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Active & Passive Voice

The document discusses the differences between active and passive voice. It explains that active voice shows what the subject does, while passive voice emphasizes the object of the action and sometimes omits the subject. Some key points: - Active voice is more common and informal, while passive voice is more formal. - Passive voice is often used in news, signs, and technical writing where the actor is unimportant. - The passive is formed using some form of "to be" plus the past participle of the main verb.

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97 views

Active & Passive Voice

The document discusses the differences between active and passive voice. It explains that active voice shows what the subject does, while passive voice emphasizes the object of the action and sometimes omits the subject. Some key points: - Active voice is more common and informal, while passive voice is more formal. - Passive voice is often used in news, signs, and technical writing where the actor is unimportant. - The passive is formed using some form of "to be" plus the past participle of the main verb.

Uploaded by

JuanCarlosMadrid
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Active &

passive
voice
Active voice
 The active voice is the "normal" voice.
 This is the voice that we use most of the
time.
 You are probably already familiar with the
active voice.
 In the active voice, the subject is the most
important and the object receives the action
of the verb.
 It shows what someone or something does.
Examples
:
1. Mr. Moore opens the door every day.
2. My mother gave me money yesterday.
Subject verb object complement
Passive voice
Object To be Past participle Complement
Notes
 We use the passive voice when the person or thing doing the action isn’t important, isn’t
known or is understood.
 In the passive voice the object is the most important, not the subject.

 The game was immediately stopped. (It isn’t necessary to say who stopped the game.)

 Our coach was told to leave the soccer field. (We understand that the referee told him to
leave.)

 The passive voice is usually more formal than the active voice.

 My father will choose a new sales director tomorrow. (Active. Informal comment.)
 A new sales director will be chosen tomorrow. (Passive. Formal statement.)
Notes
 The passive voice is very common in English, especially in news reports, signs, notices,
advertisements, posters, scientific and technical descriptions.
 In these contexts we are more interested in the things that happen instead of what or who
makes them happen.
 In the passive voice we can mention the subject (person or thing) that does the action after
the preposition by.

 This house was built by my grandpa in 1935.


 The union is run by seven executive officers who are elected by students.
Object
A noun (person, animal or thing) or a
pronoun, that is influenced by a verb.
The object has two
conditions:
1 2

It’s normally placed It always answers


after a verb or a the questions who
preposition. or what.
Tenses
Tenses chart
Tense Active Passive
The simple present John opens the door. The door is opened by John.
The present progressive John is opening the door. The door is being opened by John.
The simple past John opened the door. The door was opened by John.
The past progressive John was opening the door. The door was being opened by John.

1
The present perfect
The past perfect
Going to
John has opened the door.
John had opened the door.
John is going to open the door.
The door has been opened by John.
The door had been opened by John.
The door is going to be opened by John.
Will John will open the door. The door will be opened by John.
Can John can open the door. The door can be opened by John.
May John may open the door. The door may be opened by John.
Should John should open the door. The door should be opened by John.
Might John might open the door. The door might be opened by John.
Must John must open the door. The door must be opened by John.
Would John would open the door. The door would be opened by John.
Could John could open the door. The door could be opened by John.
Have/get something done

 We normally say that we have something or get something done if we don’t do the
job ourselves. We decide to hire another person to do it for us, we ask someone else
to do something for us.

 We can also use get instead of have, but it’s more informal.

Examples:

 I had my house painted last year. (Someone painted my house for me.)

 Dad is having his car fixed now. (The mechanic is fixing my dad’s car.)

 I got my hair cut yesterday.


 We can also use have something done when we talk about something, normally unpleasant,
that happened to someone.

Example:

 Mr. Lee had his apartment broken into two weeks ago. He had his laptop stolen.

Subject Have/get Object (something) Verb (past participle)

Austin Is getting the electricity checked.


Nicole has had air conditioner installed.
Mrs. Sanders got the living room carpet cleaned.
Mr. Peterson had the roof repaired.

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