War of the Voices

Active vs. Passive

“The active voice is preferred.”

“The active voice is preferred.”

What’s up with this sentence? Do you notice anything funky? Think about it.

That’s right.

It’s written in PASSIVE voice (just like this sentence).

Let me repeat: It’s a sentence advocating for active voice – written in passive voice.

Here’s another one …

Many a tame sentence of description or exposition can be made lively and emphatic by substituting a transitive in the active voice for some such perfunctory expression as there is or could be heard.

Elements of Style (4th edition, 2000, p. 18) by Strunk & White

How ‘bout this?

Mistakes were made.-Attributed to numerous political figures

What is the benefit of passive voice in this example?

Maybe a little Jane Austen

The rest of the evening was spent in conjecturing how soon he would return Mr Bennet’s visit …

-Pride and Prejudice

Maybe a little Jane Austen

The rest of the evening was spent in conjecturing how soon he would return Mr Bennet’s visit …

-Pride and Prejudice

Examples abound in P&P

An invitation to dinner was soon afterwards dispatched …

Mr. Bingley was to bring twelve ladies and seven gentlemen with him to the assembly. The girls grieved over such a number of ladies; but were comforted the day before the ball by hearing that instead of twelve, he had brought only six with him from London, his five sisters and a cousin.

Examples abound in P&P

An invitation to dinner was soon afterwards dispatched …

Mr. Bingley was to bring twelve ladies and seven gentlemen with him to the assembly. The girls grieved over such a number of ladies; but were comforted the day before the ball by hearing that instead of twelve, he had brought only six with him from London, his five sisters and a cousin.

Let’s consult Grammar Girl.

http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/host-article.aspx?PageName=active-voice-versus-passive-voice.aspx&PodCastTypeId=1&PageType=ARTICLE

Quick examples

Active: subject performs the action John wrote the paper. Someone stole the cookies.

Passive: subject receives the action The paper was written (by John). The cookies were stolen (by someone).

Forming Passive Voice

What do you notice about the form of these passive voice sentences? The paper was written (by John). The cookies were stolen (by someone). Active voice is preferred (by grammarians).

Any form of “to be” + past participle of a transitive verb

Sometimes, sentences written in passive voice contain the preposition “by” which assigns an agent to the action.

Okay, but can you tell the difference between (active) helping verbs and passive voice?

1. She is submitting her work for review.

2. My paper was critiqued yesterday.

3. My diet was ruined by buttery popcorn and Reece’s Pieces.

4. Steam was coming out of the pipes.

5. He was embarrassed by the recognition.

6. Your file has been misplaced.

Okay, but can you tell the difference between (active) helping verbs and passive voice?

1. She is submitting her work for review.

2. My paper was critiqued yesterday.

3. My diet was ruined by buttery popcorn and Reece’s Pieces.

4. Steam was coming out of the pipes.

5. He was embarrassed by the recognition.

6. Your file has been misplaced.

1. She is submitting her work for review.

2. My paper was critiqued yesterday.

3. My diet was ruined by buttery popcorn and Reece’s Pieces.

4. Steam was coming out of the pipes.

5. He was embarrassed by the recognition.

6. Your file has been misplaced.

Please, I beg of you …

Don’t be the teacher is who circles all forms of “to be” in students’ writing and calls it passive voice.

He is handsome. (NOT passive)

We are walking home. (NOT passive)

Remember …

In passive voice, the subject receives the action.

My paper was graded yesterday.

The agent (doer of the action) may be unknown or may be included in a prepositional phrase after “by.”

My paper was graded yesterday by my teacher.

Any form of “to be” + past participle of a transitive verb

Determine whether the verb is active or passive. Then, reword the sentence so the verb is in the alternate voice. Note: the “doer” of the action may not always be mentioned in the passive sentences.

1. The announcement is expected any moment.

2. The jury acquitted Bugsy.

3. The movie was based on a play.

4. The yacht is manned by a novice crew.

5. The search was suspended at nightfall.

6. We decorated the Christmas tree in record time.

Determine whether the verb is active or passive. Then, reword the sentence so the verb is in the alternate voice. Note: the “doer” of the action may not always be mentioned in the passive sentences.

The announcement is expected any moment.

We expect the announcement at any moment.

The jury acquitted Bugsy.

Bugsy was acquitted by the jury.

The movie was based on a play.

The director based the movie on a play.

1. The announcement is expected any moment.

2. The jury acquitted Bugsy.

3. The movie was based on a play.

Determine whether the verb is active or passive. Then, reword the sentence so the verb is in the alternate voice. Note: the “doer” of the action may not always be mentioned in the passive sentences.

The yacht is manned by a novice crew.

A novice crew mans the yacht.

The search was suspended at nightfall.

We suspended the search at nightfall.

We decorated the Christmas tree in record time.

The Christmas tree was decorated by us in record time.

1. The yacht is manned by a novice crew.

2. The search was suspended at nightfall.

3. We decorated the Christmas tree in record time.

Works Consulted

“Active Voice Versus Passive Voice.” Grammar Girl. 25 Mar. 2007. Web. 9 July 2010. http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/host-article.aspx?PageName=active-voice-versus-passive-voice.aspx&PodCastTypeId=1&PageType=ARTICLE

Good, C. Edward. A Grammar Book for You and Me. Herndon, VA: Capital Books, 2002. Print.

Liberman, Mark. “When Men were Men, and Verbs Were Passive.” Language Log. 4 Aug. 2006. Web. Nov. 8, 2012. http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/003414.html

Pullman, Geoffrey K. “50 Years of Stupid Grammar Advice.” The Chronicle of Higher Education. 17 April 2009. Web. Nov. 8, 2012. http://chronicle.com/article/50-Years-of-Stupid-Grammar/25497