english magazine the passive voice and the active voice

Functions of the passive voice

Training of the passive voice

The passive voice with infinitives

The passive voice with the "gerund"

Use of "to be born"

Alternative ways of forming the passive voice Use of "to need" in passive constructions

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Functions of the passive voice Sometimes we use the passive voice because we do not know or we do not want to mention who performed the action.

EXAMPLES • • • •

I noticed that a window had been left open.

Every year thousands of people are killed on our roads.

All the cookies have been eaten.

My car has been stolen!

The passive voice is used to show interest in the person or thing that is the object of an action, rather than the person or thing that performs that action. In other words, the most important person or thing becomes the subject of prayer.

THE ACTIVE VOICE He ate all of the cookies. (Comió todas las galletas.)

THE PASSIVE VOICE All of the cookies were eaten.

(Todas las galletas fueron comidas.)

Examples  The passive voice is used frequently. (we are interested in the passive voice, not who uses it.)  The house was built in 1654. (we are interested in the house, not who built it.)  The road is being repaired. (we are interested in the road, not who is fixing it.)

The passive voice is often used in formal texts. Switching to the active voice will make what you write become clearer and easier to read.

Passive

Active

A great deal of meaning is A few well-chosen words conveyed by a few well-chosen convey a great deal of words. meaning.

Our planet is wrapped in a A mass of gases wrap around mass of gases. our planet.

Waste materials are disposed The city disposes of waste of in a variety of ways. materials in a variety of ways.

If we mean who or what performs the action in a construction in passive, we use the preposition "by". When we know who did the action and the subject interests us, it is always better to choose the active voice.

Passive

Active

"A Hard Day's Night" was The Beatles wrote "A Hard written by the Beatles.

Day's Night".

The movie ET was directed by Spielberg directed the movie Spielberg.

ET. This house was built by my My father built this house. father.

Training of the passive voice In English, the passive voice is composed of two elements: the appropriate form of the verb "to be" + "past participle" Affirmative

Negative

Interrogative

Negative interrogative

The house The house Was the Wasn't the was built in wasn't built in house built in house built in 1899.

1899.

1899?

1899?

These houses These houses Were these Weren't these were built in weren't built houses built in houses built in 1899. in 1899.

1899?

1899? find the following words Active Am Are Be Born Gerund Get Have He I

Infinitive Is It Need Passive She They To We You

The passive voice with infinitives The infinitive in the passive voice is used behind the modal verbs and most of the verbs that normally are followed of infinitive.

Examples     

You have to be tested on your English grammar.

John might be promoted next year.

She wants to be invited to the party.

I expect to be surprised on my birthday.

You may be disappointed.

The passive voice with the "gerund" The "gerund" in the passive voice is used after the prepositions and verbs that are usually followed by "gerund".

Examples       

I remember being taught to drive.

The children are excited about being taken to the zoo.

The children are excited to be taken to the zoo.

Most film stars hate being interviewed.

Most film stars hate to be interviewed.

Poodles like to be pampered.

Poodles like being pampered.

Use of "to be born" "To be born" is passive training and is often used in the past.

However, in some cases, the present or future are appropriate.

Examples  I was born in 1976.  Where were you born?  Around 100 babies are born in this hospital every week.  We don't know on exactly which day the baby will be born.

Alternative ways of forming the passive voice It is possible to construct sentences that have passive meaning even without having a passive form, using the verbs "to get" or "to have" instead of the verb "to be". These constructions often describe situations in which we want someone else to do something for us, or in which we are going to hire someone to do something for us. The subject is in active form but only acts to get or cause another person, not mentioned, to perform the action expressed by the main verb of the sentence. That other person is not explicit when prayer has passive meaning.

We are more interested in the result of the activity than the person who performs it.

Examples    

I must get my hair cut.

I must have my hair cut.

When are you going to get that window mended?

We're having the house painted.

This type of construction can refer to the conclusion of an activity, especially if a temporal expression is used.

Examples    

We'll get the work done as soon as possible.

I'll get those letters typed before lunchtime.

She said she'd have my lunch delivered by noon.

You should have your roof repaired before next winter.

If the verb refers to an unwanted action, it has the same meaning as a passive sentence.

Examples    

Jim had his car stolen last night.

Jim's car was stolen.

They had their roof blown off in the storm.

Their roof was blown off in the storm.

Use of "to need" in passive constructions It is also possible to use the verb "to need" followed by the "gerund" in a passively active construction. What matters to us in these sentences is the person or object that experiences the action, not the subject that realizes it.

Examples      

The ceiling needs painting.

The ceiling needs to be painted.

My hair needs cutting.

My hair needs to be cut.

That faucet needs fixing.

That faucet needs to be fixed.