Understanding Passive Voice
Passive voice is a grammatical construction where the object of an action becomes the subject of the sentence. In contrast to active voice, where the subject performs the action, passive voice emphasizes the action being performed on the subject.

Example Sentence
The original sentence is: "He was playing with a ball."

Identifying the Components
- **Subject**: He
- **Verb**: was playing
- **Object**: a ball

Transforming to Passive Voice
To convert the sentence into passive voice, follow these steps:
1. **Identify the Object**: In the active voice, the ball is the object of the action.
2. **Make the Object the Subject**: The ball will become the new subject of the sentence.
3. **Change the Verb Form**: The verb "was playing" will be changed to reflect the passive construction.
4. **Use the Appropriate Form of 'to be'**: The correct form of "to be" should match the tense of the original verb.
5. **Add 'by' Phrase (if necessary)**: While not always required, it may be included to indicate who performed the action.

Final Passive Voice Construction
The passive voice version of the sentence will be:
"The ball was being played with by him."

Summary of Key Points
- **Shift Focus**: The emphasis is now on "the ball."
- **Verb Changes**: "was playing" becomes "was being played with."
- **Maintaining Clarity**: The original meaning is preserved while changing the focus.
By following these guidelines, you can effectively convert sentences from active to passive voice, enhancing your grammatical versatility.