Active vs. Passive Active vs. Passive VerbsVerbs

Active vs. Passive Active vs. Passive VerbsVerbs

Look !• Active verbs

create strong sentences.

Misha sold a book.

• Passive verbs make weak sentences.

The book was sold by Misha.

What is the Active Voice?

• In the active voice, the subject performs the action.

For example:Maxim draws a picture.

Maxim is the subject and he is doing something (drawing).

What is the Passive Voice?

• In passive voice the subject is acted on.– For example: The

picture was drawn by Maxim.

• In this case, the drawing is the subject and it is being acted upon by Maxim.

Passive

Past Participle:• Regular

• Irregular

+ ed : watched, publishedIrregular verb form:DONE, TOLD, SEEN

etc

to be + Past Participle

Passive

• Present Simple• Am/is/are done

• Past Simple• Was/were done

• Present Perfect• Have been/ has been done

to be + Past Participle

Subject+ to be + Past Participle

When Do We Use Passive?

• Use passive voice when you do not wish to emphasize the subject of the sentence. Smoking is

prohibited. (passive)

The management prohibits smoking. (active)

The passive keeps the management from being the “bad guys.”

What if the agent is unimportant?

• Also use passive when the person or thing acting is unknown or unimportant.– Poisonous gases

were found in six factories.

• This passive sentence is about finding gases, not WHO found them!!!

• Book was written by Shakespeare.

• (Shakespeare – AGENT, important)

NOT• Book was

published by publishers.

• (Publishers – AGENT, not important)

When do we use active voice?

Use active voice all the time, unless you are required or have very specific reasons for doing otherwise.

Active voice leads to more concise writing.

It clarifies just who it is that is doing the action identified. Example: “The

thief plans to steal from the open house.”

Who feels excited about the open house?

Can You Make Passive Active?

• Another way of preserving Another way of preserving active voice is by placing active voice is by placing the noun doing the action the noun doing the action before the verb.before the verb.

• The flowers were planted by Jesse. Jesse __ __ __.• A good harvest is expected by him. He __ __ __ __.What is Jesse

harvesting?

How do passives use BE verbs?

• Passives use BE verbs plus the past participle:

• Regular verbs form the past participle just like the past -ed form.– The boy was

impressed by Ms. Jones.

• Irregular past participles are made with –en:– The pizzas were

eaten by bears.

How passive are the zoo bears?

Can you create passive voice?1. The printer __

(power) by a battery.2. Many __ (convince)

that using a cell phone while driving is dangerous.

3. Supplements __ (consider) foods and not drugs.

4. About 500 people __ (expect) to graduate this year.

5. All rooms at the motel __ (equip) with refrigerators.

6. Accommodations are expensive but __ (reduce) by 20% or more after September.

7. I doubt that such a policy __ (need) at the moment.

8. Three types of DNA __ (involve) in protein synthesis.

Here is the passive voice:1. The printer was

powered by a battery.

2. Many are convinced that using a cell phone while driving is dangerous.

3. Supplements are considered foods and not drugs.

4. About 500 people are expected to graduate from Dalton State this year.

5. All rooms at the motel are equipped with refrigerators.

6.Accommodations are expensive but are reduced by 20% or more after September.

7. I doubt that such a policy is needed at the moment.

8. Three types of DNA are involved in protein synthesis.

Can you use passive verbs?9. Archimedes ___ the

math constant pi. A. was discoveredB. discoveredC. has discoveredD. is discovering

10. Bell _____ the telephone in 1876.A. is inventedB. has inventedC. inventedD. was invented

11. "The Last Judgement" ___ by Michelangelo between 1536 and 1541.A. paintedB. was paintedC. was being paintedD. has been painted

12. The first volume of the Lord of the Rings _____ in 1954. A. was publishedB. has been publishedC. is publishedD. published

Here are the passive verbs:9. Archimedes ___

the math constant pi. A. was

discoveredB. discoveredC. has

discoveredD. is

discovering10. Bell _____ the

telephone in 1876.A. is inventedB. has inventedC. inventedD. was invented

11. "The Last Judgement" ___ by Michelangelo between 1536 and 1541.A. paintedB. was paintedC. was being paintedD. has been painted

12. The first volume of the Lord of the Rings _____ in 1954. A. was publishedB. has been publishedC. is publishedD. published

Can you use passive verbs?13. Many animals __

since Dolly the sheep.A. have been clonedB. had been cloningC. were clonedD. clones

14. That area __ by war for years.A. is being troubledB. has been troubledC. troubleD. is troubling

15. New technology __ due to market saturation.A. delaysB. is delayedC. was delayedD. is delaying

16. The Park Service __ for years by crowding at the Grand Canyon.A. has been embarrassedB. embarrassesC. embarrassedD. is being embarrassed

Here are the passive verbs:13. Many animals __

since Dolly the sheep.A. have been clonedB. had been cloningC. were clonedD. clones

14. That area __ by war for years.A. is being troubledB. has been troubledC. troubleD. is troubling

15. New technology __ due to market saturation.A. delaysB. is delayedC. was delayedD. is delaying

16. The Park Service __ for years by crowding at the Grand Canyon.A. has been embarrassedB. embarrassesC. embarrassedD. is being embarrassed

Can you create passive voice?17. Which planet (call)

__ the red planet?18. Our solar system

(compose) __ of how many planets?

19. In 1957 a rocket (launched) __ into space by whom?

20. The first woman (send) __ into space by which nation?

A. Venus, Mars, Uranus, or Mercury

B. One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, or Nine.

C. The USA, China, Japan, France, Brazil, or Russia.

D. The USA, China, Japan, France, Brazil, or Russia.

Here is the passive voice:17. Which planet is

called the red planet?

18. Our solar system is composed of how many planets?

19. In 1957 a rocket was launched into space by whom?

20. The first woman sent into space by which nation?

A. Venus, Mars, Uranus, or Mercury

B. One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, or Nine.

C. The USA, China, Japan, France, Brazil, or Russia.

D. The USA, China, Japan, France, Brazil, or Russia.

What are five action tips?• Make sure the

subject is acting and not being acted upon.

• Use the verb form of nouns with suffixes.

• Place subjects in front of the action they perform. Make sure your

sentences are full of something by using the

active voice!