Active and Passive voices

Form: Passive Voice

uses the auxiliary to be verb and a past participle (and is very rare in the past/present/future perfect continuous forms). subject + 'to be' + past participle (verb + ed or irregular form) Some great cars are made in Germany. The window was broken. Your child will be cared for with love and attention.

Imagine you want to present passive voice in context for a class of EFL students. Choose the real-world context below that will best show the use of the passive voice. Select one: a. An account of the previous day's activities b. A weather report for the coming weekend c. A description of the manufacturing processes of a product

c. A description of the manufacturing processes of a product Explanation: Passive voice is often used in describing processes because the focus is placed on the item, not the agents/processors (e.g. "The coffee I am drinking was grown in Colombia. First, the coffee plants were planted, watered, and given plenty of sun. Then, after the beans were harvested, they were roasted and...").

Form: Active Voice

follows a standard sentence pattern and is used in every tense/aspect combination. subject + verb + object Germany makes some great cars. I broke the window. We will care for your child with love and attention.

Passive Voice: Statement and Question Formation

Table 4.1 summarizes the passive form of affirmative and negative statements, yes/no questions, and Wh- questions. Note the different tenses of past/present/future. (More detailed information about general sentence and question formation

Meaning: Passive Voice

This is commonly done in academic writing, especially in descriptions of scientific processes, because we want to focus on the processes and materials themselves, not the scientists or doers of the actions. Now, let's take a look at some other reasons one might use the passive voice. 1. Unknown/Unimportant Agent Several samples were collected and stored (by researchers). Many American jobs are being outsourced abroad (by American companies). Ferraris are made in Italy (by auto workers). My car was stolen (by someone/a thief)! 2. Focus on Receiver of Action That artwork was painted by my grandmother. Only 5-10 new vocabulary words can be retained by your students in any lesson. 3. Avoidance of Mentioning Agent Some things were said last night that probably shouldn't have been. Mistakes have been made in this process, but we continue to move ahead. The homework hasn't been done yet.

Read the sentence and choose which meaning is most likely represented with the underlined passive voice verb and the context of the sentence. The back door was left open last night! Somebody needs to pay more attention. Select one: a. Unknown/unimportant agent b. Focus on receiver of action c. Avoidance of mentioning agent

a. Unknown/unimportant agent Explanation: It is most likely that the speaker of this sentence used passive because the agent (the person who left the door open) was unknown.

Read the sentence and choose which meaning is most likely represented with the underlined passive voice verb and the context of the sentence. The test scores have been posted in the hallway by our teacher. Select one: a. Unknown/unimportant agent b. Focus on receiver of action c. Avoidance of mentioning agent

b. Focus on receiver of action Explanation: It is most likely that the passive was used because the speaker wanted to focus on the test scores (the receiver of the action), not the person who posted the scores (our teacher).

Read the question and choose which meaning is most likely represented with the underlined passive voice verb and the context of the question. Has the new employee been properly trained on how to use this equipment? Select one: a. Unknown/unimportant agent b. Focus on receiver of action c. Avoidance of mentioning agent

b. Focus on receiver of action Explanation: While it is possible that the agent (the trainer) is unknown/unimportant, it is more likely that the passive was used because the speaker wanted to focus on the new employee, not the (possible) trainer.

Read the sentence and choose which meaning is most likely represented with the underlined passive voice verb and the context of the sentence. Stuff happens, and mistakes are made, but we will always be a team. Select one: a. Unknown/unimportant agent b. Focus on receiver of action c. Avoidance of mentioning agent

c. Avoidance of mentioning agent Explanation: It is most likely that the speaker of this sentence did not want to attach an agent to the mistakes that the team members make, so they used passive voice.

Identify which sentence contains an example of the active voice: Select one: a. My window was broken last week! b. All of my money was stolen! c. I was broke! d. Luckily, I was given a loan for my rent.

c. I was broke! Explanation: In sentence c, the verb "was" follows the rule of form for active voice in the past simple, and "broke" is a past participle used as an adjective. Sentences a, b, and d all follow the rule of form for the passive voice in the past simple tense: Was/Were + Past Participle. Sentences a and b are examples in which the agent/thief is unknown, which is one meaning of the passive voice. Sentence d focuses not on the agent (or giver of the loan), but rather on who the loan was given to ("I") by making it the subject of the sentence.

Identify which sentence contains an example of the passive voice: Select one: a. The teacher decided to postpone the test. b. The test results will decide whether you progress. c. The result of the election had been decided beforehand. d. Everyone has decided what to order for dinner.

c. The result of the election had been decided beforehand. Explanation: In this sentence, the verb phrase "had been decided" follows the rule of form for the passive voice in the past perfect tense: Had + Been + Past Participle. It is possible that the agent/decider is unknown, which is one meaning of the passive voice.

Identify which sentence contains an example of the passive voice: Select one: a. We learned a lot in class last week. b. This week, we have been learning a lot as well. c. We will learn even more next week. d. A lot has been learned in our class.

d. A lot has been learned in our class. Explanation: In this sentence, the verb phrase "has been learned" follows the rule of form for the passive voice in the present perfect tense: Has + Been + Past Participle. The sentence focuses not on the agent (or learners), but rather on what has been learned ("A lot") by making it the subject of the sentence.

Identify which question contains an example of the passive voice: Select one: a. How have you been? b. What have you been doing? c. Have you been teaching English long? d. Have you been trained to teach English?

d. Have you been trained to teach English? Explanation: In this sentence, the verb phrase "have...been trained" follows the rule of form for the passive voice in the present perfect tense: Have + Been + Past Participle. The question focuses not on the agent (or trainer), but rather the person who has (or has not) been trained ("you") by making it the subject of the question.

One of the following sentences contains a mistake commonly made by people first learning the passive voice. Identify which underlined verb or verb phrase is incorrect. My friend was arrested last night! He was involved in a nasty fight. Luckily, he was released in the morning. He was arrived home at 8 a.m. Select one: a. was arrested b. was involved c. was released d. was arrived

d. was arrived Explanation: The verb "arrive" is intransitive, and the passive voice cannot be used with intransitive verbs. It should be "arrived", not "was arrived."

Passive voice

the agency is reversed; the subject of the sentence is not the doer of the action, but the receiver of the action, or thing upon which the action is applied. Thus passive voice is possible only with transitive verbs. Note that in these example sentences, the agent is not named, but it could be via an optional by phrase (shown in parentheses). 1. Three different grammar assessments were developed. (by me) 2. The results of the assessments are being kept in a secure location. (by a faculty member) 3. They will be kept for a period of two years. (by a faculty member)

Active Voice

the subject of the sentence is the agent, or doer, of the action. The object of the sentence is the receiver of the action. 1. I developed three different grammar assessments 2. A faculty member is keeping the results of the assessments. 3. He will keep them for a period of two years.