Formula Active Passive Voice
SIMPLE PRESENT and SIMPLE PAST
The active object becomes the passive subject.
am/is/are + past participle
was/were + past participle
The active object becomes the passive subject.
am/is/are + past participle
was/were + past participle
Active: Simple Present
The movie fascinates me.
The movie bores Jack.
The movie surprises them.
The movie fascinates me.
The movie bores Jack.
The movie surprises them.
Passive: Simple Present
I am fascinated by the movie.
Jack is bored by the movie.
They are surprised by the movie
I am fascinated by the movie.
Jack is bored by the movie.
They are surprised by the movie
Active: Simple Past
The movie bored me.
The movie fascinated Jack.
The movie surprised them.
The movie bored me.
The movie fascinated Jack.
The movie surprised them.
Passive: Simple Past
I was bored by the movie.
Jack was fascinated by the movie.
They were surprisedby the movie.
I was bored by the movie.
Jack was fascinated by the movie.
They were surprisedby the movie.
PRESENT and PAST CONTINUOUS (PROGRESSIVE)
Passive form:
am/is/are + being + past participle
was/were + being + past participle
Passive form:
am/is/are + being + past participle
was/were + being + past participle
Active: Present Continuous
I am helping Shannon.
June is helping Su and Ling. Passive: Present Continuous
Shannon is being helped by me.
Su and Ling are being helped by June.
I am helping Shannon.
June is helping Su and Ling. Passive: Present Continuous
Shannon is being helped by me.
Su and Ling are being helped by June.
Active: Past Continuous
I was cleaning the bathroom.
They were cleaning the bedroom.
Susan was cleaning the kitchen and patio.
I was cleaning the bathroom.
They were cleaning the bedroom.
Susan was cleaning the kitchen and patio.
Passive: Past Continuous
The bathroom was being cleaned by me.
The bedroom was being cleaned by them.
The kitchen and patio were being cleaned by Susan.
The bathroom was being cleaned by me.
The bedroom was being cleaned by them.
The kitchen and patio were being cleaned by Susan.
PRESENT PERFECT, PAST PERFECT and FUTURE PERFECT
Passive form:
have/has been + past participle
had been + past participle
Passive form:
have/has been + past participle
had been + past participle
Active: Present Perfect
I have mailed the gift.
Jack has mailed the gifts.
I have mailed the gift.
Jack has mailed the gifts.
Passive: Present Perfect
The gift has been mailed by me.
The gifts have been mailed by Jack.
The gift has been mailed by me.
The gifts have been mailed by Jack.
Active: Past Perfect
Steven Spielberg had directed the movie.
Penny Marshall had directed those movies.
Steven Spielberg had directed the movie.
Penny Marshall had directed those movies.
Passive: Past Perfect
The movie had been directed by Steven Spielberg.
The movies had been directed by Penny Marshall.
The movie had been directed by Steven Spielberg.
The movies had been directed by Penny Marshall.
Active: Future Perfect
John will have finished the project next month.
They will have finished the projects before then.
John will have finished the project next month.
They will have finished the projects before then.
Passive: Future Perfect
The project will have been finished by next month.
The projects will have been finished before then.
The project will have been finished by next month.
The projects will have been finished before then.
FUTURE TENSES
Passive forms: will + be + past participle
is/are going to be + past participle
Passive forms: will + be + past participle
is/are going to be + past participle
Active: Future with WILL
I will mail the gift.
Jack will mail the gifts.
I will mail the gift.
Jack will mail the gifts.
Passive: Future with WILL
The gift will be mailed by me.
The gifts will be mailed by Jack.
The gift will be mailed by me.
The gifts will be mailed by Jack.
Active: Future with GOING TO
I am going to make the cake.
Sue is going to make two cakes.
I am going to make the cake.
Sue is going to make two cakes.
Passive: Future with GOING TO
The cake is going to be made by me.
Two cakes are going to be made by Sue.
The cake is going to be made by me.
Two cakes are going to be made by Sue.
PRESENT / FUTURE MODALS
The passive form follows this pattern:
modal + be + past participle
The passive form follows this pattern:
modal + be + past participle
Active: WILL / WON'T (WILL NOT)
Sharon will invite Tom to the party.
Sharon won't invite Jeff to the party.
(Sharon will not invite Jeff to the party.)
Sharon will invite Tom to the party.
Sharon won't invite Jeff to the party.
(Sharon will not invite Jeff to the party.)
Passive: WILL / WON'T (WILL NOT)
Tom will be invited to the party by Sharon.
Jeff won't be invited to the party by Sharon.
(Jeff will not be invited to the party by Sharon.)
Tom will be invited to the party by Sharon.
Jeff won't be invited to the party by Sharon.
(Jeff will not be invited to the party by Sharon.)
Active: CAN / CAN'T (CAN NOT)
Mai can foretell the future.
Terry can't foretell the future.
(Terry can not foretell the future.)
Mai can foretell the future.
Terry can't foretell the future.
(Terry can not foretell the future.)
Passive: CAN / CAN'T (CAN NOT)
The future can be foretold by Mai.
The future can't be foretold by Terry.
(The future can not be foretold by Terry.)
The future can be foretold by Mai.
The future can't be foretold by Terry.
(The future can not be foretold by Terry.)
Active: MAY / MAY NOT
Her company may give Katya a new office.
The lazy students may not do the homework.
Her company may give Katya a new office.
The lazy students may not do the homework.
MIGHT / MIGHT NOT
Her company might give Katya a new office.
The lazy students might not do the homework.
Her company might give Katya a new office.
The lazy students might not do the homework.
Passive: MAY / MAY NOT
Katya may be given a new office by her company.
The homework may not be done by the lazy students.
Katya may be given a new office by her company.
The homework may not be done by the lazy students.
MIGHT / MIGHT NOT
Katya might be given a new office by her company.
The homework might not be done by the lazy students.
Katya might be given a new office by her company.
The homework might not be done by the lazy students.
Active: SHOULD / SHOULDN'T
Students should memorize English verbs.
Children shouldn't smoke cigarettes.
Students should memorize English verbs.
Children shouldn't smoke cigarettes.
Passive: SHOULD / SHOULDN'T
English verbs should be memorized by students.
Cigarettes shouldn't be smoked by children.
English verbs should be memorized by students.
Cigarettes shouldn't be smoked by children.
Active: OUGHT TO
Students ought to learn English verbs.
(negative ought to is rarely used)
Students ought to learn English verbs.
(negative ought to is rarely used)
Passive: OUGHT TO
English verbs ought to be memorized by students.
English verbs ought to be memorized by students.
Active: HAD BETTER / HAD BETTER NOT
Students had better practice English every day.
Children had better not drink whiskey.
Students had better practice English every day.
Children had better not drink whiskey.
Passive: HAD BETTER / HAD BETTER NOT
English had better be practiced every day by students.
Whiskey had better not be drunk by children.
English had better be practiced every day by students.
Whiskey had better not be drunk by children.
Active: MUST / MUST NOT
Tourists must apply for a passport to travel abroad.
Customers must not use that door.
Tourists must apply for a passport to travel abroad.
Customers must not use that door.
Passive: MUST / MUST NOT
A passport to travel abroad must be applied for.
That door must not be used by customers.
A passport to travel abroad must be applied for.
That door must not be used by customers.
Active: HAS TO / HAVE TO
She has to practice English every day.
Sara and Miho have to wash the dishes every day.
She has to practice English every day.
Sara and Miho have to wash the dishes every day.
DOESN'T HAVE TO/ DON'T HAVE TO
Maria doesn't have to clean her bedroom every day.
The children don't have to clean their bedrooms every day.
Maria doesn't have to clean her bedroom every day.
The children don't have to clean their bedrooms every day.
Passive: HAS TO / HAVE TO
English has to be practiced every day.
The dishes have to be washed by them every day.
English has to be practiced every day.
The dishes have to be washed by them every day.
DOESN'T HAVE TO/ DON'T HAVE TO
Her bedroom doesn't have to be cleaned every day.
Their bedrooms don't have to be cleaned every day.
Her bedroom doesn't have to be cleaned every day.
Their bedrooms don't have to be cleaned every day.
Active: BE SUPPOSED TO
I am supposed to type the composition.
I am not supposed to copy the stories in the book.
Janet is supposed to clean the living room.
She isn't supposed to eat candy and gum.
They are supposed to make dinner for the family.
They aren't supposed to make dessert.
I am supposed to type the composition.
I am not supposed to copy the stories in the book.
Janet is supposed to clean the living room.
She isn't supposed to eat candy and gum.
They are supposed to make dinner for the family.
They aren't supposed to make dessert.
Passive: BE SUPPOSED TO
The composition is supposed to be typed by me.
The stories in the book are not supposed to be copied.
The living room is supposed to be cleaned by Janet.
Candy and gum aren't supposed to be eaten by her.
Dinner for the family is supposed to be made by them.
Dessert isn't supposed to be made by them.
The composition is supposed to be typed by me.
The stories in the book are not supposed to be copied.
The living room is supposed to be cleaned by Janet.
Candy and gum aren't supposed to be eaten by her.
Dinner for the family is supposed to be made by them.
Dessert isn't supposed to be made by them.
PAST MODALS
The past passive form follows this pattern:
modal + have been + past participle
The past passive form follows this pattern:
modal + have been + past participle
Active: SHOULD HAVE / SHOULDN'T HAVE
The students should have learned the verbs.
The children shouldn't have broken the window.
The students should have learned the verbs.
The children shouldn't have broken the window.
Passive: SHOULD HAVE / SHOULDN'T HAVE
The verbs should have been learned by the students.
The window shouldn't have been broken by the children.
The verbs should have been learned by the students.
The window shouldn't have been broken by the children.
Active: OUGHT TO
Students ought to have learned the verbs.
(negative ought to is rarely used)
Students ought to have learned the verbs.
(negative ought to is rarely used)
Passive: OUGHT TO
The verbs ought to have been learned by the students.
The verbs ought to have been learned by the students.
Active: BE SUPPOSED TO (past time)
I was supposed to type the composition.
I wasn't supposed to copy the story in the book.
Janet was supposed to clean the living room.
She wasn't supposed to eat candy and gum.
Frank and Jane were supposed to make dinner.
They weren't supposed to make dessert.
I was supposed to type the composition.
I wasn't supposed to copy the story in the book.
Janet was supposed to clean the living room.
She wasn't supposed to eat candy and gum.
Frank and Jane were supposed to make dinner.
They weren't supposed to make dessert.
Passive: BE SUPPOSED TO (past time)
The composition was supposed to be typed by me.
The story in the book wasn't supposed to be copied.
The living room was supposed to be cleaned by Janet.
Candy and gum weren't supposed to be eaten by her.
Dinner was supposed to be made by them.
Dessert wasn't supposed to be made by them.
The composition was supposed to be typed by me.
The story in the book wasn't supposed to be copied.
The living room was supposed to be cleaned by Janet.
Candy and gum weren't supposed to be eaten by her.
Dinner was supposed to be made by them.
Dessert wasn't supposed to be made by them.
Active: MAY / MAY NOT
That firm may have offered Katya a new job.
The students may not have written the paper.
That firm may have offered Katya a new job.
The students may not have written the paper.
MIGHT / MIGHT NOT
That firm might have offered Katya a new job.
The students might not have written the paper.
That firm might have offered Katya a new job.
The students might not have written the paper.
Passive: MAY / MAY NOT
Katya may have been offered a new job by that firm.
The paper may not have been written by the students.
MIGHT / MIGHT NOT
Katya might have been offered a new job by that firm.
The paper might not have been written by the students.
Here is Another Example
Harry ate six shrimp at dinner. (active)
At dinner, six shrimp were eaten by Harry. (passive)
Beautiful giraffes roam the savannah. (active)
The savannah is roamed by beautiful giraffes. (passive)
Sue changed the flat tire. (active)
The flat tire was changed by Sue. (passive)
We are going to watch a movie tonight. (active)
A movie is going to be watched by us tonight. (passive)
I ran the obstacle course in record time. (active)
The obstacle course was run by me in record time. (passive)
The crew paved the entire stretch of highway. (active)
The entire stretch of highway was paved by the crew. (passive)
Mom read the novel in one day. (active)
The novel was read by Mom in one day. (passive)
The critic wrote a scathing review. (active)
A scathing review was written by the critic. (passive)
I will clean the house every Saturday. (active)
The house will be cleaned by me every Saturday. (passive)
The staff is required to watch a safety video every year. (active)
A safety video will be watched by the staff every year. (passive)
She faxed her application for a new job. (active)
The application for a new job was faxed by her. (passive)
Tom painted the entire house. (active)
The entire house was planted by Tom. (passive)
The teacher always answers the students’ questions. (active)
The students’ questions are always answered by the teacher. (passive)
The choir really enjoys that piece. (active)
That piece is really enjoyed by the choir. (passive)
Who taught you to ski? (active)
By whom were you taught to ski? (passive)
The forest fire destroyed the whole suburb. (active)
The whole suburb was destroyed by the forest fire. (passive)
The two kings are signing the treaty. (active)
The treaty is being signed by the two kings. (passive)
The cleaning crew vacuums and dusts the office every night. (active)
Every night the office is vacuumed and dusted by the cleaning crew. (passive)
Larry generously donated money to the homeless shelter. (active)
Money was generously donated to the homeless shelter by Larry. (passive)
No one responded to my sales ad. (active)
My sales ad was not responded to by anyone. (passive)
The wedding planner is making all the reservations. (active)
All the reservations will be made by the wedding planner. (passive)
Susan will bake two dozen cupcakes for the bake sale. (active)
For the bake sale, two dozen cookies will be baked by Susan. (passive)
The science class viewed the comet. (active)
The comet was viewed by the science class. (passive)
Who ate the last cookie? (active)
The last cookie was eaten by whom? (passive)
Alex posted the video on Facebook. (active)
The video was posted on Facebook by Alex. (passive)
The director will give you instructions. (active)
Instructions will be given to you by the director. (passive)
Thousands of tourists view the Grand Canyon every year. (active)
The Grand Canyon is viewed by thousands of tourists every year. (passive)
The homeowners remodeled the house to help it sell. (active)
The house was remodeled by the homeowners to help it sell. (passive)
The team will celebrate their victory tomorrow. (active)
The victory will be celebrated by the team tomorrow. (passive)
The saltwater eventually corroded the metal beams. (active)
The metal beams were eventually corroded by the saltwater. (passive)
The kangaroo carried her baby in her pouch. (active)
The baby was carried by the kangaroo in her pouch. (passive)
Some people raise sugar cane in Hawaii. (active)
Sugar cane is raised by some people in Hawaii. (passive)
These different sentences written in both active voice and passive voice illustrate the differences.