When learning English, one of the grammatical structures that often confuses learners is the passive voice. While the active voice is more straightforward and commonly used, the passive voice has its own unique applications and benefits. In this article, we’ll explore what the passive voice is, when to use it, and how it can enhance your writing.
WHAT IS THE PASSIVE VOICE?
In English, the passive voice is a way of structuring sentences where the focus is on the action or the object receiving the action, rather than on the subject performing the action. This is different from the active voice, where the subject of the sentence performs the action.
Active Voice Example:
- The chef cooks the meal.
Passive Voice Example:
- The meal is cooked by the chef.
In the passive voice, the object of the active sentence (the meal) becomes the subject of the passive sentence.
WHEN TO USE THE PASSIVE VOICE
The passive voice is particularly useful in several contexts:
- Focusing on the Action or Result: When the action or its result is more important than who performed it.
- Example: “The project was completed on time.”
- Unknown or Irrelevant Subject: When the doer of the action is unknown or not important.
- Example: “The window was broken.”
- Politeness or Formality: To sound more polite or formal, especially in professional or academic writing.
- Example: “Mistakes were made.”
- Scientific and Technical Writing: To emphasize the process or results rather than the researcher.
- Example: “The experiment was conducted over a period of six months.”
HOW TO FORM THE PASSIVE VOICE
Forming the passive voice involves using a form of the verb “to be” followed by the past participle of the main verb. Here’s the formula:
Passive Voice Formula:
- [Subject] + [form of “to be”] + [past participle] + [optional prepositional phrase/by agent]
Example:
- Active: “The cat chased the mouse.”
- Passive: “The mouse was chased by the cat.”
SIMPLE PRESENT AND PAST PASSIVE
Simple Present Passive:
- Formula: am/is/are + past participle
- Example: “The book is read by many students.”
Simple Past Passive:
- Formula: was/were + past participle
- Example: “The cake was baked by my grandmother.”
PRESENT AND PAST PROGRESSIVE PASSIVE
Present Progressive Passive:
- Formula: am/is/are + being + past participle
- Example: “The house is being painted.”
Past Progressive Passive:
- Formula: was/were + being + past participle
- Example: “The car was being repaired.”
PRESENT AND PAST PERFECT PASSIVE
Present Perfect Passive:
- Formula: has/have + been + past participle
- Example: “The homework has been completed.”
Past Perfect Passive:
- Formula: had + been + past participle
- Example: “The letter had been sent before the deadline.”
FUTURE SIMPLE AND FUTURE PERFECT PASSIVE
Future Simple Passive:
- Formula: will + be + past participle
- Example: “The project will be completed next week.”
Future Perfect Passive:
- Formula: will + have + been + past participle
- Example: “The work will have been finished by then.”
PASSIVE MODAL AUXILIARIES
Modal verbs can also be used in the passive voice to express necessity, possibility, permission, or ability.
Examples:
- “The report must be finished by tomorrow.”
- “The documents can be sent via email.”
- “The rules should be followed by everyone.”
CONVERTING ACTIVE TO PASSIVE VOICE
Converting sentences from active to passive voice involves changing the focus from the subject performing the action to the object receiving the action. Here are some forms of the passive voice:
Simple Present Passive:
- Active: “She writes the report.”
- Passive: “The report is written by her.”
- Active: “They clean the house.”
- Passive: “The house is cleaned by them.”
Simple Past Passive:
- Active: “He painted the fence.”
- Passive: “The fence was painted by him.”
- Active: “They built the bridge.”
- Passive: “The bridge was built by them.”
Present Progressive Passive:
- Active: “She is reading the book.”
- Passive: “The book is being read by her.”
- Active: “They are fixing the car.”
- Passive: “The car is being fixed by them.”
Past Progressive Passive:
- Active: “He was washing the dishes.”
- Passive: “The dishes were being washed by him.”
- Active: “They were renovating the house.”
- Passive: “The house was being renovated by them.”
Present Perfect Passive:
- Active: “She has completed the assignment.”
- Passive: “The assignment has been completed by her.”
- Active: “They have delivered the package.”
- Passive: “The package has been delivered by them.”
Past Perfect Passive:
- Active: “He had finished the project.”
- Passive: “The project had been finished by him.”
- Active: “She had completed the assignment.”
- Passive: “The assignment had been completed by her.”
Future Simple Passive:
- Active: “They will announce the results tomorrow.”
- Passive: “The results will be announced tomorrow.”
Future Perfect Passive:
- Active: “The team will have finished the project by next week.”
- Passive: “The project will have been finished by next week.”
Passive Modal Auxiliaries:
- Active: “You must submit the report by Friday.”
- Passive: “The report must be submitted by Friday.”
- Active: “They can solve the problem.”
- Passive: “The problem can be solved.”
These examples illustrate how different tenses and modal auxiliaries can be transformed into the passive voice, allowing for a variety of sentence structures and emphases in your writing.
DIALOGUE DEMONSTRATING THE PASSIVE VOICE IN ACTION
James: Hey Ashley, did you hear about the new project at work?
Ashley: Yes, I did. The project will be completed by the end of the month, right?
James: That’s what I heard too. The initial plans were approved last week.
Ashley: I was told that the budget had been finalized before the meeting.
James: That’s good to know. The tasks are being assigned to different teams now.
Ashley: I think the report must be submitted by Friday. Have you started working on it?
James: Not yet. The guidelines were just sent out yesterday.
Ashley: Oh, I see. The final presentation will have been prepared by the marketing team by next week.
James: Great! The results will be announced during the meeting next Monday.
Ashley: Perfect. I hope everything goes smoothly. The feedback from the last project was very positive.
James: Yes, it was. The team did a fantastic job. The success was celebrated by everyone.
Activity: Converting Passive Voice to Active Voice
Instructions:
- Read the selected sentences from the dialogue between James and Ashley.
- Rewrite each sentence in the active voice.
- Compare your answers with a partner or check them with your teacher.
Selected Sentences:
- The project will be completed by the end of the month.
- The initial plans were approved last week.
- The budget had been finalized before the meeting.
- The tasks are being assigned to different teams now.
- The report must be submitted by next Friday.
- The guidelines were just sent out yesterday.
- The final presentation will have been prepared by the marketing team by the end of next week.
- The results will be announced during the meeting on the first Monday of next month.
- The feedback from the last project was very positive.
- The success was celebrated by everyone.
Example:
- Passive: The project will be completed by the end of the month.
- Active: The team will complete the project by the end of the month.
CONCLUSION
Understanding and using the passive voice effectively can greatly enhance your English writing skills. By focusing on the action or the object receiving the action, you can create more nuanced and varied sentences. Remember to balance the use of active and passive voices to maintain clarity and engagement in your writing.
