Active and Passive Voice: Present Tenses

Active and Passive Voice are essential components of English grammar. They allow us to focus on either the doer of the action (active) or the receiver of the action (passive). In this lesson, we will explore the Simple Present, Present Continuous, and Present Perfect tenses.

What Are Active and Passive Voice?

Active Voice

• The subject performs the action.
• Use active voice to emphasize the doer of the action.
• The chef cooks the meal. (Subject: the chef | Verb: cooks | Object: the meal)

Passive Voice

• The object becomes the focus of the sentence, and the subject may be de-emphasized or omitted.
• Use passive voice when the doer is unknown, unimportant, or implied.
• The meal is cooked by the chef. (Object: the meal | Verb: is cooked | Subject: by the chef)

🔹 General Rule:

1. Simple Present Tense

🔹 Form:

Examples:

• 🖊️ Active: She writes a letter.
  ➡️ Passive: A letter is written by her.
• 📖 Active: He reads books.
  ➡️ Passive: Books are read by him.
• 🎤 Active: They sing songs.
  ➡️ Passive: Songs are sung by them.
• 📺 Active: I watch TV.
  ➡️ Passive: TV is watched by me.
• 💼 Active: She manages the project.
  ➡️ Passive: The project is managed by her.
• 🏀 Active: He plays basketball.
  ➡️ Passive: Basketball is played by him.
• 🚗 Active: They drive cars.
  ➡️ Passive: Cars are driven by them.
• 🎂 Active: I bake cakes.
  ➡️ Passive: Cakes are baked by me.
• 📚 Active: She studies grammar.
  ➡️ Passive: Grammar is studied by her.
• 🍎 Active: He eats apples.
  ➡️ Passive: Apples are eaten by him.
• 🌟 Active: We teach English.
  ➡️ Passive: English is taught by us.
• ✈️ Active: They book tickets.
  ➡️ Passive: Tickets are booked by them.
• 🖌️ Active: I paint walls.
  ➡️ Passive: Walls are painted by me.
• 🎸 Active: She plays guitar.
  ➡️ Passive: The guitar is played by her.
• 🏠 Active: He cleans the house.
  ➡️ Passive: The house is cleaned by him.
• 🎥 Active: They watch movies.
  ➡️ Passive: Movies are watched by them.
• 📋 Active: I complete tasks.
  ➡️ Passive: Tasks are completed by me.
• 🍳 Active: She cooks dinner.
  ➡️ Passive: Dinner is cooked by her.
• 📝 Active: He writes reports.
  ➡️ Passive: Reports are written by him.
• 📞 Active: They make calls.
  ➡️ Passive: Calls are made by them.

2. Present Continuous Tense

🔹 Form:

Examples:

• 🖊️ Active: She is writing a letter.
  ➡️ Passive: A letter is being written by her.
• 📖 Active: He is reading books.
  ➡️ Passive: Books are being read by him.
• 🎤 Active: They are singing songs.
  ➡️ Passive: Songs are being sung by them.
• 📺 Active: I am watching TV.
  ➡️ Passive: TV is being watched by me.
• 💼 Active: She is managing the project.
  ➡️ Passive: The project is being managed by her.
• 🏀 Active: He is playing basketball.
  ➡️ Passive: Basketball is being played by him.
• 🚗 Active: They are driving cars.
  ➡️ Passive: Cars are being driven by them.
• 🎂 Active: I am baking cakes.
  ➡️ Passive: Cakes are being baked by me.
• 📚 Active: She is studying grammar.
  ➡️ Passive: Grammar is being studied by her.
• 🍎 Active: He is eating apples.
  ➡️ Passive: Apples are being eaten by him.
• 🌟 Active: We are teaching English.
  ➡️ Passive: English is being taught by us.
• ✈️ Active: They are booking tickets.
  ➡️ Passive: Tickets are being booked by them.
• 🖌️ Active: I am painting walls.
  ➡️ Passive: Walls are being painted by me.
• 🎸 Active: She is playing guitar.
  ➡️ Passive: The guitar is being played by her.
• 🏠 Active: He is cleaning the house.
  ➡️ Passive: The house is being cleaned by him.
• 🎥 Active: They are watching movies.
  ➡️ Passive: Movies are being watched by them.
• 📋 Active: I am completing tasks.
  ➡️ Passive: Tasks are being completed by me.
• 🍳 Active: She is cooking dinner.
  ➡️ Passive: Dinner is being cooked by her.
• 📝 Active: He is writing reports.
  ➡️ Passive: Reports are being written by him.
• 📞 Active: They are making calls.
  ➡️ Passive: Calls are being made by them.

3. Present Perfect Tense

🔹 Form:

Examples:

• 🖊️ Active: She has written a letter.
  ➡️ Passive: A letter has been written by her.
• 📖 Active: He has read books.
  ➡️ Passive: Books have been read by him.
• 🎤 Active: They have sung songs.
  ➡️ Passive: Songs have been sung by them.
• 📺 Active: I have watched TV.
  ➡️ Passive: TV has been watched by me.
• 💼 Active: She has managed the project.
  ➡️ Passive: The project has been managed by her.
• 🏀 Active: He has played basketball.
  ➡️ Passive: Basketball has been played by him.
• 🚗 Active: They have driven cars.
  ➡️ Passive: Cars have been driven by them.
• 🎂 Active: I have baked cakes.
  ➡️ Passive: Cakes have been baked by me.
• 📚 Active: She has studied grammar.
  ➡️ Passive: Grammar has been studied by her.
• 🍎 Active: He has eaten apples.
  ➡️ Passive: Apples have been eaten by him.
• 🌟 Active: We have taught English.
  ➡️ Passive: English has been taught by us.
• ✈️ Active: They have booked tickets.
  ➡️ Passive: Tickets have been booked by them.
• 🖌️ Active: I have painted walls.
  ➡️ Passive: Walls have been painted by me.
• 🎸 Active: She has played guitar.
  ➡️ Passive: The guitar has been played by her.
• 🏠 Active: He has cleaned the house.
  ➡️ Passive: The house has been cleaned by him.
• 🎥 Active: They have watched movies.
  ➡️ Passive: Movies have been watched by them.
• 📋 Active: I have completed tasks.
  ➡️ Passive: Tasks have been completed by me.
• 🍳 Active: She has cooked dinner.
  ➡️ Passive: Dinner has been cooked by her.
• 📝 Active: He has written reports.
  ➡️ Passive: Reports have been written by him.
• 📞 Active: They have made calls.
  ➡️ Passive: Calls have been made by them.