Synthesis & Transformation - Active And Passive Voice

In this article, we will learn about transforming Active into Passive Voice sentences following the guidelines of the Primary 5 English syllabus. We will also learn how to convert the active to the passive and vice versa.

Active Vs Passive Voice

• The Active Voice is typically when the subject is the person/thing performing the action (verb): “She loved him.”
  “She” ---- Subject, “loved” --- Verb, “him” ---- recipient
   
• In the Passive Voice, the subject is the recipient of an action: “He was loved by her.”
  “He” ---- Subject, “was loved” ----- Verb, “by her” ---- prepositional phrase telling us who performed the action. 

Practice Questions

Question 1:

Transform the following passive sentence into an active one: 

Many spaceships had been repaired by Iden before she received her official certification.

Iden __________.

(Think: What did Iden do? What is the action/verb?)

1. Iden had repaired many spaceships before she received her official certification.
2. Iden had been repaired by many spaceships before she received her official certification.
3. Iden has received her official certification before she repaired many spaceships.

Solution:

Option 1 is the correct answer.

Explanation:

Option 2 is wrong - The sentence does not make logical sense as the spaceships cannot repair a person.
Option 3 is wrong - The sentence has the wrong order of events

Question 2:

Transform the following passive sentence into an active one:

She purchased both books.

Both __________.

(Think: What does “both” refer to? What action did they receive? Lastly, who performs that action?)

1. Both books were purchased.
2. Both books were purchased by her.
3. Both she and the books were purchased.
4. Both books she purchased.

Solution:

Option 2 is the correct answer.

Explanation:

Option 1 is wrong - Both books were purchased but it is unclear who it is from.
Option 3 is wrong - Both refers to the two books and not, she and the books.
Option 4 is wrong - The sentence is in the active voice.

Fact Check

Is the pattern becoming more obvious?

To Repeat:

In Active Voice: the subject performs an action

He kicked the ball.

In Passive Voice: the subject is a recipient of an action.

The ball was kicked by him.

Question 3:

Transform the following active sentence into a passive one:

The team made many great discoveries.

Many __________.

(Remember: The general rule for synthesis & transformation questions is to preserve the original information given as best as you can.)

1. Many members of the team had made great discoveries.
2. Many teams had made great discoveries.
3. Many great discoveries were made.
4. Many great discoveries were made by the team.

Solution:

Option 4 is the correct answer.

Explanation:

The team - Subject
Made - verb
Many great discoveries - Object

Now, the object has become the subject.
So “Many great discoveries” is the subject now.

Option 2 is wrong as the sentence is still in the active voice.
Option 1 is wrong as the word ‘many’ refers to the great discoveries and NOT the members of the team.
Option 3 is wrong as the original information is not preserved.

Question 4:

Transform the following active sentence into a passive one:

The national flag was raised by the lead officer.

The lead officer __________.

1. The lead officer was raised by the national flag.
2. The lead officer was raising the national flag.
3. The lead officer raised the national flag.
4. The lead officer had raised the national flag.

Solution:

Option 3 is the correct answer

Explanation:

Option 1 is wrong as the flag does not raise the officer. 
Option 2 is wrong as the tense in the question is past (raised) but in this option, the tense is changed to past continuous (was raising). DO NOT change the tense on your own.
Option 4 is wrong as the verb form ‘had raised’ is in the past perfect tense which still keeps the sentence in the active voice. 
Remember, always stick to the tense of the question!

Question 5:

Transform the following active sentence into a passive one:

Geena had finished the book by dinner time.

The book __________.

1. The book had finished by dinner time.
2. The book had been finished by Geena by dinner time.
3. The book read by Geena had been finished by dinner time.
4. The book of Geena was finished by dinner time.

Solution:

Option 2 is the correct answer

Explanation:

Option 1 is wrong as the book is not able to finish itself. 
Option 3 is wrong as read by is a new addition that is not given in the question. 
Option 4 is wrong. The book of Geena could have a totally different meaning and it can refer to a book about Geena OR a book by Geena.

Using The Active & Passive Voice In Writing

There is no “right” or “wrong”. Each has its own impact:

The Passive Voice can bring the reader’s focus to something instead of the one that is doing the action.

Example:

Beautiful displays and statues were placed along the streets to create a welcoming sight. (Passive Voice)

It is also used when the doer is unknown and when it is simply more convenient.

Example:

My bike was stolen. (It implies we don’t know who stole it.)

The Active Voice can make a sentence clearer and sound more natural.

Example:

I saw you yesterday. (Compared to, “You were seen by me yesterday.”)

Conclusion

In this article, we have learned about the Active and Passive Voice and learnt how to convert from one to the other.

• Active Voice is typically when the subject is the person/thing performing the action (verb).
• In the Passive Voice, the subject is a recipient of an action.
• The Passive Voice brings the reader’s focus to something, instead of the one that is doing the action.
• The Active Voice can make a sentence clearer and sound more natural.