2. ACTIVE AND PASSIVE VOICE
VOICE is used to explain the subject acts or
being acted upon.
Active and Passive sentence usually have the
same meaning but the focus is different.
3. ACTIVE VOICE
ACTIVE VOICE: the subject performs the
action expressed.
Ex:
Bob
mailed
the package
Agent
Verb
Recipient
The main focus in this sentence is on the
agent that does the action
4. ACTIVE VOICE
Here are another examples
o
The news surprises me
o
Mary is helping John
o
Mr. Lee will teach my class
o
Shirley has suggested a new idea
o
Cathy had returned the book to the library
5. PASSIVE VOICE
PASSIVE VOICE: the recipient has something
done to it by the agent.
Ex:
The package was mailed by Bob
Recipient
Verb
Agent
The main focus in this sentence is on the
recipient that receives the action.
6. PASSIVE VOICE
Here are another examples
o
I am surprised by the news
o
John is being helped by Mary
o
My class will be taught by Mr. Lee
o
A new idea has been suggested by Shirley
o
The book had been returned to the library by Cathy
7. PASSIVE VOICE
Sometimes in passive sentence, the agent is left
out.
Ex:
The rain soaked the pitch
The pitch was soaked by the rain
Usually the passive sentence is used without a
“by phrase”. The passive is most frequently used
when it is not known or important to know
exactly who performs an action.
8. PASSIVE VOICE
Only the transitive verbs (verbs that are
followed by an object) are used in the passive. It
is not possible to use verbs such as
happen, sleep, come, and seem (intransitive
verbs) in the passive.
The progressive forms of the present
perfect, past perfect, future, and future
perfect are rarely used in the passive.
Ex:
John will have been helped by Mary
9. PASSIVE VOICE
Either an indirect object (I.O) or a direct object
(D.O) may become the subject of a passive
sentence.
Ex: Someone gave Prof. James an award (active)
I.O
D.O
Prof. James was given an award
An award was given to Prof. James
When the D.O becomes the subject, to is usually
used in front of the I.O*
10. PASSIVE VOICE
*The omission of to is more common in British
English than American English
Ex:
An award was given Prof. James
11. PASSIVE VOICE
STATIVE PASSIVE: When the passive form
expresses an existing state rather than action
Ex:
Now the door is locked
locked is a past participle. It is used as an
adjectives and describes the door
o
Often stative passive verbs are followed by a
preposition other than by
Ex:
I am interested in Javanese art
12. PASSIVE VOICE
Get may also be followed by a past participle.
The past participle functions as an adjective; it
describes the subject.
Ex:
Kyla got worried because Ron was two hours late
