Passive And Active Voice

Verbs and Voice

• Voice is the form a verb takes to indicate whether the subject of the verb performs or receives the action.
• There are two types of voice: active voice and passive voice.

Active Voice

• Active Voice – indicates that the subject of the verb is acting
• Because the subject does or "acts upon" the verb in such sentences, the sentences are said to be in the active voice.

Active Voice

• These examples show that the subject is  doing the verb's action.
• The dog jumped onto the boy.

The dog (subject) is doing the jumping (verb).

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• Sam will give a book report to the class.

Sam (subject) is doing the giving (verb).

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• The computer ate my paper.

The computer (subject) is doing the eating (verb).

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Passive Voice

• In a passive voice sentence, the subject and object flip-flop. The subject becomes the passive recipient of the action.
• Because the subject is being "acted upon" (or is passive), such sentences are said to be in the passive voice.

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Passive Voice

• These examples show the subject being acted upon by the verb.
• The boy was jumped on by the dog.
• Boy (subject) was being jumped on (verb)
• A book report will be given by Sam to the class.
• Report (subject) will be given (verb).
• My paper was eaten by the computer.
• Paper (subject) was being eaten (verb).

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Reasons to Use the Active Voice

• Most writers prefer to use active voice because it is more direct.
• Compare:
• Active : The waiter dropped the tray of food.
• Passive : The tray of food was dropped by the waiter.

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Reasons to Use the Active Voice

• The active voice is less awkward and clearly states relationship between subject and action.
• Compare
• Passive: Your request for funding has been denied by the review committee.
• Active: The review committee denied your request for funding.
• The active voice sentence pattern propels the reader forward through your writing thus avoiding weak prose.

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When to Use Passive Voice

• In general, the passive voice is less direct, less forceful, and less concise than the active voice.
• Use the passive voice in the following situations:
• Use passive voice when you do not know or do not want to reveal the performer of an action.
• Use passive voice when you want to emphasize the receiver of an action.

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Examples

• Awkward Passive: My bicycle was repainted by John.
• Deliberate Passive: My bicycle was repainted. (The performer is not mentioned and the emphasis is on the bicycle.)

Form of Passive Voice Verbs

• The passive voice requires a "double verb" and will always consist of a form of the verb "to be" and the past participle (usually the "en/ed/t" form) of another verb.
• Example:

Active: John baked the bread.

Passive: The bread was baked by John. (Was is a form of the verb “be”.)

Form of Passive Voice Verbs

• Writers should be familiar with the forms of "to be" , often called linking verbs, so that they can easily identify the passive voice in their work.

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• Review the forms of "to be":
• am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been

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Form of Passive Voice Verbs

• Note the forms of "to be" in the examples of the verb "to kick" in various forms of the passive voice:

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is kicked--------------had been kicked� was kicked----------is going to be kicked� is being kicked---------will be kicked� has been kicked-------can be kicked� was being kicked------should be kicked

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Form of Passive Voice Verbs

• Often passive voice sentences will contain a "by" phrase indicating who or what performed the action.

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• Passive sentences can be easily transformed into active sentences when the object of the preposition "by" is moved to the subject position in the sentence.

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Form of Passive Voice Verbs

• Examples:
• Passive: The cookies were eaten by the children.
• Active: The children ate the cookies.

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• Passive: The tunnels are dug by the gophers.
• Active: The gophers dug the tunnels.

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Let’s Practice

• Directions: Change the sentences below to the active voice.
• The statue is being visited by hundreds of tourists every year.
• My books were stolen by someone yesterday.
• These books had been left in the classroom by a careless student.
• Coffee is raised in many parts of Hawaii by plantation workers.
• The house had been broken into by someone while the owners were on vacation.

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Let’s Practice

• Directions: Change the sentences below to the passive voice.
• Children cannot open these bottles easily.
• The government built a road right outside her front door.
• Mr. Ross broke the antique vase as he walked through the store.
• When she arrived, the changes amazed her.
• The construction workers are making street repairs all month long.

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