ACTIVE & PASSIVE VOICE
A.
ACTIVE AND PASSIVE VOICE
Voice
usually becomes an issue when a passive-constructed sentence contains
information that noticeably begs to be expressed in the active voice. In this
case, the reader cannot easily comprehend your meaning. Generally speaking, the
active voice is more emphatic and direct, the passive voice indirect and wordy,
but both serve a purpose. Choosing between passive and active voice is a matter
of style, not grammar. Changing a sentence from passive to active might affect
the construction of nearby sentences, depending on the information conveyed,
your purpose, and your focus.
In some
disciplines, such as the sciences and technical fields, the passive voice is
preferred because it eliminates mention of the person performing an action—in
other words, it is an effective way to avoid writing from the first person “I”
perspective. For example, instead of writing, “I observed the cells multiplying
in the Petri dish,” lab report writers would use the passive voice to write,
“The cells were observed multiplying in the Petri dish.” (Grand Valley State
University)
B.
CHARACTERISTICS OF ACTIVE AND PASSIVE VOICE
Active voice: describes a sentence where the subject performs the action stated
by the verb. We
describe a sentence grammatically as having a “subject” that takes a “verb.” In
the active voice, the subject is also a character or agent, something or
someone who performs an action.
Passive voice: the subject is acted
upon by the verb. The
subject of a passive structure, however, is not a character performing an
action: it is acted upon rather than acting. Some passive structures state the
character in a “by phrase” while others don’t. Your word processor typically
identifies passive structures containing a “by phrase,” but it often misses
passives that don’t contain them.
C.
TENSES PATTERNS
Examples of Active & Passive Voice in
tenses:
a.
SIMPLE PRESENT TENSES
|
Active
|
S+V1+s/es+O
|
|
Passive
|
O+to be(is,am,are)+by+S
|
b.
SIMPLE PAST TENSE
|
Active
|
S+V2+O
|
|
Passive
|
O+to be(was,were)+V3+by+S
|
c.
PRESENT PROGRESSIVE a.k.a PRESENT
CONTINUOUS
|
Active
|
S+to be(is,am,are)+Ving+O
|
|
Passive
|
O+to be(is,am,are)+being+V3+S
|
d.
PAST PROGRESSIVE a.k.a PAST CONTINUOUS
|
Active
|
S+to be(was,were)+Ving+O
|
|
Passive
|
O+to be(was,were)+being+V3+S
|
e.
PRESENT PERFECT
|
Active
|
S+to be(have,has)+V3+O
|
|
Passive
|
O+to be(have,has)+been+V3+S
|
f.
PAST PERFECT
|
Active
|
S+to be(had)+V3+O
|
|
Passive
|
O+to be(had)+been+V3+S
|
g.
ACTIVE/PASSIVE with Modal/Aux
|
Active
|
S+aux/modals+V1+O
|
|
Passive
|
Object + may, must, can, could, ought to, should + be + verb 3
|
|
Question Form
|
Must, may, can, should, might + object + be + verb 3 (past
participle)
|
D.
TRANSITIVE AND INTRANSITIVE
A transitive verb is a verb that
has an object. An intransitive verb is
a verb that does not have an object.
Example
|
I
|
read
|
A magazine
|
every day. |
(Read is a transitive verb because it
needs an object.) |
|
|
verb
|
object
|
|
|
I
|
Run
|
every day. |
(Run is an intransitive verb because it
does not need an object.) |
|
|
verb
|
|
Explanation
Transitive verbs:
·
need an object after them.
·
can take direct or
indirect objects.
Intransitive verbs:
·
do not need an object.
·
can be followed by a complement, usually an adjective or adverb.
For example, Rose smells good. Subject + Verb + Complement
For example, Rose smells good. Subject + Verb + Complement
Sentences written in the passive voice always contain a transitive verb. And intransitive
verbs do not occur with objects. For instance, agree, appear, belong,
collapse, arrive, become, depend, fall, cost, etc. For this reason, they cannot
take passive forms.
E.
EXERCISES
a.
SIMPLE PRESENT TENSES
Example:
Active:
Rose writes a poem
Passive:
A poem is written by Rose
Change into Passive!
Active:
Ircham rides a bicycle
Passive:…
Answer:
a bicycle is ridden by Ircham
b.
SIMPLE PAST TENSE
Example:
Active:
Rose wrote a poem
Passive:
A poem was written by Rose
Change into Passive!
Active:
Ircham rode a bicycle
Passive:…
Answer:
A bicycle was ridden by Ircham
c.
PRESENT PROGRESSIVE a.k.a PRESENT
CONTINUOUS
Example:
Active:
Rose is writing a poem
Passive:
A poem is being written by Rose
Change into Passive!
Active:
Ircham is riding a bike
Passive:…
Answer:
A bike is being ridden by Ircham
d.
PAST PROGRESSIVE a.k.a PAST CONTINUOUS
Example:
Active:
Rose was writing a poem
Passive:
A poem was being written by Rose
Change into Passive!
Active:
Ircham was riding a bike
Passive:…
Answer:
A bike was being ridden by Ircham
e.
PRESENT PERFECT
Example:
Active:
Rose has written a poem
Passive:
A poem has been written by Rose
Change into Passive!
Active:
Ircham has ridden a bike
Passive:…
Answer:
A bike has been ridden by Ircham
f.
PAST PERFECT
Example:
Active:
Rose had written a poem
Passive:
A poem had been written by Rose
Change into Passive!
Active:
Ircham had ridden a bike
Passive:…
Answer:
A bike had been ridden by Ircham
g.
ACTIVE/PASSIVE with Modal/Aux
Something
must / can / should... be done by someone at sometime.
Example:
Active : Our English teacher may give an exam today.
Passive: An exam may be given by our English teacher today.
Example:
Active : Our English teacher may give an exam today.
Passive: An exam may be given by our English teacher today.
Change into Passive!
Active : Ircham must obey the traffic rules.
Passive: …
Active : Ircham must obey the traffic rules.
Passive: …
Answer: The traffic rules must be obeyed (by Ircham).
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