Active and Passive Voice For Class 9
What is Voice in Grammar?
Voice in grammar is a study of the relationship of the verb with its subject and object.
• When the subject of a sentence performs the action, the sentence has an active voice.
• When the subject of the sentence merely receives the action, the sentence has a passive voice.
1. Chandu cut a tree.
The subject in this sentence is Chandu who performs the action of cutting a tree. Hence, the sentence is in the active voice.
2. A tree was cut by Chandu.
The subject in this sentence tree does not seem to perform the action. Instead, it seems to have received the action of ‘being cut’. Hence, the sentence is in the passive voice.
Active Voice
The active voice is widely used in English and is preferred over the passive voice. It is direct and concise in nature and it makes the sentences sound assertive. In the active voice, the subject or doer is in focus and not the object.
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In the above sentences, the words people, Helen and Krishna are in the focus,
the words representative, song and bus are in the background. Hence, the active voice is used.
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| Subject | Verb | Object | |
| Active Voice | The cat | Chased | the rat |
| Passive Voice | The rat | is chased | by the cat |
- She drove the car home and the garage door was opened by her. Incorrect
- She drove the car home and opened the garage door. Correct
- When the doer of the action is important, use the active voice.
The Prime Minister spoke about the important issue.
Gretel wrote a letter
- When the thing or person which gets affected by the action is important, use the passive voice.
The mangoes were picked from the orchard.
Michael was called by the boss.
- The passive voice is not possible when the verb used is intransitive
Krishna runs fast.
Fast was ran by Krishna. Incorrect
Changes in Tense
| Tense | Active Voice | Passive Voice |
| Simple present | The bees gather nectar. | Nectar is gathered by the bees. |
| Present continuous | Manish is writing a story | A story is being written by Manish. |
| Present perfect | Reema has gifted Sheena | Sheena has been gifted by Reema |
| Present perfect continuous | Dad has been calling you. | - |
| Simple past | The monkeys stole food | Food was stolen by the monkeys |
| Past continuous | Geeta was cleaning the house | The house was being cleaned by Geeta |
| Past perfect | Chitra had finished the work | The work had been finished by Chitra. |
| Past perfect continuous | Beena had been working | - |
| Simple future | I will write a letter. | A letter will be written by me. |
| Future continuous | She will be grating cheese | - |
| Future perfect | Dr Walsh will have discovered a cure. | A cure will have been discovered by Dr Walsh. |
| Future perfect continuous | Maria will have been cooking food. | - |
