Active and Passive Voice in English Grammar: A Simple Guide for Learners

English grammar has many important parts, and one of them is voice. When we say “voice,” we are talking about how the action in a sentence is presented. There are two main types: active voice and passive voice. If you’re learning English, understanding these can really help you improve your writing and speaking skills.

In this guide, we will explain what active and passive voice mean, how they are different, when to use them, and how to change sentences from one voice to another — all in simple words.

✅ What is Voice in English Grammar?

In grammar, voice shows whether the subject of a sentence is doing the action or receiving it.

• If the subject does the action, it is active voice.

• If the subject receives the action, it is passive voice.

Let’s understand both with clear examples.

🔵 What is Active Voice?

In active voice, the subject of the sentence does the action. These sentences are clear, direct, and easy to understand.

🔹 Structure of Active Voice:

Subject + Verb + Object

🔹 Examples:

• Riya wrote a letter.

• The teacher explains the lesson.

• They played football.

In each of these examples, the subject (Riya, the teacher, they) is performing the action.

🟣 What is Passive Voice?

In passive voice, the focus is on the action or the object receiving the action, not the doer.

🔹 Structure of Passive Voice:

Object + Helping Verb (be) + Past Participle + (by + Subject)

🔹 Examples:

• A letter was written by Riya.

• The lesson is explained by the teacher.

• Football was played by them.

In these sentences, the object from the active voice becomes the main subject in passive voice. The doer of the action becomes less important or may not be mentioned at all.

🔄 Key Differences Between Active and Passive Voice

Here’s a quick table to understand the main differences:

Feature	Active Voice	Passive Voice
Focus	On the doer of the action	On the receiver of the action
Sentence structure	Subject + Verb + Object	Object + be verb + Past Participle
Clarity	Clear and direct	Can be longer or less direct
Common use	In everyday speech and writing	In formal or scientific writing

🕒 When to Use Active Voice?

Active voice is mostly used in:

• Daily conversations

• Stories or articles

• Emails and messages

• Blog writing

• Essays and letters

✅ Benefits of Using Active Voice:

• Sentences are shorter and easier to read.

• It makes writing strong and confident.

• The meaning is more direct and clear.

🔸 Example:

• Active: The chef cooked the meal.

• Passive: The meal was cooked by the chef.

Both are correct, but the active voice is shorter and more natural.

🧾 When to Use Passive Voice?

Passive voice is useful when:

• The doer is unknown or not important.

• You want to sound formal or polite.

• The focus is on the action or result, not the person.

✅ Common Uses:

• In news reports

• In scientific or academic writing

• In official letters

• To avoid blaming someone directly

🔸 Example:

• Active: Someone broke the window.

• Passive: The window was broken.

Here, we don’t know who broke the window, so passive is a better choice.

🛠️ How to Change Active Voice to Passive Voice

Changing a sentence from active to passive is simple if you follow these steps:

🔹 Step 1: Identify the Subject, Verb, and Object

Active: Rohan paints the wall.

• Subject: Rohan

• Verb: paints

• Object: the wall

🔹 Step 2: Make the object the subject

New subject: The wall

🔹 Step 3: Use the correct form of the verb “to be” + past participle

Tense: Present simple → “is” + painted

🔹 Step 4: Add “by” + the original subject (if needed)

Passive: The wall is painted by Rohan.

📚 More Examples in Different Tenses:

Tense	Active Voice	Passive Voice
Present Simple	She writes a letter.	A letter is written by her.
Past Simple	He closed the door.	The door was closed by him.
Future Simple	They will make a cake.	A cake will be made by them.
Present Continuous	She is watching a movie.	A movie is being watched by her.
Present Perfect	I have completed the task.	The task has been completed by me.
Modal Verb	He can drive the car.	The car can be driven by him.

❗ Common Mistakes to Avoid

Many learners get confused when changing sentences from active to passive. Here are some common mistakes and tips:

❌ Mistake 1: Not using the correct verb form

• Wrong: The letter is write by him.

• Correct: The letter is written by him.

❌ Mistake 2: Using passive voice unnecessarily

Overusing passive voice can make writing dull or unclear. Use it only when needed.

❌ Mistake 3: Forgetting the subject-verb agreement

Make sure the helping verb matches the new subject.

• Wrong: The book were read by her.

• Correct: The book was read by her.

✍️ Practice Exercises (with Answers)

Try changing these active sentences into passive voice:

🔹 Exercise:

1. John eats an apple.

2. They played cricket.

3. The manager will sign the papers.

4. I am writing a letter.

5. He has finished the work.

🔹 Answers:

1. An apple is eaten by John.

2. Cricket was played by them.

3. The papers will be signed by the manager.

4. A letter is being written by me.

5. The work has been finished by him.

🧠 Final Tips for Learners

• Use active voice for better communication and simplicity.

• Use passive voice when you want to focus on the action or when the doer is not important.

• Practice converting sentences regularly to gain confidence.

• Read articles, books, and newspapers to see how both voices are used in real life.

✅ Conclusion

Understanding active and passive voice is an important part of learning English grammar. Active voice makes your sentences strong and direct, while passive voice is useful for formal or polite language. Both have their own roles, and using them correctly can make your communication more effective.

Keep practicing every day with real-life sentences. With time, you’ll be able to switch between active and passive voice easily and naturally.