Passive and

Active VoiceACTIVE VOICE --THE POLICE OFFICER (DOER OF THE ACTION) STOPPED THE RED CAR (RECEIVER OF THE ACTION).

PASSIVE VOICE--THE RED CAR (RECEIVER OF THE ACTION) WAS STOPPED BY THE POLICE OFFICER (DOER OF THE ACTION).

ACTIVE VOICE--John (doer in subject

slot) read the entire novel (receiver in

object slot).

PASSIVE VOICE--The entire novel

(receiver in subject slot) was read by

John (doer in the object slot).

If the receiver or the action needs to be

emphasized more than the doer of the action,

passive voice is acceptable.

Example:

The woman was killed by a truck. The woman

needs to be emphasized more than the truck.

If the doer of the action is unknown or

unimportant, passive voice is acceptable.

Example:

The buyer (doer) or the car is unimportant. The

fact that the car was bought is important.

Example 2:

Remember: In formal writing, active voice is preferred.

However, when the doer of the action is unknown or

irrelevant, passive voice may be used.

Passive:

Active:

Passive:

Passive: Active:

Tense SubjectAuxiliary Past

ParticipleSingular Plural

Present The car/cars is are designed.

Present

perfectThe car/cars has been have been designed.

Past The car/cars was were designed.

Past perfect The car/cars had been had been designed.

Future The car/cars will be will be designed.

Future

perfect The car/cars

will have

been

will have

been designed.

Present

progressive The car/cars is being are being designed.

Past

progressive The car/cars was being were being designed.

Passive Verb Formation

Active Passive Time Reference

They make Fords in

Cologne.

Fords are made in

Cologne.

Present Simple

Susan is cooking dinner. Dinner is being cooked by

Susan

Present Continuous

James Joyce wrote

"Dubliners".

"Dubliners" was written by

James Joyce.

Past Simple

They were painting the

house when I arrived.

The house was being

painted when I arrived.

Past Continuous

They have produced

over 20 models in the

past two years.

Over 20 models have

been produced in the

past two years.

Present Perfect

They are going to build a

new factory in Portland.

A new factory is going to

be built in Portland.

Future Intention with Going to

I will finish it tomorrow. It will be finished

tomorrow.

Future Simple

Directions: Rewrite the following sentences in the text-areas

provided so that passive constructions have been changed to

active verbs. WARNING! Some of these sentences do not use

passive verbs or are better off left in the passive, so this exercise will

also engage your attention in recognizing passive constructions and

in using them when appropriate.1. Before the semester was over, the new nursing program had been

approved by the Curriculum Committee and the Board of Trustees.

Before the semester was over, the Curriculum Committee and the

Board of Trustees had approved the new nursing program.

2. With five seconds left in the game, an illegal time-out was called by

one of the players.

With five seconds left in the game, one of the players called an

illegal time-out.

3. Later in the day, the employees were informed of their loss of benefits

by the boss herself.

Later in the day, the boss herself informed the employees of their loss of

benefits.

4. The major points of the lesson were quickly learned by the class, but

they were also quickly forgotten by them.

The class quickly learned, and then quickly forgot, the lesson's major

points.

5. For several years, Chauncey was raised by his elderly grandmother.

Chauncey's elderly grandmother raised him for several years.

(However, the first version puts more emphasis on Chauncey than it

does on the grandmother, and there's nothing really wrong with that.).