GRAMMAR FOCUS: VOICE

Active and Passive Voice Forms

In active voice sentences the subject does the action. Example: Liz played the piano.
In passive voice sentences the subject receives the action. Example: The piano was played by Liz.
- The sentence that uses the active voice is stronger, uses fewer words, and clearly shows who performs the action.
- The sentence that uses the passive voice is weaker and less direct.
Sometimes the doer of the action is omitted in passive voice sentences. Example: The piano was played.
More examples:
1) Somebody cleans the office every day. (Present active)= The office is cleaned by somebody every day. (Present passive)
2) Somebody cleaned the office yesterday. (Past active)= The office was cleaned by somebody yesterday. (Past passive).
A) USES
The Passive is used:
1. when the agent (=the person who does the action) is unknown, unimportant or obvious from the context.
Ahmed was shot. (We don’t know who shot her.) This church was built in 1815. (Unimportant agent)
He has been arrested. (Obviously by the police)
2. to make more polite or formal statements. E.g. The car hasn’t been cleaned. (More polite)
(You haven’t cleaned the car. – less polite)
3. when the action is more important than the agent, as in processes, instructions, events, reports, headlines, new
items, and advertisements. E.g. Twenty people were killed in the earthquake.
4. to put emphasis on the agent. E.g. The new library will be opened by the Queen.
B) AGENT
To say who did the action that we are talking about, i.e. to refer to the agent, we use the preposition by and the
name (by Simbo), noun (by the teacher) or pronoun (by him) at the end of the sentence. We usually only refer
to the agent when it gives us some important information which otherwise would be missing from the sentence.
E.g. Our house was designed by a famous architect.
We don’t mention the agent:
1. if we don’t know who has done what we are talking about.
E.g. Our car was stolen last night. (We don’t know who stole it)
2. if we are not interested in who has done what we are talking about or it is not important to mention it.
E.g. He has been taken to hospital. (What we are interested in is the fact that he has been taken to hospital and
not who has taken him.)
3. if it is easy to understand who did something without it being mentioned.

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 E.g. The murderer was arrested last night. (It is not necessary to mention that he has been arrested by the
police because it is self-evident.)
4. if the subject of the active voice sentence is something like somebody, people, they, you, etc.
E.g. Someone broke the window. → The window was broken.
C) Verbs with Two Objects
Some verbs have two objects: a direct object (D.O.) and an indirect object (I.O.).
EXAMPLES
Active: They gave Addisu (I.O) a prize (D.O).
Passive 1: Addisu was given a prize. Passive 2: A prize was given to Addisu.
Explanation
When an active sentence has two objects, the passive sentence can begin with either object. Notice that if the
direct object (a prize) becomes the subject of the passive sentence, to is used before the indirect object (Addisu).
N.B: If the indirect object of the active voice sentence is a personal pronoun it has to be changed into a subject
pronoun to be the subject of the passive voice sentence.
SUBJECT (IN ACTIVE VOICE) OBJECT (IN PASSIVE VOICE)
I me
You you
We us
He him
She her
They them
It it
D) Negatives in Passive Construction
Study the table below to identify the patterns of negatives in passive construction.
№ Negative Active Negative Passive
1 Indians do not eat beef Beef is not eaten by Indians
2 They do not use tractors everywhere. Tractors are not used everywhere by them.
3 One doesn’t always admire a humble person. A humble person is not always admired
4 No one knows his address. His address is not known to anyone.
5 We can’t consider this issue now This issue cannot be considered now.
6 No one has seen him since morning. He has not been seen since morning.
7 Nobody spoke any word. No words were spoken.
8 No one liked the play. The play was not liked.
9 No one has ever climbed this peak. This peak has never been climbed.

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In all passive constructions above, the negative word ‘not’ is placed between the auxiliary and the past participle.
But, since it is indefinite and has to be omitted in the passive construction, the negative is transferred to the verb
and is put between the auxiliary and the past participle. For instance, in sentence 7 the negative in the subject is
transferred to the new subject. In sentence 9 also, the negative in the subject is transferred to the adverbs of
frequency ‘ever’ which becomes ‘never’ in the passive construction.
E) Passive Constructions with Yes/No Questions
Form for passive Yes/No Question: Can/Could/Would + Obj+ be + V3? Or Be + Obj + V3?
Example 1: Can anyone do this in time? (Active)
Can this be done in time? (Passive)
Example 2: Did someone consult you about this? (Active)
Were you consulted about this? (Passive).
F) Passive Constructions with Wh-Questions
Form for passive Wh- Question: Wh-word + be + obj + V3?
Example 1: Where did you find the purse? (Active)
Where was the purse found? (Passive)
Example 2: What do people say about it? (Active)
What is said about it? (Passive)
G) Infinitives in Passive Constructions
Example 1: I want them to help you. (Active)
I want you to be helped. (Passive).
H) Imperatives in Passive Constructions.
Example 1: Shut the window. (Active)
Let the window be shut. (Passive)
Example 2: Release these men. (Active).
Let these men be released. (Passive).

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 Practical Exercises on Active & Passives Sentences
Direction I: Change the following active sentences into passive sentences.
№ Active Voice Passive Voice
1 Thomas feeds his dog.
2 We will start the final exam next week.
3 Meron didn’t buy any clothes.
4 Tulu had eaten his lunch before he wrote his homework.
5 People have developed bar graph to show population density.
6 My mother is going to visit Bahir Dar tomorrow.
7 We have already cleaned our classroom.
8 This shape represents a rapid decrease in birthrates.
9 The family went to the beach.
10 A beehive shape characterizes a third type of population pyramid.
11 The dolphins have learned many tricks.
12 The doctor was testing the patients for Corona Virus.
13 The policeman should do a good job.
14 Clean the compound carefully.
15 Has Tamirat given you back the book yet?

Direction II: Change the following passive sentences into active sentences.

№ Active Voice Passive Voice

1 Many Italian citizens were killed by Corona Virus.
2 Coffee is made by my sister every Sunday.
3 The meeting will be conducted on next Monday.
4 This kind of graph is called a population pyramid.

5 Let the clothes be washed with soap.

6 Can French be learned easily?
7 It may also be influenced by migration into & out of the country.
8 A lot of questions must be answered by the students.
9 The car was being cleaned by its owner.
10 The door is being knocked at by someone.
11 A population pyramid is determined by a country’s age & sex ratio.
12 The game had been won by the blue team
13 A lot of money was spent on to minimize unemployment.
14 The lessons should be reviewed before the test
15 Enjera is not commonly eaten by most Indians.
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Direction III: Change the following sentences to passive voice in two ways. Omit the agent.
Example: They gave the actress an award.
=The actress was given an award. Or An award was given to the actress.
1. They told the children an interesting story.
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2. Someone served the guests dinner.

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3. Someone told the students the answers.
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4. Someone will send you an invitation.
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5. They have shown us the movie.
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