Active voice is widely used in both everyday communication and academic writing. Using it correctly not only makes your sentences clearer and more direct, but also helps you earn a higher score in English proficiency tests.
So, what is active voice? What are its forms? And how can you convert active voice into passive voice correctly? IDP IELTS explains it all in this detailed guide.
1. What Is Active Voice
Active voice is a sentence structure where the subject performs the action of the verb. The focus is on the person or thing doing the action.
Structure of active voice: Subject (S) + Verb (V) + Object (O)
Examples:
I ate pizza yesterday
He draws beautiful landscapes
My mom cooked a delicious meal for me
In each example, the subject is actively performing the action on the object.
2. Active Voice vs Passive Voice
Although both active and passive voice can express the same idea, their usage and emphasis are different. Understanding when and how to use each will help you communicate more effectively.
Active Voice | Passive Voice |
|---|---|
Emphasizes the person or thing doing the action | Emphasizes the action or the object affected by the action |
Structure: S + V + O | Structure: S + to be + V3 (past participle) + by (optional) |
Example: Mary plays the piano every day | Example: The piano is played by Mary every day |
We went to the movies last night | The movie was watched by us last night |
She is going to visit her parents | Her parents are going to be visited by her |
3. When to Use Active and Passive Voice
Use Active Voice When:
You want to focus on the person doing the action
Example: I wrote this essay
The subject is known and important
Example: Jack won the scholarship
You want to describe a process or series of events
Example: Jenny finished her housework and then played games
You want the sentence to be short, clear, and direct
Example: They are building a new house
You want a more vivid and lively tone
Example: The dog chased the cat
You are using everyday conversation
Example: She likes to eat apples
Use Passive Voice When:
You want to focus on the result or object of an action
Example: My watch has been stolen (Focus is on the missing watch, not the thief)
The subject is unknown or irrelevant
Example: An anonymous package was sent to me
The object cannot perform the action
Example: The tree was planted 10 years ago
4. How to Convert Active Voice to Passive Voice
Follow these steps to convert an active sentence into a passive one:
Step 1: Identify the object in the active sentence
This object will become the subject in the passive sentence.
Example: My mom cleaned the house yesterday → The house
Step 2: Identify the tense and change the verb to the passive form (to be + V3)
The house was cleaned
**Step 3: Convert the original subject into the agent (optional), using “by”_
The house was cleaned yesterday by my mom
5. Notes When Using Passive Voice
Use the correct form of the verb “to be” based on the tense and number of the new subject.
You can omit the agent (by + subject) if it is unknown or unnecessary. Example: The letter was sent yesterday (no need to say who sent it)
6. Active Voice Exercises
Exercise 1: Change the following active sentences into passive voice
The dog chased the cat → The cat was chased by the dog
The dog bit the boy → The boy was bitten by the dog
The peon rang the bell → The bell was rung by the peon
Ram played hockey → Hockey was played by Ram
Miss Mary teaches us English → English is taught to us by Miss Mary
Jack caught the ball → The ball was caught by Jack
Children like sweets → Sweets are liked by children
Rita will take a photograph → A photograph will be taken by Rita
Who taught you this poem → By whom were you taught this poem
The police arrested the smuggler → The smuggler was arrested by the police
Exercise 2: Identify the voice (Active or Passive)
Grill was painted by the painter → Passive
My siblings gave me a surprise → Active
The snake has been taken to the hospital → Passive
Someone has stolen my little purse → Active
Some kids are giggling → Active
This is 100 percent pure coconut oil → Active
The assignment will be completed by the afternoon → Passive
She is buying a new phone → Active
The scooty has been analyzed and scanned → Passive
The eclipse was seen for a long period → Passive
Master Active Voice with IDP IELTS
This article has covered the definition, structure, and usage of active voice, along with how to convert it to passive voice. To effectively apply active voice in your IELTS writing and speaking tests, make sure to practice regularly.
IDP IELTS offers free study resources including expert tips, videos, and grammar lessons to help you improve your skills. You can also take an IELTS mock test with IDP to familiarize yourself with the test format and time management.
Whether you are preparing for the IELTS Academic or General Training test, IDP provides flexible exam schedules every week.
When you are ready, register for the IELTS test with IDP today and start your journey to success.