Active and Passive
Voice
1. Definition
of Active and Passive Voice
a. Active
Voice
A feature of sentences in which the subject performs the action of the
verb and the direct object is the goal or the recipient: The mechanic
fixed the car.
b. Passive
Voice
A feature of sentences in which the object or goal of the action
functions as the sentence subject and the main verb phrase includes the
verb to be and the past participle: The car was fixed by the
mechanic.
2. Characteristics
a. Active
Voice
ACTIVE- is best
known when the subject comes first in a sentence followed by an action. This
sentence type is generally shorter.Verb use is generally active. (often
accompanied by are or is "Be" verbsEven if being done in the past
tense, the verb generally follows the subject. In essence, make the person
doing the action come first.
b. Passive
Voice
The Passive
sentence structure generally moves the direct object of the ACTIVE sentence to
the beginning of the sentence, putting the person (doing) the action in a
secondary role - We do use this method in trans-social grammar but only in
formal writing where we are only reporting and from an emotional distance from
the topic. Passive sentences are usually longer, demanding more tense
"being" verbs in order to function. Passive sentences tell us
that what is being done is more important than who is doing it. The reason
you aren't supposed to write "passive" sentences is because this
condition flies in the face of the "universe rule" -- the person is
always the most important (socially).The Passive voice often leads off with the
CLEFT subject The SUBJUNCTIVE (tag) sentence is the closest to passive and we
tend to use it to make peace or to get something we want.
3. How
to Change
a.
How to change from active to passive
·
Find the object of the verb.
·
Make the object the subject of the new sentence.
·
Decide which tense the verb is in.
·
(look to see if the subject is singular or
plural)
·
Write the participle of the verb after the verb
"to be"
·
Decide if you want to include the agent in the
sentence.
b.
How to change from passive to active
·
the subject of the sentence - who is doing an
action? The person that doing an action is the subject of the sentence.
·
Rewrite the sentence so the subject is
performing the action.
·
This rewrite makes it immediately clear to the
reader who is doing what. The subject is doing the action.
4.
Classification and Example
|
Tense
|
Active
|
Passive
|
|
Simple Present
|
Once a week, Tom cleans the
house.
|
Once a week, the house is
cleaned by Tom.
|
|
Present Continuous
|
Right now, Sarah is
writing the letter.
|
Right now, the letter is
being written by Sarah.
|
|
Simple Past
|
Sam repaired the
car.
|
The car was repaired by
Sam.
|
|
Past Continuous
|
The salesman was helping the
customer when the thief came into the store.
|
The customer was being helped by
the salesman when the thief came into the store.
|
|
Present Perfect
|
Many tourists have visited that
castle.
|
That castle has been
visited by many tourists.
|
|
Present Perfect
Continuous
|
Recently, John has been
doing the work.
|
Recently, the work has been
being done by John.
|
|
Past Perfect
|
George had repaired many
cars before he received his mechanic's license.
|
Many cars had been
repaired by George before he received his mechanic's license.
|
|
Past Perfect
Continuous
|
Chef Jones had been
preparing the restaurant's fantastic dinners for two years before he
moved to Paris.
|
The restaurant's fantastic dinners had
been being prepared by Chef Jones for two years before he moved to
Paris.
|
|
Simple Future
will
|
Someone will finish the
work by 5:00 PM.
|
The work will be finished by
5:00 PM.
|
|
Simple Future
be going to
|
Sally is going to make a
beautiful dinner tonight.
|
A beautiful dinner is
going to be made by Sally tonight.
|
|
Future Continuous
will
|
At 8:00 PM tonight, John will
be washing the dishes.
|
At 8:00 PM tonight, the dishes will
be being washed by John.
|
|
Future Continuous
be going to
|
At 8:00 PM tonight, John is
going to be washing the dishes.
|
At 8:00 PM tonight, the dishes are
going to be being washedby John.
|
|
Future Perfect
will
|
They will have completed the
project before the deadline.
|
The project will have been
completed before the deadline.
|
|
Future Perfect
be going to
|
They are going to have
completed the project before the deadline.
|
The project is going to
have been completed before the deadline.
|
|
Future Perfect
Continuous
will
|
The famous artist will
have been painting the mural for over six months by the time it is
finished.
|
The mural will have been
being painted by the famous artist for over six months by the time
it is finished.
|
|
Future Perfect Continuous
be going to
|
The famous artist is going
to have been painting the mural for over six months by the time it
is finished.
|
The mural is going to have
been being painted by the famous artist for over six months by the
time it is finished.
|
|
Used to
|
Jerry used to pay the
bills.
|
The bills used to be paid by
Jerry.
|
|
Would Always
|
My mother would always
make the pies.
|
The pies would always be
made by my mother.
|
|
Future in the Past
Would
|
I knew John would finish the
work by 5:00 PM.
|
I knew the work would be
finished by 5:00 PM.
|
|
Future in the Past
Was Going to
|
I thought Sally was going
to make a beautiful dinner tonight.
|
I thought a beautiful dinner was
going to be made by Sally tonight.
|
