ACTIVE AND PASSIVE VOICE

Nanda Putri Ayu Lestari / 4SA02 / 14615974

Active and Passive Voice

Active voice describes a sentence where the subject performs the action stated by the verb.

In passive voice sentences, the subject is acted upon by the verb.

Use of Passive

Passive voice is used when the focus is on the action. It is not important or not known, however, who or what is performing the action.

Example: My bike was stolen.

In the example above, the focus is on the fact that my bike was stolen. I do not know, however, who did it.

Sometimes a statement in passive is more polite than active voice, as the following example shows:

Example: A mistake was made.

In this case, I focus on the fact that a mistake was made, but I do not blame anyone (e.g. You have made a mistake.).

When rewriting active sentences in passive voice, note the following:

·         the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence

·         the finite form of the verb is changed (to be + past participle)

·         the subject of the active sentence becomes the object of the passive sentence (or is dropped)

These sentences are in passive voice. The Passive voice is used in English 

(a) To stress the action done rather than the doer of the action

(b) If the doer is unknown

(c) When it is more convenient.

Rules for changing Active Voice into Passive Voice:

• · Identify the subject, the verb and the object: SVO 
• · Change the object into subject 
• · Put the suitable helping verb or auxiliary verb. In case helping verb is given, use the same. But note that the helping verb given agrees with the object. 
• · Change the verb into past participle of the verb. 
• · Add the preposition "by" 
• · Change the subject into object. 

USING THE AUXILIARY VERB “BE”

The passive voice is formed by using a form of the auxiliary verb “be” (be, am, is, are, was, were, being, been) followed by the past participle of the main verb.

Active = He loves me. We took our children to the circus. A thief stole my money.

Passive = I am loved. The children were taken to the circus. My money was stolen.

Notice how the “be” auxiliaries change the meaning of the verbs from action to condition or from “doing” to “being.”

He remembers his grandmother. (“he” is doing an action: remembering)

His grandmother is remembered. (“she” is in a condition: being remembered)

In this way, the past participle functions very much like an adjective; it describes the subject . The woman is pretty. She is a pretty woman The woman is married. She is a married woman.

VERB TENSES USED IN ACTIVE AND PASSIVE VOICE

The following is a summary of active and passive forms of all verb tenses. Remember that in active forms the subject of the sentence is the person or thing that does the action. In passive constructions, the verb is performed by someone or something other than the subject; often, the action is done to the subject by someone else.

Present Time

• Simple Present

Use the simple present tense to make a generalization, to present a state of being, or to indicate a habitual or repeated action.

Active = base form or “-s/-es” form.

Passive = am/is/are + past participle

Active = Professor Brown teaches at Hunter.

 All humans are equal.

 Maria eats in the cafeteria.

Passive = Sonia is taught by Professor Brown.

   All humans are created equal.

    The cafeteria is cleaned.

• Present Progressive

Use the present progressive to describe an ongoing activity or a temporary action.

Active = am/is/are + -ing

Passive = am/is/are + being + -ed/-en

Active = The students are learning Spanish. .

  I am working at McDonald’s until I finish school.

Passive = Classes are being conducted in Spanish.

    He is being hired to work at McDonald’s

·  Present Perfect

Use the present perfect to describe an action occurring in the past but relevant to the present, or extending to the present.

Active = has/have + -ed/-en

Hunter has opened a language institute in East Harlem.

Passive = has/have + been + -ed/-en

The language institute has been opened to relocate students off the main campus.

• Present Perfect Progressive

Use the present perfect progressive to describe an ongoing action beginning before now and is still relevant to the present.

Active = has/have + been + -ing

Hunter has been awarding BA and MA diplomas for over one hundred years.

Passive = has/have + been + being + -ed/-en

Note: Because of awkward construction, the perfect progressive form is not used in the passive voice. Instead, an adverb may be used to show continuing action: “We have been repeatedly scolded for being late.”

Past Time

• Simple Past

Use the simple past to indicate a general or habitual action occurring in the past or at a specific time in the past.

Active = base + -ed or irregular form

Our family bought all our clothes at Sears when I was young.

Passive = was/were + -ed/-en

The clothes were bought by my mother

In informal conversation, speakers of English often express habitual behavior in the past using the modal “would.”

Active = would + base

We would usually eat burgers in the food court.

Passive = would + be + -ed/-en

Most of the french fries would be eaten before we got to the table.

• Past Progressive

Use the past progressive to indicate an ongoing action in the past or an action continuing through a specific past time.

Active = was/were + -ing

Mary and Paul were dating in those days.

Passive = was/were + being + -ed/-en

One afternoon, Mary was being kissed by Paul when her mother passed by.

• Past Perfect

Use the past perfect to indicate an action completed prior to a particular time or before another action in the past.

Active = had + -ed/-en

Completed: Mary's mother was shocked because she had forbidden her daughter to date.

Passive = had + been + -ed/-en

Mary had been kissed many times before that day.

• Past Perfect Progressive

Use the past perfect progressive to indicate a continuing action that began before a past action or time.

Active = had + been + -ing

Mary had been trying to tell her mother about Paul for a long time.

Passive = had + been + being + -ed/-en

Future Time

• Simple Future

Use the future to indicate an action that is expected to take place at a future time.

Active = will + base

Paul and Mary will marry in June.

Passive = will + be + -ed/-en

They will be married by a priest and a rabbi.

Active = or am/is/are going to + base

Mary is going to wear her grandmother's gown

Passive = or am/is/are + going to be + -ed/-en.

The gown is going to be adjusted to fit Mary.

• Future Progressive

Use the future progressive to indicate an action in future with emphasis on continuing action.

Active = will + base + -ing

Mary and Paul will be spending lots of time on the beach.

Passive = will + be + being + -ed/en

Note: Not used in the passive voice.

• Future Perfect

Use the future perfect to indicate a future action expected to be completed before another future action or time.

Active = will + have + -ed/-en

By their wedding date, they will have saved enough money to buy a house.

Passive = will + have + been + -ed/en

Note: Not used in the passive voice.

• Future Perfect Progressive

Use the future perfect progressive to indicate an action projected to have been going on for a while before a time in the future.

Active = will + have + been + -ing

When they celebrate their first anniversary, they will have been living together for a full year

Passive = will + have + been + being + -ed/-en

Note: Not used in the passive voice.