In English, verbs can be used in both active and passive voices. The active voice emphasizes the subject acting, while the passive voice highlights the subject receiving the action. Understanding the distinction and proper use of both voices is essential for clear and effective communication, as they can significantly change the emphasis and structure of a sentence. This guide will explain how to use active and passive voices across various tenses, providing examples and explanations to help you navigate their use. Knowing when and how to switch between these voices will enhance your clarity and expression, whether you’re writing formally or speaking informally.

Present Simple Tense

Active Voice: The subject acts.

• Structure: Subject + Base verb (s/es)
• Example: Sarah plays the piano every morning. (Sarah is acting.)

Passive Voice: The object of the action becomes the subject.

• Structure: Subject (object of the active sentence) + is/am/are + past participle of verb
• Example: The piano is played by Sarah every morning. (The object “the piano” is now the subject.)

Present Continuous Tense

Active Voice: The subject is currently acting.

• Structure: Subject + am/is/are + verb + ing
• Example: Ali is writing a letter to his friend. (Ali is actively writing.)

Passive Voice: The object becomes the focus of the sentence.

• Structure: Subject (object of active sentence) + is/am/are + being + past participle of verb
• Example: A letter is being written by Ali. (The letter is now the subject.)

Present Perfect Tense

Active Voice: The subject has completed the action at an unspecified time in the past.

• Structure: Subject + has/have + past participle of verb
• Example: He has visited Karachi. (He completed the visit at some point before now.)

Passive Voice: The object becomes the subject.

• Structure: Subject (object of the active sentence) + has/have + been + past participle of verb
• Example: Karachi has been visited by him. (Karachi is now the focus.)

Present Perfect Continuous Tense

Active Voice: The subject has been acting for some time.

• Structure: Subject + has/have + been + verb + ing
• Example: They have been working on the project since morning. (They started working in the past and continue.)

Passive Voice: The object, which has been affected over time, becomes the subject.

• Structure: Subject (object of active sentence) + has/have + been + being + past participle of verb
• Example: The project has been being worked on by them since morning. (The project is now the subject, and the action has been ongoing.)

Past Simple Tense

Active Voice: The subject acted in the past.

• Structure: Subject + past form of verb
• Example: Shahid painted the house last weekend. (The action took place in the past.)

Passive Voice: The object of the action becomes the subject.

• Structure: Subject (object of the active sentence) + was/were + past participle of verb
• Example: The house was painted by shahid last weekend. (The object “the house” is now the subject.)

Past Continuous Tense

Active Voice: The subject was acting at a specific time in the past.

• Structure: Subject + was/were + verb + ing
• Example: They were playing hockey at 3 PM yesterday. (They were in the process of playing at that specific time.)

Passive Voice: The object becomes the subject of the sentence.

• Structure: Subject (object of the active sentence) + was/were + being + past participle of verb
• Example: Hockey was being played by them at 3 PM yesterday. (The object “hockey” is now the subject.)

Past Perfect Tense

Active Voice: The subject had completed the action before another past event.

• Structure: Subject + had + past participle of verb
• Example: She had finished the book before the meeting started. (She completed the action before the meeting.)

Passive Voice: The object of the action becomes the subject.

• Structure: Subject (object of the active sentence) + had + been + past participle of verb
• Example: The book had been finished by her before the meeting started. (The book is now the subject.)

Past Perfect Continuous Tense

Active Voice: The subject had been acting over a period of time before another past event.

• Structure: Subject + had + been + verb + ing
• Example: He had been reading the novel for two hours when the power went out. (He was still in the middle of reading.)

Passive Voice: The object becomes the subject, with an emphasis on the ongoing nature of the action.

• Structure: Subject (object of active sentence) + had + been + being + past participle of verb
• Example: The novel had been being read by him for two hours when the power went out. (The object “the novel” is now the subject, and the action was ongoing.)

Future Simple Tense

Active Voice: The subject will act in the future.

• Structure: Subject + will + base verb
• Example: She will cook dinner tomorrow. (The action will occur in the future.)

Passive Voice: The object of the action becomes the subject.

• Structure: Subject (object of active sentence) + will + be + past participle of verb
• Example: Dinner will be cooked by her tomorrow. (Dinner is now the subject.)

Future Continuous Tense

Active Voice: The subject will be acting at a specific time in the future.

• Structure: Subject + will + be + verb + ing
• Example: I will be studying at 7 PM tomorrow. (I will be in the middle of studying.)

Passive Voice: The object takes the subject’s place.

• Structure: Subject (object of active sentence) + will + be + being + past participle of verb
• Example: The lesson will be being studied by me at 7 PM tomorrow. (The lesson is now the subject.)

Future Perfect Tense

Active Voice: The subject will have completed the action before a specific future time.

• Structure: Subject + will + have + past participle of verb
• Example: She will have finished the project by next Friday. (The action will be completed before next Friday.)

Passive Voice: The object becomes the subject.

• Structure: Subject (object of active sentence) + will + have + been + past participle of verb
• Example: The project will have been finished by her by next Friday. (The project is now the subject.)

Future Perfect Continuous Tense

Active Voice: The subject will have been acting for a period of time before a point in the future.

• Structure: Subject + will + have + been + verb + ing
• Example: She will have been working on the project for two weeks by the time the deadline arrives. (The action will continue for a period of time.)

Passive Voice: The object becomes the subject, with an emphasis on the duration of the action.

• Structure: Subject (object of active sentence) + will + have + been + being + past participle of verb
• Example: The project will have been being worked on by her for two weeks by the time the deadline arrives. (The project is now the subject.)