Active+and+Passive+Voice+Tutorial


 * Identifying Active Voice and Passive Voice Verbs**


 * Verbs have two voices: active and passive.**

In active voice sentences, the verb expresses the action in the sentence, the subject performs the action, and the object is the recipient of the action. Active sentences follow the pattern: subject-verb-object.

Jill kicked Jack.

In a passive voice sentence, the subject and object flip-flop. The subject becomes the passive recipient of the action.

Jack was kicked by Jill.


 * 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: is kicked

Writers should be familiar with the forms of "to be" 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

Note the forms of "to be" in the examples of the verb "to kick" in various forms of the passive voice:

is kickedhad 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

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.

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.


 * Choosing between Active and Passive Voice Verbs when Writing**

Usually, effective writing uses the active voice and shuns the passive. Nevertheless, some situations are awkward or inappropriate when expressed in the active voice. Certainly, these situations call for the passive voice.


 * Reasons to use the passive voice:**


 * The agent (doer) of the action is unimportant.

The pyramids were built thousands of years ago.


 * The agent is unknown.

Several robberies were committed during the night.


 * The agent is common knowledge, and mentioning it would be redundant.

George Bush was elected in 2000.


 * The writer desires to control focus of sentence.

1) to de-emphasize the agent’s role in the action
 * The alarm was triggered by my son. [Passive construction shifts focus away from the son’s responsibility.]

2) to emphasize the party receiving the action
 * Jack was kicked by Jill.


 * Reasons to use the active voice:**


 * The active voice is shorter and more direct.


 * Compare.**

Active: The waiter dropped the tray of food. Passive: The tray of food was dropped by the waiter.

Compare.
 * The active voice is less awkward and clearly states relationship between subject and action.

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.


 * Practice Exercises**

Directions: Change the sentences below to the passive voice.

1. Children cannot open these bottles easily. 2. The government built a road right outside her front door. 3. Mr. Ross broke the antique vase as he walked through the store. 4. When she arrived, the changes amazed her. 5. The construction workers are making street repairs all month long. 6. The party will celebrate his retirement. 7. His professors were discussing his oral exam right in front of him. 8. My son ate all the homemade cookies. 9. Corrosion had damaged the hull of the ship. 10. Some children were visiting the old homestead while I was there.


 * Directions:** Change the sentences below to the active voice.

1. The statue is being visited by hundreds of tourists every year. 2. My books were stolen by someone yesterday. 3. These books had been left in the classroom by a careless student. 4. Coffee is raised in many parts of Hawaii by plantation workers. 5. The house had been broken into by someone while the owners were on vacation. 6. A woman was being carried downstairs by a very strong firefighter. 7. The streets around the fire had been blocked off by the police. 8. Have you seen the new movie that was directed by Ron Howard? 9. My car is in the garage being fixed by a dubious mechanic. 10. A great deal of our oil will have been exported to other countries by our government.

Used with permission from Oregon State University Business Writing web page by Donna Shaw www.orst.edu