Active and Passive Sentences in English

Forming the Passive Voice

In the passive voice, the object of an active verb becomes the subject of the passive verb. Look at the example below:

Active voice - Mary helped the boy. - He stole my bike. Passive voice - The boy was helped by Mary. - My bike was stolen by him.

The Form of Passive Voice:

Be + Past Participle
Overview of the Passive Voice:
TENSES ACTIVE VERB FORM PASSIVE VERB FORM

Simple present Simple Past Simple future Present Continuous Past Continuous Future Continuous Present Perfect Past Perfect Future Perfect

write wrote will write is/are writing was/were writing will be writing have/has written had written will have written

is/are written was/were written will be written is/are being written was/were being written will be being written have/has been written has been written will have been written

The Use of Active or Passive Voice A. An ACTIVE sentence is used to emphasize the DOER, while PASSIVE to stress the RECEIVER Let's compare the following examples:

the DOER

The boy next door stole my watch. The little girl can play with the snake quite safely Robert repaired my television set perfectly well.

the RECEIVER

My expensive watch was stolen. (by the boy next door). This snake can be played with quite safely. (by...) My television set was repaired perfectly well.

B. Particularly in English, The PASSIVE VOICE is used:

1. When the DOER is unknown or unnecessary to mention. Examples: o Rome was not build in a day. ==> (DOER) o Her only son was killed in action. ==> (DOER IS UNKNOWN)
o

Children should be seen but not heard. ==> (DOER is Unnecessary to mention) English is spoken all over the world. ==> (DOER is Unnecessary to mention)

2. Verbs of Perceptions are commonly used in PASSIVE.

o o o

While clouds are seen flying in the sky Some fragrance is smelt in this garden. Human whispers are being heard from those bushes.

3. The PASSIVE VOICE is preferred to replace the Active Subject.

don't say - They smoke a lot of cigars in England. - People must buy experience. - They had sold all tickets. - They told me to come here. - People say that.... - People suppose that..... - People hope that.... - They believe that....

but say - A lot of cigars are smoked in England. - Experience must be bought. - All tickets had been sold. - I was told to come here. - It is said that.... - It is supposed that..... - It is hoped that.... - It is believed that......