ACTIVE AND PASSIVE SUBJECTS
A Standard English sentence looks like this: Subject-Verb-Object. But although the subject
always comes first, there are important differences between subjects of active and passive
sentences.
In an active sentence, the action is done by the subject. The subject performs the action.
In a passive sentence, the action is done to the subject. The subject receives the action.
A) Active Sentence: The woman cooks the food.
The subject (The Woman) does the cooking, she performs the cooking
B) Passive Sentence: The food is cooked by the woman.
The subject (The food) does not cook: it receives cooking
Another way to describe this is to say that the object of an active sentence (Sentence A)
becomes the subject in a passive sentence (Sentence B.) Both sentences are about cooking,
and in both cases what gets cooked is food. So we can say that both sentences express the
same relationship between cooking and food. And in both sentences, the woman does the
cooking, so she also has the same relationship to the other two in both sentences.
Then what is the difference between the active and passive sentences?
Although both sentences have the same basic components: Woman, Cooking, Food, their
structure makes them appear to be about different things. If you were asked what or who
Sentence A is about, you'd probably answer "A woman." For Sentence B, your answer
would more likely be "Food."
Similarly, Sentence A is about an action: Cooking, while Sentence B is really about a
condition: Being Cooked. So we can say that active sentences are about what people (or
things) do, while passive sentences are about what happens to people (or things).
NOTE: If you do not change the subject, then the active sentence and the passive sentence
will have completely different meanings.
ACTIVE
The dog bit the man.
PASSIVE
The dog was bitten.
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ACTIVE AND PASSIVE SUBJECTS
VERBS IN PASSIVE SENTENCES
The auxiliary verb Be is used in passive sentences, followed by the past participle of the
main verb.
ACTIVE
He loves me.
We took our children to the circus.
A thief stole my money.
PASSIVE
I am loved.
The children were taken to the circus.
My money was stolen.
Notice how the Be auxiliaries change the meaning of the verbs from action to conditionfrom doing to being.
He remembers his grandmother.............He does an action - remembering
His grandmother is remembered................She is in a condition - being remembered.
In this way the passive participle is very much like an adjective; it describes the subject
The woman is pretty.
The woman is married.
She is a pretty woman
She is a married woman.
THE PASSIVE WITH OTHER AUXILIARY VERBS
Expanded verbs, using modals and auxiliaries may also be made passive. The Passive
Auxiliary follows the main auxiliary, following the rules for verb forms following
auxiliaries. The main verb takes the Past Participle form.
Auxiliary
will/would
shall/should
can/could
may/might
must
have/had
has
Passive Aux.
be
Main Verb
(-ed/-en)
Examples
Papers should be revised.
been
(-ed/-en)
Much wisdom has been revealed.
The truth had been forgotten
am
is/was
are/were
being
(-ed/-en)
I am being watched..
Final draft must be typed.
The children are being punished.
The witness was being cross examined.
do/did
does
No Passive
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ACTIVE AND PASSIVE SUBJECTS
USING THE PASSIVE VOICE
In general, active voice sentences are preferred. It is considered more direct to talk about
"WHO does what" than "what is done."
However, have you noticed that the last two sentences are written in the passive voice?
(this one too!)
In most cases, you will be writing active voice sentences, but there are situations, as in
the sentences above, in which the passive voice is useful.
The most common uses of the passive are listed below:
1) When we wish to emphasize the receiver of the action instead of the doer:
Quizzes are given regularly.
Grades for all students are averaged.
Questions are encouraged.
2) To keep the focus on the same subject through several sentences or paragraphs:
My sister and I grew up and went to school in Jamaica. We were educated according
to the British system. In 1997 we were given the opportunity to come to the United
States. We decided to finish high school before leaving our own country. We were
concerned that the education in this country might not be as good as the one we had
there, and we wanted to improve our English too.
3) When we do not know who performed the action:
Ray's calculator was made in Germany.
The answers have been filled in.
4) When we do not wish to mention the doer of the action:
Many problems have been ignored for too long.
I was given some bad advice.
NOTE: This use often reveals an unwillingness to take responsibility (or place it on
someone else)
What we say
What we avoid saying
A mistake was made.
Not enough has been done to end homelessness.
You have been misinformed.
I made a mistake.
We have not done enough.
You are wrong
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ACTIVE AND PASSIVE SUBJECTS
5) When we want to sound objective or avoid using the subject "I":
Studies have shown...
It is well-known..
Hamlet is considered...
It can be assumed...
It has been established...
VARIANT PASSIVE VERBS
The passive voice is sometimes formed with the verb `get' followed by the past participle.
As with `be,' these sentences may be written in any tense, and it is the form of `get' that
indicates the tense:
They will get married next week.
She gets frustrated because he is always late.
Some students are getting confused.
Note: The meaning of ‘Get' Passives is a little more active than the regular ‘Be' forms. We
say someone "gets married" or "gets punished' to imply that the subject has some part in
the action even though, technically, it is still a passive subject. Or you could say that "get" is
more like becoming than being
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