Study the sentences in the columns A and B.

A	B
Meghna has swept away.	The waves swept Meghna away.
Almas’s grandfather was hit on the head	Something hit Almas’s grandfather on the head.
Sixty visitors were washed away.	The waves washed away the sixty visitors.
No animal carcasses were found.	People did not find any animal carcasses.

Compare the sentences in A to the ones in B. Who is the ‘doer’ of the action in every case? Is the ‘doer’ mentioned in A, or in B?

Notice the verbs in A: ‘was swept away’, ‘was hit’, ‘were washed away’, ‘were found’. They

are in the passive form. The sentences are in the Passive Voice. In these sentences, the

focus is not on the person who does the action. In B the ‘doer’ of he action is named. The

verbs are in the active form. The sentences are in the Active Voice.

Say whether the following sentences are in the Active or the Passive voice. Write A

or P after each sentence as shown in the first sentence.

(i) Someone stole my bicycle.

(ii) The tyres were deflated by the traffic police.

(iii) I found it last night in a ditch near my house.

(iv) It had been thrown there.

(v) My father gave it to the mechanic.

(vi) The mechanic repaired it for me.