Page 84 - Grammar Glow - 8
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Some general rules of the grammar of voice
Monotransitive verb: In simple sentences, the change from active to passive takes place by
changing the verb to past participle form and by putting the word by before the agent.
• He sells mangoes. (active)
Mangoes are sold by him. (passive)
• Does he still love me? (active)
Am I still loved by him? (passive)
Ditransitive verb: When the verb in the active voice is ditransitive (i.e. with two objects), the
possibility of the passive voice formation is of not just one but of two kinds.
• The teacher taught the students mathematics. (active)
• The students were taught mathematics by the teacher. (passive)
• Mathematics was taught to the students by the teacher. (passive)
Personal pronouns often get changed with change of voices: Often personal pronouns get
changed when a change of voice takes place.
• I need some guidance. (active)
Some guidance is needed by me. (passive)
• We brought them up. (active)
They were brought up by us. (passive)
Long phrase remains unchanged in some cases: Sometimes the object is a long phrase and it
remains intact even when the voice gets changed in the sentence.
• Nelson commanded a fleet of ships. (active)
A fleet of ships was commanded by Nelson. (passive)
The interrogative sentences retain their interrogative form when they are changed from active to
passive or vice versa.
• Do you obey your parents? (active)
Are your parents obeyed by you? (passive)
Formation of Passive voice
The passive voice is formed with the suitable tense of the verb be + the past participle form of the
main verb.
The following two aspects are very important in the formation of passive voice.
The key to the formation of passive voice is the use of past participle form of the verb with an
auxiliary verb.
• You took it yesterday. (active)
past participle
It was taken by you yesterday. (passive)
auxiliary connecting preposition
The verb form in a passive voice sentence takes shape, in accordance with the tense. The following
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