10 examples of passive voice in English grammar
Voice change is an important chapter of English language to show relation between subject and verb. It shows if an action is done by the subject itself or received by the subject. So, we can see that voice acts in both direct and indirect ways. When a verb expresses an action and received by the subject of the sentence then it is called passive voice. In passive voice the doer of the action are not known always. The main focus will be on the action and not on the subject in this voice. Students must remember the fact of passive voice in that action verb and the action are the main parts of it. They will learn more from the formation rules, tense wise rules and examples.
Structure: object+ auxiliary verb+ main verb past participle+ by+ subject
Subject of active voice becomes object in passive voice and object takes the place of subject at time of conversion. Some times in passive voice the subject cannot be mentioned if it implies complete meaning without subject. Main verbs of active voice are used with past participle forms in passive voice including by, with, to etc. pronouns of active voice are also changed in definite way at the time of conversion into passive voice. Auxiliary verbs will be different in passive voice as per the tense of active voice.
Examples:
- A picture is drawn by me. (simple present tense)
- The homework was completed by Sneha. (simple past tense)
- The guitar was being played by John. ( past continuous tense)
- The rabbit is being cared by Medha. (present continuous tense)
- The bananas are sold by the fruit seller. (simple present tense)
- Has the apartment been sold by Michael? (present perfect tense)
- The newspaper has been read by my father. (present perfect tense)
- The students are taught English by the teacher. (simple present tense)
- German was being learnt by Asha. (past continuous tense)
- The match had been won by the team. (past perfect tense)
All the sentences mentioned above are examples of passive voice.