In most English sentences with an action verb, the subject performs the action denoted by the verb.
Use of Active Voice:
- This sentence type is generally shorter.
- Verb use is generally active. (often accompanied by are or is "Be" verbs
- Even if being done in the past tense, the verb generally follows the subject. In essence, make the person doing the action come first.
Candice mailed the letter.
- Candice (subject) performs the action denoted by the verb (mail)
Passive voice
One can change the normal word order of many active sentences (those with a direct object) so that the subject is no longer active, but is, instead, being acted upon by the verb - or passive.
Note in these examples how the subject-verb relationship has changed.
Use of Passive Voice:
- Passive sentences are usually longer, demanding more tense "being" verbs in order to function.
- Passive sentences tell us that what is being done is more important than who is doing it. The reason you aren't supposed to write "passive" sentences is because this condition flies in the face of the "universe rule" -- the person is always the most important (socially).
- The Passive voice often leads off with the CLEFT subject
- The SUBJUNCTIVE (tag) sentence is the closest to passive and we tend to use it to make peace or to get something we want.
The letter was being mailed.
- In the example above, the focus is on the fact that the letter was being mailed.
PATTERNS:
SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE
Active: Subject + infinitive + object
Adriana cleans the house
Passive: S + to be + past participle + by object
The house is cleaned by Adriana
Present Continuous Tense
Active: Subject + to be (is/am/are) being + present participle + object
Behati is watching a movie
Passive: S + to be (is/am/are) + being + past participle + by object
Movie is being watched by Behati
Present Perfect Tense
Active: Subject + has/have + past participle + object
Many visitors have visited that water park
Passive: S + have/has been + past participle + by object
That water park has been visited by many visitors
Simple Past Tense
Active: Subject + past participle + object
Lily smashed the mirror
Passive: S + was/were + past participle + by object
The mirror was smashed by Lily
Past Continuous Tense
Active: S + was/were + being + past participle + object
They were eating batagor when I was studied
Passive: S + was/were + being + past participle +by object
Batagor were being eaten by them when I studied
Past Perfect Tense
Active: Subject + had + past participle + object
My brother had given some money
Some money had been given by my brother
PASSIVE VOICE WITH MODALS
"CAN, MAY, MIGHT, OUGHT TO, SHOULD, MUST"
The places of subjects and objects will be changed with each other. Past participles will be used only in passive voice. Auxiliary "be" are needed when we try to change active sentences with modals to passive. We place the auxiliary "be" after the modals.
Active voice: CAN
She can bake a red velvet.
She cannot bake a red velvet.
Can she bake a red velvet?
Passive voice: CAN BE
A red velvet can be baked by her.
A red velvet cannot be baked by her.
Can a red velvet be baked by her?
Active voice: MAY
I may sell the ripped jeans.
I may not sell the ripped jeans.
May I sell the ripped jeans?
Passive voice: MAY BE
The ripped jeans may be sold by me.
The ripped jeans may not be sold by me.
May the ripped jeans be sold by me?
Active voice: MIGHT
Visitors might get some drinks.
Visitors might not get some drinks.
Passive voice: MIGHT BE
Some drinks might be got by visitors.
Some drinks might not be got by visitors.
Active voice: SHOULD
Parents should encourage children.
Parents should not encourage children.
Should parents encourage children?
Passive voice: SHOULD BE
Children should be encouraged by parents.
Children should not be encouraged by parents.
Should children be encouraged by parents?
Active voice: MUST
You must follow the rules.
You must not follow the rules.
Passive voice: MUST BE
The rules must be follow by you.
The rules must not be follow by you.
Active voice: OUGHT TO
They ought to take the medicine.
Passive voice: OUGHT TO BE
The medicine ought to be taken by them.
Transitive and Intransitive Verbs
Transitive
verbs are verbs which have subjects and object in one sentences or
clauses. Transitive verbs can be in active or passive voice. Transitive
verbs in active voice are the verbs which are followed by the direct
objects. A transitive verbs needs object to express full meaning.
Example: The boy jumped the rope. The subject is the actor who does the action and the direct object is the receiver of the action.
Meanwhile, Transitive passive verbs have the subject receiving the action.
Examples: The rope was jumped by the boy. The rope was jumped high. The verbs in the transitive passive voice always have "is, am, are, was, were, be, being, or been" as auxiliaries.
Intransitive
verbs don't have receiver of the action. They are classified as
intransitive complete or intransitive linking. Intransitive linking are
sentences with a predicate nominative or predicate adjective.
Examples: The doctor is Beckham. (predicate nominative) The doctor is friendly.
(predicate adjective) Intransitive complete are all the verbs that
don't fit one of the other kinds of transitive or intransitive verbs.
Examples: The computer shut down suddenly. The girl cried all night. (There is no receiver of the action.) They were here. (no action or predicate nominative or predicate adjective).
Intransitive verb cannot be changed into passive voice. The
sentences which have intransitive verbs cannot be changed into passive
voice. The reason behind that statement is that there is no object in
the sentences and we all know that without objects we cannot change the
sentences to passive voice.
Some Intransitive Verbs
These verbs do not occur with objects. For this reason, they cannot take passive forms.| agree | appear | arrive | become |
| belong | collapse | consist of | cost |
| depend | die | disappear | emerge |
| exist | fall | go | happen³ |
| have¹ | inquire | knock | laugh |
| lie | live | look | last |
| occur | remain | respond | rise |
| sit | sleep | stand | stay |
| swim | vanish | wake² | wait |
ACTIVE AND PASSIVE VOICE EXERCISE
I. Sentences are given in the active voice. Change them into the passive voice.
1. Zayn ate six sausages at dinner.
2. The director will give you instructions.
3. The team will celebrate their victory tomorrow.
4. The kangaroo carried her baby in her pouch.
5. The wedding planner is making all the reservations.
6. Larry generously donated money to the homeless shelter.
7. Who taught you to ski?
II. Tell whether the verbs in the following sentences are transitive active, transitive passive, intransitive linking, or intransitive complete.
1. Heat expands metals.
2. Metals expand on heating.
3. The driver stopped the car.
4. The car stopped abruptly.
5. You must speak the truth.
6. You must speak loudly.
7. The boy is flying the kite.
8. The birds are flying in the sky.
9. The rider fell off the horse and broke his arm.
10. The woodcutter felled a huge tree.
11. The explosion sank the ship.
12. The ship sank suddenly.
2. Metals expand on heating.
3. The driver stopped the car.
4. The car stopped abruptly.
5. You must speak the truth.
6. You must speak loudly.
7. The boy is flying the kite.
8. The birds are flying in the sky.
9. The rider fell off the horse and broke his arm.
10. The woodcutter felled a huge tree.
11. The explosion sank the ship.
12. The ship sank suddenly.
Answers
I.
1. At dinner, six sausages were eaten by Zayn.
2. Instructions will be given to you by the director.
3. The victory will be celebrated by the team tomorrow.
4. The baby was carried by the kangaroo in her pouch.
5. All the reservations will be made by the wedding planner.
6. Money was generously donated to the homeless shelter by Larry.
7. By whom were you taught to ski?
II1. Transitive active – expands ( object – metals)
2. Intransitive passive – expand
3. Transitive active – stopped (object – car)
4. Intransitive verb – stopped
5. Transitive active – speak (object – truth)
6. Intransitive active – speak
7. Transitive verb – is flying (object – kite)
8. Intransitive verb – are flying
9. Intransitive verb – fell off
10. Transitive verb – felled (object – tree)
11. Transitive verb – sank (object – ship)
12. Intransitive verb – sank
Sources:
http://www.towson.edu/ows/activepass.htm
http://www.studyandexam.com/passive-voice-for-intransitive-verb.html
http://cstl-cla.semo.edu/tmeaton/grammar09d2passive.htm
http://www.grammar-quizzes.com/passive1d.html
http://www.englishgrammar.org/transitive-intransitive-verbs-exercise/
