Passive voice is a grammatical construction where the subject of the sentence is not the doer of the action but rather the receiver of the action.
In passive voice, the object of an action becomes the subject of the sentence.
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Variety in Writing: Active voice dominates most English writing, but knowing passive voice allows you to add variety and sophistication to your sentences.
Emphasis: Passive voice can emphasize the action or the receiver of the action, allowing you to control the focus of your writing.
Formality: Passive voice is often used in formal or academic writing, so understanding it is essential for producing professional documents.
Identify the Object: Determine what is receiving the action in the sentence. This will become the subject of your passive construction.
Use a Form of "to be": Depending on the tense of the sentence, use an appropriate form of the verb "to be" (e.g., is, am, are, was, were, been) before the past participle of the main verb.
Include the Past Participle: The main verb changes to its past participle form. For regular verbs, this usually involves adding "-ed" to the base form. Irregular verbs have unique past participle forms that need to be memorized.
Optional: Include the Agent: While not always necessary, you can include the agent (the doer of the action) using the preposition "by" after the verb. This is often omitted, especially if the agent is unknown or unimportant.
1. Direct Object Passive
In a direct object passive construction, the direct object of an active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence.
Active Sentence Structure: Subject + Verb + Direct Object
Passive Sentence Structure: Direct Object (now the subject) + Form of "to be" + Past Participle + (by + Agent)
Example:
Active: The teacher explains the lesson.
Passive: The lesson is explained by the teacher.
2. Indirect Object Passive
In an indirect object passive construction, the indirect object of an active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence. Indirect objects typically receive the direct object.
Active Sentence Structure: Subject + Verb + Indirect Object + Direct Object
Passive Sentence Structure: Indirect Object (now the subject) + Form of "to be" + Past Participle + Direct Object + (by + Agent)
Example:
Active: The manager gave the employees the bonus.
Passive: The employees were given the bonus by the manager.
Alternatively, you can also focus on the direct object in the passive construction:
Active: The manager gave the employees the bonus.
Passive: The bonus was given to the employees by the manager.
3. Prepositional Passive
In a prepositional passive construction, the object of a preposition in an active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence. This type is less common but still important to recognize.
Active Sentence Structure: Subject + Verb + Preposition + Object
Passive Sentence Structure: Object of Preposition (now the subject) + Form of "to be" + Past Participle + Preposition + (by + Agent)
Example:
Active: The committee looked into the complaint.
Passive: The complaint was looked into by the committee.
Direct Object Passive |
Active: The cat chased the mouse. |
Indirect Object Passive |
Active: She sent him a letter. |
Prepositional Passive |
Active: The teacher talked about the problem. |
A. Transform the following active sentences into passive sentences, identifying whether they are direct object, indirect object, or prepositional passive.
1.The baker made a cake for the celebration.
2.The principal gave the teachers the new schedules.
3.The fans cheered for the winning team.
4.The technician fixed the computer.
5.The author signed the books for the readers.
B. Below are some passive voice sentences that contain errors. Identify the mistakes and correct them.
1.The manuscript is editing by the editor.
2.The sculpture were admired by the visitors.
3.The thief was catching by the police.
4.The invitation are sent to all the guests.
5.The results is announced by the principal.
C. Transform the following passive sentences into active sentences by focusing on the subject performing the action.
1.The cake was baked by the baker.
2.The letter was written by the student.
3.The children were given candy by their parents.
4.The patient was prescribed medication by the doctor.
5.The song was listened to by everyone.
D. Create examples of Passive Voice for the below pictures.
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A.
1.A cake was made for the celebration by the baker. (Direct Object)
2.The teachers were given the new schedules by the principal. (Indirect Object)
3.The winning team was cheered for by the fans. (Prepositional)
4.The computer was fixed by the technician. (Direct Object)
5.The books were signed for the readers by the author. (Direct Object)
B.
1.The manuscript is edited by the editor.
2.The sculpture was admired by the visitors.
3.The thief was caught by the police.
4.The invitation was sent to all the guests.
5.The results were announced by the principal.
C.
1.The baker baked the cake.
2.The student wrote the letter.
3.Their parents gave the children candy.
4.The doctor prescribed the patient medication.
5.Everyone listened to the song.
D. (possible answers)
1.The car was fixed by the mechanic.
2.The dentist was given a tool by her assistant. / The teeth were cleaned by the dentist.
3.The meal was cooked by my parents. / The family was given a delicious meal.
4.The project was talked about by all the managers. / The meeting was held by the board of directors.
Try rewriting sentences from active to passive voice and vice versa. Pay attention to the changes in sentence structure and meaning. Additionally, read extensively to familiarize yourself with how passive voice is used in different contexts.