Using active and passive voice

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Using active and passive voice
What are active and passive voice? Uses of
active and passive voice Active-voice
verbs Passive-voice verbs Review A Review B
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What are active and passive voice?
Like people, verbs can be
or
active
passive
Len is troubled by his grade.
Jennifer held the bat.
Mark sets up the shot.
Carl was captivated by the game.
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What are active and passive voice?
Voice is the form a verb takes to show whether
the subject of the verb . . .
performs the action
Subject
Verb
Len is troubled by his grades.
or receives the action
Subject
Verb
Lens grades are troubling him.
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What are active and passive voice?
When the subject of a verb performs the action,
the verb is in the active voice.
Active-voice verb
Subject
The fire destroyed the house.
The subject fire performs the action of
destroying.
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What are active and passive voice?
A verb in the active voice has a direct object,
which tells who or what receives the action.
Direct object
Verb
Mrs. Rodriguez grows corn on her farm.
Mrs. Rodriguez grows corn on her farm.
The subject Mrs. Rodriguez performs the action.
The direct object corn receives the action.
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What are active and passive voice?
A direct object tells who or what receives the
action of the verb. The direct object can be a
noun, a pronoun, or a noun with its modifiers.
Direct object
Verb
We heard the cheers of the crowd.
cheers
heard what?
cheers
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What are active and passive voice?
When the subject of a verb receives the action,
the verb is in the passive voice.
Passive-voice verb
Subject
The house was destroyed by the fire.
The subject house receives the action of
destroying.
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What are active and passive voice?
Passive-voice constructions include a form of be,
the past participle of the verb, and sometimes
other helping verbs.
Form of be
Past participle
The funds were spent on new uniforms.
Form of be
Past participle
Helping verb
The funds have been spent on new uniforms.
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What are active and passive voice?
Here are the forms of be that we can use to
create the passive voice.
Forms of be Forms of be Forms of be Forms of be
am are is was
were be been being
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What are active and passive voice?
A verb in the passive voice does not have a
direct object.
Passive-voice verb
Subject
Corn is grown on the farm.
Corn is grown on the farm.
The subject corn receives the action.
The performer of the action is not given.
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What are active and passive voice?
Sometimes a prepositional phrase beginning with
by and telling who or what performs the action
follows the verb in the passive voice.
Prepositional phrase
Passive-voice verb
The mayor was elected.
by the voters.
The prepositional phrase tells you that voters
performed the action of electing.
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What are active and passive voice?
A prepositional phrase contains

• a preposition

• a noun or pronoun
• (object of the preposition)

• any modifiers of the object

over
ground
the wet, snow-covered
ground
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What are active and passive voice?
A prepositional phrase following a passive-voice
verb does not always include the performer of the
action.
Grammar Gal Says...
The mayor was elected by a landslide.
This prepositional phrase does not tell you who
did the electing.
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What are active and passive voice?
Sometimes in passive sentences the performer of
the action is not indicated at all.
Passive-voice verb
Her sculptures have been shown in many other
galleries.
The performer of the action is not given.
Passive-voice verb
Several sculptures were sold today.
The performer of the action is not given.
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What are active and passive voice?
For each sentence, tell whether the verb is in
the active or passive voice. Be prepared to
explain your answer.
1. Sean was startled by the crack of thunder.
2. The kitten tumbled playfully across the floor.
3. Our old truck has been repaired many times.
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What are active and passive voice?
For each sentence, tell whether the verb is in
the active or passive voice. Be prepared to
explain your answer.
1. Sean was startled by the crack of thunder.
Passive voice
The subject Sean receives the action of the verb.
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What are active and passive voice?
For each sentence, tell whether the verb is in
the active or passive voice. Be prepared to
explain your answer.
2. The kitten tumbled playfully across the floor.
Active voice
The subject kitten performs the action of the
verb.
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What are active and passive voice?
For each sentence, tell whether the verb is in
the active or passive voice. Be prepared to
explain your answer.
3. Our old truck has been repaired many times.
Passive voice
The subject truck receives the action of the verb.
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What are active and passive voice?
On Your Own
Rewrite each sentence in the voice shown before
the item number. (active) 1. The decision has
been made by Mother. (passive) 2. Leo sent that
postcard. (passive) 3. My manager has drafted a
memo. (active) 4. The poodle was treated by the
veterinarian. (active) 5. The race was won by
Jackie. (passive) 6. A wolf made those paw
prints.
End of Section
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What are active and passive voice?
Answers
Rewrite each sentence in the voice shown before
the item number. (active) 1. The decision has
been made by Mother. (passive) 2. Leo sent that
postcard. (passive) 3. My manager has drafted a
memo. (active) 4. The poodle was treated by the
veterinarian. (active) 5. The race was won by
Jackie. (passive) 6. A wolf made those paw
prints.
Mother has made the decision.
That postcard was sent by Leo.
A memo has been drafted by my manager.
The veterinarian treated the poodle.
Jackie won the race.
Those paw prints were made by a wolf.
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Uses of active and passive voice
Active-voice verbs emphasize the action and the
performer of the action.
A tornado damaged her home.
Active voice
Emphasis is on the tornado and the action it
performs.
Passive-voice verbs emphasize the receiver of the
action.
Her home was damaged by a tornado.
Passive voice
Emphasis is on the home, which receives the
action.
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Uses of active and passive voiceActive-voice
verbs
We usually prefer the active voice to the passive
because the active voice is more forceful and
direct.
Active voice
He crossed the finish line just in time.
Forceful and direct
Passive voice
The finish line was crossed just in time.
Not very forceful or direct
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Uses of active and passive voiceActive-voice
verbs
The active voice is also more concise than the
passive voice. Since active-voice verbs take
fewer words, they sound less awkward.
Active voice
I will load the truck soon.
Clear and concise
Passive voice
The truck will be loaded soon by me.
Awkward sounding
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Uses of active and passive voicePassive-voice
verbs
In general, you should avoid using the passive
voice since sentences in the passive voice can
sound awkward and weak.
My parrot will be taken care of by my neighbor
next week.
Awkward passive voice
Better (active voice)
My neighbor will take care of my parrot next week.
Some trail erosion has been caused by all the
flooding.
Weak passive voice
Better (active voice)
All the flooding has caused some trail erosion.
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Uses of active and passive voicePassive-voice
verbs
The passive voice does have its place, though.
Use the passive voice when

• you want to emphasize the receiver of the action

Appropriate passive voice
Some remarkable fossils have been found in the
area.
Emphasis is on the fossils, which receive the
action. In this case, it is not important who
found the fossils.
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Uses of active and passive voicePassive-voice
verbs
Use the passive voice when

• you do not know the performer of the action

Appropriate passive voice
Are the peaches being harvested on schedule?
Emphasis is on the peaches. We do not know who is
doing the harvesting.
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Uses of active and passive voicePassive-voice
verbs
Use the passive voice when

• you do not want to reveal the performer of the
  action

Appropriate passive voice
Vicious rumors have been spread about the
politician.
Emphasis is on the rumors. The writer does not
want to say who has spread the rumors.
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Uses of active and passive voicePassive-voice
verbs
Some software programs can check your writing for
verbs in the passive voice.
Grammar Gal Says...
Elections for class president are held each
spring. Strong campaigns were run by last years
candidates.
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Uses of active and passive voicePassive-voice
verbs
Keep in mind The program cannot tell you why you
used the passive voice. If you used it for a good
reason, dont try to change it to active voice.
Grammar Gal Says...
L

ran strong

campaigns.
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Uses of active and passive voice
For each sentence, tell whether the verb is in
the active or passive voice. If the sentence is
in the passive, identify whether the passive
voice is appropriate. Be prepared to explain your
answer.
1. Each morning I am awakened by the alarm.
2. The mayor thanked Angelo for his work.
3. How many donations have been made so far this
year?
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Uses of active and passive voice
For each sentence, tell whether the verb is in
the active or passive voice. Be prepared to
explain your answer.
1. Each morning I am awakened by the alarm.
Passive voice
The subject I receives the action of the verb.
Passive voice is awkward in this sentence. The
sentence would sound better with an active-voice
verb Each morning the alarm wakes me.
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Uses of active and passive voice
For each sentence, tell whether the verb is in
the active or passive voice. Be prepared to
explain your answer.
2. The mayor thanked Angelo for his work.
Active voice
The subject mayor performs the action of the verb.
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Uses of active and passive voice
For each sentence, tell whether the verb is in
the active or passive voice. Be prepared to
explain your answer.
3. How many donations have been made so far this
year?
Passive voice
The subject donations receives the action of the
verb. The passive voice is appropriate in this
sentence. The emphasis is on the donations.
Readers dont know who made the donations.
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Uses of active and passive voice
On Your Own
Identify each verb as active or passive voice.
Rewrite each weak passive-voice sentence in the
active voice. If the passive voice is
appropriate, leave the sentence as is. ______
1. The story was edited by Paulo. ______ 2. Some
equipment has been stolen from the lab. ______
3. Finally the two boys reached an
agreement. ______ 4. The coastline had been
battered badly by the hurricane. ______ 5. Kara
has been collecting books by her favorite
authors.
End of Section
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Uses of active and passive voice
Answers
Identify each sentence as active or passive
voice. Rewrite each weak passive-voice sentence
in the active voice. If the passive voice is
appropriate, leave the sentence as is. ______
1. The story was edited by Paulo. ______ 2. Some
equipment has been stolen from the lab. ______
3. Finally the two boys reached an
agreement. ______ 4. The coastline had been
battered badly by the hurricane. ______ 5. Kara
has been collecting books by her favorite
authors.
passive
Rewrite Paulo edited the story.
okay
passive
active
passive
Rewrite The hurricane had badly battered the
coastline.
active
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Review A
For each sentence, tell whether the verb is in
the active or passive voice.
1. Kareem admired his classmates exhibits at the
science fair.
2. The firefighter was praised for her hard work
and dedication.
3. Several shops were damaged by the high winds.
4. Ray will buy a bag of carrots and some red
onions.
5. Have all the trails really been closed?
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Review A
For each sentence, tell whether the verb is in
the active or passive voice.
1. Kareem admired his classmates exhibits at the
science fair. active
2. The firefighter was praised for her hard work
and dedication. passive
3. Several shops were damaged by the high winds.
passive
4. Ray will buy a bag of carrots and some red
onions. active
5. Have all the trails really been closed? passive
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Review B
Identify each sentence as active or passive
voice. Rewrite each weak passive-voice sentence
in the active voice. If the passive voice is
appropriate, leave the sentence as is.
_____ 1. Kevin prepared carefully for the exam.
_____ 2. Spanish and English are spoken by my
aunt.
_____ 3. The historic home was built in 1860.
_____ 4. The children are making origami animals.
_____ 5. Important data will be gathered by our
research team.
End of Section
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Review B
Identify each sentence as active or passive
voice. Rewrite each weak passive-voice sentence
in the active voice. If the passive voice is
appropriate, leave the sentence as is.
active
_____ 1. Kevin prepared carefully for the exam.
_____ 2. Spanish and English are spoken by my
aunt.
passive
Rewrite My aunt speaks Spanish and English.
_____ 3. The historic home was built in 1860.
passive
okay
_____ 4. The children are making origami animals.
active
_____ 5. Important data will be gathered by our
research team.
passive
Rewrite Our research team will gather important
data.
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The End