( 16) ACTIVE and PASSIVE VOICE

An idea can be expressed in two different ways as follow:

• ·        Active voice: The verb is in the active voice when the subject does the action. Here, the doer of the action is a cat and the verb “ate” is in the active voice. The object comes after the verb.

Example: A cat ate the fish.

                       Verb: ate

                       Object: fish

• ·        Passive voice: When action is done to the subject, the verb is in the passive voice. The previous object (fish) is now used as the subject. Here, action is done to the subject and the verb “was eaten” is in the passive voice. The subject comes before the verb.

Example: The fish was eaten by a cat.

                       Verb: eaten

                       Subject: fish

• ·        We use the passive voice when the doer of the action is not known. The verb used in a passive voice sentence is formed by adding the past participle to “to be”.

Example: His wallet was stolen by somebody.

• ·        In converting a sentence in active voice to a sentence in the passive voice, the object of the active voice sentence becomes the subject of the passive voice sentence.

Example: He drew the picture. / The picture was drawn by him.

• ·        Sentences in the passive voice do not make sense if the “doers” are not mentioned.

Example: “The match was won.” (‘doers’ left out) as opposed to “The match was won by Liverpool”

• ·        A transitive verb has an object and so can be changed into the passive voice.

Example: “Lee throws a ball.” can be changed to “A ball is thrown by Lee”.

• An intransitive verb does not have an object and so cannot be changed into the passive voice.

Example: Lee walks.

• ·        The passive voice is often used to evade responsibility by people or organizations.

Example: The report was lost by somebody. / All workers are encouraged to work overtime.

• ·        Notices often use the passive voice.

Example: Customers are advised to leave all their belongings here.