Active and Passive Voice Notes for SSC Exams

"Change the voice" and "select the sentence in the opposite voice" are two of the most repeated English grammar questions in SSC CGL, CHSL, MTS and GD exams. The topic looks hard, but it follows a fixed pattern, and a student who knows the pattern can solve each question in 20 seconds. These active and passive voice notes for SSC explain the definition, the types, the rules, the tense-wise formulas and the special cases (questions, orders, modals and two-object sentences), and end with solved MCQs and practice questions.

What Is the Voice of a Verb?

The voice of a verb shows whether the subject of the sentence does the action or receives the action. A verb has only two voices, the active voice and the passive voice.

Sentence	Who does the action?	Voice
The watchman opens the door.	The subject (watchman) does it	Active
The door is opened by the watchman.	The subject (door) receives it	Passive

Types of Voice

1. Active Voice

In the active voice, the subject is the doer of the action. The sentence is direct, short and clear. Example: Birds build nests.

2. Passive Voice

In the passive voice, the subject receives the action. The doer is shown after "by", or it is dropped. Example: Nests are built by birds.

Point	Active voice	Passive voice
Focus	On the doer (who did it)	On the action or the receiver (what happened)
Structure	Subject + Verb + Object	Object + be + Verb (V3) + by + Subject
Style	Direct, strong and short	Formal, and the doer may be missing
Used when	The doer is important or known	The doer is unknown, obvious, unimportant, or the action is more important

When Is the Passive Voice Used?

• The doer is not known: My bicycle was stolen.
• The doer is not important or is obvious: English is spoken all over the world.
• The action matters more than the doer: The bridge was completed in 2020.
• In news, notices and scientific writing, to sound formal: Applications are invited for the post of clerk.

The Basic Formula

Voice	Formula
Active	Subject + Main verb (V1 / V2 / will + V1) + Object
Passive	Object (as the new subject) + helping verb of "be" in the same tense + Past participle (V3) + by + Subject (as the agent)

The three forms of the verb must be clear: V1 (write), V2 (wrote) and V3 (written). In the passive voice, the main verb is always V3.

Rules for Changing Active Voice into Passive Voice

Rule 1: Find the Subject, the Verb and the Object

Mark S, V and O first. In He drives a car, the subject is He, the verb is drives and the object is a car. A sentence that has no object (intransitive verb) cannot be changed into the passive voice. For example, She sleeps and The sun rises have no passive form.

Rule 2: Interchange the Subject and the Object

The object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence, and the subject goes after "by". She knits a sweater becomes A sweater is knitted by her.

Rule 3: Use the Correct Helping Verb of "Be"

Choose the form of "be" (is, am, are, was, were, be, been, being) according to the tense of the active sentence and the number of the new subject. Singular new subject takes is or was, plural takes are or were, and "I" takes am or was.

Rule 4: Change the Main Verb into V3

The main verb always becomes the past participle. The base form is never used in the passive voice. She prepares dinner becomes Dinner is prepared by her.

Rule 5: Add "By" and the Agent (or Drop It)

The old subject comes after "by". If the doer is a vague word such as people, someone, they or we, or if it is not needed, the agent can be dropped: People speak Hindi in India becomes Hindi is spoken in India.

Rule 6: Change the Pronouns to the Object Form

Subject form (active)	Object form (passive agent)
I	me
we	us
he	him
she	her
they	them
you	you
it	it
who	whom

The reverse is also true. When the object of the active sentence is a pronoun, it becomes the subject form in the passive: She helped me becomes I was helped by her.

Rule 7: Some Verbs Take Other Prepositions

Not every passive sentence uses "by". Some verbs take a fixed preposition. These are asked often in SSC exams.

Active sentence	Passive sentence
She knows him.	He is known to her.
Water fills the jug.	The jug is filled with water.
The news surprised me.	I was surprised at the news.
Your answer pleased the teacher.	The teacher was pleased with your answer.
Cricket interests him.	He is interested in cricket.
Snow covers the hills.	The hills are covered with snow.
The result disappointed the team.	The team was disappointed with the result.

Rule 8: Keep the Tense the Same

The passive sentence must be in the same tense as the active sentence. Never change the tense while changing the voice.

Tense-wise Formulas

Tense	Active	Passive formula
Simple present	writes / write	is / am / are + V3
Present continuous	is / am / are writing	is / am / are + being + V3
Present perfect	has / have written	has / have + been + V3
Simple past	wrote	was / were + V3
Past continuous	was / were writing	was / were + being + V3
Past perfect	had written	had + been + V3
Simple future	will / shall write	will / shall + be + V3
Future perfect	will / shall have written	will / shall + have been + V3

Tense-wise Examples

Tense	Active sentence	Passive sentence
Simple present	Sheena does the housework.	The housework is done by Sheena.
Simple present	He writes an essay.	An essay is written by him.
Present continuous	They are eating bananas.	Bananas are being eaten by them.
Present continuous	Bob is drawing a diagram.	A diagram is being drawn by Bob.
Present perfect	She has completed the report.	The report has been completed by her.
Present perfect	They have left the apartment.	The apartment has been left by them.
Simple past	Ria paid the bills.	The bills were paid by Ria.
Simple past	The teacher called the student.	The student was called by the teacher.
Past continuous	Astha was learning French.	French was being learnt by Astha.
Past continuous	They were waiting for him.	He was being waited for by them.
Past perfect	She had won the match.	The match had been won by her.
Past perfect	He had missed the last metro.	The last metro had been missed by him.
Simple future	He will write a letter.	A letter will be written by him.
Simple future	He shall start the meeting.	The meeting shall be started by him.
Future perfect	They will have won the match.	The match will have been won by them.
Future perfect	Reena will have washed the skirt.	The skirt will have been washed by Reena.

Tenses That Are Not Changed

The perfect continuous tenses (present, past and future) and the future continuous tense need very long and awkward forms in the passive voice, such as "has been being done". Standard English does not use them. In SSC exams, such sentences are not asked for conversion. If you must give an answer, choose the option that expresses the same idea in a simple form.

Special Cases

1. Negative Sentences

The helping verbs "do, does, did" are dropped, and "not" is placed after the first helping verb of the passive sentence. She did not buy the fruits becomes The fruits were not bought by her.

2. Interrogative (Question) Sentences

Type	Active	Passive
Yes/No question	Does he play cricket?	Is cricket played by him?
Yes/No question	Did she call you?	Were you called by her?
Yes/No question	Has he done the work?	Has the work been done by him?
Wh- question (object asked)	What do you want?	What is wanted by you?
Wh- question (object asked)	Why did he break the glass?	Why was the glass broken by him?
Subject asked (who)	Who stole your bike?	By whom was your bike stolen?
Object asked (whom)	Whom did you call?	Who was called by you?

When the question begins with "who" as the subject, the passive begins with "By whom". Questions are changed first into statements in the mind, then into the passive, then back into the question form.

3. Imperative Sentences (Orders, Requests and Advice)

An imperative sentence has no visible subject (the subject "you" is hidden). Use "Let ... be + V3" or the form "You are + ordered / requested / advised / forbidden + to ...", depending on the meaning.

Active (imperative)	Passive
Close the door.	Let the door be closed.
Please help me.	You are requested to help me.
Obey your teachers.	Let your teachers be obeyed.
Do not waste water.	Let water not be wasted.
Never tell a lie.	Let a lie never be told.
Always speak the truth.	You are advised to speak the truth always.
Do not smoke here.	You are forbidden to smoke here.

Use "ordered" for commands, "requested" for polite requests with please, "advised" for advice and "forbidden" for a prohibition. The meaning of the active sentence decides the verb.

4. Modal Verbs

With modal verbs (can, could, may, might, must, should, would, ought to, has to, have to), the passive is: modal + be + V3.

Active	Passive
I can solve this problem.	This problem can be solved by me.
You should obey the rules.	The rules should be obeyed by you.
We must respect the elders.	The elders must be respected by us.
She may accept the offer.	The offer may be accepted by her.
I have to do it.	It has to be done by me.
She ought to help him.	He ought to be helped by her.

5. Sentences With Two Objects

Some verbs (give, send, tell, show, offer, teach) have a direct object (the thing) and an indirect object (the person). Either object can become the subject.

Active	Passive 1 (person as subject)	Passive 2 (thing as subject)
He gave me a pen.	I was given a pen by him.	A pen was given to me by him.
She taught us grammar.	We were taught grammar by her.	Grammar was taught to us by her.
They sent him a letter.	He was sent a letter by them.	A letter was sent to him by them.

6. Verbs With Prepositions

If a verb is followed by a preposition, the preposition stays with the verb in the passive. They laughed at him becomes He was laughed at by them. She is waiting for Reema becomes Reema is being waited for by her.

7. The "Let" Structure and "Be Going To"

Active	Passive
Let him do it.	Let it be done by him.
He is going to buy a car.	A car is going to be bought by him.

8. Verbs That Have No Passive

• Intransitive verbs (go, come, sleep, arrive, fall, rise) have no object, so they have no passive.
• Some verbs of state that show possession or likeness are not used in the passive: She has a car, He resembles his father, This dress suits you and The shoes fit me.

Changing Passive Voice into Active Voice

1. Find the agent (the word after "by"). It becomes the subject of the active sentence. If there is no agent, add a suitable subject such as someone, people or they.
2. Change the subject of the passive sentence into the object, in the object form of the pronoun.
3. Remove the form of "be" and "V3". Use the main verb in the same tense (for example, "was won" becomes "won").
4. Check that the number of the new subject matches the verb.

Passive	Active
The thief was caught by the police.	The police caught the thief.
The match was won by India.	India won the match.
English is spoken all over the world.	People speak English all over the world.
The letter has been posted by me.	I have posted the letter.

Sample Questions With Solutions

Select the sentence that expresses the given sentence correctly in the opposite voice.

Q1. She is writing a letter.
(a) A letter is being written by her. (b) A letter was written by her. (c) A letter is written by her. (d) A letter has been written by her.
Answer: (a). The tense is present continuous, so the passive uses "is being + V3".

Q2. Did he complete the project?
(a) Was the project completed by him? (b) Has the project been completed by him? (c) Did the project completed by him? (d) Is the project completed by him?
Answer: (a). Simple past question: "Was + object + V3 + by + subject".

Q3. Open the window.
(a) The window is opened. (b) Let the window be opened. (c) The window opens. (d) The window was opened.
Answer: (b). An order has the form "Let ... be + V3".

Q4. They have built a new bridge.
(a) A new bridge has been built by them. (b) A new bridge is being built by them. (c) A new bridge was built by them. (d) A new bridge had been built by them.
Answer: (a). Present perfect gives "has been + V3".

Q5. Who invented the telephone?
(a) By whom was the telephone invented? (b) Who was invented the telephone? (c) By whom the telephone was invented? (d) Whom was the telephone invented by?
Answer: (a). "Who" as the subject changes to "By whom", and the question order is kept.

Q6. The match was won by India.
(a) India wins the match. (b) India won the match. (c) India has won the match. (d) India was winning the match.
Answer: (b). "Was won" is simple past, so the active verb is "won".

Q7. I can solve this problem.
(a) This problem can solved by me. (b) This problem can be solved by me. (c) This problem could be solved by me. (d) This problem is solved by me.
Answer: (b). Modal + be + V3.

Q8. Please help me.
(a) You are requested to help me. (b) I am requested to be helped. (c) Help is requested by me. (d) Let me be helped.
Answer: (a). The word "please" shows a request.

Q9. The news surprised everyone.
(a) Everyone was surprised at the news. (b) Everyone was surprised from the news. (c) Everyone surprised at the news. (d) The news was surprised by everyone.
Answer: (a). The verb "surprise" takes the preposition "at".

Q10. He gave me a pen.
(a) I was given a pen by him. (b) I gave a pen by him. (c) A pen was gave to me by him. (d) I am given a pen by him.
Answer: (a). Past tense and V3 (given), with the person as the subject.

How to Solve These Questions in the Exam

1. Find the tense of the given sentence.
2. Check the number of the new subject to choose is/are or was/were.
3. Check that the main verb is V3 and that the tense has not changed.
4. Look at the pronouns (me, him, them) and the preposition (by, to, with, at).
5. Eliminate the options that fail any one check. Usually only one option is left.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Using V1 or V2 in the passive voice (wrong: A letter was wrote by him).
• Changing the tense while changing the voice.
• Using "is" with a plural subject, or "are" with a singular subject.
• Forgetting "been" in the perfect tenses and "being" in the continuous tenses.
• Using "by" every time, when the verb takes "to", "with" or "at".
• Using the subject pronoun after "by" (wrong: by he; right: by him).
• Trying to make the passive of an intransitive verb.

Quick Tips

• The passive formula is always: object + be + V3 + by + subject.
• Learn the helping verb of each tense in a small table and revise it every day.
• "Being" belongs to the continuous tenses and "been" belongs to the perfect tenses.
• For orders, use "Let ... be + V3", and for requests, advice and commands, use "You are requested / advised / ordered to".
• Do not waste time on perfect continuous and future continuous tenses, because they are not asked.

Quick Revision Points

• Active voice: the subject does the action. Passive voice: the subject receives the action.
• Passive formula: object + be + V3 + by + subject.
• Present continuous passive: is/am/are + being + V3. Present perfect passive: has/have + been + V3.
• Subject pronouns change to object pronouns after "by": I to me, he to him, they to them.
• Only transitive verbs have the passive voice.
• Some verbs take other prepositions: known to, filled with, surprised at, interested in.

Practice Questions With Answers

1. Change the voice: Rahul plays cricket.
   Answer: Cricket is played by Rahul.
2. Change the voice: The farmers are growing wheat.
   Answer: Wheat is being grown by the farmers.
3. Change the voice: She will sing a song.
   Answer: A song will be sung by her.
4. Change the voice: The workers had finished the job.
   Answer: The job had been finished by the workers.
5. Change the voice: Do not waste water.
   Answer: Let water not be wasted.
6. Change the voice: Who broke the window?
   Answer: By whom was the window broken?
7. Change the voice: The manager has approved the leave.
   Answer: The leave has been approved by the manager.
8. Change the voice: We must obey the law.
   Answer: The law must be obeyed by us.
9. Change the voice: The police are questioning the suspect.
   Answer: The suspect is being questioned by the police.
10. Change the voice: The chef did not cook the rice.
    Answer: The rice was not cooked by the chef.

How to Practise This Chapter

Practise ten voice changes daily: write the tense of the sentence first, then write the passive formula, and then the sentence. Then attempt timed sets from our practice papers and the previous year papers page. See all topics on the English notes page, and also read Parts of Speech (to identify the verb and the object), Pronoun (for the object form of the pronouns), Phrasal Verbs and Mnemonics for English Grammar and Spelling.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the voice of a verb?

The voice of a verb shows whether the subject does the action (active voice) or receives the action (passive voice).

How many types of voice are there?

There are two types of voice: active voice and passive voice.

What is the formula of the passive voice?

The formula is: object + helping verb of be + V3 + by + subject.

Which form of the verb is used in the passive voice?

The past participle (V3) is always used as the main verb.

How do I choose between is, are, was and were in the passive voice?

Choose by the tense (present or past) and by the number of the new subject: singular takes is or was, plural takes are or were, and I takes am or was.

What is the passive of the present continuous tense?

The passive is: is/am/are + being + V3, for example, Bananas are being eaten by them.

What is the passive of the present perfect tense?

The passive is: has/have + been + V3, for example, The work has been done by him.

How do I change an imperative sentence into the passive voice?

Use Let + object + be + V3, or use You are requested/advised/ordered/forbidden to, depending on the meaning of the sentence.

How do I change a question like Who wrote this letter into the passive voice?

Change who to By whom, and write: By whom was this letter written?

Do all verbs have a passive voice?

No. Only transitive verbs, which have an object, can be changed. Verbs such as sleep, go, have (possession) and resemble have no passive.

When should the doer be dropped in the passive voice?

Drop it when it is unknown, obvious or not important, for example, English is spoken all over the world.

How many questions come from this topic in SSC exams?

Usually one or two questions come from active and passive voice, but the number changes from exam to exam.