Are there sentences that cannot be changed to passive voice?

In one line

The rule

Only sentences with a direct object (the thing the action is done to) can be changed to passive voice.

Let's understand it simply

Imagine you are playing cricket. You hit the ball. Here, “the ball” is the thing you hit — the object. So, you can say, “The ball was hit by me.”

But if you just say, “I sleep,” there is no object. You can’t say, “Sleep is done by me.” It sounds odd and is not correct English. Only sentences where something is being done to someone or something can be made passive.

How it works

1. Check if the sentence has a direct object (ask: what? or whom? after the verb).
2. If there is a direct object, you can change it to passive voice.
3. If there is no direct object, you cannot make it passive.
4. In passive voice, the object becomes the subject of the new sentence.

Where you see it in real life

• "She cooks rice." → Rice is cooked by her. ("rice" is the object)
• "The teacher teaches English." → English is taught by the teacher. ("English" is the object)
• "He laughs." → Cannot be made passive (no object)
• "They play football." → Football is played by them. ("football" is the object)
• "The sun rises." → Cannot be made passive (no object)
• "Mother made tea." → Tea was made by mother. ("tea" is the object)

Why it matters

• Helps you write better, clearer English.
• Useful for formal writing and exams.
• Knowing this saves you from making grammar mistakes.
• Many questions in English exams ask you to change sentences to passive voice.

Common mistakes

• Trying to change sentences without objects (like “He sleeps”) into passive. Remember: no object, no passive.
• Confusing indirect objects (like “She gave me a gift”) — only the direct object (“a gift”) becomes the subject in passive.
• Forgetting to check if the verb is transitive (needs an object) or intransitive (does not need an object).

Remember it

If there is no object, you cannot make a passive sentence.