Download THE PASSIVE

THE PASSIVE
What is meant by the active and the passive voice?
The terms active voice and passive voice are used to describe the relationship between the
verb and the subject.
A sentence is in the active voice when the subject is the performer of the action.
e.g. The woman reads the novel
subject verb
direct object
A sentence is in the passive voice when the subject is the receiver of the action.
e.g. The novel is read by all the students.
subject
verb
agent
In this example the subject receives the action of the verb. The performer of the action, if
mentioned, is introduced by the word “by”. The performer is called the agent.
Verbs in the passive voice can occur in all different tenses. The tense of the auxiliary “to be”
indicates the tense of the main verb.
e.g. The novel is read by the woman.
present passive
The novel was read by the woman.
imperfect passive
The novel has been read by the woman.
perfect passive
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The novel had been read by the woman.
pluperfect passive
The novel will be read by the woman.
future passive
The novel will have been read by the woman.
future perfect passive
In short, in English when an active sentence is changed into a passive one, the following
changes occur.
1) The direct object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence.
Active: The mechanic is repairing the car.
direct object
Passive: The car is repaired by the mechanic.
subject
2) The tense of the verb in the active sentence is reflected in the tense of the verb “to
be” in the passive sentence.
Active:
We read the novel.
present
Passive: The novel is (being) read.
present
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Active: We have read the novel.
perfect
Passive: The novel has been read.
perfect
3) The subject of the active sentence becomes the agent of the passive sentence.
Active: Many people saw the film.
subject
Passive: The film was seen by many people.
agent
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