Download Active and Passive Voice

The Path to Effective Writing
UNDERSTANDING ACTIVE AND
PASSIVE VOICE
Verbs and Voice
 Voice is the form a verb takes to
indicate whether the subject of
the verb performs or receives
the action.
 There are two types of voice:
active voice and passive voice.
Active Voice
 Active Voice – indicates that the
subject of the verb is acting
 Because the subject does or
"acts upon" the verb in such
sentences, the sentences are
said to be in the active voice.
Active Voice
 These examples show that the subject
is doing the verb's action.
 The dog jumped onto the boy.
 The dog (subject) is doing the jumping (verb).
 Chloe will give a book report to the class.
 Chloe (subject) is doing the giving (verb).
 The computer ate my paper.
 The computer (subject) is doing the eating (verb).
Passive Voice
 In a passive voice sentence, the subject and
object flip-flop. The subject becomes the
passive recipient of the action.
 Because the subject is being "acted upon" (or
is passive), such sentences are said to be in
the passive voice.
Passive Voice
 These examples show the subject being
acted upon by the verb.
 The boy was jumped on by the dog.
 Boy (subject) was being jumped on (verb)
 A book report will be given by Chloe to the
class.
 Report (subject) will be given (verb).
 My paper was eaten by the computer.
 Paper (subject) was being eaten (verb).
Reasons to Use the Active Voice
 Most writers prefer to use active voice
because it is more direct.
 Compare
 Active: The waiter dropped the tray of
food.
 Passive: The tray of food was dropped
by the waiter.
Reasons to Use the Active Voice
 The active voice is less awkward and clearly
states a relationship between the subject and the
action.
 Compare
 Passive:Your request for funding has been denied by
the review committee.
 Active: The review committee denied your request for
funding.
 The active voice sentence pattern propels the
reader forward through your writing thus
avoiding weak prose.
When to Use Passive Voice
 In general, the passive voice is less direct, less
forceful, and less concise than the active
voice.
 Use the passive voice in the following
situations:

Use passive voice when you do not know or
do not want to reveal the performer of an
action.

Use passive voice when you want to
emphasize the receiver of an action.
Examples
 Awkward Passive: My bicycle was
repainted by Skye.
 Deliberate Passive: My bicycle was
repainted. (The performer is not mentioned
and the emphasis is on the bicycle.)
Form of Passive Voice Verbs
 The passive voice requires a "double verb"
and will always consist of a form of the verb
"to be" and the past participle (usually the
"en/ed/t" form) of another verb.
 Example:
Active: Rustum baked the bread.
Passive: The bread was baked by Rustum. (Was
is a form of the verb “be”.)
Form of Passive Voice Verbs
 Writers should be familiar with the forms of
"to be" , often called linking verbs, so that
they can easily identify the passive voice in
their work.
 Review the forms of "to be":
 am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been
Avoid forms of the verb to
be
 All passives consist of a form of the verb to be (am, is,
are, was, were, being, been) plus a past participle.
Example: The boy was impressed by Ms. Jones.
 A past participle is the ed form of regular verbs for
irregular verbs: en, n, t) and can fill the empty slot in
this sentence: “I had _______ it.”
Form of Passive Voice Verbs
 Note the forms of "to be" in the examples of
the verb "to kick" in various forms of the
passive voice:
 is kicked----------------had been kicked
was kicked-------------is going to be kicked
is being kicked---------will be kicked
has been kicked-------can be kicked
was being kicked------should be kicked
Form of Passive Voice Verbs
 Often passive voice sentences will contain a
"by" phrase indicting who or what performed
the action.
 Passive sentences can be easily transformed
into active sentences when the object of the
preposition "by" is moved to the subject
position in the sentence.
How to avoid passive voice
 Many English verbs have been changed into useful
nouns with the use of a suffix.
Announce – announcement
Propose - proposal
Depart – departure
Meet – meeting
 For active voice sentences use the verb instead of the
noun form of these kinds of words.
Form of Passive Voice Verbs
 Examples:
 Passive: The cookies were eaten by the children.
 Active: The children ate the cookies.
 Passive: The tunnels are dug by the gophers.
 Active: The gophers dug the tunnels.
Tel l w h e t h e r e a c h v e r b i n t h e f o l l o w i n g s e n t e n c e s
is in active voice or passive voice. Find the
verb. Then ask who or what is completing the
action.
1. Trees were being blown over by the wind.
2. The streetlights made long, scary shadows on the sidewalk.
3. The cave was explored by Mrs. Roskowski’s class.
4. The Gettysburg Address was written by Abraham Lincoln.
5. Saba considered the book an inspiration.
6. The cake had been eaten by the time Chloe arrived.
7. Vivian’s fans cheered her on to victory.
8. The snow drifted over the fence and across the road.
9. The swelling on Mary’s arm was caused by a bee sting.
10.Sabrina and Roxanne were setting out birdseed for the birds.
1. Trees were being blown over by the wind. passive
2. The streetlights made long, scary shadows on the sidewalk.
active
3. The cave was explored by Mrs. Roskowski’s class. passive
4. The Gettysburg Address was written by Abraham Lincoln.
passive
5. Saba considered the book an inspiration. active
6. The cake had been eaten by the time Chloe arrived. passive
7. Vivian’s fans cheered her on to victory. active
8. The snow drifted over the fence and across the road. active
9. The swelling on Mary’s arm was caused by a bee sting. passive
10.Sabrina and Roxanne were setting out birdseed for the birds.
active
Directions: Change the sentences below to the
active voice.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The statue is being visited by hundreds of
tourists every year.
My books were stolen by someone yesterday.
These books had been left in the classroom by a
careless student.
Coffee is raised in many parts of Hawaii by
plantation workers.
The house had been broken into by someone
while the owners were on vacation.
Directions: Change the sentences below to the
passive voice.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Children cannot open these bottles easily.
The government built a road right outside her
front door.
Mr. Larsen broke the antique vase as he walked
through the store.
When she arrived, the changes amazed her.
The construction workers are making street
repairs all month long.
In two paragraphs, describe the scene below. Use active voice only.
Pay close attention to your verb usage.