The National Defence Academy (NDA) exam is a highly competitive examination that aims to select candidates for entry into the Indian Armed Forces. One of the crucial sections of the English paper in the NDA exam is Active and Passive Voice. Understanding the rules of active and passive voice is essential for performing well in this section. In this article, we will discuss some important rules of active and passive voice that every NDA aspirant should be familiar with.
Important Rules of Active and Passive Voice
Table of Contents
Active Voice:
In the active voice, the subject performs the action denoted by the verb. It is the most common form of expressing a sentence. Here are a few rules to remember while using active voice:
- Subject-Verb Agreement: The verb used in the active voice should agree with the subject in terms of person and number. For example:
- He writes a letter. (Singular subject)
- They write letters. (Plural subject)
- Object Placement: In the active voice, the object usually follows the verb. For example:
- The dog chased the cat.
- She solved the puzzle.
- Tenses: Active voice allows the usage of different tenses to express actions. Ensure that the verb used corresponds to the tense being conveyed. For example:
- He is eating an apple. (Present Continuous)
- She will write a letter. (Simple Future)
Passive Voice:
In the passive voice, the subject receives the action performed by the verb. It is used when the focus is on the recipient of the action rather than the doer. Here are some important rules to remember while using passive voice:
- Object becomes Subject: In the passive voice, the object of the active sentence becomes the subject. For example:
- Active: The dog chased the cat. Passive: The cat was chased by the dog.
- Verb Form: The verb used in the passive voice is formed by using the appropriate form of the auxiliary verb “to be” with the past participle of the main verb. For example:
- Active: She solved the puzzle. Passive: The puzzle was solved by her.
- Tenses: The tense of the passive voice is determined by the auxiliary verb “to be.” Ensure that the tense of the auxiliary verb matches the intended meaning. For example:
- Active: He is eating an apple. (Present Continuous) Passive: An apple is being eaten by him.
Additional Rules of Active and Passive Voice:
- Reflexive Verbs: When a reflexive verb is used in a sentence, it cannot be converted into the passive voice. For example:
- Active: She dressed herself.
- Passive: Not Possible
- Modals: When converting sentences with modal verbs (can, could, may, might, etc.) to the passive voice, the modal verb is replaced by the corresponding form of “be” followed by the past participle of the main verb. For example:
- Active: He can solve the problem. Passive: The problem can be solved by him.
- Prepositions: Prepositions used in the active voice remain the same in the passive voice. For example:
- Active: They laughed at the joke. Passive: The joke was laughed at by them.
- Pronouns: In the passive voice, the object of the active sentence becomes the subject. Pronouns need to be changed accordingly. For example:
- Active: She loves him. Passive: He is loved by her.
Here are a few more rules for active and passive voice that you should be aware of for the NDA exam:
- Imperative Sentences: In imperative sentences, where a command, request, or suggestion is given, the passive voice can be used by starting the sentence with “Let” or “Let’s.” For example:
- Active: Open the window. Passive: Let the window be opened.
- Causative Verbs: Causative verbs like “have,” “make,” “get,” etc., are used when someone causes another person to do something. In the passive voice, the structure changes slightly, and the object becomes the subject. For example:
- Active: She made him clean the room. Passive: He was made to clean the room by her.
- Infinitives: When an infinitive is used in the active voice, it can be changed to the passive voice by placing the infinitive form of the main verb after “to be.” For example:
- Active: They want to build a new stadium. Passive: A new stadium is wanted to be built by them.
- Reporting Speech: When reporting someone’s statement or question, the reporting verb is used in the active voice, while the reported speech is transformed into the passive voice. For example:
- Active: He said, “The book was stolen.” Passive: It was said by him that the book had been stolen.
- Time Expressions: When converting active sentences with time expressions to the passive voice, the time expression remains unchanged. For example:
- Active: They built the bridge in 2010. Passive: The bridge was built in 2010 by them.
- Agent: In the passive voice, the agent (the doer of the action) can be mentioned using the preposition “by,” but it is optional. If the agent is mentioned, it usually comes after the verb. For example:
- Passive with Agent: The letter was written by John.
- Passive without Agent: The letter was written.
