Active Voice: IntroductionActive Voice: Introduction

Forms and FunctionsForms and Functions

Passive Voice : IntroductionPassive Voice : Introduction

Forms and FunctionsForms and Functions

The Active VoiceThe Active Voice

A.A. Uses of the Active Uses of the Active VoiceVoice

By: AAR for ULD 1133By: AAR for ULD 1133

Emphasize the subject

of a sentence,

i.e the “doer”

The subject or the doer

is mentioned or known in

the sentence.

Emphasize the subject

of a sentence,

i.e the “doer”

The subject or the doer

is mentioned or known in

the sentence.

B. Formation of Active VoiceB. Formation of Active Voice

The active voice is formed by placing an emphasis on the subjectthe subject in a sentence.

This is done by beginning a sentence with a subject.

Sheena Sheena kickedkicked the bucket last night.

The UNITAR undergraduatesThe UNITAR undergraduates performed the play on the stage

The Passive Voice

A.A. Uses of the Uses of the The Passive Voice The Passive Voice

is used in a is used in a sentence when sentence when the the doerdoer of the of the action is known action is known

and does not need and does not need mentioningmentioning

Contrary to theContrary to the Active Voice, Active Voice,

the Passive Voice the Passive Voice puts an emphasis puts an emphasis

on the on the objectobject rather than rather than

The subject of theThe subject of thesentence.sentence.

The rubbish has been collected

The classroom was swept every morning

The Passive Voice is also used when the doer of the action is not known or has been forgotten.

The Passive Voice is used when we are more interested in or concerned with the action than the person who does it.

You will be guided throughout the trip

I have been told of his visit to the orchard

A new bus stand is being built ( by the local town council)

The house next door has been bought (by Mrs. Gan)

Formation of the Passive Voice

i. By putting the verb into the same tense as the active verb and adding the past participle of the active verb.

e.g: a. We keep honey here (active)

b. The honey is kept here (passive)

a. People have seen UFOs at

the beach. (active)

b. UfOs have been seen at the beach.

(passive)

a. My father planted a mango tree (active)

b. A mango tree was planted by my father (passive)

Usually preceded by Usually preceded by

the word “by”the word “by”

when the agentwhen the agent

is mentioned.is mentioned.

Usually preceded by Usually preceded by

the word “by”the word “by”

when the agentwhen the agent

is mentioned.is mentioned.

ii. The passive of continuous tenses is formed by adding the present continuous forms of the verb to be.

a. They are mending the roof. (active)

a. The roof is being mended (passive) a. Doctors were attending the sick patients (active)

b. The sick patients were being attended by doctors. (passive)

-

ACTIVE VOICE AGENTCHANGED TO

PASSIVE VOICE

agent not specified; most likely agents such as "the researchers"

most of the class

the CIA director and his close advisors

agent not specified; most likely agents such as "we"

Active vs. Passive?...

PASSIVE (INDIRECT) ACTIVE (DIRECT):

Forming Tenses of Passive Verbs

The passive voice always consists of two parts: a form of

the verb "to be" + past participle:

Tense Active Voice Passive Voice

Simple Present plays/drives is played/ driven

Present Continuous

is playing/ driving is being played/ driven

Present prefect has played/has driven

has been played/driven

Simple past played/ drove was played/ was driven

Past continuous was playing/ driving

was being played/

driven

Past Perfect had played/driven had been played/driven

Future will play/ drive will be played/ driven

Changing from Passive Voice to Active

PASSIVE VOICE AGENTCHANGED TO ACTIVE

VOICE

The presiding

officer

The leaders

The scientists

Exercise 1 : Changing the active to the Exercise 1 : Changing the active to the passivepassive

1.1. Khalil Gibran wrote that prose. Khalil Gibran wrote that prose. ________________________________________________________________________________________

2.2. Jay will invite Norman to the party.Jay will invite Norman to the party. ________________________________________________________________________________________

3.3. Yashmin is preparing that report.Yashmin is preparing that report. ________________________________________________________________________________________

4.4. Waitresses and waiters serve customers.Waitresses and waiters serve customers. ________________________________________________________________________________________

5.5. The teacher is going to explain the lesson.The teacher is going to explain the lesson. ________________________________________________________________________________________

6.6. Mogana has suggested an ideaMogana has suggested an idea ________________________________________________________________________________________

7.7. Two horses were pulling the farmer’s wagon.Two horses were pulling the farmer’s wagon. ____________________________________________________________________________

Additional On-line Exercises:

http://a4esl.org/q/h/vm/active-passive.html

http://esl.about.com/library/quiz/blgrquiz_passive1.htm