time I had experienced the joy of having one of my characters fall in love.

I like reading fiction in the active voice, and I try to write my stories in this voice. Fortunately, when writing in Word Docs, a prompt shows that you are using the passive voice, (very helpful). By rephrasing the sentence I find I can improve it. Thanks for your post, Liz. Using active and passive voice has often caused me to stop and think, and rephrase.

Thank you for this helpful reminder.

This has been a very difficult exercise for me! Not sure if I completely nailed it.

The air was rent by the screams of people in the city. As the soldiers moved further towards the center, their cries were becoming more panicked. The trap was closing in on the mice.

The table had been shoved across the floor, revealing a small and dark passageway. With furtive movements and silent gestures, the room was quickly emptied. After the last of them had slipped through the hole with their precious cargo, Abigayil replaced the table. Not a minute later the door of the squat hovel was slammed open.

The blade of the man was slippery with fresh blood. A shudder slipped down Abigayil’s spine. In a moment, he was joined by two others carrying similar weapons. The two-room hovel was quickly searched by the men. No attention was given to Abigayil; she was not their target. No sign of children was to be found in her home, for she was an old, barren woman. The hovel was occupied only by herself. That fact was her friends’ and neighbors’ salvation.

More work was calling the men; drops of blood were left as the only sign of their invasion. Abigayil was shaking; she had forgotten to breathe. The table would remain pushed against the wall all night. The slaughter of the first born children would spare its occupants this night. The screams of the people were growing louder.

The batter was hit by a pitch. — A pitcher threw a ball that hit the batter.

present simple passive voice http://englishcraze.com/passive/4/3/12/PV_Present_Simple

thanks https://active-voice-tense.blogspot.com/

Trackbacks/Pingbacks

• When You SHOULD Use Passive Voice - [...] we've talked about the pas­sive voice and why we don't use it. And now, we're talk­ing about when it's…
• 6 Tips To Avoid and Fix Bad Writing - […] That sentence has a lot of information, is repetitive, and is written in the passive voice. […]
• Active vs. Passive Voice | Grammar Gossip - […] Active vs. Passive Voice: The Complete Guide […]
• How I Lost My Own Writing Contest… Again | Creative Writing - […] a few times is overusing adverbs) or use of passive voice (there are many situations when passive voice is okay)—much of…
• Book Writing Software: Top 10 Pieces of Software for Writers | Creative Writing - […] the website’s input box. Then it will grade your writing based on your used of  adverbs, passive voice, and sentences as […]
• Active vs. Passive Voice: The Complete Guide | Creative Writing - […] “ If the subject of a sentence is being acted upon by an outside force, the sentence is in passive voice.…
• Proofing and revision from Stephen Good at TheDigitalQuill.net - […]  active v. passive construction […]
• Hemingway Editor Review [2019] - Is It Worth It? - […] Hemingway shows how often you use the passive voice and calculates how often it should be used based on…
• How to Write Well: The Guide to Finding Your Unique And Captivating Voice - […] Active vs. Passive Voice: The Complete Guide […]
• 5 Writing Style Tips to Make Your Writing Stronger - […] Active voice imparts a sense of motion and adds interest. It’s like the second guy in my opening scenario—a…
• 5 Writing Style Tips to Make Your Writing Stronger – Books, Literature & Writing - […] Active voice imparts a sense of motion and adds interest. It’s like the second guy in my opening scenario—a…
• 5 Writing Style Tips to Make Your Writing Stronger | | Home Improvement WA - […] Active voice imparts a sense of motion and adds interest. It’s like the second guy in my opening scenario—a…
• Write a meta description that generates traffic - Anadapt - […] you do not know the exact difference between active and passive voice, check out Liz Bureman’s blog post covering…
• How to write a meta description that generates traffic - Anadapt - […] you do not know the exact difference between active and passive voice, check out Liz Bureman’s blog post covering…
• Deep POV: 6 Key Details to Use in the Beginning of a Book (and Beyond!) - […] your opening will drag without immediate action, make sure you’re using vivid language and active voice rather than passive…

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Submit Comment

Join over 450,000 readers who are saying YES to practice. You’ll also get a free copy of our eBook 14 Prompts :

Popular Resources

Book Writing Tips & Guides Creativity & Inspiration Tips Writing Prompts Grammar & Vocab Resources Best Book Writing Software ProWritingAid Review Writing Teacher Resources Publisher Rocket Review Scrivener Review Gifts for Writers

Books By Our Writers

You've got it! Just us where to send your guide.

Enter your email to get our free 10-step guide to becoming a writer.

You've got it! Just us where to send your book.

Enter your first name and email to get our free book, 14 Prompts.

Want to Get Published?

Enter your email to get our free interactive checklist to writing and publishing a book.

Lessons For English

Active and Passive Voice Examples with Answers and Definitions

Table of Contents

Active Passive Voice

Active Voice and Passive Voice, which are often quite complex for all students in the process of learning English, are known as a grammatical subject that you can easily overcome by regular work and practice, contrary to popular belief. But in order to learn about this topic, you must first understand the differences between Passive Voice and Active Voice. So let’s start looking at the Active Passive Voice lecture that we have prepared for you.

Difference Between Active Voice and Passive Voice

Active Voice is used to express an action performed by the subject, while Passive Voice is used to express that something is done by someone or someone. For example;

• Active Voice : You do your homework every day.
• Passive Voice : Your homework is done by you every day.

Positive Sentences in Passive Voice

• Subject + to be + v3 + by

In the positive sentence pattern of Passive Voice, the octet by, which indicates who is doing the action, is optionally used. For example;

• This laptop was repaired by you.
• This laptop was repaired.

Negative Sentences in Passive Voice

• Subject + to be + not + v3 + by

In the Passive Voice negative sentence pattern, the octet ‘by’ is optionally used, as in the same positive sentence structure, indicating who is doing the action. For example;

• This laptop was not repaired by you.
• This laptop was not repaired.

Questions Sentences

• to be + subject + v3 + by

In the Passive Voice question sentence pattern, the octet by, which indicates who is doing the action, is optionally used, as in the same positive and negative sentence structure. For example;

• Was this laptop repaired by you?
• Was this laptop repaired?

When should Passive Voice be Used?

Although the sentences established with Active Voice are more understandable, this does not mean that you should never use Passive Voice. For example, it allows the addition of doubt to a detective story. If you don’t want to explain who the killer is, you say, ‘the killer was killed in a serial manner.’ Passive Voice is also useful in such situations if you don’t know who is performing the action. “The shop was demolished,” a newspaper report said, although it is not yet known who demolished the shop.

Related Posts

Active & Passive Voice With Example Sentences

Tenses, Active Voice Sentences and Passive Voice Sentences

Tense, Active and Passive Voice

About the author.

Leave a Reply Cancel Reply

Curriculum and Student Achievement

Select Language

Active and Passive Sentences

You probably have been told at some point in your school career that you should write in the active voice or that you should write active sentences that they are in some way more desirable than passive sentences. Well, that’s not always correct. Whether you choose to write in the active voice or the passive voice depends entirely on what you choose to reveal or emphasize in the sentences you write. The passive voice is more desirable than the active voice in certain situations. The trick is in deciding what those situations are.

So, what is voice anyway? Voice is simply the name we have given to a grammatical choice we can make in sentence structure—whether we want the subject of a sentence to be the doer of the action in the sentence or whether we want the subject of the sentence to be the receiver of the action. Or another way to look at it is do we want the verb to describe what the subject does or to describe something that is done to the subject? Consider the following sentences.

Jack broke the window.

In this sentence the subject ( Jack ) does the action ( broke ), or the other way to say it is that the verb ( broke ) describes what the subject ( Jack ) does. We say that this sentence is active or in the active voice because the subject is active—the subject does something. Now let’s consider another way to arrange this sentence.

The window was broken by Jack.

Obviously this sentence contains the same information as the original sentence, but it has been rearranged. Now the subject of the sentence ( window ) doesn’t do the action—it receives the action, is acted upon ( was broken ). Or we can say that the verb ( was broken ) describes something that was done to the subject ( window ). This sentence is in the passive voice because the subject of the sentence is passive.

So what? What difference does it make? Well, for one thing, notice that in the passive sentence we don’t find out who does the action until the end of the sentence, and by moving that information to the end, we redistribute the emphasis in the sentence. Now we emphasize window by virtue of its position at the beginning of the sentence. Obviously that would be useful if we wanted for some reason to emphasize window or wanted to delay our reader’s knowledge that it was Jack who broke the window.

But there is another peculiarity of the passive voice that we haven’t looked at yet—and that is that it allows us to completely hide who does the action.

Consider the following sentence.

The window was broken.

In this sentence we have completely eliminated the information about who did the breaking. Those of us who have ever done anything we weren’t supposed to do can see the obvious advantage to being able to write this kind of sentence. We don’t have to acknowledge that we did whatever it was that we did wrong. But this kind of passive sentence is useful in other situations as well. For instance, it lets us focus only on the action itself when that is the most important issue. Additionally, it allows us to talk about some wrong or undesirable action without assessing blame. In other words, it lets us talk about undesirable actions while allowing the person who did them to save face. We can allow that person to keep his or her dignity. And we can be seen as being very courteous, which is almost always a desirable outcome. By hiding the actor, this kind of sentence allows us also to create or maintain an air of mystery when that seems to be called for. We can also use this kind of sentence when we don’t know who did the action.

So, you see in certain situations the passive sentence is not only useful, it’s necessary. But most of the time, the active sentence (when the subject of the sentence does the action) is the best choice. It has certain advantages in most situations. Because it tells us immediately who did what, it creates an air of energy and confidence. It allows us to give all the important information directly, so it has great force, and unlike the passive sentence, it demystifies the situation. It clarifies rather than mystifies. We can see the advantages to using the active voice in most of the sentences we write.

It seems useful at this point to talk about how passive and active sentences are constructed.

Let’s begin with the active sentence

John broke the window.

Notice that it has a subject ( John ) followed by an active verb ( broke ) which is itself followed by a direct object, something that receives the action of the verb ( the window ).

In order to convert this sentence into its passive form, we must do four things:

• Move the direct object ( the window ) to the subject position at the beginning of the sentence
• Move the original subject ( John ) to the end of the sentence and put by before it, or eliminate it altogether
• Change the verb form from past tense ( broke ) to its past participle ( broken )
• And add a form of to be (in this case was ) as a helping verb to broken .

If we complete all four steps we end up with the passive sentence

The window was broken by John.

To convert a passive sentence to an active one, we simply reverse the process.

• Move the direct object ( window ) to its regular position behind the verb
• Move the original subject ( John ) back to the subject position at the beginning of the sentence
• Change the verb from the past participle ( broken ) to the past tense ( broke )
• Remove the helping verb was .

We have restored the sentence to its active voice—we have made the subject the doer of the action again.

British Council Malaysia

• English schools
• myClass Login
• Show search Search Search Close search

'When to use the active and passive voice in writing'

'When to use the active and passive voice in writing'

It may sound strange to hear that written sentences have voices, and even stranger to know that there are debates on which of the two – passive and active – is the better option when it comes to writing. This article gives a definition of both voices, as well as examples of situations when each can be used properly. 

What's the difference between the active and passive voice? 

"Voice" refers to the connection between the subject and the object of a sentence, which is linked through a verb. 

The active voice is so called because the subject of the sentence is the doer of an action that affects the sentence's object.

e.g. Julie baked a cake. 

In the above example, the subject/actor (Julie) performed the action (baked) on an object (cake). 

The passive voice, on the other hand, is when the object is acted upon by the subject of the sentence. 

e.g. The cake was baked by Julie. 

The object (cake) was the recipient of an action (baked), which was performed by the subject (Julie). 

One indicator that a sentence is written in the passive voice is that it comes with a "be" verb followed by a past participle. However, it is still possible for a sentence to be in the active voice despite having a form of the "be" verb in it. For instance, "I am eating a pie" is in the active voice despite the "be" verb ("am"). Another clue to look out for is the absence of an object in the sentence, which can indicate that this is written using the passive voice, although it is possible to have an active sentence without an object 

When do I use the active or the passive voice?

Some people believe that sentences should be written in the active voice whenever possible. This might be because doing so can make your writing more concise. As can be seen in the example above, the passive voice usually requires more words. When improperly written, it can also sound awkward and vague, especially when the subject of the sentence is only implied and not deliberately mentioned. 

However, this does not necessarily mean that using the passive voice should be avoided at all costs. It actually has its own uses. For instance, many authors use it as a tool in fiction writing. In particular, mystery writers are big fans of the passive voice since it allows them to conceal secrets within their stories. 

The lack of emphasis on the actor has also made the passive voice the primary choice when it comes to scientific or academic writing. While there has now been a shift in terms of allowing scientists to discuss the actions they have taken in the experiments they have conducted, the science field remains partial to the passive voice in order to maintain a tone of objectivity. This is because it does not put particular focus on individual perspective, and instead looks at the actions undertaken, as well as the results. 

In writing, always consider whether you should use the passive or active voice. It will depend on what you, the writer, want to convey: if you want to draw attention to the doer, use the passive voice; if your intent is to put the focus on the action, then you should go for the active voice. 

• Walden University
• Faculty Portal

Scholarly Voice: Active and Passive Voice

Active and passive voice.

Active voice and passive voice are grammatical constructions that communicate certain information about an action. Specifically, APA explains that voice shows relationships between the verb and the subject and/or object (see APA 7, Section 4.13). Writers need to be intentional about voice in order to ensure clarity. Using active voice often improves clarity, while passive voice can help avoid unnecessary repetition.  

Active voice can help ensure clarity by making it clear to the reader who is taking action in the sentence. In addition, the active voice stresses that the actor (or grammatical subject) precedes the verb, again, putting emphasis on the subject. Passive voice construction leaves out the actor (subject) and focuses on the relationship between the verb and object.

The order of words in a sentence with active voice is subject, verb, object.

• Active voice example : I conducted a study of elementary school teachers.
• This sentence structure puts the emphasis of the sentence on the subject, clarifying who conducted the study. 
• Passive voice example : A study was conducted of elementary school teachers.
• In this sentence, it is not clear who conducted this study. 

Generally, in scholarly writing, with its emphasis on precision and clarity, the active voice is preferred. However, the passive voice is acceptable in some instances, for example:

• if the reader is aware of who the actor is;
• in expository writing, where the goal of the discussion is to provide background, context, or an in-depth explanation;
• if the writer wants to focus on the object or the implications of the actor’s action; or
• to vary sentence structure.  

Also, much like for anthropomorphism , different writing styles have different preferences. So, though you may see the passive voice used heavily in articles that you read for your courses and study, it does not mean that APA style advocates the same usage.

Examples of Writing in the Active Voice

Here are some examples of scholarly writing in the active voice:

• This is active voice because the subject in the sentence precedes the verb, clearly indicating who (I) will take the action (present).

Example : Teachers conducted a pilot study addressing the validity of the TAKS exam.

• Similarly, teachers (subject) clearly took the action (conducted) in this sentence.

Recognizing the Passive Voice

According to APA, writers should select verb tenses and voice carefully. Consider these examples to help determine which form of the verb is most appropriate:

Example : A study was conducted of job satisfaction and turnover.

• Here, it is not clear who did the conducting. In this case, if the context of the paragraph does not clarify who did the action, the writer should revise this sentence to clarify who conducted the study. 

Example : I conducted a study of job satisfaction and turnover.

• This revised sentence clearly indicates the action taker. Using “I” to identify the writer’s role in the research process is often a solution to the passive voice and is encouraged by APA style (see APA 7, Section 4.16).

Using the past tense of the verb “to be” and the past participle of a verb together is often an indication of the passive voice. Here are some signs to look for in your paper:

• Example : This study was conducted.
• Example : Findings were distributed.

Another indication of passive voice is when the verb precedes the actor in the sentence. Even if the action taker is clearly identified in a passive voice construction, the sentence is usually wordier. Making the actor the grammatical subject that comes before the verb helps to streamline the sentence.

• Issue : Though the verb and the actor (action taker) are clearly identified here, to improve clarity and word economy, the writer could place that actor, Rogers, before the verb.
• More concise active voice revision : Rogers (2016) conducted a study on nursing and turnover.  
• Issue : Here, the actor follows the verb, which reduces emphasis and clarity.
• This revised sentence is in the active voice and makes the actor the subject of the sentence.

Intentional Use of the Passive Voice

Sometimes, even in scholarly writing, the passive voice may be used intentionally and strategically. A writer may intentionally include the subject later in the sentence so as to reduce the emphasis and/or importance of the subject in the sentence. See the following examples of intentional passive voice to indicate emphasis:

Example : Schools not meeting AYP for 2 consecutive years will be placed on a “needs improvement” list by the State’s Department of Education.

• Here, all actors taking actions are identified, but this is in the passive voice as the State’s Department of Education is the actor doing the placing, but this verb precedes the actor. This may be an intentional use of the passive voice, to highlight schools not meeting AYP.
• To write this in the active voice, it would be phrased: “The State’s Department of Education will place schools not meeting AYP for 2 consecutive years on a “needs improvement” list. This sentence places the focus on the State’s Department of Education, not the schools.

Example : Participants in the study were incentivized with a $5 coffee gift card, which I gave them upon completion of their interview.

• As the writer and researcher, I may want to vary my sentence structure in order to avoid beginning several sentences with “I provided…” This example is written in the passive voice, but the meaning is clear.

Using Passive Voice in Scholarly Writing

As noted before, passive voice is allowed in APA style and can be quite appropriate, especially when writing about methods and data collection. However, students often overuse the passive voice in their writing, which means their emphasis in the sentence is not on the action taker. Their writing is also at risk of being repetitive. Consider the following paragraph in which the passive voice is used in each sentence:

A survey was administered . Using a convenience sample, 68 teachers were invited to participate in the survey by emailing them an invitation. E-mail addresses of teachers who fit the requirements for participation were provided by the principal of the school . The teachers were e-mailed an information sheet and a consent form. Responses were collected from 45 teachers… As you can see, the reader has no idea who is performing these actions, which makes the research process unclear. This is at odds with the goal of the methods discussion, which is to be clear and succinct regarding the process of data collection and analysis.

However, if translated entirely to the active voice, clearly indicating the researcher’s role, “I” becomes redundant and repetitive, interrupting the flow of the paragraph:

In this study, I administered a survey. I created a convenience sample of 68 teachers. I invited them to participate in the survey by emailing them an invitation. I obtained e-mail addresses from the principal of the school… “I” is quite redundant here and repetitive for the reader.

The Walden Writing Center suggests that students use “I” in the first sentence of the paragraph . Then, as long as it is clear to the reader that the student (writer) is the actor in the remaining sentences, use the active and passive voices appropriately to achieve precision and clarity (where applicable):

In this study, I administered a survey using a convenience sample. Sixty-eight teachers were invited to participate in the survey. The principal of the school provided me with the e-mail addresses of teachers who fit the requirements for participation. I e-mailed the teachers an information sheet and a consent form. A total of 45 teachers responded …

The use of the passive voice is complicated and requires careful attention and skill. There are no hard-and-fast rules. Using these guidelines, however, should help writers be clearer and more engaging in their writing, as well as achieving the intended purposes.

Remember, use voice strategically. APA recommends the active voice for clarity. However, the passive voice may be used, with intention, to remove the emphasis on the subject and also as a method for varying sentence structure. So, generally write in the active voice, but consider some of the above examples and some uses of the passive voice that may be useful to implement in your writing. Just be sure that the reader is always aware of who is taking the action of the verb.

• For more practice, try our Clarifying the Actor module .

Related Resources

• Principles of Writing: Active and Passive Voice (blog post) APA Style Blog post.

Didn't find what you need? Email us at [email protected] .

• Previous Page: Avoiding Bias
• Next Page: Word Choice (Diction)
• Office of Student Disability Services

Walden Resources

Departments.

• Academic Residencies
• Academic Skills
• Career Planning and Development
• Customer Care Team
• Field Experience
• Military Services
• Student Success Advising
• Writing Skills

Centers and Offices

• Center for Social Change
• Office of Academic Support and Instructional Services
• Office of Degree Acceleration
• Office of Research and Doctoral Services
• Office of Student Affairs

Student Resources

• Doctoral Writing Assessment
• Form & Style Review
• Quick Answers
• ScholarWorks
• SKIL Courses and Workshops
• Walden Bookstore
• Walden Catalog & Student Handbook
• Student Safety/Title IX
• Legal & Consumer Information
• Website Terms and Conditions
• Cookie Policy
• Accessibility
• Accreditation
• State Authorization
• Net Price Calculator
• Contact Walden

Walden University is a member of Adtalem Global Education, Inc. www.adtalem.com Walden University is certified to operate by SCHEV © 2024 Walden University LLC. All rights reserved.

Homework: Passive Voice

So, did you steal your bike, or was your bike stolen? Will you take out your tonsils, or will your tonsils be taken out? Mastering the Passive Voice is a crucial rite of passage for any English learner, as it can change the meaning of a sentence entirely. However, as this versatile voice can be used with any grammar tense, this is often much more easily said than done, as no sooner have students established just when to use it than along comes the more daunting challenge of actually using it correctly. This homework sheet enables students to practise using the Passive Voice through a range of progressively challenging exercises.

After downloading your PDF: print it immediately or save and print later. Answers are provided for teachers on the second page.

Make your own worksheets with the free EnglishClub Worksheet Maker !

Active-Passive Voice Converter

Boost your SEO and communicate more clearly by switching between active and passive voices seamlessly. Enhances readability and improve quality in a matter of seconds.

Instructions

1. Enter the existing text in the designated area.

2. Choose the desired output: active or passive voice.

3. [Optional] Select output length from the drop-down menu.

4. Click "Change Voice"

5. Paste the generated copy into a document or rewrite your copy using our paraphrasing tool.

💡Pro Tip: Break down complex sentences into simpler ones before converting voice.

What is Active and Passive Voice?

Active and passive voice are two different ways of constructing a sentence. The active voice focuses on the subject of the sentence, who is taking direct action. It provides clear, straightforward sentences where the agent of action is easily identifiable, making it a favored choice in most writing styles.

The passive voice shifts the focal point to the recipient of the action. The subject becomes secondary to the action itself, thus presenting a more impartial narrative. It is extensively used in scientific and formal writing where the primary focus is the action, not the doer.

How to Identify Active and Passive Voice?

Active Voice: In active voice, the subject performs the action. It's direct and concise.

Example: "The chef (subject) prepared (action) a delicious meal."

Passive Voice: In passive voice, the subject receives the action. It's indirect and often used when the doer of the action is less important.

Example: "A delicious meal (subject) was prepared (action) by the chef."

Advanced Tip: To identify passive voice, look for forms of "to be" (e.g., was, were) followed by the past participle (e.g., prepared). In active voice, the subject acts on the object, making it easier to spot.

How to Convert Sentences From Active Voice to Passive Voice

Step 1: Identification of Subject, Object, and Verb

A sentence usually comprises the doer (subject), the action (verb), and the receiver (object). In "John reads a book," 'John' is the subject, 'reads' is the verb, and 'a book' is the object. Recognizing these essential components of a sentence is the first step to getting your transformations right.

Step 2: Reposition the Subject-Object Placement

You need to reverse the subject's and object's roles to convert an active voice sentence to passive voice. That means the object becomes the sentence's new subject, and the subject becomes a part of the sentence after the verb.

Taking the same example, the sentence changes to "The book is read by John."

Step 3: Alter Verb Form

The verb in a passive voice sentence typically involves a form of 'be' (is, am, are, was, were) followed by a past participle. So, 'reads' in active voice changes to 'is read' in passive voice.

Step 4: Include Preposition

When the original subject is included in the passive sentence, it is usually introduced by a preposition like 'by'. For example, 'by John' in our previous illustration. However, if the focus of your sentence is the action rather than the doer, you can omit this prepositional phrase.

To recap, the original sentence "John reads a book." is coverted to "The book is read by John" in passive voice.

When to Use A Sentence Voice Changer?

Use passive to active voice sentence converter when:.

1. You want to emphasize the action itself rather than the doer.

2. The doer of the action is unknown or unimportant.

3. Keeping the focus consistent throughout a series of sentences.

4. Avoid putting responsibility on a specific person or group.

5. To sound objective, scientific, technical, or logical.

Passive to Active Voice Example

Passive Voice: "The cake was baked by John."

Active Voice: "John baked the cake."

In the passive voice sentence, the subject (the cake) is acted upon by the verb. The primary attention is on the action done to the subject. In the active voice sentence, the subject (John) is performing the action of the verb. The primary attention shifts to who is doing the action.

Use Active to Passive Voice Sentence Converter When:

1. You want to emphasize the doer of the action.

2. Writing clear and concise instructions.

3. Avoiding ambiguity.

4. Writing non-scientific content.

Active to Passive Voice Example

Active Voice: "John ate the apple."

Passive Voice: "The apple was eaten by John."

In the active voice sentence, the subject (John) is the one doing the action (eating). In the passive voice sentence, the subject (The apple) is the one being acted upon, and the actor (John) is mentioned at the end of the sentence.

Who Benefits From Converting Sentence Voice?

Converting sentences between active and passive voice benefits a wide array of individuals.

1. Writers, editors, linguists, and students studying language or literature can enhance their craft and comprehension.

2. Professionals in marketing or PR sectors can critically analyze text, heightening their ability to produce persuasive content.

3. SEO specialists can optimize content, making it more engaging and search-engine friendly.

How to Make the Most of Active Passive Sentence Voice Changer?

Start by understanding the power of structure in your sentence. Don't merely convert your text; use this tool as an opportunity to refine your content, enriching your writing with diversity in sentence formation.

Apply variety by alternating between active and passive voices, enhancing your writing style and engaging your readers more effectively. Modify the sentence length according to your document needs, whether brief sentences for a swift read or lengthy, descriptive ones for detailed insights.

Convert Sentence Voice & More With Content AI!

You already know how to use our free sentence voice converter tool. But with Content AI, you can do so much more.

Our powerful tool is designed to help you generate and optimize quality copy that ranks high on SERP. Perform keyword research, gain competitor insights, and the projected scoring to streamline your content production process.

Convert Sentence Voice Easily With Content AI

Enhance & diversify your content at scale with a unique sentence voice converter

Start your 2-week free trial of Content AI to write, optimize & rank with ease & speed. Use all free AI tools with each other efficiently. Get started now - no credit card required!

Sentence Voice Changer FAQs

Is an ai sentence voice converter reliable.

Our AI sentence voice converter is highly reliable, guaranteeing consistent and accurate results for your writing needs. The tool is trained on massive datasets of text and code, which allows them to accurately identify and convert sentences between active and passive voice.

Is the copy generated plagiarism-free?

The content produced by our sentence voice converter tool is entirely plagiarism-free, ensuring your originality and peace of mind. It uses a variety of techniques to ensure that the output is unique.

Should you use active voice or passive voice in SEO & content marketing?

You should predominantly use active voice in SEO and content marketing as it makes your writing clearer, more direct, and easier to understand. However, passive voice can be used sparingly for variation or when the focus is on the action rather than the actor.

Learn more about SEO & Content Marketing

Content optimization guide.

Learn how to optimize content like landing pages, B2B blogs, buying guides, and e-commerce websites.

Read Now >

RankBrain Algorithm Explained

Learn how Google's RankBrain affects your SEO strategy.

User Experience SEO Guide

Boost SERP rankings by optimizing your website's user experience.

* Please share an active email address as we will use it to contact you.

Your request has been received.

The quattr team  will contact you shortly..

Thank you for verifying

Continue Using All 18 AI Tools With a Day Pass You may resume free usage in 4 hours

Oops.. You are trying to Access a Locked Option This feature is locked during free tools usage

You have exhausted your Day Pass limit. Buy another Day Pass

RECOMMENDED

Get 20 Outputs For Just $1.99 USD

Buy our Day Pass Lite # to get 20 additional outputs that you can use across all 18 tools & access all premium locked options.

SPECIAL DISCOUNT

Unlock Unlimited Use For $3.99 USD ($4.99)

Buy a one-time Day Pass # for $3.99 to get unlimited outputs* across all 18 tools & access all premium locked options.

# One day pass is valid for 24 hours *Fair usage policy applies. Read terms of use for more.

OR Get 4 outputs every 4 hours for free. This waiting period ensures fair access to our tools for all users.

Continue for Free

You will receive an email in 4 hours notifying you of additional free usage.

• Starting a Business
• Growing a Business
• Small Business Guide
• Business News
• Science & Technology
• Money & Finance
• For Subscribers
• Write for Entrepreneur
• Entrepreneur Store
• United States
• Asia Pacific
• Middle East
• South Africa

Copyright © 2024 Entrepreneur Media, LLC All rights reserved. Entrepreneur® and its related marks are registered trademarks of Entrepreneur Media LLC

How to Spend Less Time Managing Your Investments (and Why You Should) Managing a diversified portfolio of investments is essential if you want to accumulate wealth, save for retirement, or generate streams of passive income. Unfortunately, it takes a lot of work...

By Deanna Ritchie • May 8, 2024

This story originally appeared on Calendar

Managing a diversified portfolio of investments is essential if you want to accumulate wealth, save for retirement, or generate streams of passive income. Unfortunately, it takes a lot of work to be successful – or so it seems.

With the right strategies, you can greatly increase your productivity in the realms of financial and investment management.

So how do you do it?

The Power of Reducing Active Management Time

On some level, it’s a good thing to spend time on managing your investments. Spending additional hours on due diligence means you’ll choose wiser investments to add to your portfolio, and being more mindful of your investments can lead you to better decision-making, even in your day-to-day life.

However, there are many benefits associated with reducing your active investment management time – at least for most people.

Time Savings

All of us could benefit from ending time waste . And chances are, not all of the time you spend managing your investments is spent wisely. Every hour you reduce in pursuit of more efficient investment management is an hour you can spend on something else. Depending on your priorities, that could be your education, work, a side business, family time, or even time to just relax.

Strategic Adherence

The more time you spend managing your investments, the more time you’ll have to violate the principles of your core investment strategy. This is something that happens to a lot of amateur investors who like to chase promising new opportunities, even if it means deviating from their original vision. It’s true that investment strategies should evolve over time, but this should be slow, thoughtful, and deliberate. Reducing your time on investments means you need to be more methodical and rigid in your approach.

Emotion/Impulse Control

Similarly, spending less time engaged with your investments means you’ll be less susceptible to emotional overreactions and impulsive decision-making. If you check on the value of your portfolio several times a day throughout a downturn, you might feel increasing levels of panic. If you only check on the value of your portfolio once a month, you might not even notice that the downturn happened.

New Opportunities

You might think that spending more time on managing investments means you’ll encounter new opportunities, but this isn’t necessarily the case. Finding good opportunities is more about spending time wisely, rather than spending more time. If you’re more strategic and thoughtful about how you spend your time, you’re much more likely to uncover valuable opportunities.

Track (or at Least Recognize) How You’re Spending Time

The first step of the process is to track how you’re spending your time, or at least try to recognize your time expenditure from a high level. Most people spend an excessive amount of time on the following activities:

Price Checking

It’s good to check on the prices of your current assets at least periodically, but there’s a point where it becomes troublesome. As an example, it’s perfectly reasonable to check Bitcoin’s price after halving , but if you’re looking up the price of Bitcoin 25 times a day, you’re wasting your time. The more often you check prices, the more likely you’ll be to engage in impulsive decision-making and short-term decision-making, both of which can be harmful to the majority of investors.

Researching/Browsing

Many people also spend a disproportionate amount of time researching potential assets to invest in or browsing for new opportunities. These are arguably good ways to spend your time, but there’s a point where it becomes excessive. If your portfolio is already in a good spot, why spend time deliberately looking for something to dethrone the assets that already belong in that portfolio? If you still aren’t sure if an asset is worth adding to your portfolio after 10 hours of research, why are you even still considering it?

Rebalancing

When managing your investments, rebalancing a portfolio can be practiced in a variety of different ways, but it always involves some level of buying and selling existing assets. Spending too much time on this can artificially increase the volatility of your portfolio performance and simultaneously drain time that you could better spend elsewhere.

Active Management

And of course, it’s important to recognize that certain types of investment assets do require ongoing, active management. For example, if you have a rental property, you’ll likely be responsible for things like marketing the property, screening tenants, collecting rent, and making repairs. These are all necessary activities, but it’s very possible to spend too much time on them.

If you’re like most investors, at least one of these categories stands out to you. Immediately, you may recognize little changes you can make to reduce the time you spend in these categories. In the following sections, we’ll provide you with even more strategies for how to tackle these types of issues.

Develop a Passive, Long-Term Strategy

One of the best things you can do for yourself is to develop a more passive, long-term strategy. If you’re focused on buying and holding assets for 30 years or longer, you’re not going to be concerned with checking the prices of those assets on a daily basis, nor is rebalancing your portfolio going to take you much time or effort.

It’s true that not everyone values a passive, long-term strategy equally. If you have a short investment time horizon, a high risk tolerance, or more time to spend on more rapid investment decision making, this approach may seem foreign to you. But at least a portion of your investment portfolio should be allocated to passive, long-term holds – and you should apply long-term thinking to most of your decisions.

Choose Funds and Balanced Investments

Another good strategy for managing your portfolio is to choose funds and balanced investments over individual assets.

For example:

Target-date Funds

A target-date fund is a type of fund that automatically rebalances itself as you gradually inch closer to your retirement date. If you’re young, your asset mix will lean toward stocks and somewhat riskier assets. As you get older, the balance will shift toward bonds and safer assets. It’s the type of investment you can make even if you turn your brain off entirely, and it can save you a lot of time, even if its performance isn’t perfectly optimal.

Index Tracking ETFs

If you like investing in stocks, consider investing in index tracking ETFs. These funds allow you to indirectly invest in entire indexes with a single purchase; for example, you can invest in the entirety of the S&P 500. This way, you’ll get broad exposure to the market without needing to constantly research new assets or rebalance your portfolio.

If you like the idea of getting exposure to real estate, consider investing in a real estate investment trust (REIT). This way, you’ll get exposure to multiple types of properties at once, and you won’t be responsible for actively managing those properties.

Any Broad, Diversified Fund (With Low Management Fees)

Almost any broad, diversified fund is worth considering adding to your portfolio because it will have the advantages of low maintenance and little need for rebalancing. Just make sure you research the management fees so your earnings aren’t cannibalized.

Develop a Formula for Buying and Selling

Many investors lose time when researching new assets to add to their portfolio because they are so meticulous and perfectionist. But you can save a lot of time by developing a consistent formula that you can always apply to buying and selling. For example, you might target a certain PE ratio based on industry, or only buy an asset when it’s within a certain distance of its 52-week low.

The more consistent your approach is, the less time and effort you’ll need to spend applying it.

Set a Timeline for Rebalancing

Every expert agrees that occasionally rebalancing your portfolio is important. However, there are many schools of thought for how often you should rebalance. What’s important is that you make a conscious decision about what rebalancing timeline makes the most sense for you. And, it’s crucial that you consistently adhere to that timeline. For example, if you choose to rebalance your portfolio on an annual basis, don’t waste time in the middle of the year fine-tuning your holdings (unless you have a very good reason for doing so).

Utilize Automation

Automation is arguably the most powerful tool in any time-saving arsenal of strategies, so utilize it to the best of your ability. Most brokerage apps allow you to create automatic notifications for certain types of events. This could be something like a drop in price that reaches a certain threshold. This way, you don’t have to track prices actively; you can sit back and only respond when your attention is commanded.

Work With Professionals

Another option for some people is to work with professionals. If most of your assets are held and managed by an active financial advisor or broker, you won’t have to make many portfolio decisions on your own. If you hire a property management company to manage your rental properties, you can turn them into hands-off, passive investments. This usually costs money and can eat into your bottom-line earnings. However, it might be worth it if it means saving hours of your limited time.

Money is nice to have, but time is even more fundamentally limited. It’s important to manage your investments strategically and prudently. But, it’s just as important to use your time wisely when doing so. These strategies should give you the opportunity to greatly reduce the hours you spend on investing – without cutting into your bottom-line results.

Featured Image Credit: Artem Podrez ; Pexels

The post How to Spend Less Time Managing Your Investments (and Why You Should) appeared first on Calendar .

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick Red Arrow

• This Mother and Daughter Were 'Kind of Fringe Weirdos' When They Started an Uncommon Business in Their Garage. Now They're in Major Retailers — and Victoria Beckham Is a Fan.
• Lock A Leadership Shortage Is Coming. Here's What Needs to Happen to Prevent It.
• Lock The Author of 'Million Dollar Weekend' Says This Is the Only Difference Between You and the Many 'Very, Very Dumb People' Making a Lot of Money
• What the NLRB Appeal of the Expanded Joint Employer Rule Judgment Means for Your Business
• Lock 12 Books That Self-Made Millionaires Swear By
• The Sweet Side Hustle She Started in an Old CVS Made $800,000 in One Year. Now She's Repeating the Success With Her Daughter — and They've Already Exceeded 8 Figures.

Most Popular Red Arrow

63 small business ideas to start in 2024.

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

My Startup Couldn't Raise VC Funding, So We Became Profitable. Here's How We Did It — And How You Can Too.

Four months ago, my startup reached profitability for the first time. It came after more than a year of active work and planning, and here's what it took.

Jack Dorsey Explains Bluesky Exit: 'Literally Repeating All the Mistakes We Made' at Twitter

Dorsey left the Bluesky board and deleted his account earlier this week.

Warren Buffett Had to Work From His iPhone After Telephone Lines Went Down at Berkshire Hathaway: 'I'm Glad We Didn't Sell All of Our Apple'

Berkshire sold around $20 billion worth of Apple recently.

Clinton Sparks Podcast: From Hit Records to Humanitarian Powerhouse, Akon Shares His Entrepreneurial Journey

This podcast is a fun, entertaining and informative show that will teach you how to succeed and achieve your goals with practical advice and actionable steps given through compelling stories and conversations with Clinton and his guests.

I've Co-founded Over 20 Firms — These Are the Five Critical Questions You Need to Ask to Evaluate Your Startup's Health

Have you checked your startup's pulse recently? If not, here are five questions to assess how your company is doing and which areas need more attention.

Successfully copied link