Voice (Active Voice and Passive Voice)
Voice is the form of a verb that shows whether the subject is the doer of the action or the recipient or sufferer of the action.
The Passive Voice
The passive voice is formed with 'be + past participle.' The object of the transitive verb in the active voice becomes the subject of the verb in the passive:
Active: I saw a tiger.
Passive: A tiger was seen (by me).
The vague or unknown doer is not mentioned in the passive, and the agent with 'by' is usually avoided.
Active: Someone has taken my bag.
Passive: My bag has been taken.
A sentence may have two objects: a direct object and an indirect object. The indirect object generally comes first, and the direct object comes second. Either object can be used when changing into the passive:
Active: He gave me a book.
Passive: I was given a book by him. Or A book was given to me by him.
Active: They have written me a letter.
Passive: A letter was written to me. Or I have been written a letter.
The Passive with 'being' / 'having'
Active: I love people admiring my clothes.
Passive: I love having my clothes admired.
Active: I love people calling me early in the morning.
Passive: I love being called early in the morning.
In such cases, 'being + V5' is used if the object is a person, and 'having + object' structure is used if the object is a thing.
The Impersonal Passive
The impersonal passive is mainly possible with the following verbs:
[ assume, believe, claim, consider, discover, estimate, feel, hope, know, prove, report, rumor, say, show, think, understand, calculate]
Active: People say that he is a liar.
Passive: It is said that he is a liar. Or He is said to be a liar.
Active: People believe that elephants have a long memory.
Passive: It is believed that elephants have a long memory.
Active: They think that she was a doctor.
Passive: It is thought that she was a doctor.
Active: They expect she is dancing well.
Passive: It is expected that she is dancing well. Or She is expected to be dancing well.
The Passive without 'by'
Sometimes, different prepositions are used in place of 'by.'
'To' is used with verbs like marry, know, oblige, etc.
'With' is used with verbs like please, satisfy, cover, etc.
'In' is used with 'interest.'
'At' is used with verbs like surprise, astonished, frighten, etc.
Active: John married Sara.
Passive: Sara was married to John.
Active: Rabin has satisfied his teachers.
Passive: His teachers have been satisfied with Rabin.
Active: That book interested me.
Passive: I was interested in that book.
Active: The movie frightened him.
Passive: He was frightened at the movie.
Miscellaneous Sentences
Active: It is your duty to respect your parents.
Passive: You are supposed to respect your parents.
Active: No one has ever met her.
Passive: She has never been met.
Active: Prepare for the worst.
Passive: Be prepared for the worst.
Active: They elected him President.
Passive: He was elected President by them.
Active: I don’t like people telling me what to do.
Passive: I don’t like being told what to do.
Active: Honey tastes sweet.
Passive: Honey is sweet when tasted.
Active: They let the boys go early.
Passive: The boys were allowed to go early.
Active: Don’t touch the cobra.
Passive: The cobra mustn’t be touched.
Active: Do you know any of them?
Passive: Are none of them known by you?
Active: Let him go.
Passive: He may be allowed to go.
Active: There are lots of things to do.
Passive: There are lots of things to be done.
0 Comments