Active and passive voice are two fundamental concepts in English grammar that determine how sentences are structured and how actions are portrayed. Understanding the difference between active and passive voice is crucial for effective communication and writing.
My 50 Sentences Of Active And Passive Voice will help you to understand it better.
Active and Passive Voice
Active voice and passive voice are two different ways in which sentences can be structured based on the relationship between the subject, verb, and object.
Active Voice
In active voice sentences, the subject performs the action expressed by the verb, and the object receives that action. The structure of an active voice sentence typically follows the pattern: subject + verb + object.
Example:
- The cat (subject) chased (verb) the mouse (object).
Rules for constructing sentences in active voice:
- The subject of the sentence performs the action expressed by the verb.
- The subject usually comes before the verb in active voice sentences.
- Active voice is often more direct and concise than passive voice.
Passive Voice
In passive voice sentences, the subject receives the action expressed by the verb, while the agent (the entity performing the action) may be either omitted or introduced with “by.” The structure of a passive voice sentence typically follows the pattern: object + auxiliary verb (usually a form of “to be”) + past participle of the main verb + optional agent.
Example:
- The mouse (subject) was chased (verb) by the cat (agent).
Rules for constructing sentences in passive voice:
- The object of the active voice sentence becomes the subject in passive voice, while the subject may become the agent (optional) or be omitted altogether.
- The auxiliary verb “to be” is used in passive voice constructions, followed by the past participle of the main verb.
- Passive voice is often used to shift the focus from the doer of the action to the action itself or the recipient of the action.
- Passive voice is commonly used in formal writing, scientific papers, or when the doer of the action is unknown or irrelevant.
It’s important to note that while both active and passive voices are grammatically correct, choosing the appropriate voice depends on the context and the writer’s intention.
50 Sentences Of Active And Passive Voice
| Active Voice | Passive Voice | Tense |
|---|---|---|
| The dog chases the cat. | The cat is chased by the dog. | Present Simple |
| Sarah baked cookies for her friends. | Cookies were baked for her friends by Sarah. | Past Simple |
| The sun will shine brightly in the sky. | Brightly will shine the sun in the sky. | Future Simple |
| Dad is reading a bedtime story to me every night. | A bedtime story is being read to me every night by Dad. | Present Continuous |
| The teacher teaches us how to write. | How to write is being taught to us by the teacher. | Present Simple |
| The children were playing soccer in the park. | Soccer was being played in the park by the children. | Past Continuous |
| Mom will water the flowers in the garden. | The flowers in the garden will be watered by Mom. | Future Simple |
| The birds are singing sweetly in the trees. | Sweetly are being sung by the birds in the trees. | Present Continuous |
| Tom has drawn a picture of a car. | A picture of a car has been drawn by Tom. | Present Perfect |
| The baby had been giggling when tickled. | When tickled, the baby had been giggling. | Past Perfect |
| The scientist will conduct experiments in the laboratory. | Experiments will be conducted in the laboratory by the scientist. | Future Simple |
| The chef is preparing a delicious meal for the guests. | A delicious meal is being prepared for the guests by the chef. | Present Continuous |
| The artist painted a beautiful landscape on the canvas. | A beautiful landscape was painted on the canvas by the artist. | Past Simple |
| The athletes will be training hard for the upcoming competition. | Hard training will be undergone by the athletes for the upcoming competition. | Future Continuous |
| The architect has designed a stunning skyscraper for the city. | A stunning skyscraper has been designed for the city by the architect. | Present Perfect |
| The musician is composing a melodious piece of music. | A melodious piece of music is being composed by the musician. | Present Continuous |
| The author will have written an intriguing novel that captivates readers. | An intriguing novel that captivates readers will have been written by the author. | Future Perfect |
| The doctor had performed a successful surgery on the patient. | A successful surgery had been performed on the patient by the doctor. | Past Perfect |
| The engineer will have been constructing a sturdy bridge over the river. | A sturdy bridge over the river will have been being constructed by the engineer. | Future Perfect Continuous |
| The volunteers have cleaned up the beach to protect the environment. | The beach has been cleaned up to protect the environment by the volunteers. | Present Perfect |
| We are pitching our tents under the starry sky. | Tents are being pitched under the starry sky by us. | Present Continuous |
| Jake was building a campfire to roast marshmallows. | A campfire was being built by Jake to roast marshmallows. | Past Continuous |
| The scouts will be exploring the forest to find hidden treasures. | The forest will be explored by the scouts to find hidden treasures. | Future Continuous |
| Emily had spotted a deer while hiking in the mountains. | A deer had been spotted by Emily while hiking in the mountains. | Past Perfect Continuous |
| The adventurers will have climbed to the top of the hill to watch the sunset. | The top of the hill will have been climbed by the adventurers to watch the sunset. | Future Perfect |
| We have been singing campfire songs around the blazing fire. | Campfire songs have been being sung around the blazing fire by us. | Present Perfect Continuous |
| Sarah has set up her sleeping bag inside the cozy tent. | A sleeping bag has been set up inside the cozy tent by Sarah. | Present Perfect |
| Max will have caught a fish from the sparkling river. | A fish will have been caught from the sparkling river by Max. | Future Perfect |
| The campers had been collecting sticks and logs for the bonfire. | Sticks and logs had been being collected for the bonfire by the campers. | Past Perfect Continuous |
| Alex and Mia will be going on a nature walk to discover new plants and animals. | A nature walk will be being gone on by Alex and Mia to discover new plants and animals. | Future Continuous |
| Sentence | Tense | Voice |
|---|---|---|
| The professor assigned the homework to the students. | Simple Past | Active |
| The homework was assigned to the students by the professor. | Simple Past | Passive |
| The students presented their research findings during the seminar. | Simple Past | Active |
| The research findings were presented during the seminar by the students. | Simple Past | Passive |
| The university organizes a career fair for the graduating students. | Present Simple | Active |
| A career fair is organized for the graduating students by the university. | Present Simple | Passive |
| The students conducted experiments in the laboratory for their science project. | Simple Past | Active |
| Experiments were conducted in the laboratory by the students for their science project. | Simple Past | Passive |
| The lecturer explains the new concepts in detail to the class. | Present Simple | Active |
| The new concepts are explained in detail to the class by the lecturer. | Present Simple | Passive |
| The committee awarded scholarships to outstanding students. | Simple Past | Active |
| Scholarships were awarded to outstanding students by the committee. | Simple Past | Passive |
| The university encourages students to participate in extracurricular activities. | Present Simple | Active |
| Students are encouraged to participate in extracurricular activities by the university. | Present Simple | Passive |
| The students formed study groups to prepare for the upcoming exams. | Simple Past | Active |
| Study groups were formed by the students to prepare for the upcoming exams. | Simple Past | Passive |
| The dean congratulated the students on their academic achievements. | Simple Past | Active |
| The students were congratulated on their academic achievements by the dean. | Simple Past | Passive |
| The university offers various study abroad programs to interested students. | Present Simple | Active |
| Various study abroad programs are offered to interested students by the university. | Present Simple | Passive |
| Active Voice | Passive Voice | Tense |
|---|---|---|
| The tour guide leads us through the winding streets of the old city. | The winding streets of the old city are led by the tour guide. | Present Simple |
| We are exploring the ancient ruins with our knowledgeable guide. | The ancient ruins are explored with our knowledgeable guide. | Present Continuous |
| The locals warmly greet us as we arrive at the village. | Warm greetings are received from the locals as the village is arrived at. | Present Simple |
| We sampled delicious street food at the bustling market. | Delicious street food was sampled at the bustling market. | Past Simple |
| Our group was hiking to the summit of the mountain for breathtaking views. | The summit of the mountain was hiked to for breathtaking views by our group. | Past Continuous, Past Simple |
| The tour operator is organizing an exciting excursion to the wildlife reserve. | An exciting excursion to the wildlife reserve is organized by the tour operator. | Present Continuous, Present Simple |
| We are photographing the stunning sunset over the ocean from the cliff. | The stunning sunset over the ocean is photographed from the cliff by us. | Present Continuous, Present Simple |
| The hotel staff has prepared a sumptuous breakfast buffet every morning. | A sumptuous breakfast buffet has been prepared every morning by the hotel staff. | Present Perfect |
| We have visited famous landmarks and learned about their history. | Famous landmarks have been visited, and their history has been learned about. | Present Perfect |
| The travel agency will arrange transportation to and from the airport. | Transportation to and from the airport will be arranged by the travel agency. | Future Simple |
Download this image, print it, and practice by ticking correct voice.
Conclusion
This collection of 50 sentences exemplifies the diverse applications of both active and passive voice in English grammar. Through these examples, we’ve delved into the nuances of sentence structure and how active voice emphasizes the doer of an action, while passive voice shifts focus to the action itself or its recipient.
By navigating through these sentences, we’ve not only honed our understanding of grammar but also cultivated the skill to wield these voices effectively in our own writing. As we reflect on this exploration, we recognize the importance of context and intention in selecting the appropriate voice, and we’re equipped with the tools to craft sentences that resonate with clarity and impact.
Whether we opt for the directness of active voice or the nuanced expression of passive voice, we emerge from this journey with a heightened appreciation for the richness and versatility of language.
