Using Passive Voice

Forming the Passive 1

• In an active sentence, the subject of the verb “does” the action of the verb, and the direct object “receives” the action.– Bob Marley wrote Africa Unite.

Forming the Passive 2

• The direct object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence. That is, the “receiver” of the action becomes the subject.

Africa Unite was written by Bob Marley.• Note that the subject of the active sentence

appears in an adverbial phrase in the passive sentence. This is called the “by-phrase”.

• The “by-phrase” is not required and should be used only if it provides important information.

Forming the Passive 3

• Only verbs which have a direct object can be made passive.

• Intransitive verbs cannot be made passive.

– The accident happened last night.– X The accident was happened last

night.

Forming the Passive 4

• The verb of the passive sentence is some form of be + past participle

• All tenses which occur in active sentences also occur in passive sentences.

Practice Sentences

• Write two practice sentences using either simple present or simple past tense.

• Write one sentence using active voice and one sentence using passive voice.

• Write about a favorite musician or an author and one of their books or songs.

Using the Passive

• Use the passive to emphasize the direct object of the sentence, as when:– The “doer” of the action is unknown.

• Rice has been cultivated for thousands of years.

– The “doer” of the action is not important.• The experiment was conducted in the laboratory.

– The “doer” of the action is hidden.• Mistakes were made.

• Passive sentences occur often in technical writing, research writing, and journalism.

Using the Passive

• Use active voice if the “doer” of the action is important.

• American readers consider too many passives in a text dull and uninteresting. Use passive sentences sparingly.

Problems with passives

• Using passive when active is more appropriate.

• Using too many passive sentences in a text.

Problems with Passives

• Trying to make an intransitive verb passive.– X The incident was occurred at 6:05

yesterday morning.

Problems with Passives

• Forming the passive incorrectly. – X Corn is feed to livestock in the U.S.

Problems with Passives

• Using an incorrect preposition with a stative passive.– X Alexander is devoted with his

work.