Understanding active voice and passive voice rules is a core grammar skill for students, competitive exam aspirants, and anyone who wants to write clearly and confidently in English. Whether you are writing school essays, emails, stories, or speeches, knowing when to use active voice and when passive voice fits better can instantly improve clarity and impact.
In this blog, we will break down active voice and passive voice rules in simple language, with clear definitions, formulas, examples, conversion rules, common mistakes, and practice tips.
What Is Voice in English Grammar?
In grammar, voice shows the relationship between the subject and the action (verb) in a sentence.
There are two main types of voice:
Active Voice: The subject performs the action
Passive Voice: The subject receives the action
Understanding this difference is the foundation for learning active voice and passive voice rules.
What Is Active Voice?
A sentence is in active voice when the subject does the action stated by the verb.
Structure of Active Voice
Subject + Verb + Object
Examples of Active Voice
Riya writes a letter.
The teacher explained the lesson.
The dog chased the ball.
They are building a new house.
In all these sentences, the subject is clear and directly performs the action.
What Is Passive Voice?
A sentence is in passive voice when the subject receives the action of the verb.
Structure of Passive Voice
Object (of active sentence) + helping verb + past participle + by + subject
Examples of Passive Voice
A letter is written by Riya.
The lesson was explained by the teacher.
The ball was chased by the dog.
A new house is being built by them.
The focus shifts from the doer to the action or the receiver of the action.
Past participle errors ✗ The movie was see by us. → ✓ The movie was seen by us.
Dropping the auxiliary be ✗ The match postponed due to rain. → ✓ The match was postponed due to rain.
Passive with intransitives ✗ The accident was occurred yesterday. → ✓ The accident occurred yesterday.
Misplacing time/place adverbials ✗ The rule was by the manager yesterday changed. → ✓ The rule was changed by the manager yesterday.
Overusing by-phrase If obvious, omit it: The suspect was arrested (by police)
Precision With Participles
Certain verbs change meaning with the participle:
fall → fallen; feel → felt; lie/lay confusion: Active: She laid the book down. → Passive: The book was laid down. Active: She lay on the sofa. (intransitive) → No passive.
Quick Reference: One-Glance Table
Task
Pattern
Example
Active → Passive (simple tenses)
be (same tense) + V-en
They publish the list → The list is published
Continuous
be (same tense) + being + V-en
They are reviewing cases → Cases are being reviewed
Perfect
have/has/had + been + V-en
They have issued ID cards → ID cards have been issued
Modals
modal + be + V-en
They must complete forms → Forms must be completed
Questions
Aux inversion
Did they sign it? → Was it signed?
Negatives
not after first aux
They did not send it → It was not sent
Ditransitives
either object can promote
They gave me a prize → I was given a prize
Practice Framework You Can Use Anywhere
Circle S, V, O.
Check verb type (transitive? participle irregular?).
Choose a tense pattern from the map.
Draft passive; read aloud for sense and rhythm.
Remove the by-phrase if it adds nothing.
Check agreement and word order.
Mini Exercise Set (Answer Key Included)
Convert to Passive
The editor will publish the article tomorrow.
They are building a new bridge across the river.
The jury has reached a verdict.
Someone stole my bicycle.
The teacher gave the class a surprise test.
Answers
The article will be published tomorrow.
A new bridge is being built across the river.
A verdict has been reached.
My bicycle was stolen. (agent unknown—omit by-phrase)
The class was given a surprise test. / A surprise test was given to the class.
Why Active and Passive Voice Rules Matter
Mastering these rules is important for:
Exams: Sentence transformation is a common test question
Writing: Active sentences improve essays; passive adds formality
Speaking: Better fluency and grammar control
Communication: Choosing the right voice creates impact
PlanetSpark: How We Teach Active Voice and Passive Voice Rules for Real-World Use
1:1 Personal Trainers for Every Child: Certified communication experts deliver fully personalized, one-on-one live classes.
Personalised Curriculum and Learning Roadmap: We begin with a skills assessment and build a roadmap that pinpoints grammar gaps, strengthens fundamentals.
SparkX — AI-Enabled Video Analysis: Students record short talks and readings. SparkX flags passive overuse, missing auxiliaries, awkward by-phrases, and suggests concise active alternatives.
AI-Led Practice Sessions for Speech and Storytelling: Between live classes, our AI coach runs targeted drills:
Convert active to passive and back across tenses.
Transform questions, negatives, and imperatives.
Choose the better option (active vs passive) for given contexts with immediate feedback.
Spark Diary — Building Writing Fluency: A guided digital journal for daily writing. Prompts specifically require students to rewrite paragraphs in both voices, compare tone and length, and justify their choice—cementing rule knowledge through use.
Gamified Learning for Maximum Engagement: Grammar Guru Challenge, Antonyms Quiz, Word Wisdom, Spell Knockout, and Listen and Spell turn rule practice into games.
Conclusion
Active voice and passive voice are not rivals, they’re tools. Active delivers clarity and momentum; passive centers the action, enables formality and supports cohesion. True mastery lies in choosing deliberately and converting flawlessly. Use the tense–aspect map, keep auxiliaries tight, promote the right object, and trim by-phrases you don’t need. With PlanetSpark’s blend of expert coaching, AI feedback, and playful practice, students don’t just memorize the rules, they apply them confidently in writing and speech.
Frequently Asked Questions
They often forget tense agreement and the correct participle form, leading to errors.
Yes. Active is preferred in daily use, but passive suits academic and formal writing.
For example: Active: “She reads a book.” → Passive: “A book is read by her.”
Identify subject, verb, object → swap subject and object → adjust verb (be + past participle) → maintain tense.
Active verbs show the subject acting, while passive verbs show the subject receiving the action.
When Parents Believe, Children Shine
Real stories of transformation, confidence, and communication success — straight from the parents who trusted us.
Parents of Oviya Singh
Oviya Singh, a PlanetSpark student, spoke about ‘Soil Conservation’ in her TEDxTalk by addressing the status quo and questioning, ‘Is the world running out of food?’
Mohd Rafiq
Thanks to PlanetSpark and his teacher’s guidance, Ayan now speaks confidently, participates actively, and has published his first storybook.
Mr. & Mrs. Bipin Patel
PlanetSpark helped my son Ahan find his voice and confidence. From stage speaking to being published in Pearls of Poetry, his growth has been remarkable.
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