ACTIVE & PASSIVE VOICE

ACTIVE? PASSIVE?
The teacher scolds Kenny. ACTIVE

Kenny

scolds

the teacher.

Kenny ________

the teacher. PASSIVE

ACTIVE or PASSIVE?
Set 1 : ACTIVE a) The teacher scolds Kenny. b) Kenny scolds the teacher. ACTIVE c) Kenny is scolded by the teacher. PASSIVE Set 2 : a) Alex prepares the report. b) The report prepares Alex. c) The report is prepared by Alex. ACTIVE ACTIVE PASSIVE

Lets dissect these sentences

The teacher scolds Kenny.
SUBJECT (doer) OBJECT (receiver)

Kenny scolds the teacher.

SUBJECT (doer) OBJECT (receiver)

Kenny is scolded by the teacher.

SUBJECT (RECEIVER) OBJECT (DOER)

When to use the active or passive?

Active? - focus on the DOER (or agent) of action. - subject performs action/acts Passive? - focus on the RECEIVER of action. - subject receives action/is acted upon - The subject of the active verb follows by in a passive sentence. - The noun that follows by is called an agent

Look at these sentences

Active : An accident happened on the highway Passive: None Active : Every year the Turks to shop at Langkawi. Passive: None

Only transitive verbs (verbs that can be followed by an object) are used in the passives.
Not possible to use intransitive verbs (such as happen. sleep, come, seem, agree, cry, exist, go, live, occur,rain,stay,walk)in the passive.

I went to the store yesterday

Jack sits in the corner when he reads. NOT The corner is sat when Jack reads.

Peter arrived early. NOT Early was arrived Peter.

Identify the focus of each sentence below.

a) Japan makes the Honda cars. b) The Honda cars are made in Japan.
d) Rice is grown in Thailand. e) Thailand grows rice.

Sometimes, doer of action unimportant

In active voice, doer of action is placed at start of sentence. In passive voice, doer can be hidden.

Examples:

a) Animal skin is used to make leather goods. b) The houses are developed for the poor. c) It is believed that if you cut your fingernails at night, you will see ghosts.

CHANGING ACTIVE TO PASSIVE HOW? Look at TENSES Changes in verb forms ACTIVE VERB to PASSIVE VERB

Forming Tenses of Passive Verbs The passive voice always consists of two parts: a form of the verb "to be" + past participle:
Tense
Simple Present Present Continuous Present prefect

Active Voice
plays/drives is playing/ driving has played/has driven

Passive Voice
is played/ driven is being played/ driven has been played/driven

Simple past
Past continuous

played/ drove
was playing/ driving

was played/ was driven

was being played/ driven

Past Perfect
Future

had played/driven
will play/ drive

had been played/driven

will be played/ driven

SIMPLE PRESENT
present tense verb

is/are + past participle (pp.) Tom eats the pear.

The pear ______ by Tom. Tom eats the pears.

The pears _______ by Tom.

SIMPLE PAST
past tense verb

was/were + pp.
A) Tom ate the pear. The pear _____ by Tom. B) Tom ate the pears. The pears ______ by Tom

PRESENT CONTINUOUS
is/are +ing is/are + being + pp. A) Tom is eating the pear. The pear _______ by Tom. B) Tom is eating the pears. The pears ________ by Tom.

PAST CONTINUOUS
was/were +ing was/were + being + pp. A) Tom was eating the pear. The pear ________ by Tom.

B) Tom was eating the pears. The pears ________ by Tom.

PRESENT PERFECT
has/have +pp. has/have + been + pp. A) Tom has eaten the pear. The pear has been eaten by Tom.

B) Tom has eaten the pears. The pears have been eaten by Tom.

PAST PERFECT
had +pp had + been + pp. A) Tom had eaten the pear. The pear ________ by Tom.

B) Tom had eaten the pears. The pears _______ by Tom.

SIMPLE FUTURE
will + verb

will + be+ pp.

Tom will eat the pear. The pear will be eaten by Tom.

going to + verb

going to + be + pp.

Tom is going to eat the pear. The pear __________ by Tom. Tom is going to eat the pears. The pears ___________ by Tom.

FUTURE PERFECT
will have + pp
will have + been + pp. Tom will have eaten the pear. The pear will have been eaten by Tom.

MODAL VERBS

will would can could shall should may might must ought to

MODAL VERBS
modal verb (modal) + be + pp. A) Tom should do the work. The work _________ by Tom. B) Tom can do the work. The work ________ by Tom.

MODAL PERFECT
(modal) + have (modal) + have +been + pp. A) Tom will have done the work. The work will have been done by Tom.

B) Tom must have made the mistake. The mistake must have been made by Tom.

to?
To +verb to +be + pp. A) Tom is going to sing the song. The song __________ by Tom. B) The law ought to punish the criminals. The criminals ought to be punished (by the law).

Changing from Passive Voice to Active

PASSIVE VOICE AGENT/Doer CHANGED TO ACTIVE VOICE

?
The leaders

SUMMARY
ing (present participle) have / has / had (perfect) modal / to

+ being + been + be

To summarize

Active voice It is used for most academic writing.

It clearly tells what the action is & who is performing the action. It is shorter. (concise) It is more direct, sincere. Better impact on receiver. Feels more trustworthy

Passive voice

To emphasize an action / the recipient of the action To de-emphasize negative news To conceal the doer of an action (anonymous) To add variety To avoid responsibility To sound less direct. Wordier. Less trustworthy.