Study the following examples:

WHAT DO YOU NOTICE?

1. Only Transitive Verbs can be changed into Passive Voice.

2. A transitive verb has an object, which becomes the subject of the Passive
Voice.
3. The subject of the Active Voice is made the object of some Preposition
generally ‘by’
4. The passive contains the Past participle (Third form) of the Main Verb.
5. Some form of the Verb ‘to be’ (is, am, are, was, were, being or been) is used
according to Tense.
6. The Tense of the Verb does not change.

Table I: Table of Verb Forms

 Table II: Tense Chart (Passive Voice)
forms of the Verb ‘love’ in various tenses

The case of pronoun also changes from Nominative to Accusative. Study the following
table:

PRONOUN
It follows that the ‘Object’ in the active voice also suffers a change. When the pronoun becomes
subject in the Passive Voice, it assumes the nominative case.
Study the following:

CHANGE OF VOICE IN TENSES

The change of Voice takes place only in the following EIGHT tenses:

1.  Simple Present Tense

2.  Simple Past Tense
3.  Simple Future Tense
4.  Present Continuous Tense
5.  Past Continuous Tense
6.  Present Perfect Tense
7.  Past Perfect Tense
8.  Future Perfect Tense

The tenses have been grouped in this order to help the students grasp the changes with
minimum effort. The form of the verb in Active, as well as Passive Voice, has been
provided to facilitate comparison, identification, and execution of the change.
Note. The following four tenses have no passive forms.

1.  Future Continuous
2.  Present Perfect Continuous
3.  Past Perfect Continuous
4.  Future Perfect Continuous

Let us study the Active and Passive Voice Constructions tense wise:

1.    THE SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE

2.    THE SIMPLE PAST TENS

3.    THE SIMPLE FUTURE TENSE

4.    PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE

5.    PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE

6.    PRESENT PERFECT TENSE

7.    PAST PERFECT TENSE

8. FUTURE PERFECT TENSE

IMPORTANT NOTE. The following tenses have no Passive Voice:

1. Future Continuous
2. Present Perfect Continuous
 3. Past Perfect Continuous
4. Future Perfect Continuous

Now, let us study some other typical constructions:

1.    MODALS FOLLOWED BY VERBS

2.    IMPERATIVE SENTENCES

Imperative sentences begin with the first form of the verb. In case of request, ‘please’ or
‘kindly’ may be added before the infinitive.
Imperative Sentences may be divided into three types:

(i)     Where the action is confined to the subject.

(ii)   Where the subject receives the action.
(iii)  Offers/suggestions beginning with ‘let’
Let us study them separately:
Type I. Request/Advice/order confined to the subject. Use: ‘You are ordered/advised/requested
+ to’ according to sense followed by the first form of the verb.
Illustrative Examples:

Type II. Where the object receives voice. Then add the’ and the third form of the verb.
Illustrative Examples:

Note.

1. We use the pronoun in objective forms after ‘let’

2. We can use ‘should + be + V3’ in place of ‘Let + be + V3’

The above sentences could be changed into passive    voice with the help of ‘should’ as
under:

1. It should be done.     
2. The window should be opened.
3. (Your) parents should be obeyed.
4. The light should be switched on.
5. Time should never be wasted.
6. He should be asked to vacate my house.
7. The thief  should be caught.
The form with ‘Let’ is more popular nowadays.

ype III. Offers/Suggestions with ‘Let’. The Active Voice has the First Form of the Verb after let
and Noun/Pronoun. While changing the voice, retain ‘let’ but transfer the object of active voice
after Tet’ and then add be + Third form of the Verb and the agent (doer/subject in the active
voice)

3.    SENTENCES WITH INFINITIVES

Type I. to + infinitive. While changing sentences with ‘to + First Form of the Verb’ into
the Passive voice, the infinitive becomes a passive infinitive i.e. to + be + third form of
the verb.
The main verb (if any) remains unchanged.
Illustrative Examples:

Type II. Bare infinitive. The Bare Infinitive is changed to full infinitive i.e. to + infinitive. The
main verb is changed into Passive form according to the tense.
Illustrative Examples:

4.    SENTENCES BEGINNING WITH ‘IT IS TIME

The sentences beginning with ‘It is time’ have a ‘to-infinitive’ followed by ‘Object’ in the Active
Voice construction. While changing into Passive Voice, ‘It is time’ is retained at the beginning,
followed by ‘for + object’ and then ‘to + be + third form of the verb’ is added. Study the
following :
Illustrative Examples :

5.    SENTENCES HAVING VERBS + PREPOSITIONS

Some Intransitive verbs become transitive and take an object after the preposition added to the
verb. In such cases this preposition becomes part of the verb. While changing into the Passive
Voice this preposition is retained ‘as such’ along with the third form of the said verb. Study the
following:
Illustrative Examples:

6.    PREPOSITIONS OTHER THAN ‘BY’

The past participles of some verbs take prepositions other than ‘by’ when used in the passive
voice. We use ‘to’, ‘at’, in, ‘with’ instead of ‘by’ with the following verbs (Past Participle or
Third Forms).

1. at  —  alarmed, .annoyed, astonished, displeased (something), pleased (something),

surprised, shocked, vexed (something), worried.
2. in  —      contained, engaged, included, involved
3. with  —  blocked, crowded, disgusted, embellished, filled, impressed, offended
(person), pleased (person), satisfied, thronged.
4. to —    known, obliged

Illustrative Examples:
 7.    VERBS WITH TWO OBJECTS

Some verbs take two objects:

(i) Direct (ii) indirect; e.g.
Mr. Sharma teaches us English.
In this sentence ‘English’ is the ‘direct object’ whereas the pronoun ‘us’ is the indirect object.
We may use either of the objects to frame a Passive e.g.

(i)    We are taught English by Mr. Sharma.

(ii)   English is taught to us by Mr. Sharma.

You will notice that we use the preposition ‘to’ between Past Participle ‘taught’ and the indirect
object ‘us’. Students usually forget to add ‘to’. They are advised to use the ‘Indirect object’ for
changing into passive voice. However, examples of both objects are given below.
Illustrative Examples:
 8.    SENTENCES WITH OBJECT COMPLEMENTS

In some sentences, a complement is used after an object. As the complement specifies the object,
it is called an object complement. Students sometimes take it for the second object and hence
commit mistakes while changing into Passive Voice. Place the object complement at the end of
the sentence in the passive voice, as we do in the Active Voice. Study the following
Illustrative Examples:

9.    SENTENCES WITH LONG OBJECTS

Sometimes the subject of a transitive verb is not a single word but a phrase or a clause. We must
keep the phrase as a single unit. Similarly, we may use the clause as the subject of the passive
sentence. In case, the clause is too long, we use ‘it is/it was’ as an introductory subject and put
the clause after the verb.
Study the following illustrative examples:

Note. You will notice that the constructions at (i) in sentences 3, 4, and 5 beginning with ‘It is’
look more compact.

10.    CHANGE OF INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES

Interrogative sentences remain interrogative in form even in the passive. So, retain the question
mark (?) at the end of the sentence. Secondly, put an appropriate helping verb before the subject
according to the tense.
Thirdly, Question-words like ‘what’, ‘when’, ‘why’, ‘where’, ‘who’, ‘when’ ‘whose’, ‘which’,
‘How’, etc. come before the helping verb.
So ‘if there is a Wh-word, put it first of all.
There is a catch. Be attentive.
‘Who’ is changed into “by whom’.
‘Whom’ is changed into ‘who’.
Other wh-words remain unchanged.
One more point. What about the changes in auxiliary verbs?
Well, some of them do change their forms according to tenses, eg.,

(а)  Do/Does    change into            is /am/are

(b)  Did               changes into          was/were

In case of (a) Is/am/are (b) was/were and (c) has/have the change is within the group according
to the singular/plural number of the subject in the passive voice or according to the person
in (d) will/shall and (e) would/should.
Study the following illustrative examples:

You will note that in sentences 9 to 15, the auxiliary (do/did) in the Active Voices, changes its
form to ‘is/was’ but it still retains its position before the subject—because the sentence is still a
question.

Irregular Verbs List

This is a list of some irregular verbs in English. Of course, there are many others, but
these are the more common irregular verbs. You can test yourself with these fun
irregular verbs quizzes.

V1 V2 V3
Base Form Past Simple Past Participle

awake awoke awoken

be was, were been

beat beat beaten

become became become

begin began begun

bend bent bent

bet bet bet

bid bid bid

bite bit bitten

V1 V2 V3
Base Form Past Simple Past Participle

blow blew blown

break broke broken

bring brought brought

broadcast broadcast broadcast

build built built

burn burned or burnt burned or burnt

buy bought bought

catch caught caught

choose chose chosen

come came come

V1 V2 V3
Base Form Past Simple Past Participle

cost cost cost

cut cut cut

dig dug dug

do did done

draw drew drawn

dream dreamed or dreamt dreamed or dreamt

drive drove driven

drink drank drunk

eat ate eaten

fall fell fallen

V1 V2 V3
Base Form Past Simple Past Participle

feel felt felt

fight fought fought

find found found

fly flew flown

forget forgot forgotten

forgive forgave forgiven

freeze froze frozen

get got got (sometimes gotten)

give gave given

go went gone
V1 V2 V3
Base Form Past Simple Past Participle

grow grew grown

hang hung hung

have had had

hear heard heard

hide hid hidden

hit hit hit

hold held held

hurt hurt hurt

keep kept kept

know knew known

V1 V2 V3
Base Form Past Simple Past Participle

lay laid laid

lead led led

learn learned or learnt learned or learnt

leave left left

lend lent lent

let let let

lie lay lain

lose lost lost

make made made

mean meant meant

V1 V2 V3
Base Form Past Simple Past Participle

meet met met

pay paid paid

put put put

read read read

ride rode ridden

ring rang rung

rise rose risen

run ran run

say said said

see saw seen

V1 V2 V3
Base Form Past Simple Past Participle

sell sold sold

send sent sent

show showed showed or shown

shut shut shut

sing sang sung

sink sank sunk

sit sat sat

sleep slept slept

speak spoke spoken

spend spent spent

V1 V2 V3
Base Form Past Simple Past Participle

stand stood stood

stink stank stunk

swim swam swum

take took taken

teach taught taught

tear tore torn

tell told told

think thought thought

throw threw thrown

understand understood understood

 V1 V2 V3
Base Form Past Simple Past Participle

wake woke woken

wear wore worn

win won won

write wrote written

Regular Verbs List

There are thousands of regular verbs in English. This is a list of some 600 of the more
common regular verbs. Note that there are some spelling variations in American
English (for example, practise becomes practice in American English).

accept amuse applaud attach

add analyse (BrE) appreciate attack
admire analyze (AmE) approve attempt
admit announce argue attend
advise annoy arrange attract
afford answer arrest avoid
agree apologise arrive
alert appear ask
allow

back beg boil branch

bake behave bolt breathe
balance belong bomb bruise
ban bleach book brush
bang bless bore bubble
bare blind borrow bump
bat blink bounce burn
bathe blot bow bury
battle blush box buzz
beam boast brake

calculate choke compare cough

call chop compete count
camp claim complain cover
care clap complete crack
carry clean concentrate crash
carve clear concern crawl
cause clip confess cross
challenge close confuse crush
change coach connect cry
charge coil consider cure
chase collect consist curl
cheat colour contain curve
check comb continue cycle
cheer command copy
chew communicate correct

dam deliver disapprove dress

damage depend disarm drip
dance describe discover drop
dare desert dislike drown
decay deserve divide drum
deceive destroy double dry
decide detect doubt dust
decorate develop drag
delay disagree drain
delight disappear dream

earn end excite explain

educate enjoy excuse explode
embarrass enter exercise extend
employ entertain exist
empty escape expand
encourage examine expect

face fetch flash force

fade file float form
fail fill flood found
fancy film flow frame
fasten fire flower frighten
fax fit fold fry
fear fix follow
fence flap fool

gather grab grin guard

gaze grate grip guess
glow grease groan guide
glue greet guarantee

hammer harm heat hug

hand hate help hum
handle haunt hook hunt
hang head hop hurry
happen heal hope
harass heap hover

identify increase intend invite

ignore influence interest irritate
imagine inform interfere itch
impress inject interrupt
improve injure introduce
include instruct invent
jail jog joke juggle
jam join judge jump

kick kiss knit knot

kill kneel knock

label learn lighten load

land level like lock
last license list long
laugh lick listen look
launch lie live love

man matter milk move

manage measure mine muddle
march meddle miss mug
mark melt mix multiply
marry memorise moan murder
match mend moor
mate mess up mourn

nail need nod notice

name nest note number

obey obtain offer overflow

object occur open owe
observe offend order own

pack phone possess prevent

paddle pick post prick
paint pinch pour print
park pine practise (BrE) produce
part place practice (AmE) program
pass plan pray promise
paste plant preach protect
pat play precede provide
pause please prefer pull
peck plug prepare pump
pedal point present punch
peel poke preserve puncture
peep polish press punish
perform pop pretend push
permit

question queue    

race refuse remove rhyme

radiate regret repair rinse
rain reign repeat risk
raise reject replace rob
reach rejoice reply rock
realise relax report roll
receive release reproduce rot
recognise rely request rub
record remain rescue ruin
reduce remember retire rule
reflect remind return rush

sack shiver soothe stop

sail shock sound store
satisfy shop spare strap
save shrug spark strengthen
saw sigh sparkle stretch
scare sign spell strip
scatter signal spill stroke
scold sin spoil stuff
scorch sip spot subtract
scrape ski spray succeed
scratch skip sprout suck
scream slap squash suffer
screw slip squeak suggest
scribble slow squeal suit
scrub smash squeeze supply
seal smell stain support
search smile stamp suppose
separate smoke stare surprise
serve snatch start surround
settle sneeze stay suspect
shade sniff steer suspend
share snore step switch
shave snow stir
shelter soak stitch

talk thaw trace trot

tame tick trade trouble
tap tickle train trust
taste tie transport try
tease time trap tug
telephone tip travel tumble
tempt tire treat turn
terrify touch tremble twist
test tour trick type
thank tow trip

undress unite unpack use

unfasten unlock untidy

vanish visit    

wail waste whirl work

wait watch whisper worry
walk water whistle wrap
wander wave wink wreck
want weigh wipe wrestle
warm welcome wish wriggle
warn whine wobble
wash whip wonder
 x-ray      

yawn yell    

zip zoom    

Irregular verbs

Level: beginner
Most verbs have a past tense and past participle with –ed:

worked
played    
listened
But many of the most frequent verbs are irregular:

Base form Past tense Past participle

be was/were been

begin began begun

Base form Past tense Past participle

break broke broken

bring brought brought

buy bought bought

build built built

choose chose chosen

come came come

cost cost cost

Base form Past tense Past participle

cut cut cut

do did done

draw drew drawn

drive drove driven

eat ate eaten

feel felt felt

Base form Past tense Past participle

find found found

get got got

give gave given

go went gone

have had had

hear heard heard

Base form Past tense Past participle

hold held held

keep kept kept

know knew known

leave left left

lead led led

let let let

Base form Past tense Past participle

lie lay lain

lose lost lost

make made made

mean meant meant

meet met met

pay paid paid

Base form Past tense Past participle

put put put

run ran run

say said said

see saw seen

sell sold sold

send sent sent

Base form Past tense Past participle

set set set

sit sat sat

speak spoke spoken

spend spent spent

stand stood stood

take took taken

Base form Past tense Past participle

teach taught taught

tell told told

think thought thought

understand understood understood

wear wore worn

win won won

 Base form Past tense Past participle

write wrote written

Irregular Verbs List

This list contains all the irregular verbs of the English language. Each entry
includes the base or bare infinitive first, followed by the simple past (V2) form
and the past participle (V3) form. Taking some time to make sentences using
each irregular verb form will help you to use these verbs correctly when
speaking and writing. Simply reading through this list will help you to
recognize an irregular verb when you see one.

Irregular Verbs – Complete List

Base Form Past Simple Past Participle (V3)

(V2)

arise arose arisen

awake awoke awoken

Base Form Past Simple Past Participle (V3)
(V2)

be was/were been

bear bore born(e)

beat beat beaten

become became become

begin began begun

bend bent bent

bet bet bet

bind bound bound

bite bit bitten

bleed bled bled

blow blew blown

Base Form Past Simple Past Participle (V3)
(V2)

break broke broken

breed bred bred

bring brought brought

broadcast broadcast broadcast

build built built

burn burnt/burned burnt/burned

burst burst burst

buy bought bought

can could … (been able)

catch caught caught

choose chose chosen

Base Form Past Simple Past Participle (V3)
(V2)

cling clung clung

come came come

cost cost cost

creep crept crept

cut cut cut

deal dealt dealt

dig dug dug

do did done

draw drew drawn

dream dreamt/dreamed dreamt/dreamed

drink drank drunk

Base Form Past Simple Past Participle (V3)
(V2)

drive drove driven

eat ate eaten

fall fell fallen

feed fed fed

feel felt felt

fight fought fought

find found found

fly flew flown

forbid forbade forbidden

forget forgot forgotten

forgive forgave forgiven

Base Form Past Simple Past Participle (V3)
(V2)

freeze froze frozen

get got got

give gave given

go went gone

grind ground ground

grow grew grown

hang hung hung

have had had

hear heard heard

hide hid hidden

hit hit hit

Base Form Past Simple Past Participle (V3)
(V2)

hold held held

hurt hurt hurt

keep kept kept

kneel knelt knelt

know knew known

lay laid laid

lead led led

lean leant/leaned leant/leaned

learn learnt/learned learnt/learned

leave left left

lend lent lent

Base Form Past Simple Past Participle (V3)
(V2)

lie (in bed) lay lain

lie (to not tell the lied lied

truth)

light lit/lighted lit/lighted

lose lost lost

make made made

may might …

mean meant meant

meet met met

mow mowed mown/mowed

must had to …

overtake overtook overtaken

Base Form Past Simple Past Participle (V3)
(V2)

pay paid paid

put put put

read read read

ride rode ridden

ring rang rung

rise rose risen

run ran run

saw sawed sawn/sawed

say said said

see saw seen

sell sold sold

Base Form Past Simple Past Participle (V3)
(V2)

send sent sent

set set set

sew sewed sewn/sewed

shake shook shaken

shall should …

shed shed shed

shine shone shone

shoot shot shot

show showed shown

shrink shrank shrunk

shut shut shut

Base Form Past Simple Past Participle (V3)
(V2)

sing sang sung

sink sank sunk

sit sat sat

sleep slept slept

slide slid slid

smell smelt smelt

sow sowed sown/sowed

speak spoke spoken

spell spelt/spelled spelt/spelled

spend spent spent

spill spilt/spilled spilt/spilled

Base Form Past Simple Past Participle (V3)
(V2)

spit spat spat

spread spread spread

stand stood stood

steal stole stolen

stick stuck stuck

sting stung stung

stink stank stunk

strike struck struck

swear swore sworn

sweep swept swept

swell swelled swollen/swelled

Base Form Past Simple Past Participle (V3)
(V2)

swim swam swum

swing swung swung

take took taken

teach taught taught

tear tore torn

tell told told

think thought thought

throw threw thrown

understand understood understood

wake woke woken

wear wore worn

 Base Form Past Simple Past Participle (V3)
(V2)

weep wept wept

will would …

win won won

wind wound wound

write wrote written

To check your mastery of irregular verbs in English, try the test at the end of the list.

Base Form Simple Past Past Participle

arise arose arisen
awake awoke awoken
be was, were been
beat beat beaten
become became become
begin began begun
bend bent bent
bet bet bet
bite bit bitten
bleed bled bled
blow blew blown
Base Form Simple Past Past Participle
break broke broken
bring brought brought
build built built
burn burnt / burned burnt / burned
burst burst burst
buy bought bought
catch caught caught
choose chose chosen
come came come
cost cost cost
cut cut cut
dig dug dug
do did done
draw drew drawn
dream dreamed /dreamt dreamed / dreamt
drink drank drunk
drive drove driven
eat ate eaten
fall fell fallen
feed fed fed
feel felt felt
fight fought fought
find found found
fly flew flown
forget forgot forgotten
get got got / gotten
Base Form Simple Past Past Participle
give gave given
go went gone
grow grew grown
have had had
hear heard heard
hide hid hidden
hit hit hit
hold held held
hurt hurt hurt
keep kept kept
know knew known
lead led led
learn learnt / learned learnt / learned
leave left left
let let let
lie lay lain
lose lost lost
make made made
meet met met
pay paid paid
put put put
read read read
ride rode ridden
ring rang rung
run ran run
say said said
Base Form Simple Past Past Participle
see saw seen
sell sold sold
send sent sent
shoot shot shot
show showed shown
shut shut shut
sing sang sung
sit sat sat
sleep slept slept
speak spoke spoken
spend spent spent
stand stood stood
steal stole stolen
swim swam swum
take took taken
teach taught taught
tear tore torn
tell told told
think thought thought
throw threw thrown
understand understood understood
wear wore worn
win won won
write wrote written
The Lighter Side of Irregular Verbs
From the "Verbs Is Funny" poem:

"A boy who swims may say he swum,

But milk is skimmed and seldom skum,

And nails you trim; they are not trum. 

"When words you speak, these words are spoken,

But a nose is tweaked and can't be twoken.

And what you seek is seldom soken.

"If we forget, then we've forgotten,

But things we wet are never wotten,

And houses let cannot be lotten.

"The things one sells are always sold,

But fog dispelled are not dispold,

And what you smell is never smold.

"When young, a top you oft saw spun,

But did you see a grin ever grun,

Or a potato neatly skun?"