Active and Passive Voice Rules with Examples & 50+ Exercises

Active to Passive Voice Rules & Examples: Understanding active and passive voice is a key step in mastering English grammar, especially for students aiming to improve their writing and communication skills. Whether you're preparing for exams, writing essays, or simply trying to express ideas more clearly, knowing how to use both voices correctly can make your language more effective and professional. Here, we have explained the concepts in the simplest way possible, with clear rules, real-life examples, and practice exercises to help you build confidence and accuracy in your grammar skills.

What is Active Voice?

In active voice, the subject of the sentence does the action.

Structure of Active Voice:

Subject + Verb + Object

Examples:

• She (subject) writes (verb) a letter (object).
• The dog (subject) chased (verb) the cat (object).
• They play football every day.

In all these sentences, the subject is performing the action.

What is Passive Voice?

In passive voice, the object of the action becomes the subject of the sentence. The focus is on the action, not on who does it.

Structure of Passive Voice:

Object + Form of “be” + Past Participle + (by + Subject) (optional)

Examples:

• A letter (object) is written (form of "be" + past participle) by her (subject).
• The cat was chased by the dog.
• Football is played by them every day.

In passive voice, the action is more important than the doer.

Active vs Passive Voice: Simple Comparison

To better understand the difference between active and passive voice, it's helpful to look at how the structure of a sentence changes. In active voice, the subject performs the action, while in passive voice, the focus shifts to the object receiving the action. Here are a few easy examples to show this transformation clearly:

5 Basic Rules of Active and Passive Voice

Converting a sentence from active to passive voice involves a few important grammatical rules. Here are the 5 key steps to follow:

1. Identify the Sentence Structure (S + V + O):

Begin by identifying the Subject, Verb, and Object in the active sentence.
Example: She (S) reads (V) a book (O).

2. Change the Object into the New Subject:

In passive voice, the object of the active sentence becomes the subject.
Passive: A book...

3. Use the Appropriate Form of the Verb 'To Be':

Match the new subject with the correct form of the verb “to be” according to the tense of the original sentence.
Active: She is reading a book.
Passive: A book is being read...

4. Use the Past Participle (V3) of the Main Verb:

Always use the past participle form of the main verb in the passive sentence.
Example: read → read, write → written, eat → eaten.

5. Change the Subject into the New Object (Optional):

If necessary, include the original subject at the end using "by", or omit it if it’s not important.
Passive: A book is being read by her.
Or simply: A book is being read.

These rules help transform an active sentence into a grammatically correct passive structure while maintaining the original meaning.

When to Use Active vs Passive Voice

Understanding when to use active or passive voice helps you choose the best way to express your ideas. The decision depends on what you want to highlight — the doer of the action or the action itself. Here’s a simple comparison:

Focus of Each Voice:

• In active voice, the focus is on who is doing the action.
• In passive voice, the focus is on what is being done or the result of the action.

How to Change Active to Passive Voice: Step-by-Step Guide

Steps:

1. Identify the subject, verb, and object.
2. Move the object to the subject position.
3. Use the correct form of "be" based on the tense.
4. Use the past participle of the main verb.
5. Add “by + subject” (optional).

Example:

1. Active: The boy reads a book.

• Subject: The boy
• Verb: reads
• Object: a book

2. Passive: A book is read by the boy.

Active & Passive Voice – Tense-wise Examples

Understanding how to convert sentences between active and passive voice across different tenses is key to mastering English grammar. Each tense follows a specific structure when changed into passive form. Below is a clear comparison of active and passive voice using new examples for various tenses. This chart will help you see how verb forms shift and how the focus changes from the subject to the object.

Active to Passive Voice Exercise: 50+ Practice Sentences with Answers for Class 6–10 Students

Students often struggle with converting active sentences into passive ones, especially when tenses vary. The practice set provided below includes 50+ active to passive voice exercises designed for students of Class 6 to 10. Each sentence comes with an accurate passive voice transformation to help you learn with ease.

Q1–Q50: Convert the following active voice sentences into passive voice.

1. She sings a song.

2. They are playing cricket.

3. He completed the project.

4. The team will win the match.

5. The manager has approved the leave.

6. The chef cooks delicious meals.

7. The students were solving the questions.

8. Someone has stolen my wallet.

9. We celebrate Independence Day on 15th August.

10. The company will launch a new product next week.

11. She wrote a poem.

12. They are watching a movie.

13. The teacher explains the lesson.

14. He will deliver the parcel.

15. I had finished the work.

16. They have cleaned the classroom.

17. The artist is painting a portrait.

18. He buys vegetables every day.

19. The cat chased the mouse.

20. They were playing football.

21. She is reading a novel.

22. The boy broke the window.

23. The nurse is taking care of the patient.

24. They will organize the event.

25. He was repairing the car.

26. We invited our friends to the party.

27. She has written a story.

28. They had completed the assignment.

29. He is watering the plants.

30. Someone has called the doctor.

31. They serve lunch at noon.

32. He will paint the house.

33. We are planting trees.

34. She will bake a cake.

35. The mechanic fixed the engine.

36. The librarian issues books to students.

37. He had locked the door.

38. She is singing a beautiful song.

39. They were cleaning the park.

40. I mailed the letters yesterday.

41. The police caught the thief.

42. She draws cartoons.

43. We have watched that show.

44. They are decorating the hall.

45. The manager was reviewing the report.

46. The children pluck flowers from the garden.

47. The workers are constructing a bridge.

48. He has washed the clothes.

49. They will complete the work soon.

50. She mailed the invitation cards.

Answers: 

1. A song is sung by her.

2. Cricket is being played by them.

3. The project was completed by him.

4. The match will be won by the team.

5. The leave has been approved by the manager.

6. Delicious meals are cooked by the chef.

7. The questions were being solved by the students.

8. My wallet has been stolen (by someone).

9. Independence Day is celebrated on 15th August.

10. A new product will be launched by the company next week.

11. A poem was written by her.

12. A movie is being watched by them.

13. The lesson is explained by the teacher.

14. The parcel will be delivered by him.

15. The work had been finished by me.

16. The classroom has been cleaned by them.

17. A portrait is being painted by the artist.

18. Vegetables are bought by him every day.

19. The mouse was chased by the cat.

20. Football was being played by them.

21. A novel is being read by her.

22. The window was broken by the boy.

23. The patient is being taken care of by the nurse.

24. The event will be organized by them.

25. The car was being repaired by him.

26. Our friends were invited to the party by us.

27. A story has been written by her.

28. The assignment had been completed by them.

29. The plants are being watered by him.

30. The doctor has been called (by someone).

31. Lunch is served at noon.

32. The house will be painted by him.

33. Trees are being planted by us.

34. A cake will be baked by her.

35. The engine was fixed by the mechanic.

36. Books are issued to students by the librarian.

37. The door had been locked by him.

38. A beautiful song is being sung by her.

39. The park was being cleaned by them.

40. The letters were mailed by me yesterday.

41. The thief was caught by the police.

42. Cartoons are drawn by her.

43. That show has been watched by us.

44. The hall is being decorated by them.

45. The report was being reviewed by the manager.

46. Flowers are plucked from the garden by the children.

47. A bridge is being constructed by the workers.

48. The clothes have been washed by him.

49. The work will be completed soon by them.

50. The invitation cards were mailed by her.

Top Grammar Tips to Use Active and Passive Voice Correctly

Here are some helpful tips to make switching between active and passive voice easier. Keep these in mind when writing or editing your sentences:

• Use past participle in passive voice (e.g., written, eaten, made).
• Make sure the verb tense stays the same.
• Don’t overuse passive voice as it can make writing less clear.
• Use active voice when possible, unless the focus should be on the action/result.

Understanding active and passive voice helps you improve your grammar, write better sentences, and express ideas more clearly. Start practicing with simple sentences, and you'll master it in no time!

Also Check: English Tenses Chart PDF: 12 Tenses With Rules, Uses & Examples