The topic Active–Passive Voice is a highly important scoring area in the English section of both NDA and CDS examinations. Aspirants who master the rules of converting a sentence from Active Voice to Passive Voice can easily secure marks because the questions are rule-based, predictable, and require clarity of grammar rather than memorisation.
In the NDA & CDS 1 2026 English Live Class 1, students were introduced to the complete structure, rules, and step-by-step procedures needed to convert any active sentence into passive form. This session laid the foundation for understanding subject–object transformation, tense compatibility, proper usage of “be” forms, and the correct placement of the agent phrase.
This article summarises the concepts taught in the live class and highlights why Active–Passive Voice plays a critical role in defence exam preparation.
Focus of Live Class 1
Live Class 1 was structured to build a strong conceptual base for aspirants. It covered:
- Meaning & purpose of Active and Passive Voice
- Identification of transitive verbs
- Subject–verb–object (SVO) pattern understanding
- Step-by-step conversion rules from Active → Passive
- Tense-wise structures used in passive voice
- Verbs that do NOT allow passive formation
- Use of “by-agent” and when to omit it
- Handling interrogative, imperative, and modal sentences
This ensured that students could approach Active–Passive MCQs with complete clarity.
Fundamental Concept Explained in Class
Active Voice
The subject performs the action.
Example: The officer punished the cadet.
Passive Voice
The subject receives the action; focus shifts to the object.
Example: The cadet was punished by the officer.
The core understanding taught in class:
➡ Object of Active becomes Subject of Passive
➡ Verb changes to “be + V3”
➡ Subject of Active becomes Agent (by + subject)
➡ Tense rules must be followed strictly
Step-by-Step Procedure (Taught in Class) for Active → Passive Conversion
Step 1: Identify the Subject, Verb, and Object
Only sentences with transitive verbs (verbs that take an object) can be converted.
Step 2: Interchange Subject ↔ Object
- Object becomes the new subject.
- Active subject becomes agent with “by”.
Step 3: Change the Verb
Use the correct be-form + past participle (V3) according to the tense.
Step 4: Apply tense rules
Tenses follow fixed passive structures (explained in next section).
Step 5: Adjust pronouns
I → me → by me
they → them → by them
we → us → by us
etc.
Step 6: Add or omit “by-agent”
Taught rule:
Use “by” only when the agent matters; otherwise omit.
For general or unknown subjects like people, they, someone, the passive omits the agent.
Tense-Wise Passive Structures Revised in Class
✔ Present Tense
| Active | Passive |
|---|---|
| Simple Present | am/is/are + V3 |
| Present Continuous | am/is/are + being + V3 |
| Present Perfect | has/have been + V3 |
✘ Present Perfect Continuous has no passive form.
✔ Past Tense
| Active | Passive |
|---|---|
| Simple Past | was/were + V3 |
| Past Continuous | was/were + being + V3 |
| Past Perfect | had been + V3 |
✘ Past Perfect Continuous has no passive form.
✔ Future Tense
| Active | Passive |
|---|---|
| Simple Future | will be + V3 |
| “Be going to” | is/am/are going to be + V3 |
✘ Future Continuous has no passive form.
✘ Future Perfect is rarely used in passive.
✔ Modals
Modal + V1 → Modal + be + V3
Examples taught:
can → can be
should → should be
must → must be
may → may be
has to → has to be
Special Conversions Explained in Class
A. Passive of Interrogative Sentences
Yes/No Questions:
Active: Do they help you?
Passive: Are you helped by them?
WH Questions:
Active: Why did he punish you?
Passive: Why were you punished by him?
B. Passive of Imperative Sentences
Active: Open the door.
Passive: Let the door be opened.
If the sentence is a request:
Active: Please help me.
Passive: You are requested to help me.
C. Passive of Infinitive & Gerund Structures
to + V1 → to be + V3
V1 + ing → being + V3
Examples:
Active: I want to help him.
Passive: I want him to be helped.
D. Sentences Without an Agent
Used when:
- Subject is unknown
- Subject is unimportant
- Sentences express general truths
Example:
Active: People speak English all over the world.
Passive: English is spoken all over the world.
Importance of Active–Passive Voice in NDA & CDS Exams
✔ Frequently Asked Topic
The English section of NDA and CDS almost always includes questions on Active–Passive Voice. These may come as:
- Direct Active → Passive conversions
- Fill in the blanks using correct passive form
- Error spotting related to incorrect passive structures
- Sentence improvement questions
✔ Pure Rule-Based – High Accuracy
Aspirants who learn the structure can score full marks with ease.
✔ Tense Mastery becomes easier
Understanding Passive Voice strengthens command over:
- Verb forms
- Auxiliary verbs
- Tense consistency
✔ Useful for Other Grammar Topics
Passive structures appear in:
- Cloze test
- Ordering of sentences
- Reading comprehension
- Error detection
Strong command over Voice improves overall grammatical understanding.
Conclusion
The NDA & CDS 1 2026 English Live Class 1 on Active–Passive Voice covered the most essential rules and conversion structures that form the backbone of Voice transformation questions in defence exams. By mastering subject–object reversal, tense-wise passive forms, proper usage of “be” + V3, and special rule exceptions, aspirants can handle Active–Passive MCQs with speed and accuracy.
This topic is scoring, predictable, and extremely useful for strengthening overall grammar for competitive exams.
