Active and Passive Sentences – SS2 English Lesson Note (Second Term)

Voice is a term that is used to explain whether the performer of an action comes before the action (verb) or whether it comes after the verb in a sentence. When the performer comes before the verb (action) we say the verb is in the active form e.g. 

Dairo killed a snake. (Active voice)

Subject           Object 

However, when the two nouns in the sentence above are swapped, we say the sentence is in the passive form. 

(Passive voice):

A snake was killed by Dairo

Subject                         Object 

RULES 

1. There is an exchange of positions between the subject and the object.
2. The tense of both voices (active and passive) must be the same.
3. There is an introduction of ‘by’ in the passive voice.
4. A form of the verb ‘BE’ is also introduced in the passive voice.

ASSIGNMENT 

Change the following sentences to the passive form. 

1. Amaka sings a song. 
2. Bukola was cooking a nice meal. 
3. Emmanuel has posted the letter. 
4. The principal permitted me. 
5. They offered him a nice job.