MP Board Class 11th General English Grammar Active and Passive Voice
There are two voices of the verb
- (A) Active Voice, and
कर्तृ वाच्य - (B) Passive Voice.
कर्म वच्य
A. ACTIVE VOICE
When the subject of a verb acts or is active, it is said to be in the Active Voice.
जब कर्ता कोई कार्य करता है या सक्रिय होता है तो वह verb – active voice कर्तृ वाच्य में होती है।
Verbs are of two kinds –
(i) Intransitive verbs, and
अकर्मक
(ii) Transitive verbs.
व सकर्मक क्रियाएँ।
(a) When a verb does not have any object is said to be intransitive verb.
जब किसी क्रिया का object न हो, तो वह अकर्मक क्रिया कहलाती है।
As – (1) Radha is sleeping.
(ii) You stand in the corner.
(iii) She lives at Dhar.
(b) किन्तु जब verb में object होता है तो वह सकर्मक क्रिया कहलाती है –
Subject Verb Object
As –
(1) Hari buys an umbrella.
(ii) Mother brings glasses.
(iii) You know me.
B. Passive Voice
If in a sentence, object is acted upon by the subject, it is said to be in the Passive Voice.
As –
(i) An umbrella is bought by Hari.
एक छाता हरी द्वारा खरीदा जाता है।
(ii) Glasses are brought by mother.
गिलास माँ द्वारा लाये जाते हैं।
(iii) I am known to you. In this way only Transitive verbs can be used in Active and Passive Voice.
Change Of Voice
While changing a verb from the Active into the Passive
- The object of the active verb is made subject of the passive verb.
- The subject of the active verb is made the object of some preposition. (generally by)
- The passive verb must contain the past participle (Third form) of the principal verb.
- Some form of the verb ‘to be is used according to the tense.
- The Tense of the verb remains the same.
Changing From Active To Passive Continuous Tenses
A. Present Continuous Tense
इस Tense के Active Voice का क्रम निम्नानुसार होता है :
Subject – am/is/are – Verb – ing रूप Object (other words)
Passive Voice में परिवर्तन:
Object – am/is/are + being + Verb III (other words) + by Subject
Exercise : 1
Change into Passive Voice :
[Order – Object – am/is/are + being + Verb III (Other words) by Sub ject]
- I am buying mangoes.
- We are collecting stamps.
- You are lending money.
- He is sending me there.
- The merchant is selling sugar.
- Girls are smelling flowers.
- Father is not spending money.
- is Mohan learning English?
- Who is sending letters?
- Where are they catching fish?
B. Past Continuous Tense
Exercise : 2
(Order – Object – was/were + being + Verb III (Other words) by Subject)
Example –
He was cleaning the rooms.
The rooms were being cleaned by him.
- I was writing a letter.
- We were reading newspapers.
- You were throwing the balls.
- He was drawing a picture.
- His father was bringing mangoes.
- The teacher was teaching Physics.
- The servant was beating the dog.
- Whom was father beating?
- How much sugar was he selling?
- Why were they calling me?
C. Future Continuous Tense
इस Tense की Passive Voice नहीं होती। यह सिर्फ Active Voice में ही प्रयोग में आता है
N.B. – कुछ Verbs जैसे give, send, teach, tell इत्यादि है जिनमें दो ObjectIndirect व Direct Object. ऐसे वाक्यों में दो तरह से Passive Voice बनायी जा सकती है:
eg. (i) The teacher gave Sohan a book.
(Or The teacher gave a book to Sohan)
इसके possive इस प्रकार होंगे
(a) Sohan was given a book by the teacher.
(b) A book was given to Sohan (by the teacher).
(ii) I showed you my book.
My book was shown to you by me.
You were shown my book by me.
(iii) She teaches us English.
English is taught to us by her.
We are taught English by her.
Indefinite Tenses
A. Present (or Simple) Indefinite Tense Examples :
Active – Passive
1. I take coffee. – Coffee is taken by me.
2. Sonali sings a song. – A song is sung by Sonali. (2015)
3. You catch fish. – Fish is caught by you.
4. His father teaches Hindi. – Hindi is taught by his father. 5. We help everybody. [2009] – Everybody is helped by us. 6. Sheela dries clothes. – Clothes are dried by Sheela.
Exercise – 3
[Order – Object – am/is/are + Verb III by Subject]
- I give the child two kites.
- He sells sugar.
- His brothers polish shoes.
- Boys fly kites.
- My father replies letters.
- You copy the lesson.
- Prof. Gupta teaches me English.
- We expect happy news.
- People celebrate Diwali all over India.
- People do not play crcket in America.
- Sangeeta Pal likes Grammar.
- Does he build a house?
- Do you not do any work?
- Do they feed cattle?
- Where do they keep money?
B. Past Indefinite Tense
Examples –
- I took tea.” (Active)
- Tea was taken by me. (Passive)
- His father sent a gift to his friend. (Active)
- A gift was sent to his friend by his father.
- Or His friend was sent a gift by his father. (Passive)
Exercise : 4
[Order – Object – was/were + Verb III by Subject]
- He gave me a book. [2008]
- You knew me. (Hint : by Subj. Per to Subj.]
- Harish told lies.
- My mother told Mohan an interesting story.
- They wrote a letter to the Editor of the newspaper.
- Sheela knit a sweater yesterday.
- The servant shut the door.
- Hari did not reply my letter.
- What did you buy?
- Did his brother lend you money?
C. Future Indefinite Tense
Example –
- 1 shall write a letter. (Active)
- A letter will be written by me. (Passive)
Exercise : 5
[Order – Object – shall/will + be f. verb III by Subject)
- We shall watch the match.
- Your brother will buy a watch.
- The farmer will grow more food.
- She will drop me a letter.
- The boys will read the lesson twice.
- They will make Dinesh captain of the hockey team.
- The scientist will find out the answer.
Perfect Tenses
A. Present Perfect Tense
Examples –
- I have sent a letter. (Active)
- A letter has been sent by me. (Passive)
- She has spent all the money. (Active)
- All the money has been spent by her. (Passive)
Exercise : 6
[Order – Object – have/has + been + Verb III by Subject]
- I have bought a car.
- The servant has cleaned the room.
- Grandmother has told a tale.
- Someone has stolen my purse. [2003]
- The Election Commission has declared the dates for Gujarat polls. [2003]
- Somebody has taken away my book.
- Government has built a road in our village.
B. Past Perfect Tense
Example –
Father had written the letter. (Active)
The letter had been written by father. (Passive)
Exercise : 7
[Order – Object – had been + Verb III by Subject]
- The chief guest had delivered the speech.
- The boy had made a doll.
- The merchants had reduced prices of essential things.
- The girls had collected a big fund for the blind’s welfare.
- The watchman had closed the gate.
- You had finished the work.
- The British had developed a nice system of education in India.
C. Future Perfect Tense
Example –
The servant will have rung the bell. (Active)
The bell will have been rung by the servant. (Passive)
Exercise : 8
[Order – Object – shall/will. + have been + Verb III by Subject]
- We shall have earned a lot of money.
- The clerk will have compared the statement.
- The volunteers will have buried the dead in the open.
- He will have called me.
- Mohan will have learnt English.
- The Principal will have mentioned my name during his speech.
- The children will have exploded the crackers.
Note – किसी भी Tense के Perfect Continuous का Passive नहीं होता।
Interrogative Sentences
Exercise : 9
[Order – HERA Fotell + Object(FER404 Fell 2) (Heruch for all 3) + Verb III by Subject]
- Are you studying Physics?
- Do I not give you money?
- Does your brother drive the car?
- Has the farmer grown rice?
- Have you read this book?
- Did she not tear the curtain?
- Who has brought this news? [2009]
- Was the boy throwing stones?
- Had this boy broken your teeth?
- Will the leader have finished his meal?
Exercise : 10
[Order – By whom or By who + सहायक क्रिया 1 + object + सहायक क्रिया 2 + Main Verb III + other words?]
- Who brings medicine for you?
- Who rubs the floor in the morning?
- Who do not supply sugar at reasonable rate?
- Who does not learn mathematics?
- Who broke this chair? [2008]
- Who did not control the mob?
- Who is folding papers?
- Who are not speaking the truth?
- Who has drawn this picture?
- Who have put tables here?
Note – Modern Grammar ‘Who’ को ही उसका objective case मानती है।
Exercise : 11
[Order – Q. W. + सहायक क्रिया + M. V. III + Other words + by Subject]
- What do you take in the morning?
- What does Hari not serve in the evening?
- What have they studied?
- What has Mohan burnt?
- What did Sita do to make you so angry?
- How many mangoes do you sell every day?
- How much milk is mother boiling?
- How many pencils has she broken?
- How much rice will the merchant sell?
- How many tables had she given upto 10th March?
Exercise : 12
[Order – Q.W. + सहायक क्रिया + object + सहायक क्रिया + M.V.III + Other words + by Subject]
- When does the watchman close the gate?
- Why have they not appointed you?
- Where are they distributing sweets?
- Why are you not earning enough money?
- In which room did they worship the goddess?
- From where will you buy sweets?
- On what occasions will they have broken the promises?
- Under what circumstances have you spoken these words?
- On what account have the ministry made such promises?
- How can you open this window?
Imperative Sentences
Examples :
- Active – Buy some wool.
Passive – Let some wool be bought. कुछ ऊन खरीदा जाए - Active – Do not think this.
Passive – Let this not be thought (by you). येसा नहीं सोच जाए - Active Never tell lies. [2008]
Passive – Let lies never be told. झूठ कभी न बोला जाए।
Exercise : 13
(Structure – Let – Object (not, never) be Verb III]
- Make two kites.
- Do not spend all the money,
- Never read cheap literature.
- Love the children.
- “Write fresh letters,” said Bairam Khan.
- “Begin the festival,” ordered the king.
- “Never disobey your parents,” advised the teacher to the students.
- “Grow more food,” said the minister to the farmers.
- “Dig a pit measuring 1 cube metre,” said the engineer.
- “Never drag bags,” said the notice in the post office.
Other Types Of Sentences
शोष अन्य प्रकार के Sentences जैसे modals, can, could, should, would, ought to इत्यादि व to infinitive को Passive करने के लिए वही रहता है व सहायक क्रिया order be अथवा been जोड़ी जाती है –
Examples –
- I can speak French. (Active)
- French can be spoken by me. (Passive)
- Gopal is to make a kite. (Active)
- A kite is to be made by Gopal. (Passive)
- Suresh is going to buy a car. (Active)
- A car is going to be bought by Suresh. (Passive)
- We should not buy smuggled goods. (Active)
- Smuggled goods should not be bought by us. (Passive)
- I could have answered all questions (Active)
All questions could have been answered by me. (Passive)
Exercise : 14
[Order – Object – HERO Forell + be + Verb III by Subject)
- Mother can do several works at a time.
- You can write three letters in a week.
- He could move a bus.
- The doctors should not prescribe aspirin pills to children.
- We are going to help you.
- Father may give you some money.
- We are to grow more trees.
- Dinesh was going to fly a kite.
- We must help the poor.
- The judge might forgive you.
- You can find this word in your dictionary.
- Gopal is to draw a picture.
Exercise : 15
[Order – Object – सहायक क्रिया + been + Verb III by Subject)
- The boy should have spoken the truth.
- He would have drawn the picture.
- Mother could have told the story.
- The passenger might have bought the ticket.
- You should have thought of a plan.
Note – कुछ Sentences का Passive Voice absurd (बेतुका) होता है, किसी का अर्थ एकदम उल्टा हो जाता है।
As –
I washed my face.
My face was washed by me. (Absurd)
I cannot teach Mohan (मेरी असमर्थता)
Mohan cannot be taught by me. (मोहन की असमर्थता) कुछ
कुछ Sentences को Passive Voice में बदलने पर by के स्थान पर अन्य Preposition का प्रयोग होता है। इन्हें Note करो।
Examples :
- His behaviour disgusts us.
We are disgusted with his behaviour. - The jug contains milk.
Milk is contained in the jug. - I knew him.
He was known to me. - Stamp – collecting interests you.
You are interested in stamp – collecting. - Your jokes amuse us.
We are amused at your jokes. - You please me.
I am pleased with you. - This news surprised me.
I was surprised at this news. - His gestures amazed them.
They were amazed at his gastures. - Who broke this jug?
By whom was this jug broken? - They are demolishing the entire block.
The entire block is being demolished. - They asked the boys to wait.
The boys were asked to wait. - What have they done to increase the production?
What has been done to increase the production?
Exercise : 16
Change the voice of the following sentences:
- The goldsmith melted gold.
- You know him.
- They do not burn papers.
- We shall study Physics.
- They did not build the house.
- Your brother polishes shoes.
- Hari does not tap the door.
- Did they wave the flag?
- Do they bring potatoes?
- Will you shut the door?
- I sold my bicycle.
- Post the letter today.
- I lost my watch.
- One cannot gather grapes from thistles.
- We are collecting stamps.
- The merchant is selling sugar.
- Deepali does her homework in time.
- I gave him good advice.
- Who brings letters?
- Who teaches you English?
- Do you know me?
- Someone has stolen my pen.
- My father gave me a pen.
- He likes mangoes.
- People celebrate Diwali all over India.
- Who sang this beautiful song?
- Mr. Sharma teaches me English.
Changing From Passive To Active
किसी Passive Voice के वाक्य को Active Voice में बदलने में थोड़ी कठिनाई आती है क्योंकि वहाँ Passive Voice के हर sentence में Verb की III form ही प्रयोग में आती है जबकि Active Voice में Verb की पाँच forms काम में आती हैं। दूसरे, कई बार Passive Voice में by subject नहीं दिया होता, हमें अन्दाज लगाना होता है।
Steps :
- By subject में से subject को सर्वप्रथम लिखो।
- Active Voice की उस Tense की सहायक क्रिया हो तो लिखो।
- Passive Voice में जोड़ी गई सहायक क्रिया हटाओ।
- Main Verb का सही रूप लिखो
- Object को प्रथम स्थान से लेकर लिखो
- Other words हों तो उन्हें लिखो।
Continuous Tenses
1. Present Continuous Tense
Passive Voice कम – Object – am/is/are + being + Verb III + other words + by subject.
As –
- Wheat is being grown by the farmers.
- Tea is being taken by me.
- Sugar is being distributed at the control shops.
- Letters are being written by us.
- Buses are being stopped by the police.
Active Voice Subject – am/is/are + verb + ing + object + other words.
As –
- The farmers are growing wheat.
- I am taking tea.
- They are distributing sugar at the control shops.
- We are writing letters.
- The police are stopping the buses.
Exercise : 17
Change into Active Voice : [Order – Subject – am/is/are + Verb + ing object etc.]
- Applications are being sent by the boys.
- The statue is being carried to the Rajbada Chowk. (by them)
- Clothes are being dipped into the river by Sheela.
- Songs are being heard by me.
- Fruits are not being bought by anyone.
- Is the lesson being taught thoroughly (by him)?
- The cattle are being tied by the farmer.
- A road is being built joining our village to the highway. (by P.W.D.)
- Nothing is being done in this case by the officer.
- Why is this picture not being completed by you?
2. Past Continuous Tense
Passive कम – Object – was/were + being + Verb III + other words + by subject.
- Tales were being told by grandmother.
- The room was not being swept.
Active कम – Subject – was/were + Verb + ing object + other words.
- Grandmother was telling tales.
- The servant was not sweeping the room.
Exercise : 18
Change into Active Voice : (Order – Subject + was/were + Verb + ing object + other words]
- The account was being verified by the auditor.
- The effigy of Ravan was being burnt at the Dusshera ground. (by People)
- Newspapers were being sold at 7a.m. yesterday by the hawker.
- Were lessons being read by you?
- Mangoes were being plucked by the gardener.
- Was money being spent lavishly by them?
- The floor was being rubbed by the servant.
- Money was being earned honestly by us.
- Nuts were being hidden by the squirrels.
- Two pictures were being drawn by the artist.
3. Future Continuous Tense
यह Tense Passive Voice में होता ही नहीं।
Indefinite Tenses
1. Present Indefinite Tense
[Passive कम – Object – am/is/are + Verb III + Other words + by sub ject]
As –
- I am disturbed by the children.
- You are sent there by me.
- Clothes are washed by her.
- Letters are replied by father.
- Rice is not supplied by us.
- Are flowers smelt by her?
Active कम – Aff. Subj. – Verb I/Verb 1 +s, es, ies object etc.
Neg. Subject – do/does + not + Verb I object etc.
Int. Do/Does subject + Verb I + object etc.?
As –
- The children disturb me.
- I send you there.
- She washes clothes.
- Father replies letters.
- We do not supply rice.
- Does she smell flowers?
Exercise : 19
Change into Active Voice :
[Order – Subject – Verb I/Verb I + s, es, ies object etc.]
- Fruits are given to me by Hari.
- Kites are flown on Sankranti. (by people)
- Hindi is spoken in India. (by people);
- Cricket is not played in America. (by people)
- Mangoes are brought daily by father.
- I am seen every day by them.
- Is rice not grown here? (by farmers)
- Are you known to Hari?
- A man is known by the company he keeps. (by people)
- The lesson is taught by Mr. Prasad.
- Clothes are dried by Sheela.
- Homework is not done regularly by Mohan.
- Sugar is not sold here. (by us)
- Torn notes are exchanged here. (by us)
- An honest man is trusted by all. [2014]
2. Past Indefinite Tense
Passive कम – Object – was/were + Verb III + other words + by subject.
- The car was driven at 60 km/h by Hari.
- It was not known to me.
- Was he satisfied with Mohan?
Active कम – Aff. SubVerb II – object etc.
Neg. Subject did not Verb I object etc.
Int. Did – Subject – Verb I object etc.?
As –
- Hari drove the car at 60 km/h,
- I did not know it.
- Did Mohan satisfy him?
Exercise : 20
Change into Active Voice :
[Order – Aff. SubjectVerb II – object etc.
Neg. Subject did not – Verb I object etc.
Int. Did – Subject – Verb I object etc.?]
- The door was shut by Charan Singh.
- The ball was thrown by Venkatesh Prasad.
- The chair was not broken by Mahesh.
- This temple was built in 200 B.C. (by a king)
- Was the bell rung by Nand Kishore?
- Were stamps stuck on the envelopes by you?
- Were pits not dug by the gardener?
- The lesson was not copied by the girl.
- The papers were not folded by the peon.
- Mohan was not admitted by the Principal.
3. Future Indefinite Tense
Passive कम – Object – shall/will + be + Verb III + other words + by subject.
As –
The rent will be paid on 10th by me.
Active Subject – shall/will + Verb I object etc.
As I shall pay the rent on 10th.
Exercise : 21
Change into Active Voice :
[Order – Subject – shall/will. – Verb I object etc.)
- Signal will be given at 7 o’clock by the driver.
- The account will be verified on 7th by him.
- Nothing will be listened against you by us.
- Will five questions be omitted by you?
- The bank will be managed by the government.
- I shall not be sent there by the company.
- Will the news be published in the Nai Dunia?
Perfect Tenses
1. Present Perfect Tense
Passive कम – Object – havelhas + been + Verb III + other words + by subject.
Passive – Prices have been controlled by the government. Active – The government has controlled the prices.
Exercise : 22
Change into Active Voice :
(Order – Subject – havelhas + Verb III + object etc.)
- The farm has been cultivated.
- Money has been borrowed @ 15% by him.
- Raw mangoes have been supplied by the fruit seller.
- Clothes have been washed by Sheela.
- You have been be fooled by her.
- The papers have not been signed.
- Have contraband goods been seized by the police?
- Have letters been replied by father?
- Money has not been paid by you.
- Physics has been studied by us.
2. Past Perfect Tense
Passive – Fish had been caught by Hariharan.
Active Hariharan had caught fish.
Exercise : 23
Change into Active Voice :
[Order – Subject – had + Verb III + object etc.]
- Kites had been flown by them.
- Wheat had been grown by the farmer.
- The answer had not been found out by him.
- Had the work been done by Mukesh?
- The badge had been worn by the inspector.
3. Future Perfect Tense
Passive – The picture will have been drawn by the artist. ActiveThe artist will have drawn the picture.
Exercise : 24
Change into Active Voice :
[OrderSubjectshall/will + have + Verb III + object etc.)
- Kites will have been flown by us.
- The bottles will have been thrown by them.
- Mathematics will have been learnt by you.
- The bus will have been pushed by them.
- The gates will have been closed by the gatekeeper.
Exercise : 25
Change the voice of the following sentences :
- The goldsmith melted gold.
- Flower is smelled by the artist.
- You know him.
- They do not burn papers.
- The newspaper will be published from Indore and Bhopal by them.
- We shall study Physics.
- They did not build the house.
- Tea was not taken by guests.
- Your brother polishes shoes.
- Hari does not tap the door.
- Did they wave the flag?
- Is the lecture listened by you?
- Do they bring potatoes?
- Was this news heard by you?
- Will you shut the door?
- I sold my bicycle.
- Post the letter today.
- I lost my watch.
- One cannot gather grapes from thistles.
- We are collecting stamps.
- They elected him monitor of the class. [2011]
- Ramu will post all the letters. [2012]
Additional Exercises
Exercise : 1
Complete the following sentences using passive voice verb forms of the verbs given in brackets :
1. Mangoes are being………(buy).
2. Indira was………(bear) in 1917.
3. Wheat is……..(grow) here.
4. Let the thief……..(punished).
5. By whom is the door………? (knock)
6. Quinine is bitter when………(taste)
7. French can be………(speak) by me.
8. The truth should have been. (speak)
9. Milk is………(contain) in the jug.
10. He was………(know) to me.
Silence is the element in which great things fashion themselves.
Thomas Carlyle. Hard work, positive thinking, fair dealing, right treatment of people, and the proper kind of praying always get results. – N.V. Peele.
Answers
1. bought,
2. born
3. grown,
4. be punished,
5. knocked
6. tasted
7. spoken
8. spoken.
9. contained
10. known.
Exercise : 2
Arrange the words in a proper order : [2009]
1. have/left/they/for/Indore.
2. are/fruits/bought/by/us/being.
3. by/kites/have/will/been/flown/the boys.
4. given/signal/be/will/at/5 O’clock.
5. The/built/the/was/house/in 1929.
6. My bicycle/sold/was/by me.
7. by/the/work/had/done/been/by Mukesh.
8. were/brought/potatoes/by/you?
9. Stamps/been/collected/have/by us.
10. The/tapped/not/was/door.
Answers
1. They have left for Indore.
2. Fruits are being bought by us.
3. Kites will have been flown by the boys.
4. Signal will be given at 5 o’clock.
5. The house was built in 1929.
6. My bicycle was sold by me.
7. The work had been done by Mukesh.
8. Were potatoes brought by you?
9. Stamps have been collected by us.
10. The door was not tapped.
ExercIse: 4
Complete the rollowing dialogues using passive voice.
I. Giia – Who built the Taj’
Sita – TheTaj……..?
2. Gita – When did you buy this T. V.?
Sits – The T. V ……….
3. Sits – When will we buy a house?
Gita – A house………
4. Sits – Who was taking tea?
Gua – Tea ……….
5. Gita – When was Gandhiji born?
SIta – Gandhiji
6. Gus – Who wrote Gitanjali?
Sim – Gitanjali ……
7. Ohs – WhIch fruit will be brought by you’
Sita – Bananas ……….
8. Gita – Who killed Rayan?
Sita – Ravan ……….
9. Oils – Who leaches you mathematics?
Sita – – Matheniaiiczs ……….
10. Gita – $low many books have you read?
Sits – Five books ……….
Answers
1. The Taj was built by Shahjahan.
2. The T. V. was bought m 2001 by us.
3. A house will be bought next year by us.
4. Tea was being taken by Mohan.
5. Garnthiji was born on 2nd October.
6. Gitanjali was written by R N. Tagote.
7. Bananas will be brought by me.
8. Rayan was killed by Ram.
9. Mathcinztics is taughi to us by Mr. R. N. Gupu
10. Five books have been read by inc.