Active and Passive Voice Exercises – Grammar Practice and Examples

What Is Active and Passive Voice?

English sentences can be written in active voice or passive voice. Active voice emphasizes who does the action. Passive voice emphasizes what happens or who receives the action.

Active vs. Passive Voice Examples

How to Form Passive Voice

To form passive voice:

• Use the correct form of the verb "to be" (is, are, was, were).
• Add the past participle of the main verb (eaten, built, written).
• Optionally add "by" to show who performed the action.

Examples of Active and Passive Sentences

• Active: She cleans the room every day.
• Passive: The room is cleaned every day (by her).
• Active: They painted the house.
• Passive: The house was painted (by them).

When to Use Active or Passive Voice?

• Active voice is direct and usually easier to understand. Use it when you know who does the action.
• Passive voice is useful when you want to emphasize the action or when you don't know or don't need to mention who does it.

Quick Tips to Remember

• Active voice: subject + verb + object. (Example: He reads books.)
• Passive voice: object + be verb + past participle (+ by + subject). (Example: Books are read by him.)
• Always choose the voice that clearly expresses your message.