Active and Passive Voice/ Change of Voice

Active and Passive Voice/ Change of Voice

( Source: S. Chauhan Institute of English: 98135-81301)

Dear students, the sentences we write or speak are generally in active or in passive voice.

Question: Can we change all active sentences in passive voice?

Ans. No, we cannot change all the active sentences in passive voice. This is because some active sentences do not need objects.

It means the sentences which need objects can be changed into passive construction.

What are transitive and intransitive verbs?

If the verb in a sentence needs an object, it is called transitive verb. But the verb that does not need any object is called intransitive verb.

So it is necessary to find out an object in an active sentence.

How to find out an object in an active sentence?

(i)                         Pick out the main verb from the sentence.

(ii)                      Put question ‘what’ or ‘whom’ to it.

(iii)                   Answer will be supplied by the object.

(iv)                   If there is only one object in the sentence, it is called direct object.

(v)                      If there are two objects, the one that gives the answer to ‘whom’ is indirect one.

See the following examples:

(i)   I composed an e-mail to my friend yesterday.

Main verb= composed

Question: Composed what?

Answer: e-mail. It is a direct object.

(ii)                      I composed an e-mail to her yesterday.

Question: to whom?

Answer: my friend

So ‘my friend’  is indirect object.

Rules to change active voice in passive voice:

Active sentence:

Subject + verb + object

I          composed   an e-mail   to my friend yesterday.

Passive sentence:

Object             + Verb+           by+      subject

 

An e-mail     was composed        by         me         to my friend yesterday

Active Sentences Subject + verb+ object          1.    (a) V-1 with or             without   ‘s’ or ‘es’          (b) Do/does+ V-1       1.  V-2/did+ V-1       3. is/am/are+ V- 1(ing)          4.was/were+V-1(ing) 5.has/have+V-3 6. had +V-3      7. will/shall have+V-3    8. Sentences with modal  Verbs

Passive Sentences Object+  Verb+  bY + subject  1. Is/am/are + V-3 2. Was/were + V-3 (3) is/am/ are+ being + V-3+by+Sub (4) was/ were+being+V-3+by+Sub (5) has/have+ been +V-3+by+Sub 6.had+V-3+been+V-3+by+Sub 7. will/shall have+ been+ by+ Sub (8) Model. Aux.V+be+V-3-  by+ Sub

B)   Imperative Sentences

        Beginning with:

  V-1    (a) You are ordered to…

           (b) You are advised to…..

           (c) You are told to…..

Do not + V-1 = You are advised not to…..

Please+V-1       You are requested to……

Rules: 

(i)                         Active sentences in Present Simple Tense:

First form of verb with or without ‘s’ or ‘es’ /do, does+ v-1 changed in is/am/are+ v-3

( Source: S. Chauhan Study Centre for English Language: 98135-81301)

Active Sentence 1.  I like sweets.         2.  She always helps the needy students. 3.  I do not tell a lie. 4.  Do you play cricket? 5.  Why do you not obey your elders? 6.  Who teaches you Maths.?

Passive Sentence 1.  Sweets are liked by me 2.  The needy students are always helped by her. 3.  A lie is not told my me. 4.  Is cricket played by you? 5.  Why are your elders not obeyed by you? 6.  By whom are you taught Maths.?

Prepositions Part-3

6.Use of ‘from’

It shows departure or separation from its source or origin.

1.He has plucked a mango from the tree.

2.They started their journey from Banglore.

3.                        I will take classes from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

4.Read this book from page 10 to 30.

1.I will study this book from the very beginning.

2.This passage has been taken from the lesson ‘The Ten Great Lives’

3.Where are you coming from?

4.Nek Chand had made a beautiful rock garden from the waste material.

1.            Use of ‘above’

                ‘Above’ is used to show that the number or the quantity of something is more than the other.

 For example

1.The students getting 80 percent or above marks will be given a good prize.

2.Shimla is about 8000 feet above the sea level.

3.While swimming, keep your head above the surface of water.

4.You have spent above than what I had expected.

 8. Use of ‘over’

‘Over’ is used in different ways. It shows something above, but it sometimes shows covering all sides.

For example

1.The airplane was flying over the city when it crashed suddenly. (It shows at a height.)

2.When you reach over forty, you should start doing exercises. (It shows more than...)

3.He spread a new bed sheet over the bed. (It shows touching the surface and covering all sides.)

4.The sun was shining over our heads when we reached the half way to our destination.

5.Many eagles started hovering over our heads.

6.He has toured all over the world. (It means he has visited every country of the world.)

7.The time is almost over. (Here ‘over’ shows the end)

9.‘Across’

It is used to show ‘one end to the other end’.

He went across the river.

10.Under

1.The cat was sitting under the table.

2.I cannot work under him.

3.There was a cricket match between the boys under twenty.

4.The police arrested him under suspicion.

 11. Below: It means less than/ lower than…

1.The students below the age of ten cannot take part in this game.

2.It is below my dignity to work with him. ( beneath is preferred in abstract context)

12. Beneath: It has meaning similar to that of under.

                                   It is below my dignity to work with him.(beneath is preferred in abstract context.

13. Down: It denotes something lower than/from a higher point.

1.He could not stop her tears rolling down her cheeks.

2.He went down stairs.

3.Keep your head down.

4.All down-trains are late today.

5.Are you going downtown?

6.He came down the hill.

7.He sat down on the floor.

14. Up: It means to a higher position.

He went up the hill.

15. Between: It is used when anything is distributed and the number is two, not more than that.

                 Distribute these toffees between them. (It is understood that the number will be two only.)

16. Among: It is used if the number of the recipients is more than two.

                  He distributed the toffees among the children.

17. Beside: It means very near.

                  Please sit beside me.

18. Besides: It means in addition to something.

            Besides his salary, he gets more incentive from his company.

19. Behind: It means at the back of something.

                   He stood at the back of the front row.

20.  By: It has several meaning.  See the following sentences.

·     This toy has been made by Ritu.

·     Please come by 4 o’clock.

·     He came and sat by (beside) me.

·     He goes to his college by bus.

·     He caught him by the collar.

21. 'with': It means in the company of somebody, an instrument, etc.

Come with me. (showing company)

 Write with a pen, not with a pencil. (pen as an instrument)

He is not satisfied with the property he has. (with shows possession)

The boy with a book in his hand is a teacher’s son. (possession)

She was shivering with cold. (showing cause)

22. of: It is used to show that something is a part of another thing. But it also denotes several more things.

·     This table is made of precious wood.

·     He is a man of his words.

·     The fruit of this tree is bitter.

·     He has died of heart attack. (showing cause or reason)

 22. Use of 'down'

 From a high or higher point on something to a lower one

1.The stone rolled down the hill.

2.Tears ran down her face.

3.Her hair hung down her back to her waist.

23 along: towards the direction in which you are facing

1.He lives just down the street.

2.Go down the road till you reach the traffic lights.

3.There's a bridge a mile down the river from here.

Prepositions Part-2

2. Use of ‘in’

When some period of time is mentioned, ‘in’ is used in front of it.

1.I always get up early in the morning at 5 o’clock.

2.                        She goes to join coaching classes in the evening.        

3.What are you doing in the afternoon today?

4.                        They will go to Shimla in the coming summer vacation.

5.Our Exams are going to start in the month of October.

6.I will surely meet you in this week.

7.Holi comes in spring season.

In front of the names of big cities, names of states, countries and continents, years, etc.

‘in’ is used.

1.People of different caste, colour and creed live in India.

2.In some states of India, the crime rate is very high.

3.Our country comes in south Asia.

4.Terrorism has spread in the whole world in the recent years.

5.I came to this town in 1998.

  See the following sentences also:

1.My father is in electricity department.

2.She is studying in Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra.

3.He goes to his office in a car.

4.At this time, Mohan is in his bed room.

3.Use of ‘into’

              Read the following sentences:

1.A cat jumped into a well yesterday to save herself from some dogs. (into shows movement towards the interior)

2.He came running into the room. (into shows movement towards the interior)

3.Fire changed all the crops into ashes. ( showing transformation)

4.I promise to look into the matter. (use of a phrasal verb)

 4.Use of ‘on’

The preposition ‘on’shows objects/ things—living or non-living in contact with the surface of anything:

1.The teacher is sitting on the chair.

2.Papers are lying on the table.

3.Many passengers travel by sitting on the roofs of buses and even trains.

4.He lives on the second floor of this building.

5.A stone fell on his head and he died on the spot.

‘On’ is also used in front of the words showing the names of the days.

1.He will return from Mumbai on Monday.

2.I am going to deliver a lecture to you on tomorrow.

Read the following sentences also:

1.He was on duty to Gurgaon.

2.Are you on leave today?

3.I will be on a tour to Europe the next week.

4.Is this car on loan?

5.I listened to your lecture on AIR.

6.Who is on the telephone line?

  5. Use of ‘upon’

Upon shows upward movement on something.

A cat pounced upon the mouse.

Used with ‘how to play’

I know how to play upon harmonium.

I am learning how to play upon a guitar.

Prepositions

Let's discuss 'prepositions' today.

Preposition

A preposition is a word that comes in front of a noun or a pronoun to show its relationship with other words in a sentence. Examples

1.He is sitting on the chair.

2.My friend is annoyed with me.

3.The dog is under the table.

4.The children are hiding themselves behind the hedge.  

In the above sentences, the prepositions are: on, with, under and behind.

These prepositions are showing various relationships of the nouns and pronouns with other words, i.e. sitting (verb) and the chair (noun) in the first sentence, annoyed (verb) with the pronoun 'me' in the second, dog and the table in the third and hiding and the hedge in the fourth one.

1.Use of At

At denotes time.

1.Our school begins at 8 o’clock.

2.Please meet me at 4:30 p.m.

3.Would you like to come at noon?

4.The earthquake came at night.

5.                        All birds and animals wake up at dawn.

6.The travellers reached their destination at the daybreak.

Similarly at is used with following expressions:

At this time, at this moment, at this critical hour/ juncture

 At is also used when we talk about festivals.

·     My brother will come from abroad at Diwali. 

Similarly, we use at with other festivals: at Holi, at Christmas, at Dussehra festival

In front of small towns, cities and villages, ‘at’ is used but ‘in’ is used in front of big cities.

1.I will spend my old age at my village.

2.She is studying these days at Amritsar.

3.He is trying to find some job in Delhi.

4.In Mumbai life is very busy.

‘At’ denotes a target as we find in the following sentences:

1.The hunter aimed at the dove.

2.We should not laugh at the poor.

3.Why are you gazing at me.

 To show the rates of things:

1.This book is selling at a very high price.

2.Onions are being sold at Rs. 20 per Kg. these days.

3.It is very risky when you drive at a high speed.

 Some expressions used with at show temporary activities.

1.I always found her at her study whenever I went to meet her.

2.Do not disturb your father. He is at work now.

3.Are the children at play?

      Study the following sentences also:

1.I was married at the age of 21.

2.You may meet a crowd of beggars at the railway station.

3.The coin is lying at the bottom of water in the glass.

4. At this stage, I cannot predict anything.

    5.The ball fell at some distance.

Continued...