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Active Passive Voice PDF

This document discusses the active and passive voice in writing. It defines active voice as having the subject followed by the verb and then the object, while passive voice has the object followed by a form of "to be" plus the past participle and then the subject. The document provides rules for using active and passive voice according to APA style, including using active voice as much as possible when writing about actions and passive voice to focus on recipients of actions. It gives examples of active and passive constructions and how passive voice is formed.

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36 views12 pages

Active Passive Voice PDF

This document discusses the active and passive voice in writing. It defines active voice as having the subject followed by the verb and then the object, while passive voice has the object followed by a form of "to be" plus the past participle and then the subject. The document provides rules for using active and passive voice according to APA style, including using active voice as much as possible when writing about actions and passive voice to focus on recipients of actions. It gives examples of active and passive constructions and how passive voice is formed.

Uploaded by

jaylouisedale.bada
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Caraga state university

Ampayon, Butuan City 8600, Philippines


URL: www.carsu.edu.ph

By: Enrique F. Taragua


Languages Faculty
Voice describes the relationship between a verb
and the subject and object associated with it. To
define: Active voice is that the subject of a
sentence is followed by the verb and then the
object of the verb (e.g., “the children ate the
cookies”), while Passive voice is that the object of
the verb is followed by the verb (usually a form of
“to be” + past participle + the word “by”) and then
the subject (e.g., “the cookies were eaten by the
children”).
The Rules, According to APA Style (2019)
Both the active and the passive voice are permitted in APA
Style. However, writers often overuse the passive voice.
Therefore,
1. Use the active voice as much as possible to create
direct, clear, and concise sentences, especially when you
are writing about the actions of people.
2. Use the passive voice when it is more important to
focus on the recipient of an action than on who
performed the action, such as when describing an
experimental setup, or featuring a scientific
breakthrough.
For example: Penicillin was discovered by
Alexander Fleming.
• Characteristics on the Use of Active and Passive
Voice
Transitive verbs have both active and passive voice
forms.
The mechanic fixed the engine. (Active)
The engine was fixed by the mechanic. (Passive)
Someone has cleaned the rooms. (Active)
The rooms have been cleaned. (Passive)

Passive forms are made up of the verb be with a past


participle
English is spoken all over the world.
The rooms have been cleaned.
Lunch was being served.
The task will be accomplished soon.
They might have been informed of the meeting.

3. If we want to show the person or thing doing the action,


we use by:
• She was guided by an information desk officer.
• The money was saved by her husband.
4. The passive infinitive is made up of to be with a past
participle:
• The doors are going to be locked at ten o'clock.
• You shouldn't have done that. You ought to be punished.
5. We sometimes use the verb get with a past participle to
form the passive:
• Be careful with that glass. It might get broken.
• Peter got hurt in a crash.
6. We can use the indirect object as the subject of a
passive verb:
• I gave him a book for his birthday. (Active)
• He was given a book for his birthday. (Passive)
• Someone sent her a cheque for a thousand pesos.
(Active)
• She was sent a cheque for a thousand pesos. (Passive)
7. We can use phrasal verbs in the passive:
• They called off the meeting. (Active)
• The meeting was called off. (Passive)
• His grandmother looked after him. (Active)
• He was looked after by his grandmother. (Passive)
8. Some verbs which are very frequently used in the passive are
followed by then to-infinitive:
be supposed to be expected to be asked to be told to
be scheduled to be allowed to be invited to be ordered to
• John has been asked to make a speech at the meeting.
• You are supposed to wear a uniform.
• The meeting is scheduled to start at seven.
That’s all for this lesson. I am glad
that you learned much from our
discussion on this topic. GOD bless
everyone and keep safe always.

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