Active and Passive Sentences

Active and Passive Sentences

Sentences can be written either in the active or passive form or voice.

Verbs can be active or passive.

Examples

Look at the examples below and determine who is doing the action and who is the receiver? What is the position of the person or thing doing the action.

a. The lazy dog pounced on the bird.

b. Abena washed all the dirty plates.

c.The school boys made a new game.

d. The pirates kept the gold in the chest.

Notes: Any time the person or thing doing the action is in the subject position, the sentence is active.

Look at the examples below and determine who is doing the action and who is the receiver? What is the position of the person or thing doing the action.

a. The bird was pounced on by the lazy dog.

b. All the dirty plates were washed by Abena

c. Anew games was made by the school boys.

d. The gold was kept in the chest by the pirates.

Note: Any time the person doing the action is in the object position and the receiver is in the subject position, we say the sentence is passive.

This can be done orally?

Changing from one verb form to the other.

When changing from active to passive and vice vera, you need to take not of the tense used and apply it.

Eg.

Kojo washed the plates = active (past tense)

The plates were washed by Kojo = passive (past tense)

Changing from one verb form to the other.

Abena eats chocolate. = active (present tense)

Chocolate is eaten by Abena. = passive (present tense)

Continuous tense - verbs with - ing ending

Kojo is eating the food. active (present continous)

The food is being eaten by Kojo. passive (present continous)

Note that for the continuous tense verbs, you need the to-be verb eg. is + the word 'being'.when changing to the passive form.

Change the following to passive.

The cat was chasing the mouse.

Kofi is playing football.

John was cleaning the shoes.

Vijay is pulling the green dog.