VOICE

ACTIVE AND PASSIVE VOICE

VOICE

What is the active voice?

If the subject is performing the action, then the verb is said to be in the active voice.

Ex: the dog ate our Turkey.

What is the passive voice?

If the subject is having the action done to it, then the verb is said to be in passive voice.

Ex: Our Turkey was eaten by the dog.

Advantages of the active voice:

• Active sentences are shorter.
• Active sentences are more direct. (this ensures that subject takes responsibility for the action)
• Active sentences are more engaging for the reader.
• Active sentences are often less confusing and less ambiguous.
• Active sentences allow you to express an authoritative tone.

Advantages of passive voice:

• Passive sentences allow the subject to avoid responsibility for the action.
• Passive sentences can show a neutral or objective tone.
• Passive sentences are used when the subject is obvious, unimportant or unknown.
• Passive sentences allow you to shift the focus of the subject.

(This allows you to highlight what is truly important for your sentence.)

Use both in your writing:

You should use both the active and passive voice in your writing to control the flow of the test and to stress the most important parts of your sentences. Look at these sentences written in active voice:

• King John signed the Manga Carta in 1215. He placed limits to his powers and proclaimed certain liberties.

Now compare the mixed sentences telling the same information:

• In 1215, the Manga Carta was signed by King John. He placed limits on his powers and proclaimed certain liberties.

There are two important things happening in our second example. First, we’ve made ‘Manga Carta’ the subject of the sentence to highlight what we’re thinking about. Second, we’ve ended our sentence talking about ‘King John’. This is important because when the reader starts with the second sentence, it flows to ‘He’. It is very clear we’re talking about ‘King John’ because ‘He’ is fresh in our minds.

Verbs are either active or passive in voice. In the active voice, the subject and the verb relationship is straightforward: the subject is the do-er. In the passive voice, the subject of the sentence is not the do-er. It is shown with by + do-er or is not shown in the sentence. Passive voice is used only when the action is the focus, not the subject. It is not important (or not known) who does the action.

• The window is broken. (it is not known who broke the window, it is not important to know who broke the window.)
• The class has been canceled. (the focus is on the class being canceled, it is not important to know who canceled it.)
• The passive voice is often used. (the focus is on the passive voice, it is not important to explain who the writer is.)

Passive voice should be avoided when you want more clarity in writing. However, in some cases, you need to use passive voice to stretch action, no the actor. Also, the passive voice can be considered more polite, as it sounds less aggressive or dramatic.

• That building was built in 1990.
• The car was invented about a 100 years ago.
• I was told that Mary moved to a different country.
• Your business is appreciated.
• She was elected to city council.
• It was rumored that the company would lay off a few people soon.
• It is recommended that the building process he shortened.

You can easily rewrite an active sentence into a passive sentence. The object in the active sentence becomes a subject in the passive sentence. The verb is changed to a “be” verb + past participle. The subject of the active sentence follows by or is omitted.

• Sam wrote a letter to Jennie.
• A letter was written to Jennie by Sam.
• The government built a new bridge.
• A new bridge was built by the government.
• I recommend that you apply for this position.
• It is recommended that you apply for this position.

Fundamental rules for changing from active voice to passive voice:

1. The places of the subject and object are interchanged i.e. the objects shifts to the position of subject and the subject shifts to the place of object in passive voice.

Ex: active voice: I write a letter.

      passive voice: A letter is written by me.

subject (I) of sentence shifted to the place of object (letter) and object (letter) shifted to the place of subject (I) in passive voice.

• Sometimes subject of sentence is not used in passive voice. Subject of sentence can be omitted in passive voice, if without subject it can give enough meaning in passive voice.

Ex: passive voice: cloth is sold in yards.

• 3^rd form of verb (past participle) is always used as main verb in the sentence of passive voice for all tenses. Base form of verb or present participle will be never used in passive voice.

The word “by” is used before subject in sentences in passive voice.

          Ex: active voice: He sings a song.

                Passive voice: a song is sung by him.

• The word “by” is not always used before subject in passive voice. Sometimes words “with, to, etc” may also be used before subject in passive voice.

Ex: active voice: The water fills the tub.

      passive voice: The tub is filled with water.

      active voice: He knows me.

      passive voice: I am known to him.

Auxiliary verbs are used in passive voice according to the tense of sentence.

Sentences which cannot be changed into passive voice:

Transitive and intransitive verbs:

a verb can be either transitive or intransitive. A transitive verb needs an object (in sentence) to give complete meaning while intransitive verb does need an object (in sentence) to give complete meaning.

For example, transitive verb:

He sent a letter. (send is a transitive verb and it needs an object i.e. Letter to express full meaning.)

Intransitive verb:

He laughs. (laugh is an intransitive verb and it doesn’t need object for expressing full meaning.)

Ex: sleep, go, reach, sit, die are examples of intransitive verbs.

Intransitive verbs cannot be changed into passive voice:

The sentences having intransitive verbs (belonging to any tense) cannot be changed into passive voice. The reason is that there is not any object I such sentences and without object of sentence passive voice is not possible.

A sentence can be changed into passive voice if it has subject and object. Sometimes subject may not be written in passive voice but it does not mean that it has no subject. Such sentences have subject but the subject is so common or familiar or known that if even it is not written in passive voice, it gives full meaning.

Ex: Cloth is sold in yards.

The following sentences can also not be changed into passive voice:

1. Present perfect continuous tense
2. Past perfect continuous tense
3. Future continuous tense
4. Future perfect continuous tense

Active and passive voice: Tense – wise rules

1. Simple present tense

An active sentence in the simple present tense has the following structure:

Subject + first form of verb + object

• A passive sentence in simple present tense has following structure:

Object of the active sentence + is / am / are + pat participle form of the verb + by + subject of the active sentence

• Changing an assertive sentence into the passive.

• Active: I write a letter.
• Passive: A letter is written by me.
• Active: I help you.
• Passive: you are helped by me.
• Active: I love my parents.
• Passive: My parents are loved by me.
• Active: We love our country.
• Passive: our country is loved by us.

• Changing a negative sentence into passive:

• Active: I do not write a letter.
• Passive: A letter is not written by me.
• Active: I do not abuse my servants.
• Passive: my servants are not abused by me.
• Active: I do not write novels.
• Passive: Novels are not written by me.
• Active:  He does not tease her.
• Passive: She is not teased by him.

• Changing an interrogative sentence into the passive:

Structure: is / are / am + object of the active verb + past participle form of the verb + by + subject of the passive verb

• Active:  Do you write a letter?
• Passive: Is a letter written by you?
• Active: Do you write stories?
• Passive: Are stories written by you?
• Active: Does she make candles?
• Passive: Are candles made by her?
• Active: Who does not obey you?
• Passive: By whom are you not obeyed?
• Active: Which newspaper do you read?
• Passive: Which newspaper is read by you?
• Active: Does she do her duty?
• Passive: Is her duty done by her?

Notes:

• The object of the active verb becomes the subject of the passive verb. Therefore, sentences which do not have an object cannot be changed into passive. The following sentences, for instance, cannot be changed into the passive because they do not have objects.
• The old man sat in a corner.
• The child sleeps.
• The wind blows.
• The dog barks.
• The fire burns.
• He laughed aloud.

PASSIVE VOICE FOR ALL TENSE RULES:

• The place of the subject and object in the sentence are inter-changed in passive voice.
• 3^rd form of verb (past participle) will be used only (as main verb) in passive voice.
• Auxiliary verbs for each tense are given below in the table:

Note: the following tenses cannot be changed into passive voice:

• Present perfect continuous tense
• Past perfect continuous tense
• Future continuous tense
• Future perfect continuous tense
• Sentences having intransitive verbs

Passive voice of imperative sentences

(command and request)

A sentence which express command or request or advice is called imperative sentence.

Intransitive verbs cannot be changed into passive voice:

The sentences having intransitive verbs (belonging to any tense) cannot be changed into passive voice. The reason is that there is not any object in such sentences and without the object in the sentence, passive voice is not possible.

A sentence can be changed into passive voice if it has subject and object. Sometimes, subject may not be written in passive voice but it does not mean that it has no subject. Such sentences have subject but the subject is so common or familiar or known that if event it is not written in passive voice, it gives full meaning.

Foe example: clothe is sold in yards.

Passive voice for present / future modals:

“CAN, MAY, MIGHT, MUST, OUGHT TO, SHOULD”

• The places of subject and object in sentence are inter-changed in passive voice.
• 3^rd form of verb (past participle) will be used only (as main verb) in passive voice.
• To change sentences having present / future modals into passive voice, auxiliary verb “be” is added after modal in sentence.

Passive voice for past modals:

“MAY HAVE, MIGHT HAVE, SHOULD HAVE, MUST HAVE, OUGHT TO HAVE”

• The places of subject and object in sentences are inter-changed in passive voice.
• 3^rd form of verb (past participle) will be used only in (as main verb) in passive voice.
• To change sentences having past modal into passive voice, auxiliary verb “been” is added after modal in sentence.

Passive voice exercises

Complete the sentences with the verbs in brackets.

In this street, letters are delivered
by the postman at 8 every day. (deliver)

This bag  was found on the bus yesterday night. (find)

I’m afraid the dress cannot be washed in hot water. (cannot wash)

 Had your motorbike been repaired  yet? I’d like to borrow it.
The message will be sent  tomorrow, I promise. (send)

These offices are cleaned now. Be careful, the floors are wet. (clean)

This report would not be finished in time if you didn’t help me. Thank you very much. (not finish)

Why is  the TV being turned  on  ? Everyone has gone to bed. (turn on)

This building needs renovating. It had not been reconstructed  since the 1960’s. (not reconstruct)

Madam, you cannot take your bag into the gallery. All bags must be left in the cloakroom. (must leave)

The engine has just been tested when the manager saw it. And he was satisfied with it. (test)

I’m sorry, sir. The last umbrellas were sold in the morning. (sell)

Where have you been so long? You wouldnot have been allowed to arrive so late if you worked for me. (not allow)

Please, be patient. The plan will be announced in two days. (announced)

All the rooms need to be painted at the moment. It will take us two or three days. (paint)

What were we doing at 11 o’clock? – We had been interviewed by a reporter. (interview)

After the window pane was replaced someone smashed the window again. (replace)