Change of Voice - Verbal Ability Questions and Answers
Last Updated : 23 May, 2025
The forms of verbs that show the "subject doing an action" or " an action done on the subject" are called voice. Change of voice means converting a sentence from the Active to the Passive Voice or vice versa, without changing the original meaning.
Exercises-
Types of Voice
There are two voices in the English language, and they are as follows:
1. Active Voice: In active voice, the verb expresses the subject's action upon the object.
General Formula: subject + verb + object
Example: The chef cooks the meal.
2. Passive Voice: In passive voice, the verb expresses the object being acted upon.
General Formula: object + helping verb(according to tense) + V3 + by + subject
Example: The meal is cooked by the chef.
Change of voice means changing an active sentence into passive, or a passive sentence into active. Let's discuss them in detail below:
1. Changing Active Voice to Passive Voice
- Step 1: Identify the object of the active sentence; it becomes the subject in the passive sentence.
- Step 2: Use the appropriate form of the verb “to be” (is, am, are, was, were, will be, etc.), according to the tense of the active verb.
- Step 3: Use the past participle of the main verb.
- Step 4: Optionally add the original subject preceded by “by.”
- Step 5: Adjust the sentence for proper grammar and meaning.
Example:
- Active: The boy kicks the ball.
- Passive: The ball is kicked by the boy.
2. Changing Passive Voice to Active Voice
- Step 1: Identify the doer (agent) in the passive sentence, usually after “by.” It becomes the subject in the active sentence.
- Step 2: Use the correct verb tense in active form.
- Step 3: Remove the form of “to be” used in passive voice.
- Step 4: Rearrange the sentence for clarity.
Example:
- Passive: The cake was baked by her.
- Active: She baked the cake.
Converting Rules
Given below are a few basic rules to follow while converting from active to passive voice and vice versa:
| Tense | Active Structure + Example | Passive Structure + Example |
|---|
Present Simple | Subject + V1 (s/es) + Object
She writes a report. | Object + is/am/are + V3 + by + Subject
A report is written by her. |
Past Simple | Subject + V2 + Object
We built a house. | Object + was/were + V3 + by + Subject
A house was built by us. |
| Future Simple | Subject + shall/will + V1 + Object
She will write the letter. | Object + shall/will + be + V3 + by + Subject
The letter will be written by her. |
| Present Continuous | Subject + is/am/are + V1 + ing + Object
They are painting the wall. | Object + is/am/are + being + V3 + by + Subject
The wall is being painted by them. |
| Past Continuous | Subject + was/were + V1 + ing + Object
She was reading a book. | Object + was/were + being + V3 + by + Subject
The book was being read by her. |
| Future Continuous | Subject + shall/will + be + V1 + ing + Object
They will be painting the room | Object + will + be + being + V3 + by + Subject (Rarely used)
The room will be being painted by them. |
| Present Perfect | Subject + has/have + V3 + Object
He has completed the task. | Object + has/have + been + V3 + by + Subject
The task has been completed by him. |
| Past Perfect | Subject + had + V3 + Object
They had finished the work. | Object + had + been + V3 + by + Subject
The work had been finished by them. |
| Future Perfect | Subject + shall/will + have + V3 + Object
He will have completed the job. | Object + shall/will + have + been + V3 + by + Subject
The job will have been completed by him. |
Present Perfect Continuous | Subject + has/have + been + V1 + ing + Object
She has been writing a report. | Object + has/have + been + being + V3 + by + Subject (Rarely used)
A report has been being written by her. |
Past Perfect Continuous | Subject + had + been + V1 + ing + Object
They had been cleaning the hall. | Object + had + been + being + V3 + by + Subject (Rarely used)
The hall had been being cleaned by them. |
Future Perfect Continuous | Subject + will + have + been + V1 + ing + Object
We will have been delivering goods. | Object + will + have + been + being + V3 + by + Subject (Rarely used)
Goods will have been being delivered by us. |
Aptitude Questions on Active to Passive Voice
Below are some conversions from active to passive voice:
- Active Voice: She reads a book.
- Passive Voice: A book is read by her.
- Active Voice: They built the house.
- Passive Voice: The house was built by them.
- Active Voice: He will complete the report.
- Passive Voice: The report will be completed by him.
- Active Voice: The chef is cooking the meal.
- Passive Voice: The meal is being cooked by the chef.
- Active Voice: The students have finished the assignment.
- Passive Voice: The assignment has been finished by the students.
Aptitude Questions on Passive to Active Voice
Below are some conversions from passive to passive voice:
- Passive Voice: The proposal is approved by the manager.
- Active Voice: The manager approves the proposal.
- Passive Voice: The plants are watered by the gardener.
- Active Voice: The gardener waters the plants.
- Passive Voice: A new product will be launched by the company.
- Active Voice: The company will launch a new product.
- Passive Voice: A beautiful poem was written by her.
- Active Voice: She wrote a beautiful poem.
- Passive Voice: The road is being repaired by them.
- Active Voice: They are repairing the road.
Practice Questions on Change of Voice
Change the voice of the following sentences without altering their meaning.
- She completed the project before the deadline.
- The cake was eaten by the children.
- People speak English all over the world.
- The book will be published next month by the company.
- They are watching a movie.
- A letter had been written by her before she left.
- Who taught you French?
- The room is cleaned every day by the janitor.
Tips and Tricks
- Find the object first — it becomes the new subject in passive.
- Use the correct “to be” form past participle in passive.
- Include “by” + doer only if necessary.
- Intransitive verbs (no object) can’t be passive.
- Keep the tense same when changing voice.
- The passive form of perfect continuous tenses always uses “being” before the past participle.
- These passive forms are rarely used in everyday English because they sound complicated.
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