Module 7—Passive Voice
Objective:
To understand the difference between active and passive sentences. To practice
using the passive verb forms.
Directions:
Use appropriate verbs in the active or passive voice to complete the following
assignments, exercises 1--4.
PASSIVE VOICE
What is the passive voice? Let’s answer that by reviewing the main parts of an
English sentence. We already know that simple sentences have a certain word order. A
simple sentence has this structure:
Subject + Vt + Direct Object
My cat tore the furniture.
The subject of this sentence is the cat. Let’s call it the agent, the person or thing that
carries out the action of the verb. Then, the direct object (the furniture) is the receiver of
the action. Finally, let’s look at a general truth about simple sentences:
In a simple sentence, the focus of attention is usually on
the subject of the sentence.
In the typical sentence with a transitive verb, the focus of attention is on the first
main noun of a sentence, which is also the agent. In our example sentence above, the
agent is my cat. What happens, however, if we want to focus on the receiver of the
action? For example, in the sentence above, suppose we are less concerned about the
cat; instead, we are more worried about the furniture. In that case, we use the passive
voice. We put more attention on the furniture by making it the first noun in the
sentence. For instance:
The furniture was torn by my cat.
(receiver)
(agent)
This sentence has the same meaning as the first example sentence we saw. The
focus, however, is different. Now, the focus is on the receiver of the action, not the
agent, because the receiver comes first in the sentence. Therefore, we can say that if we
want to focus on the receiver of an action in a simple sentence, we need to put the
receiver in the subject position of the sentence. To do this, we must use passive voice.
In a passive sentence, the noun that “sits” in subject
position is the receiver of the action.
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There are three situations in which you may want to focus on the receiver of an action
rather than the agent:
1. when the agent of the action is unknown
2. when the agent of the action is obvious or universally understood
3. when a writer wants to focus on the receiver rather than the agent
Now let’s look at how to form the passive voice. There are two simple rules:
The passive voice can be used with any tense or modal
verb.
The passive voice always consists of auxiliary be followed
by the past participle of the main verb.
How do we get from the active sentence My cat tore the furniture to the passive
sentence The furniture is torn by my cat? There are four steps:
1. Put the direct object (receiver) in subject position.
The furniture …
2. Add the auxiliary be in the same tense as the main verb (and
make sure it agrees with the new subject.)
The furniture was …
3. Add the past participle form of the main verb.
The furniture was torn …
4. Add the original subject (agent) after the preposition by.
The furniture was torn by my cat.
Let’s try making this active sentence passive:
The grouchy boy spoils our fun all the time.
First, locate and mark the subject/agent + verb + object/receiver
Then, on the line below, write the new subject.
________________________________________________________
Next, add the auxiliary be in the same tense as the main verb.
After that, write the past participle form of the main verb.
Now add the original subject (agent) after the preposition by.
What should you do with the phrase all the time? How is it acting in the sentence?
What do we do with adverbs and prepositional phrases when changing a sentence to
passive voice? Now try changing this active sentence into passive:
The teacher traveled to Outer Mongolia.
________________________________________________________
What problem did you encounter when trying to change this sentence? Why
couldn’t you change it to passive voice? There are three important things to remember
about the passive voice:
Only transitive verbs can be used in the
passive voice.
A verb in the passive voice cannot have a direct object
because the direct object of an active sentence “sits” in
the subject position of the passive sentence.
The passive voice is not a tense. It can be used in all the
tenses. The past participle does not ever tell us the time of
a verb. In passive voice, an auxiliary be or modal verb tells
the time: am, is, are, was, were, will be, would be, has been,
had been, can be, could be, might be, etc.
Let's look at some examples of the three situations in which a writer may want to use
the passive voice and focus on the receiver of the action:
1.
when the agent of the action is unknown:
Someone robbed the Second National Bank yesterday afternoon.
They told me to get in line for registration.
Those people sold the house next door within one week.
2.
when the agent of the action is obvious or understood:
The construction workers close the highways for repairs at night.
You can pick up an application during business hours.
The boss fired me for being late all the time.
3.
when a writer wants to emphasize the receiver, not the agent:
Scientists classify matter into organic and inorganic substances.
When Carl broke the Ming vase, the museum officials were furious.
Mr. Fox has reported the murder suspect to the police.
Notice that in each italicized sentence above, there is a reason to use the passive
voice. In some grammar books, you may be discouraged from writing this verb form;
however, it is commonly used to explain a process, such as in science texts; to report
news when the reporter does not want to reveal the source of the information; and to
avoid the use of informal "you" as a subject in academic writing.
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Exercise 1
Now practice using the passive voice to write a short paragraph about biology. Use a
"by phrase" only once in the topic sentence. Omit it from all other sentences because
using the “by phrase” is too repetitious and unnecessary.
Life on many different levels is studied by biologists. Matter according to its
molecular organization is characterized and classified in the smallest and largest units
of life. Molecules, atoms, cells, tissues, organs, and organisms are examined. Cells are
grouped into tissues. Cells with special functions in each organ are located.
Specialized cells, like neurons in the brain are identified. Organs are grouped into
organ systems. Many kinds of tissues are recognized in a single organ. The interaction
between different parts of organisms is called the biological process.
Exercise 2
Change the following sentences into passive voice. Note: keep the tense or modal verb
form in each active sentence. The verbs are in boldface font to help you see them better.
1. The house was assessed by the city tax department at $70,000.
2. The world record for the 100 meter dash at the ‘88 Olympics was broken by
Ben Johnson.
3. Ben Johnson was disqualified by the Olympic Committee for using steroids.
4. Registration will be held by HCC in January of next year.
5. After the last day to withdraw, a course cannot be dropped by students.
6. A lot of homework for the weekend has been assigned by the teacher.
7. Your tuition will be refunded by the college if it cancels the course.
If the college cancels the course, your tuition will be refunded.
8. Movies for filmgoers are rated by The Motion Picture Association
9. Professor Herzog ‘s notes are made available to the students.
10. The students were not informed about class cancellations by the college.
Exercise 3
Complete the following paragraph by using either the active or passive form,
whichever is appropriate, of the verb given. The paragraph describes a common college
placement test for international students.
Preparing to take the TOEFL can be a painstaking task. First, the
student should ___register___ by sending in an application
( register)
form along with a registration fee. On the application form, the
student’s name and address __are entered__ , along with his
(enter)
native language. The student’s preferred test center _should be indicated_,
(indicate)
too. When the application form and fee _are received_____ by the
(receive)
Educational Testing Service, in New Jersey, the agency will send an
(send)
admission ticket to the applying student. If this ticket
_____is not received___ five days before the test, the student should
(receive - neg)
_____report___ this fact to the ETS. A recent photograph of the
(report)
student must ____be attached_______ to the admission ticket. On the day
(attach)
of the test, this admission ticket must ___be presented__ at the door
(present)
of the testing center, or the student will ___be refused_______
(refuse)
admission to the test. The student must _____bring_
(bring)
identification, such as a valid passport. A driver’s license will
_not be accepted____ . The student must also __bring________ two
(accept - neg)
(bring)
pencils with him, but no other materials may ___be used_____.
(use)
Exercise 4
Read the following paragraph and correct all errors in the formation of the passive
voice. It's not necessary to change any sentences from active to passive. Most of the
sentences are already in the (present) passive voice because they explain a process that
is generally completed in the same way all of the time.
A lot of bargains can be found at an auction. When you go to an auction,
your name and address are recorded, and you are given a number. The number
is used to show your interest in an item for sale. Each item up for auction is held
up in the front of the room for about two to three minutes. An opening "bid," or
sales price, is suggested. The auctioneer asks if anyone wants to open the sale,
like that of a lamp, with that bid. Numbers are raised and lowered as shoppers
compete for that item. Finally, no more interest is shown for the lamp, and the
bidding is finished. The last person who raises his number receives the lamp. The
bidding for other items is continued. Each item is sold like that to the highest
bidder.