Mastering Active and Passive Voice in English Sentences

Posted on Aug 15, 2025 in English

Active and Passive Voice Transformations

Section 1: Changing Passive to Active Sentences

Examples:

  • The engineers successfully finished the task.
  • The task was finished successfully by the engineers.
  • The IT Director bought new software for the company.
  • A new software was bought by the IT Director.
  • John wrote a letter.
  • A letter was written by John.
  • They invited ten friends to the party.
  • Ten friends were invited to the party.
  • The police caught the thieves yesterday.
  • Yesterday, the police caught the thieves.
  • My brother hit me.
  • I was hit by my brother.
  • We will build a new house.
  • A new house will be built.
  • They removed two cars from the street.
  • Two cars were removed from the street by them.
  • Bob broke the window.
  • The window was broken by Bob.
  • They arrested her last week.
  • She was arrested last week by them.
  • I sell this computer.
  • This computer is sold by me.
  • The Engineer designs the programs.
  • The programs are designed by the Engineer.
  • She will take a plane.
  • A plane will be taken by her.

Section 2: Rewriting Passive to Active

Instructions:

Rewrite the following sentences, changing them from passive to active voice.

  • Passive: The thieves were arrested by the police.
  • Active: The police arrested the thieves.
  • Passive: He has been invited to their party by them.
  • Active: They have invited him to the party.
  • Passive: A letter was written to him by her.
  • Active: She wrote him a letter / She wrote a letter to him.
  • Passive: The fish is eaten by the clients.
  • Active: The clients eat the fish.
  • Passive: The fish was eaten by the clients.
  • Active: The clients ate the fish.
  • Passive: A book was offered to them by her.
  • Active: She offered a book to them / She offered them a book.
  • Passive: A letter is written to him by her everyday.
  • Active: She writes a letter to him everyday.
  • Passive: A letter has been written to him by her everyday.
  • Active: She has written a letter to him everyday.
  • Passive: Prince Hamlet was welcomed by the people.
  • Active: The people welcomed Prince Hamlet.

Section 3: Rewriting Active to Passive Sentences

Instructions:

Rewrite the following sentences, changing them from active to passive voice.

  • Active: The girl recited the poem beautifully.
  • Passive: The poem was recited beautifully by the girl (by her).
  • Active: The guests enjoyed the conference.
  • Passive: The conference was enjoyed by the guests.
  • Active: The child impressed everyone with his polite manners.
  • Passive: Everyone was impressed by the child with his polite manners.
  • Active: They will send messages to the team.
  • Passive: Messages will be sent to the team by them.
  • Active: A girl from Italy won the first prize.
  • Passive: The first prize was won by a girl from Italy.
  • Active: Columbus discovered America.
  • Passive: America was discovered by Columbus.
  • Active: He met the skills and competences for this job.
  • Passive: The skills and competences were met by him for this job.
  • Active: The secretary broke the window yesterday.
  • Passive: The window was broken (yesterday) by the secretary.
  • Active: The Chief will receive the clients after a meeting.
  • Passive: The clients will be received by the Chief after a meeting.
  • Active: I speak English.
  • Passive: English is spoken by me.