In English grammar, the passive voice is a grammatical construction in which the subject of a sentence is not the agent or doer of the action, but rather the recipient of the action. This is achieved by moving the object of the sentence to the subject position, and using the past participle form of the verb.
For example, the sentence “The ball was kicked by the boy” is written in the passive voice. In this sentence, the subject “the ball” is not the agent or doer of the action, but rather the recipient of the action (it was kicked by the boy). The object “the boy” is moved to the subject position, and the past participle form of the verb “kick” is used (“was kicked”).
Another example of the passive voice is the sentence “The cake was eaten by the dog.” In this sentence, the subject “the cake” is not the agent or doer of the action, but rather the recipient of the action (it was eaten by the dog). The object “the dog” is moved to the subject position, and the past participle form of the verb “eat” is used (“was eaten”).
The difference between passive voice and active voice:
The difference between the active voice and the passive voice is the focus of the sentence. In the active voice, the subject of the sentence is the one performing the action described by the verb. In the passive voice, the subject of the sentence is the recipient of the action described by the verb.
For example, in the sentence “The dog bit the man,” the subject is “the dog” and the verb is “bit.” In this sentence, the dog is the one performing the action of biting, so the sentence is written in the active voice.
However, if we want to focus on the man who was bitten, we can change the sentence to the passive voice by saying “The man was bitten by the dog.” In this sentence, the subject is “the man” and the verb is “was bitten.” In this sentence, the man is the recipient of the action of being bitten, so the sentence is written in the passive voice.
Here are some more examples to illustrate the difference between the active and passive voice:
Active voice: The teacher graded the papers. (In this sentence, the subject “the teacher” is performing the action of grading.)
Passive voice: The papers were graded by the teacher. (In this sentence, the subject “the papers” is the recipient of the action of being graded.)
Active voice: The cat chased the mouse. (In this sentence, the subject “the cat” is performing the action of chasing.)
Passive voice: The mouse was chased by the cat. (In this sentence, the subject “the mouse” is the recipient of the action of being chased.)
Which one is better?
In general, the active voice is more direct and concise, and it is often preferred in academic and professional writing. The passive voice can be useful in certain situations, such as when the performer of the action is unknown or not important. However, overuse of the passive voice can make writing less clear and less engaging, so it should be used carefully.
Overall, the passive voice is an important aspect of English grammar, and it is used to shift the focus of a sentence from the doer of the action to the recipient of the action. It is often used in academic and scientific writing, as well as in other contexts where the focus of the sentence is on the object rather than the subject.
Here are a few exercises you can try to practice using the passive voice in English sentences:
- Rewrite the following sentences in the passive voice:
- The teacher graded the papers.
- The cat chased the mouse.
- She baked a cake for the party.
- He built a house for his family.
- They delivered the package to the customer.
Corrected sentences:
- The papers were graded by the teacher.
- The mouse was chased by the cat.
- A cake was baked for the party.
- A house was built for his family.
- The package was delivered to the customer.
- Identify and fix any errors in the passive voice in the following sentences:
- The window was broke by the wind.
- The package ship by the post office.
- The cake make by her for the party.
- The house was built him for his family.
- The papers grade his teacher.
Corrected sentences:
- The window was broken by the wind.
- The package was shipped by the post office.
- The cake was made by her for the party.
- The house was built by him for his family.
- The papers were graded by the teacher.
- Write five original sentences using the passive voice. For example: “The book was read by her.”
- The car was washed by him.
- The cookies were baked by me.
- The letter was written by her.
- The garden was watered by them.
- The homework was completed by me.
By practicing using the passive voice in your sentences, you can become more comfortable with this important grammar concept. Keep practicing and you’ll be able to use the passive voice correctly and effectively in your writing. Good luck!
