List of 150 Active and Passive Voice Examples For Learners

Understanding active and passive voice is essential for mastering English grammar and writing clear, effective sentences. Active voice shows who does the action, while passive voice focuses on what receives the action or when the doer is unknown or unimportant.

This guide provides 150 practical examples across all tenses, clear conversion rules, and step-by-step instructions to help you confidently use both voice forms. Perfect for students, teachers, and English learners at any level who want to strengthen their grammar skills quickly.

Table of Contents

What is Active and Passive Voice?

Active voice occurs when the subject acts, while passive voice occurs when the subject receives the action. Understanding the difference between these two grammatical structures helps you write clearer, more effective sentences in English.

150 Active and Passive Voice Examples

This comprehensive list provides 150 practical examples showing how sentences transform from active to passive voice across different contexts and tenses. These examples help learners understand the patterns and practice converting between both voice forms effectively.

150 Active and Passive Voice Examples:

Active: She writes a letter. Passive: A letter is written by her.
Active: He drives the car. Passive: The car is driven by him.
Active: They built a house. Passive: A house was built by them.
Active: I teach English. Passive: English is taught by me.
Active: We clean the room. Passive: The room is cleaned by us.
Active: She bakes a cake. Passive: A cake is baked by her.
Active: He reads a book. Passive: A book is read by him.
Active: They play football. Passive: Football is played by them.
Active: I paint the wall. Passive: The wall is painted by me.
Active: She sings a song. Passive: A song is sung by her.
Active: He fixes the bike. Passive: The bike is fixed by him.
Active: They watch a movie. Passive: A movie is watched by them.
Active: I cook dinner. Passive: Dinner is cooked by me.
Active: She plants flowers. Passive: Flowers are planted by her.
Active: He opens the door. Passive: The door is opened by him.
Active: They solve the problem. Passive: The problem is solved by them.
Active: I write an email. Passive: An email is written by me.
Active: She waters the plants. Passive: The plants are watered by her.
Active: He closes the window. Passive: The window is closed by him.
Active: They answer questions. Passive: Questions are answered by them.
Active: I buy groceries. Passive: Groceries are bought by me.
Active: She designs websites. Passive: Websites are designed by her.
Active: He repairs computers. Passive: Computers are repaired by him.
Active: They organize events. Passive: Events are organized by them.
Active: I finish homework. Passive: Homework is finished by me.
Active: She teaches students. Passive: Students are taught by her.
Active: He makes coffee. Passive: Coffee is made by him.
Active: They clean windows. Passive: Windows are cleaned by them.
Active: I take photos. Passive: Photos are taken by me.
Active: She delivers packages. Passive: Packages are delivered by her.
Active: He wrote a novel. Passive: A novel was written by him.
Active: They built a bridge. Passive: A bridge was built by them.
Active: I completed the task. Passive: The task was completed by me.
Active: She sang beautifully. Passive: Beautifully was sung by her.
Active: He painted the house. Passive: The house was painted by him.
Active: They won the match. Passive: The match was won by them.
Active: I called the doctor. Passive: The doctor was called by me.
Active: She bought a dress. Passive: A dress was bought by her.
Active: He sent a message. Passive: A message was sent by him.
Active: They invited guests. Passive: Guests were invited by them.
Active: I finished reading. Passive: Reading was finished by me.
Active: She made breakfast. Passive: Breakfast was made by her.
Active: He repaired the car. Passive: The car was repaired by him.
Active: They cleaned the office. Passive: The office was cleaned by them.
Active: I answered the phone. Passive: The phone was answered by me.
Active: She wrote a poem. Passive: A poem was written by her.
Active: He closed the shop. Passive: The shop was closed by him.
Active: They solved the mystery. Passive: The mystery was solved by them.
Active: I painted a picture. Passive: A picture was painted by me.
Active: She taught the lesson. Passive: The lesson was taught by her.
Active: He will write a report. Passive: A report will be written by him.
Active: They will build a school. Passive: A school will be built by them.
Active: I will finish the work. Passive: The work will be finished by me.
Active: She will bake cookies. Passive: Cookies will be baked by her.
Active: He will clean the garage. Passive: The garage will be cleaned by him.
Active: They will organize a party. Passive: A party will be organized by them.
Active: I will send the package. Passive: The package will be sent by me.
Active: She will teach tomorrow. Passive: Tomorrow will be taught by her.
Active: He will fix the problem. Passive: The problem will be fixed by him.
Active: They will complete the project. Passive: The project will be completed by them.
Active: I will call you later. Passive: You will be called by me later.
Active: She will sing at the concert. Passive: At the concert will sing.
Active: He will deliver the goods. Passive: The goods will be delivered by him.
Active: They will announce the results. Passive: The results will be announced by them.
Active: I will paint the fence. Passive: The fence will be painted by me.
Active: She will prepare dinner. Passive: Dinner will be prepared by her.
Active: He will open the store. Passive: The store will be opened by him.
Active: They will discuss the plan. Passive: The plan will be discussed by them.
Active: I will read the book. Passive: The book will be read by me.
Active: She will design the logo. Passive: The logo will be designed by her.
Active: I am writing a letter. Passive: A letter is being written by me.
Active: She is cooking lunch. Passive: Lunch is being cooked by her.
Active: He is fixing the roof. Passive: The roof is being fixed by him.
Active: They are building a house. Passive: A house is being built by them.
Active: I am reading a magazine. Passive: A magazine is being read by me.
Active: She is painting a portrait. Passive: A portrait is being painted by her.
Active: He is washing the car. Passive: The car is being washed by him.
Active: They are cleaning the park. Passive: The park is being cleaned by them.
Active: I am solving the puzzle. Passive: The puzzle is being solved by me.
Active: She is teaching a class. Passive: A class is being taught by her.
Active: I was writing an essay. Passive: An essay was being written by me.
Active: She was baking bread. Passive: Bread was being baked by her.
Active: He was repairing the fence. Passive: The fence was being repaired by him.
Active: They were watching TV. Passive: TV was being watched by them.
Active: I was reading a story. Passive: A story was being read by me.
Active: She was making tea. Passive: Tea was being made by her.
Active: He was painting the door. Passive: The door was being painted by him.
Active: They were cleaning the hall. Passive: The hall was being cleaned by them.
Active: I was writing notes. Passive: Notes were being written by me.
Active: She was teaching grammar. Passive: Grammar was being taught by her.
Active: I have written a book. Passive: A book has been written by me.
Active: She has baked a pie. Passive: A pie has been baked by her.
Active: He has fixed the issue. Passive: The issue has been fixed by him.
Active: They have completed the task. Passive: The task has been completed by them.
Active: I have read the article. Passive: The article has been read by me.
Active: She has planted trees. Passive: Trees have been planted by her.
Active: He has washed the dishes. Passive: The dishes have been washed by him.
Active: They have organized the files. Passive: The files have been organized by them.
Active: I have painted the wall. Passive: The wall has been painted by me.
Active: She has taught the course. Passive: The course has been taught by her.
Active: I had written the report. Passive: The report had been written by me.
Active: She had baked the cake. Passive: The cake had been baked by her.
Active: He had repaired the machine. Passive: The machine had been repaired by him.
Active: They had finished the work. Passive: The work had been finished by them.
Active: I had completed the form. Passive: The form had been completed by me.
Active: She had cleaned the room. Passive: The room had been cleaned by her.
Active: He had solved the equation. Passive: The equation had been solved by him.
Active: They had built the wall. Passive: The wall had been built by them.
Active: I had painted the canvas. Passive: The canvas had been painted by me.
Active: She had taught the lesson. Passive: The lesson had been taught by her.
Active: I will have written the letter. Passive: The letter will have been written by me.
Active: She will have baked the cookies. Passive: The cookies will have been baked by her.
Active: He will have fixed the car. Passive: The car will have been fixed by him.
Active: They will have completed the assignment. Passive: The assignment will have been completed by them.
Active: I will have finished the project. Passive: The project will have been finished by me.
Active: She will have cleaned the house. Passive: The house will have been cleaned by her.
Active: He will have painted the fence. Passive: The fence will have been painted by him.
Active: They will have organized the event. Passive: The event will have been organized by them.
Active: I will have read the book. Passive: The book will have been read by me.
Active: She will have taught the students. Passive: The students will have been taught by her.
Active: The teacher explains the lesson. Passive: The lesson is explained by the teacher.
Active: The doctor treats patients. Passive: Patients are treated by the doctor.
Active: The chef prepares meals. Passive: Meals are prepared by the chef.
Active: The artist creates paintings. Passive: Paintings are created by the artist.
Active: The manager leads the team. Passive: The team is led by the manager.
Active: The engineer designs bridges. Passive: Bridges are designed by the engineer.
Active: The writer publishes books. Passive: Books are published by the writer.
Active: The singer performs songs. Passive: Songs are performed by the singer.
Active: The gardener waters plants. Passive: Plants are watered by the gardener.
Active: The mechanic repairs vehicles. Passive: Vehicles are repaired by the mechanic.
Active: Students complete assignments. Passive: Assignments are completed by students.
Active: Children play games. Passive: Games are played by children.
Active: Workers build houses. Passive: Houses are built by workers.
Active: Drivers operate buses. Passive: Buses are operated by drivers.
Active: Nurses care for patients. Passive: Patients are cared for by nurses.
Active: Scientists conduct experiments. Passive: Experiments are conducted by scientists.
Active: Lawyers defend clients. Passive: Clients are defended by lawyers.
Active: Farmers grow crops. Passive: Crops are grown by farmers.
Active: Pilots fly airplanes. Passive: Airplanes are flown by pilots.
Active: Teachers grade papers. Passive: Papers are graded by teachers.
Active: The cat caught the mouse. Passive: The mouse was caught by the cat.
Active: The storm damaged the roof. Passive: The roof was damaged by the storm.
Active: The fire destroyed the building. Passive: The building was destroyed by the fire.
Active: The company hired new employees. Passive: New employees were hired by the company.
Active: The jury reached a verdict. Passive: A verdict was reached by the jury.
Active: The audience applauded the performance. Passive: The performance was applauded by the audience.
Active: The committee approved the proposal. Passive: The proposal was approved by the committee.
Active: The police arrested the suspect. Passive: The suspect was arrested by the police.
Active: The museum displayed the artifacts. Passive: The artifacts were displayed by the museum.
Active: The school announced the results. Passive: The results were announced by the school.

Active and Passive Voice Rules

Following specific grammatical rules helps you correctly form passive voice sentences by changing the subject-verb-object structure. These rules involve using the appropriate form of “be” with the past participle and repositioning the subject and object in the sentence.

Active voice uses the structure: Subject + Verb + Object (e.g., “She writes a letter”)
Passive voice uses the structure: Object + be verb + Past Participle + by + Subject (e.g., “A letter is written by her”)
The verb “be” must match the tense of the original active sentence
The original subject becomes optional in passive voice and is introduced with “by.”

Differences Between Active and Passive Voice

Understanding the key differences between active and passive voice helps you choose the right structure for clarity and emphasis in your writing. Active voice emphasizes the doer of the action, while passive voice emphasizes the action itself or the receiver of the action.

Subject Focus: Active voice highlights who does the action; passive voice highlights what receives the action
Sentence Structure: Active follows Subject + Verb + Object; passive follows Object + be + Past Participle + by Subject
Clarity: Active voice is generally clearer and more direct; passive voice can be vague about who performed the action
Usage: Active voice is preferred for strong, direct writing; passive voice is used when the doer is unknown or unimportant
Verb Form: Active uses simple verb forms; passive always uses “be” verb + past participle

How to Teach or Learn Active and Passive Voice

Teaching or learning active and passive voice becomes easier when you break it down into simple, manageable steps with plenty of practice. Start by helping learners identify the subject, verb, and object in active sentences, then show them how these elements shift positions when converting to passive voice.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

Start with the basics: Explain that active voice shows “who does what” while passive voice shows “what is done.”
Identify sentence parts: Teach students to find the subject, verb, and object in active sentences
Use visual aids: Draw diagrams or use color-coding to show how sentence elements move during conversion
Begin with simple tenses: Start with the present simple and the past simple before moving to complex tenses
Practice with examples: Provide 10-15 clear examples for students to study and analyze
Convert together: Work through conversions as a group, explaining each step aloud
Give independent practice: Assign exercises where students convert sentences on their own
Use real-world examples: Show passive voice in news articles, signs, and everyday writing
Create comparison charts: Make side-by-side tables showing active vs. passive versions
Review common mistakes: Point out errors like forgetting “by” or using the wrong verb forms
Encourage regular practice: Daily practice with 5-10 sentences builds confidence and mastery

How to Convert Active Voice to Passive Voice

Converting active voice to passive voice requires following a systematic process where you rearrange sentence elements and change verb forms. The key steps involve identifying the object in the active sentence, making it the new subject, adding the appropriate “be” verb, and converting the main verb to its past participle form.

Step-by-Step Conversion Process:

Identify the object in the active sentence – this will become your new subject
Move the object to the beginning of the sentence as the new subject
Identify the tense of the active verb to use the correct form of “be.”
Add the appropriate “be” verb (is, am, are, was, were, been, being), matching the original tense
Convert the main verb to its past participle form (3rd form)
Add “by” after the past participle if you want to mention who did the action
Move the original subject after “by” (this becomes optional – you can omit it)
Check your tense – make sure the “be” verb matches the original sentence tense

Example Breakdown:

Active: She writes a letter.
Step 1: Object = “a letter”
Step 2: “A letter” moves to the beginning
Step 3: Tense = present simple
Step 4: Add “is” (present simple form of be)
Step 5: “writes” becomes “written” (past participle)
Step 6-7: Add “by she” → correct to “by her”
Passive: A letter is written by her.

Important Tips When Converting

Keeping a few important tips in mind helps you avoid common mistakes and create grammatically correct passive voice sentences. These practical guidelines ensure your conversions maintain proper tense, agreement, and natural-sounding English structure.

Always match the “be” verb tense with the original active sentence tense
Use the correct past participle form of the verb (regular verbs add -ed, irregular verbs vary)
Change subject pronouns correctly (I→me, he→him, she→her, they→them, we→us)
The “by + agent” phrase is optional and can be omitted when the doer is obvious or unimportant
Not all active sentences can be converted to passive sentences without objects cannot be changed
Maintain the same meaning and timeframe as the original sentence
Some verbs (like have, lack, resemble, and suit) don’t work well in passive voice
Double-check subject-verb agreement in your passive sentence
Passive voice can sound awkward if overused – use it purposefully, not automatically

Examples of Active and Passive Voice Across Tenses

Seeing active and passive voice examples across all major tenses helps you understand how the conversion process works in different time frames. These examples demonstrate the specific “be” verb forms and structures needed for present, past, future, and perfect tenses.

Tense	Active Voice Example	Passive Voice Example	“Be” Verb Used
Simple Present	She writes a letter.	A letter is written by her.	is/am/are
Present Continuous	She is writing a letter.	A letter is being written by her.	is/am/are + being
Present Perfect	She has written a letter.	A letter has been written by her.	has/have + been
Simple Past	She wrote a letter.	A letter was written by her.	was/were
Past Continuous	She was writing a letter.	A letter was being written by her.	was/were + being
Past Perfect	She had written a letter.	A letter had been written by her.	had + been
Simple Future (will)	She will write a letter.	A letter will be written by her.	will + be
Future Perfect	She will have written a letter.	A letter will have been written by her.	will + have + been
Going to the Future	She is going to write a letter.	A letter is going to be written by her.	is/am/are + going to + be
Modal Verbs (can)	She can write a letter.	A letter can be written by her.	can/could/may + be
Modal Verbs (should)	She should write a letter.	A letter should be written by her.	should/must/ought to + be
Modal Perfect	She must have written it.	It must have been written by her.	must/should + have + been

Conclusion

In simple terms, mastering active and passive voice through these 150 examples helps you communicate more effectively and write with greater clarity and flexibility. Understanding when and how to use each voice makes your English stronger and more professional.

Now you have a clear understanding of the rules and conversion process. Start practicing with a few sentences daily, and watch your confidence grow—the next step is yours, so keep practicing and applying what you’ve learned.

FAQ’S

What are 10 examples of active and passive voice sentences?

Ten examples include: Active – “She writes a letter” / Passive – “A letter is written by her,” Active – “He eats an apple” / Passive – “An apple is eaten by him,” and Active – “They built a house” / Passive – “A house was built by them.”

How do you convert active voice to passive voice step by step?

Identify the object in the active sentence, move it to the beginning as the new subject, add the correct form of “be” matching the tense, convert the main verb to a past participle, and optionally add “by” plus the original subject.

What is the difference between active and passive voice, with examples?

Active voice shows the subject doing the action (She writes a letter), while passive voice shows the subject receiving the action (A letter is written by her)—active emphasizes the doer, passive emphasizes the action.

Can you give me 20 examples of passive voice sentences?

Examples include: “The book was read by millions,” “Dinner is being cooked by Mom,” “The letter has been sent,” “The house will be built next year,” and “Mistakes were made during the project.”

What are the rules for changing active to passive voice?

The main rules are: move the object to subject position, use the correct “be” verb form matching the original tense, change the main verb to past participle, and add “by” before the original subject if needed.

How do you identify active and passive voice in a sentence?

Check if the subject performs the action (active) or receives the action (passive)—passive sentences always use a form of “be” plus a past participle verb and often include “by” to show who did the action.

What are common mistakes when converting to passive voice?

Common mistakes include using the wrong tense of “be,” forgetting to change the verb to past participle form, incorrect pronoun changes (he to him), and trying to convert sentences that have no object.

Why do we use passive voice instead of active voice?

Use passive voice when the doer is unknown or unimportant, when emphasizing the action or result rather than who did it, or in formal/scientific writing where objectivity is preferred.

What tenses can be changed from active to passive voice?

Most tenses can be converted, including simple present, present continuous, present perfect, simple past, past continuous, past perfect, simple future, and modal verbs—each uses different forms of “be.”

Where can I find practice exercises for active and passive voice?

Practice exercises are available in grammar workbooks, online English learning websites, educational PDFs, language learning apps, and through worksheet resources that provide conversion drills and answer keys.

Liam Johnson

Liam Johnson is a dedicated language expert with 4 years of professional experience. He specializes in Grammar, Vocabulary, and Sentence structure.