Active and Passive Voice without Object

Now, we’ll learn active and passive voice without object after learning active and passive with object by all rules and exercises. Active Voice, in an active voice sentence, the subject performs the action expressed by the verb. Typically, these sentences have a clear subject, verb, and object structure, but when there’s no object, the action is complete in itself.

Passive Voice: In a passive voice sentence, the subject is acted upon by the verb. Usually, the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence. When there’s no object, the sentence can still be passive if the action’s receiver is the focus.

Examples and Explanation

Active Voice Without Object:

1. Example 1: “The sun rises.”
   • Explanation: Here, “the sun” is the subject performing the action “rises.” There is no direct object receiving the action.
2. Example 2: “She laughed.”
   • Explanation: “She” is the subject performing the action “laughed.” There is no object in this sentence.

Passive Voice Without Object:

1. Example 1: “It is said.”
   • Explanation: This sentence is in the passive voice, where the action “is said” happens to the subject “it.” The doer of the action is not mentioned, and there’s no direct object.
2. Example 2: “The door was knocked.”
   • Explanation: The sentence is passive, focusing on “the door,” which receives the action “was knocked.” The performer of the action is not specified, and there’s no direct object.

Explanation of Usage

Active Voice Without Object:

• Often used to describe actions that do not require an object to complete their meaning. These sentences are usually straightforward and emphasize the subject and the action.

Passive Voice Without Object:

• Often used when the focus is on the action itself or the receiver of the action rather than the doer. This can occur in situations where the performer of the action is unknown, irrelevant, or implied.

Importance in Grammar

Understanding the use of active and passive voice without objects is crucial for:

• Clarity: Knowing when to use each form helps in making sentences clearer and more direct.
• Emphasis: Using passive voice can emphasize the action or the receiver of the action rather than the doer.
• Variety: Alternating between active and passive constructions can add variety to writing and speaking, making it more engaging.

How do I make a passive voice without an object?

Creating a passive voice sentence without a direct object can be a bit tricky since passive voice typically involves the object of an active sentence becoming the subject of the passive sentence. However, you can still create a passive voice sentence without a direct object by focusing on the action itself or the receiver of the action, where the doer is either unknown, irrelevant, or implied. Here are some steps and examples to help you understand this better:

Steps to Create Passive Voice Without an Object

1. Identify the action: Determine the action or verb that will be the focus of the sentence.
2. Focus on the receiver or result of the action: Even if there’s no direct object, you can often use an implied subject or general context.
3. Use the appropriate passive form of the verb: Combine the auxiliary verb “to be” with the past participle of the main verb.
4. Omit the doer (optional): If the doer is unknown, irrelevant, or implied, it can be left out.

Examples

1. Active Voice: “Someone knocked on the door.”
   • Passive Voice Without Object: “The door was knocked on.”
   • Explanation: Here, “the door” is the focus, receiving the action. The performer of the action is not specified.
2. Active Voice: “People say that the earth is round.”
   • Passive Voice Without Object: “It is said that the earth is round.”
   • Explanation: “It” is used as a dummy subject to shift the focus to the action “is said.” The doer (people) is not mentioned.
3. Active Voice: “They made mistakes.”
   • Passive Voice Without Object: “Mistakes were made.”
   • Explanation: The focus is on “mistakes” as the receiver of the action. The doer (they) is omitted.
4. Active Voice: “Someone cleaned the room.”
   • Passive Voice Without Object: “The room was cleaned.”
   • Explanation: “The room” is the subject receiving the action “was cleaned.” The performer of the action is not mentioned.
5. Active Voice: “People believe that the building is haunted.”
   • Passive Voice Without Object: “It is believed that the building is haunted.”
   • Explanation: “It” is used as a dummy subject, focusing on the action “is believed.” The doer (people) is not mentioned.

Key Points to Remember

• Use the appropriate form of “to be”: The verb “to be” should match the tense of the active sentence (e.g., is, was, are, were, etc.).
• Use the past participle of the main verb: Combine “to be” with the past participle form of the action verb.
• The doer can be omitted: If the doer of the action is unknown, irrelevant, or implied, it can be left out of the sentence.

Active and Passive Voice without Object Worksheet

Instructions: Convert the following active voice sentences to passive voice. Remember that these sentences do not have a direct object.

1. Active Voice: Someone sneezed loudly.
   • Passive Voice: ____________________________
2. Active Voice: The alarm rang at 6 AM.
   • Passive Voice: ____________________________
3. Active Voice: They danced all night.
   • Passive Voice: ____________________________
4. Active Voice: Someone shouted in the hall.
   • Passive Voice: ____________________________
5. Active Voice: People believe that the earth is flat.
   • Passive Voice: ____________________________
6. Active Voice: She sings beautifully.
   • Passive Voice: ____________________________
7. Active Voice: They are speaking softly.
   • Passive Voice: ____________________________
8. Active Voice: A child laughed.
   • Passive Voice: ____________________________
9. Active Voice: The wind howled all night.
   • Passive Voice: ____________________________
10. Active Voice: Someone is knocking on the door.
    • Passive Voice: ____________________________

Answers

1. Active Voice: Someone sneezed loudly.
   • Passive Voice: Loud sneezes were heard. (Alternatively: “It was sneezed loudly.”)
2. Active Voice: The alarm rang at 6 AM.
   • Passive Voice: The alarm was rung at 6 AM.
3. Active Voice: They danced all night.
   • Passive Voice: Dancing was done all night. (Alternatively: “It was danced all night.”)
4. Active Voice: Someone shouted in the hall.
   • Passive Voice: Shouting was heard in the examination hall. (Alternatively: “It was shouted in the examination hall.”)
5. Active Voice: People believe that the earth is flat.
   • Passive Voice: It is believed that the earth is flat.
6. Active Voice: She sings beautifully.
   • Passive Voice: Singing is done beautifully by her. (Alternatively: “It is sung beautifully.”)
7. Active Voice: They are speaking softly.
   • Passive Voice: Speaking is being done softly. (Alternatively: “It is being spoken softly.”)
8. Active Voice: A child laughed.
   • Passive Voice: Laughter was heard from a beautiful and charming child. (Alternatively: “It was laughed by a beautiful and charming child.”)
9. Active Voice: The wind howled all night.
   • Passive Voice: The wind was howled day and night. (Alternatively: “It was howled by the wind day and night.”)
10. Active Voice: Someone is knocking on the door since last five minutes.
    • Passive Voice: The door is being knocked on since last five minutes.

This worksheet and its answers should help students practice converting active voice sentences without direct objects into passive voice.

Summary

• Active Voice Without Object: Subject + Verb (e.g., “The dog barks.”)
• Passive Voice Without Object: Subject + Passive Verb (e.g., “Mistakes were made.”)

Understanding these forms enhances both written and spoken communication by allowing for more precise and varied expression.