UNIT SUMMARY

Active and Passive Voice—Forms

ACTIVE Sam drove the car. Sam didn’t drive the car. Sam will drive the car. Sam has driven the car. Sam often drives the car. Sam should drive the car. Sam needs to drive the car. Did Sam drive the car? When did Sam drive the car? Why didn’t Sam drive the car?

The Active Voice—Use

EXAMPLES I hired an attorney. The attorney prepared the evidence. She will present the evidence in court. The accident happened last month. She went to court.

PASSIVE The car was driven (by Sam). The car wasn’t driven (by Sam). The car will be driven (by Sam). The car has been driven (by Sam). The car is often driven (by Sam). The car should be driven (by Sam). The car needs to be driven (by Sam). Was the car driven (by Sam)? When was the car driven (by Sam)? Why wasn’t the car driven (by Sam)?

EXPLANATION In most cases, when either the active or passive can be used, we use the active voice.

When the verb is intransitive (it has no object), the active voice must be used. There is no choice.

The Passive Voice—Use

EXAMPLES EXPLANATION

I was chosen for jury duty.

The agent is not known or is not important. The criminal was taken to jail. The agent is obvious. Jury duty is considered a responsibility of every citizen. The agent is everybody or people in general. The court paid me. I was paid at the end of the day. The emphasis is shifted from the agent to the receiver of the action. It was discovered that many accidents are the result of driver distraction. When talking about general beliefs and findings, we begin with It.

Accidents are caused by distracted drivers. The emphasis is on the receiver of the action more than on the agent. (In this case, the agent is included in a by phrase.)