passive voice 02

8/18/2019 Passive Voice 02

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Active versus Passive Voice


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Are the following sentences in the

active or the passive voice?

• My professor is teaching three courses.

• These three courses are taught by the

same professor.• The Economist is read by many students

and professionals.

• I enoy readingThe Economist

.• The issue of electoral reform was

discussed by the students.


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!" #hat is the difference

between the active and the

passive voice?


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A" In an sentence using theactive voice$ the subect of the

sentence does the action.

In a sentence using the passivevoice$ the subect of the sentence

receives the action.


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%&amples"

Active" Active sentences 'subect( focus

'action$ done by the subect( on the

person doing the action.

Passive" The recipient of the action

'subect( is focused 'action$ not done by

the subect($ on in a passive sentence.


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%&amples"

Active" The e&plorers climbed the tallest

mountain in the range.

Passive" The tallest mountain in the range

was climbed by the e&plorers.


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%&amples"

Active" This great scholar compiled the

largest collection of

)ha*espeare+s sources.

Passive" The largest collection of

)ha*espeare+s sources was

compiled by this scholar.


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Active versus Passive

Active Voice

• More emphatic

• More concise

• ,sed as the general rule

Passive Voice

• ,sed when you want to

stress the importance of

the action or its recipient.

• ,sed when the actor is

un*nown or irrelevant.

• ,sed when one wants to

avoid mentioning the

actor" %&. Mista*es were

made.


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!" )o what+s the problem?


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A" -. ou should not switch

voices in the same sentence/

0. 1e careful with thegrammatical construction.


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%&amples of switching voices in the

same sentence"

i. The contentious issue was contemplated

as the debaters prepared to present

their arguments.

ii. 2nce the boo*s were finished$ the

writers tal*ed to the publisher.

iii. The pipes in the *itchen were fi&ed$ then

the plumber started repairing the

showers.


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)witching voices can confuse the

reader. If your reader is

confused$ then your writing is noteffective or efficient.


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!" 3ow do I fi& it 'switching

voices(?


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A" Ma*e all parts of your

sentence consistent. ,sually$

you should change the passivevoice to the active voice.


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4orrections"

Incorrect" 2nce the boo*s were finished$ the

writers tal*ed to the publisher.

4orrect" 2nce the writers finished their

boo*s$ they tal*ed to the

publisher.


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4orrections"

Incorrect" The pipes in the *itchen were

fi&ed$ then the plumber started

repairing the showers.

4orrect" The plumber fi&ed the pipes in the

*itchen then started repairing the

showers.


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%&amples of Mista*en 5rammatical

4onstruction in the Passive Voice"

i. The horses will groomed.

ii. The great fir tree had cut down.

iii. The hungry bear would shot by the

hunter.

iv. )hoes is made in the factory.v. 1icycles should not be leaving in the

driveway.

vi. This s*yscraper will finish in 0667.


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!" 3ow do I fi& it 'mista*en

grammatical construction in the

passive voice(?


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-. Ma*e sure to *now who isreceiving the action and who is

doing the action.

0. Verify that you have BE + past

participle in your sentence/

8. Verify your tenses and yoursubect9verb agreement/


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4orrections"

Incorrect" The horses will groomed.

4orrect" The horses will be groomed.


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4orrections"

Incorrect" The great fir tree had cut down.

4orrect" The great fir tree had been cut down.


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4orrections"

Incorrect" The hungry bear would shot by

the hunter.

4orrect" The hungry bear would be shot

by the hunter.


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)elf Test"

4orrect the following sentences if

there is an inconsistency in voice.


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9 The new product design will finish

very soon.9 They was coo*ing dinner when I

arrived.

9 The preparations had all be finished

when the guests arrived.

9 The refreshments are going to beprovide by :aren.


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9Mista*es had made by thepoliticians.

9 The dinner was eaten as the

guests got to *now each otherbetter.

9 ;ames

>oyce.


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