Active and Passive

Look at these sentences:

• Ram thanked Hari.
  
  
• Hari was thanked by Ram.
  
  
• In the first sentence the emphasis is on the doer, Ram.

In the second sentence the emphasis is on the action, was thanked.

Identify the voice in the sentences and change the voice:

1. The man cut down the tree.

2. My father will write a letter to him.

3. The boy caught the ball.

4. The bird was caught.

5. A stone struck my head.

6. They sell radios here.

7. Smoking is prohibited.

8. Dogs and cats are not allowed into the school.

9. Everyone loves him.

10. Ashoka was defeated in the war.

Suggested answer:

1. Active voice

Passive voice will be:

The tree was cut down by the man.

2. Active voice

Passive voice will be:

A letter will be written to him by my father.

3. Active voice

Passive voice will be:

The ball was caught by the boy.

4. Passive voice

Active voice will be:

The hunter caught the bird.

5. Active voice

Passive voice will be:

My head was struck by a stone.

6. Active voice

Passive voice will be:

Radios are sold here.

7. Passive voice

Active voice will be:

The Govt./They prohibited smoking here.

8. Passive voice

Active voice will be:

The authorities do not allow dogs and cats into the school.

Note these Headlines. Headlines can be in any voice depending on what the journalist wants to emphasize on. Newspapers often use the passives.

1. Centre sells Balco to Sterlite Industries

2. Cyclone hits Orissa

3. Gujarat devastated by a severe earthquake

4. Child killed by Tiger

5. House burgled in Basavanagudi

6. 'Chisel Gang' active in Corbett park again

Sentences 1, 2 and 6 are in active whereas 3, 4 and 5 are in passive.

Present Passive

Read the following - How to grow an orchid plant

1. Obtain a pot with a hole at its bottom.

2. Fill it with porous charcoal.

3. Plant the orchid sapling in the pot.

4. Select a suitably shady place to keep the pot.

5. Add fertilizers from time to time and the plant grows.

Simple Past Passive

Note down your important events each year for five years from your age of five.

Suggested answer:

1. When I was five I was admitted to school.

2. When I was six I wasn't allowed to go out alone.

3. When I was seven I was gifted a small bicycle.

4. When I was eight I was taught science.

5. When I was nine I was allowed to go out alone.

Modals with the Passive

Look at the picture above. At present this house is in a terrible state. Suggest what would be done to make it fit for a student to live and work and use different modals such as should, ought to, must etc.

Suggested answer:

1. The walls ought be painted.

2. The roof should be mended.

3. The wiring must be fixed.

4. The courtyard should be cleaned.

After the house has been renovated, report it in the present perfect passive.

Suggested answer:

1. The walls have been painted.

2. The roof has been mended.

3. The wiring has been fixed.

4. The courtyard has been cleaned.