ENGLISH GRAMMAR (CLASS IX)

TOPIC : VOICE 

In grammar, the voice of a verb describes the relationship between the action that the verb expresses and the participants identified by its arguments (subject, object etc). When the subject is the agent or doer of the action, the verb is in the active voice. When the subject is the target or undergoer of the action, the verb is said to be in the passive voice.

EXAMPLE: Active - Dinesh killed a tiger.
                       Passive - A tiger was killed by Dinesh. 
1. examine the following sentences carefully:
(a) The man must have eaten five bananas.
(b) Vipin mailed the letter.

2. Now observe the following sentences carefully:
(a) Five bananas must have been eaten by the man.
(b) The letter was mailed by Vipin.

In the above sentences, the verb in 1(a) have eaten and 1(b) mailed express the actions done by the subjects The man and Vipin respectively. When the subject of the verb does the action, the voice of the verb is said to be in Active.

In  sentences 2(a) and 2(b), the verbs have been eaten and was mailed express the actions done on the subjects Five bananas and The letter respectively. When the subject of the verb in a sentence receives the action, the voice of the verb is said to be Passive. Here the word 'by' identifies the sentence as being in passive voice.

CHANGE OF VOICE:
While changing a verb from active to passive voice, the following general rules should be followed.
(a) The object of the active voice is made the subject of the passive voice.
(b) The subject of the active voice is made the object of the passive voice.
(c) The passive voice must contain the third form of the main or finite verb.
(iv) The form of the verb is used according to the tense.

1. Change the verbs in the following sentences into passive form:

(a) Julius Caesar invaded Britain.

Answer: Britain was invaded by Julius Caesar.

(b) The dog bit the man.

Answer: The man was bitten by the dog.

(C) We eat rice.

Answer: Rice is eaten by us.

(d) Ram has met him this morning.

Answer: He has been met this morning by Ram.

(e) The boys were mending a football at that time.

Answer: A football was being mended at that time by the boys.

(f) The police will soon catch him.

Answer: He will be caught soon by the police.

(g) Do you like him?

Answer: Is he liked by you?

(h) Did you buy a pen?

Answer: Was a pen bought by you?

(i) Who has broken the window?

Answer: By whom has the window been broken?

(j) Why did he do it?

Answer: Why was it done by him?

(k) Have you finished your homework?

Answer: Has your home work been finished by you?

(l) Can anybody climb that mountain?

Answer: Can that mountain be climbed?

(m) Shall we call him?

Answer: Will he be called by us?

(n) Don't you like him?

Answer: Is he not liked by you?

(o) Haven't they seen the picture?

Answer: Has the picture not been seen by them?

2. Turn into passive voice (Omit the doer of the action) 

(a) People speak English all over the world. 

Answer:  English is spoken all over the world.

(b) Someone built that cottage a few years ago.

Answer: That cottage was built a few years ago.

(c) Somebody broke that window.

Answer: That window was broken.

(d) We provided him with food and shelter.

Answer: He was provided with food and shelter.

(e) They asked the boy many questions.

Answer: The boy was asked many questions.

(f) They will hold a meeting next week.

Answer: A meeting will be held next week.

3. Change into passive voice:

(a) They gave her a new dress.

Answer: She was given a new dress by them.

(b) Anyone can answer these questions.

Answer: These questions can be answered by anyone.

(c) You mustn't do it.

Answer: It must not be done by you.

(d) Shut the door.

Answer: Let the door be shut.

(e) We made him our secretary.

Answer:  He was made our secretary.

(f) He laughed at the old man.

Answer: The old man was laughed at by him.

(g) I know the house.

Answer: The house is known to me.

(h) He displeased his parents.

Answer: His parents were displeased with him.

(i) aDo not mix in bad company.

Answer: You are advised not to mix in bad company.

(j) Who gave you this pen?

Answer: By whom was this pen given?

4. Change the Voice of:

1. The villagers killed the tiger.

Answer: The tiger was killed by the villagers.

2. My sister has written the poem.

Answer: The poem has been written by my sister.

3. I bought an umbrella yesterday.

Answer: An umbrella was bought yesterday by me.

4. The dead body was removed from the street.
Answer: People removed the dead body from the street.

5. Graham Bell invented the telephone.
Answer: The telephone was invented by Graham Bell.

6. Rose is called the queen of the flowers.
Answer: People call rose the queen of the flowers.

7. The Principal presided over the meeting.
Answer: The meeting was presided over by the principal.

8. The chief guest gave away the prizes.
Answer: The prizes were given away by the chief guest.

9. They asked the boy many questions.
Answer: The boy was asked many questions by them.

10. The policeman will catch the thief.
Answer: The thief will be caught by the policeman.