The use of passive voice in English grammar is a subject of interest for writers, linguists, and educators alike.
Passive voice occurs when the subject of the sentence is acted upon by the verb. In contrast to active voice, where the subject performs the action, passive voice shifts the focus onto the action itself or the recipient of that action.
This can serve to either highlight the importance of the action over the actor or to intentionally obscure who is performing the action.
Understanding the rules of passive voice is critical for constructing sentences that are both grammatically correct and stylistically appropriate.
It requires a clear grasp of sentence structure, including the relationships between subjects, verbs, and objects, as well as an ability to recognize the appropriate times to employ passive construction.
While passive voice is often discouraged in favor of more direct and engaging active voice, it has its place in academic and formal writing, where the emphasis is on the action rather than the actor.
Mastering passive voice entails a command of verb conjugation and an awareness of the subtle nuances it introduces into writing.
Proficiency in using passive voice can enhance a writer’s ability to vary sentence structure and control the emphasis within their narrative or exposition.
It is, therefore, an indispensable component of effective writing skills, complementing the dominant use of active voice and enriching the diversity of expression available to a skilled communicator.
Understanding Passive Voice
Passive voice is a grammatical construction that emphasizes the action being performed, rather than the subject performing it. This can make sentences more formal or shift attention to the recipient of the action.
Definition and Importance
Passive voice occurs in a sentence when the subject is acted upon by the verb. Instead of the subject performing the action, it receives it.
English grammar utilizes this voice for a variety of reasons, such as when the subject is unknown, unimportant, or should be deliberately de-emphasized.
The importance of passive voice in English grammar lies in its ability to create ambiguity or to shift the focus from the doer to the action or the recipient.
- Active voice example: The dog chased the cat.
- Passive voice example: The cat was chased by the dog.
The Role of ‘To Be’
The verb ‘to be’ is a critical component in constructing the passive form. It serves as an auxiliary that combines with the main verb, which is typically in the past participle form.
This pairing is essential in creating the passive voice structure. The form of the verb ‘to be’ changes depending on the tense of the sentence, hence it plays an adaptable role in maintaining the correct tense in the passive voice.
| Tense | Active | Passive |
|---|---|---|
| Present Simple | They write the reports. | The reports are written. |
| Past Simple | They wrote the reports. | The reports were written. |
| Future Simple | They will write the reports. | The reports will be written. |
Identifying Passive Voice
Recognizing passive voice involves looking for a few key elements in a sentence.
Firstly, identify the verb. If the sentence features a form of verb be followed by a past participle, it often indicates passive voice.
Secondly, the object of the action in an active sentence becomes the subject in a passive one.
- To identify: Look for the verb be + past participle.
- To confirm: Check if the original object is now the subject.
Original Object as Subject Example:
In the sentence “The book was read by her,” ‘the book’ serves as the subject that is acted upon by the verb ‘read’ (past participle form), and ‘her’ is the agent performing the action. This construction illustrates a clear instance of passive voice.
Formation of Passive Voice
To effectively turn an active sentence into a passive one, a writer must use the past participle of the verb and adjust the sentence structure to emphasize the action rather than the subject.
Use of Past Participle
In the passive voice, the past participle is necessary to indicate the action performed on the subject.
- For regular verbs, the past participle is formed by adding -ed to the base form.
- For example: “ask” becomes “asked.”
- For irregular verbs, the past participle form varies and must be memorized.
- For example: “write” becomes “written.”
Here is a table to illustrate regular and irregular verbs:
| Base Form | Past Participle (Regular) | Past Participle (Irregular) |
|---|---|---|
| walk | walked | — |
| plan | planned | — |
| go | — | gone |
| be | — | been |
Passive Voice Construction
The construction of a passive voice sentence requires rearranging the components of the active sentence and introducing a form of the verb “to be” that agrees with the tense of the sentence.
- The formula normally follows this pattern: Subject + Form of ‘to be’ + Past Participle + (by + Agent).
- The agent, i.e., the doer of the action, is often optional or omitted if it is not important.
When using the passive infinitive, it is formed with “to be” followed by a past participle:
- To construct the passive infinitive, use “to be” + past participle.
- For example: “to be driven.”
A list of some verbs in the passive voice across different tenses for the verb “write”:
- Present Simple: “is written” or “are written”
- Past Simple: “was written” or “were written”
- Future Simple: “will be written”
- Present Perfect: “has been written” or “have been written”
Function and Usage
In passive voice constructions, the typical object becomes the focus of the sentence, highlighting the action and its recipient rather than the initiator.
Predominantly used for formality and emphasis, passive voice changes the sentence structure by reversing the usual subject-object order.
Focus on the Action
The crux of the passive voice is to emphasize the action itself rather than the doer.
In scientific writing, for example, it is often more important to focus on the procedure or result:
- Active Voice: The team conducted the experiment.
- Passive Voice: The experiment was conducted by the team.
Here, the passive voice shifts the reader’s attention to the experiment rather than the team performing it.
When to Use Passive Voice
It is appropriate to apply passive voice in specific contexts to achieve a desired effect in writing:
-
To emphasize the action or recipient rather than the initiator.
Example: The monument was built in the 18th century.
-
When the subject is unknown or irrelevant.
Example: The letter was delivered this morning.
-
For formal or academic writing to achieve an objective tone.
_Bold choices** in a document may stand out more emphatically in passive construction.
Subject and Object Reversal
Passive voice sentences switch the typical roles of subject and object, with the recipient of the action becoming the subject:
| Active Voice | Passive Voice |
|---|---|
| She (subject) writes (action) the report (object). | The report (subject) is written (action) by her (agent). |
The passive sentence structure is formed by the auxiliary verb ‘to be’ + past participle of the main verb. The original subject often appears at the end of the sentence, preceded by “by,” and is then termed the agent.
Tenses and Variations
The passive voice can be applied consistently across various tenses in English to emphasize the action rather than the subject. It has nuances that can alter its form and meaning when different tenses are used.
Passive Voice in Different Tenses
Present Simple: The present simple passive is formed using the auxiliary verb ‘is’ or ‘are’ followed by the past participle of the main verb. For example:
- The book is read by millions.
Past Simple: The past simple passive uses ‘was’ or ‘were’ with the past participle. An example would be:
- The letter was delivered yesterday.
Future Perfect: To construct the future perfect passive, one uses ‘will have been’ along with the past participle:
- The project will have been completed by next week.
Present Perfect: The present perfect passive combines ‘has’ or ‘have been’ with the past participle:
- The results have been published in the journal.
Past Perfect: The past perfect passive takes ‘had been’ plus the past participle:
- By the time they arrived, the game had been postponed.
Variations in Passive Voice
The passive voice exhibits variations that can affect its clarity and correctness.
The agent (doer of the action) may sometimes be mentioned using ‘by’. Additionally, modal verbs can be inserted to indicate possibility, necessity, or other modalities. Here’s a breakdown:
-
Omitting the Agent: The passive often excludes the agent when it is either obvious or irrelevant:
- The decisions were made (by whom is not important).
-
Including the Agent: When it’s useful to know who performed the action, ‘by’ introduces the agent:
- The song was written by the composer.
-
Using Modal Verbs: Modals like ‘must’, ‘should’, or ‘could’ are used for necessity, advice, or possibility:
- The rules must be followed by everyone.
Common Mistakes and Clarifications
While mastering the passive voice, one should be aware of the nuances involving verb types and should also dispel commonly held myths about its usage.
Transitive vs. Intransitive Verbs
Transitive verbs are action verbs that require a direct object to complete their meaning.
A sentence can only be formed in the passive voice when using transitive verbs. In contrast, intransitive verbs do not take a direct object, and hence, sentences with intransitive verbs cannot be constructed in the passive voice. This is a common mistake for learners to identify.
Examples of correct usage:
- Active: She sings a song. (Transitive)
- Passive: A song is sung by her.
Examples of incorrect usage:
- He arrived at the station. (Intransitive)
- *Mistaken Passive: Incorrect to attempt as ‘The station was arrived at by him.’
Misconceptions About Passive Voice
The passive voice is often avoided based on the misconception that it is always poor in style.
But it is actually a useful and effective tool when used appropriately.
- Bad Advice: “Avoid passive voice at all costs.”
- Reality: Passive voice is ideal for focusing on the action or when the doer is unknown or irrelevant.
- Misconception: “Passive voice is indicative of a weak and unclear writing style.”
- Reality: It can offer clarity by emphasizing the recipient of the action rather than the doer.
Passive voice is not to be shunned but utilized with a clear understanding of its function in the appropriate context.
Recognizing the differences in verb types and debunking the fallacies surrounding passive voice are key to its effective application.
