Passive Voice

What Is Passive Voice?

In order to understand passive voice, you must also understand active voice.  In active voice, the subject performs the action; in passive voice, the action affects the subject.  Passive voice shows teachers that students are not thinking deeply about a topic, and it also causes more work for the readers because readers often have to re-read the sentence to find the subject.

 

Passive Voice Has Three Characteristics

1. The actor and the subject are not the same.
The ball was thrown by Julia.  (Ball is the subject, but Julia is the actor.)

2. The verb is a to be verb (be, am, is, are, was, were, been, being) plus a past participle (which is not the same as past tense (-ed) verb).
The ball was thrown by Julia.  (Was is the verb; thrown is the past participle.)

3. The indirect object is often the actor.
The ball was thrown by Julia.  (Julia is the indirect object.)

 

Active Voice Has Three Characteristics

1. The actor and the subject are the same.
Julia threw the ball.  (Julia is both the actor and the subject.)

2. The sentence does not contain a to be verb followed by a past participle.
Julia threw the ball.  (There is no to be verb followed by a past participle.)

3. The object of the verb follows the verb.
Julia threw the ball.  (The ball is the direct object.)

 

When Is It Appropriate to Use Passive Voice?

Typically, the active voice is better because it is more concise and allows the subject to be the actor, allowing for easier reading.  However, there are times when it is appropriate to use passive voice:

1. When the actor is unknown
A complaint was lodged.

2. When the action, not the actor, is the focus
The first shot was fired.

3. In scientific writing, when the research is more important than the researchers
UV rays have been proven to be harmful to humans.

4. When following the old-new pattern of information
Many students take tests.  Tests are administered by teachers to gauge a student’s knowledge. 

Note  Here, “tests” is old information because the first sentence mentions that information.  In the second sentence, the old-new rule dictates that we must mention tests before teachers, since teachers is new information.

 

Exercises

Change the following sentences from passive to active voice:

1. Seven course meals are often served in very upscale restaurants.

2. In some cultures, cats are thought to have healing powers.

3. The program will be eliminated by the company in March.

4. The proper precautions must be taken by people in a hurricane.

 

Determine if the following sentences are appropriate uses of passive voice by choosling C (for correct) or I (for incorrect):

C   I   1. Samples are gathered every six hours at the research facility.
C   I   2. During the last six weeks, thirty-two robberies were committed.
C   I   3. The tests were taken by students enrolled in Spanish courses.
C   I   4. People enjoy taking vacations.  Vacations are booked by travel agents.
C   I   5. A number of things are indicated by these results.

 

 

Answers

1. Very upscale restaurants often serve seven course meals.
2. Some cultures think cats have healing powers.
3. In March, the company will eliminate the program.
4. People in a hurricane must take the proper precautions.

C   I   1. Samples are gathered every six hours at the research facility.
C   I   2. During the last six weeks, thirty-two robberies were committed.
C   I   3. The tests were taken by students enrolled in Spanish courses.
C   I   4. People enjoy taking vacations.  Vacations are booked by travel agents.
C   I   5. A number of things are indicated by these results.

 

 

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