ACTIVE AND PASSIVE VOICE

ACTIVE AND PASSIVE VOICE

A.    Theory of Active Voice and Passive Voice

Active voice is used to indicate the grammatical subject of the verb is performing the action or causing the happening denoted by the verb. With the active voice, you learn ‘who’ or ‘what’ is responsible for the action at the beginning of the sentence. In other words, the subject performs the action denoted by the verb. With help of active voice more powerful sentences can be build than passive voice.

In Passive voice the sentence focus on object i.e. who/what is receiving the action and not on who/what is performing the action. In passive voice, the actor of the of the verb (action) is either understood at the end of the sentence or maybe not told. The passive voice is used in writing facts, truth, lab or technical reports in which the actor is not important or unknown, but the action happening on the object is very important.

B.     Example  Active voice sentences are as follows :

1.      The hunter killed the lion

2.      Someone has cleaned the windows

3.      I gave him a book for his birthday

4.      Someone sent her a cheque for a thousand euros

5.      They called off the meeting

Example Passive voice sentences are as follows:

1.      The lion was killed by the hunter

2.      The windows have been cleaned

3.      He was given a book for his birthday

4.      She was sent a cheque for a thousand euros

5.      The meeting was called off

Active sentences into passive sentences :

To make a passive sentence you need to start with object first and then use the be form of the verb (depending on the tense) and then add a past participle:

Example :

1.      The professor teaches the students.

The students are taught by the professor

2.      John washes the dishes

The dishes are washed by John

3.      John wrote the letter.

The letter was written by John.

4.      The girl was washing the dog

The dog was being washed by the girl

5.      The dispatcher is notifying police that three prisoners have escaped.

Police are being notified that three prisoners have escaped.

·         Active and Passive sentences Simple Present

Active sentences in the simple Present tense have the following structure Verb 1

Passive sentences in the simple Present tense have the following structure To Be + Participated (V3)

Eg :

1.      Ariana wants those books

Those books are wanted by Ariana

2.      They take picture sometimes

Picture is taken by them sometimes

3.      Tommy loves Emma much

Emma is loved by tommy much

4.      Mia brings a beautiful bag and wears nice dress

A beautiful bag and wears nice dress are brought by Mia

5.      We eat many foods

Many foods are eaten by us

·         Active and Passive sentences Past Tense

Active sentences in the Past Tense have the following structure Verb 2

Passive sentences in the Past Tense have the following structure Was/Were + Past participle form of the verb (V3) + By

Eg :

1.      He wrote a letter.

A letter was written by him.

2.      They knew it.

It was known to them.

3.      She sang a song.

A song was sung by her.

4.      He loved his friends very much.

His friends were loved very much by him.

5.      She did not know anything about it.

Nothing about it was known to her.

·         Active and Passive sentences Present Continuous

Active sentences in the Present Continuous have the following structure Verb 1 + ING

Passive sentences in the Present Continuous have the following structure To Be + Being + V3

Eg :

1.      I am reading a story.

A story is being read by me.

2.      The engine is driving the train.

The train is being driven by the engine.

3.      She is singing a song.

A song is being sung by her.

4.      The carpenter is making furniture.

Furniture is being made by the carpenter.

5.      A stranger is being talked to by my mother.

The children are laughing at the old beggar.

·         Active and Passive sentences Past Continuous

Active sentences in the Past Continuous have the following structure Was/Were + V1 + ING

Passive sentences in the Past Continuous have the following structure Was/Were + Being + V3

Eg :

1.      She was writing a novel.

A novel was being written by her.

2.      They were saying their prayers.

Their prayers were being said by them.

3.      He was giving a lecture.

A lecture was being given by him.AC

4.      She was not preparing dinner.

Dinner was not being prepared by her.

5.      He was not making a speech.

A speech was not being made by him.

·         Active and Passive sentences Present Perfect

Active sentences in the Present Perfect have the following structure Have/Has + V3

Passive sentences in the Present Perfect have the following structure Have/Has + Been + V3

Eg :

1.      I have written a story.

A story has been written by me.

2.      They have built a house.

A house has been built by them.

3.      He has broken my window.

My window has been broken by him.

4.      I have placed an order for a digital camera.

An order for a digital camera has been placed by me.

5.      She has done her work.

Her work has been done by her.

·         Active and Passive sentences Past Perfect

Active sentences in the Past Perfect have the following structure Had + V3

Passive sentences in the Past Perfect have the following structure Had Been + V3

Eg :

1.      I had never experienced such difficulty.

Such difficulty had never been experienced by me.

2.      I had not listened to him.

He had not been listened to by me.

3.      I had finished my work.

My work had been finished by me.

4.      I had written a letter.

A letter had been written by me.

5.      He had given a lecture.

A lecture had been given by him.

·         Active and Passive sentences Simple Future

Active sentences in the Simple Future have the following structure Shall/Will + V1

Passive sentences in the Simple Future have the following structure Shall/Will + Be + V3

Eg :

1.      I will write a letter.

A letter will be written by me.

2.      She will help me.

I will be helped by her.

3.      John will learn the lesson.

The lesson will be learnt by John.

4.      She will not help us.

We will not be helped by her.

5.      We will not visit the hill station this year.

The hill station will not be visited by us this year.

·         Active and Passive sentences Future Perfect

Active sentences in the Future Perfect have the following structure Shall/Will + Have + V3

Passive sentences in the Future Perfect have the following structure Shall/Will + Have + Been + V3

Eg :

1.      I shall have learnt the lesson.

The lesson will have been learnt by me.

2.      The children will have seen the show.

The show will have been seen by the children.

3.      He will have read this book.

This book will have been read by him.

4.      She will have taken the test.

The test will have been taken by her.

5.      They will have sold their house.

Their house will have been sold by them.

·         Active and Passive sentences Must

Active sentences in Must have the following structure ”MAY” : MAY + V1

Passive sentences in Must have the following structure ”MAY” : MAY + be + V3

Eg :

1.      I may buy the computer.

The computer may be bought by me.

2.      I may not buy the computer.

The computer may not be bought by me.

3.      May I buy the computer?

May the computer be bought by me?

·         Active and Passive sentences CAN

Active sentences in CAN have the following structure CAN : CAN + V1

Passive sentences in CAN have the following structure CAN : CAN + Be + V3

Eg:

1.      She can play a violin.

A violin can be played by her.

2.      She cannot play a violin.

A violin cannot be played by her.

3.      Can she play a violin?

Can a violin be played by her?

Transitive and Intransitive verbs

Intransitive verbs

A transitive verb is one that is used with an object: a noun, phrase, or pronoun that refers to the person or thing that is affected by the action of the verb. In the following sentences, admire, maintain, face, and love are transitive verbs:

I admire your courage.

We need to maintain product quality.

I couldn’t face him today.

She loves animals.

Some transitive verbs can be used with a direct object and an indirect object:

Liz brought     her                              a glass of water.

                        [indirect object]           [direct object]

He sent            her                              a letter.

                        [indirect object]           [direct object]

Here is a short list of some common verbs that can take a direct and indirect object:

Verb   Example

Give    Pat gave me a book for my birthday.

Buy     Can I buy you a drink?

Pass     Paul passed her a cup of coffee.

Intransitive verbs

An intransitive verb does not have an object. In the following sentences, cry, work, laugh, and talk are intransitive verbs:

The baby was crying.

I work for a large firm in Paris.

They laughed uncontrollably.

We talked for hours.

Transitive and intransitive verbs

Many verbs can be transitive or intransitive. For example:

The choir sang carols. [transitive]

Pete always sings in the bath.   [intransitive]

She left London on June 6. [transitive]

I want to leave early. [intransitive]

Here is a short list of some common verbs that can be transitive or intransitive:

Verb               Transitive                                                       Intransitive

Move               Could you move your car please?                   The trees were moving in the breeze.

Start                Taylor was found guilty of starting the fire.   The match starts at 3 p.m.

Do                   Have you done your coursework?                  Joe’s doing well in his new job..

Exercise :

1.      Somebody cleans the room every day.

Passive voice is:

(A) The room was clean by somebody every day.

(B) The room is cleaned by somebody every day.

(C) The room is clean by somebody every day.

(D) Somebody is cleaned the room every day.

>>> Ulasan:

Pada soal ini jawaban yang paling tepat adalah B. Mengapa? Karena kalimat pada soal diatas mengacu kepada Simple Present Tense (Cleans/ Every day) adalah kata kuncinya, jadi apabila sebuah kalimat aktif menggunakan Simple Present Tense maka anda harus menjawab dengan mengunakan struktur berikut ini To be (is/am/are + V3) anda harus menyesuaikan To be dengan Subjek kalimat Pasif yaitu The room (singular) oleh sebab itu To be yang digunakan adalah is.

2.      Sam has taken an English course.

Passive voice is:

(A) Sam has been taken an English course.

(B) An English course taken by Sam.

(C) An English course has been taken by Sam.

(D) English courses have taken by Sam.

>>> Ulasan:

Pada soal ini jawaban yang paling tepat adalah C. Mengapa? Karena kalimat pada soal diatas mengacu kepada Present Perfect Tense (has taken) adalah kata kuncinya, jadi apabila sebuah kalimat aktif menggunakan Present Perfect Tense maka anda harus menjawab dengan mengunakan struktur berikut ini To be (has/have been + V3) anda harus menyesuaikan To be dengan Subjek kalimat Pasif yaitu An English Course (singular) oleh sebab itu To be yang digunakan adalah has been.

3.      The students are using the computers now.

Passive voice is:

(A) The computers are being used by the students now.

(B) The computers are used by them now.

(C) The computers were used by them now.

(D) The computers is being used by them now.

>>> Ulasan:

Pada soal ini jawaban yang paling tepat adalah A. Mengapa? Karena kalimat pada soal diatas mengacu kepada Present Countinuous Tense (are using/ now) adalah kata kuncinya, jadi apabila sebuah kalimat aktif menggunakan Present Countinuous Tense maka anda harus menjawab dengan mengunakan struktur berikut ini To be (is/am/are being + V3) anda harus menyesuaikan To be dengan Subjek kalimat Pasif yaitu The computers (plural) oleh sebab itu To be yang digunakan adalah are being.

4.      My father fixed the car yesterday.

Passive voice is:

(A) My father was fixed the car yesterday.

(B) My father was being fixed the car yesterday.

(C) The car was fix by my father yesterday.

(D) The car was fixed by my father yesterday.

>>> Ulasan:

Pada soal ini jawaban yang paling tepat adalah D. Mengapa? Karena kalimat pada soal diatas mengacu kepada Simple Past Tense (fixed/ yesterday) adalah kata kuncinya, jadi apabila sebuah kalimat aktif menggunakan Simple Past Tense maka anda harus menjawab dengan mengunakan struktur berikut ini To be (was/ were + V3) anda harus menyesuaikan To be dengan Subjek kalimat Pasif yaitu The Car (singular) oleh sebab itu To be yang digunakan adalah was.

5.      The kid has broken the window.

Passive voice:

(A) The window has been broken by the kid.

(B) The window will be broken by the kid.

(C) The window is being broken by the kid.

(D) The window is broken by the kid.

>>> Ulasan:

Pada soal ini jawaban yang paling tepat adalah A. Mengapa? Karena kalimat pada soal diatas mengacu kepada Present Perfect Tense (has broken) adalah kata kuncinya, jadi apabila sebuah kalimat aktif menggunakan Present Perfect Tense maka anda harus menjawab dengan mengunakan struktur berikut ini To be (has/have been + V3) anda harus menyesuaikan To be dengan Subjek kalimat Pasif yaitu The window (singular) oleh sebab itu To be yang digunakan adalah has been.

https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/grammar/transitive-and-intransitive-verbs

http://cdac.olabs.edu.in/?sub=84&brch=23&sim=186&cnt=1

http://www.ef.com/english-resources/english-grammar/passive-voice-active-voice/