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THE PASSIVE VOICE
Slides 1 – 6 taken from learningcenter.fiu.edu
![Page 2: THE PASSIVE VOICE Slides 1 – 6 taken from learningcenter.fiu.edu](https://reader035.vdocuments.site/reader035/viewer/2022072011/56649e115503460f94afcb96/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
What is Active Voice?
• In the Active voice, the subject performs the action.
For example:Joseph draws a picture.
Joseph is the subject and he is doing something (drawing).
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What is passive voice?
• In passive voice the subject is acted upon.
For example:The picture was drawn by Joseph.
In this case, the drawing is the subject and it is being acted upon by Joseph.
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When to use passive voice
• Use passive voice when you do not wish to emphasize the subject of the sentence.
Example: Smoking is prohibited. (passive) The management prohibits smoking. (active)
The passive sentence takes attention away from management, so they do not have to be in the role of the “bad guys.”
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Passive Voice (con’d)• Also use passive voice when you wish to
emphasize what happened and the person or thing acting is unknown or unimportant.
Example Poisonous gases were found in six factories.
The use of passive emphasizes the finding of
gases, not who found them.
Note: Because passive voice often leads to awkward or wordy
constructions, use passive voice sparingly and with good reason.
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When to use active voice Use active voice unless you are required or
have very specific reasons for doing otherwise.
Active voice generally leads to more concise writing.
It clarifies who is performing the action.
Remember: Staying active is a healthy practice, especially in your writing!
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Hands onLet’s use the following words as the base for our sentence:
Police / question / suspect
•To make the passive use the verb ‘to BE’ in the same tense as the original sentence.•To make the passive, use the 3rd form or past participle of the main verb. •If you need to mention who is doing the action, use ‘by’ to introduce it.
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Present simple
To make the passive use the verb ‘to BE’ in the same
tense as the original sentence – here it is the
present simple tense
To make the passive, use the 3rd form or
past participle of the main verb.
If you need to mention who is
doing the action, use ‘by’ to introduce it.
ACTIVE VOICE:
PASSIVE VOICE
The police question the suspect.
Police / question / suspect
The suspect
is questioned
by the police.
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Present continuous
To make the passive use the verb ‘to BE’ in the same
tense as the original sentence – here it is the
present continuous
To make the passive, use the 3rd form or
past participle of the main verb.
If you need to mention who is
doing the action, use ‘by’ to introduce it.
ACTIVE VOICE:
PASSIVE VOICE
The police are questioning the suspect.
Police / question / suspect
The suspect
is being questioned
by the police.
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Past simple
To make the passive use the verb ‘to BE’ in the same
tense as the original sentence – here it is the
past simple tense
To make the passive, use the 3rd form or
past participle of the main verb.
If you need to mention who is
doing the action, use ‘by’ to introduce it.
ACTIVE VOICE:
PASSIVE VOICE
The police questioned the suspect.
Police / question / suspect
The suspect
was questioned
by the police.
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Past continuous
To make the passive use the verb ‘to BE’ in the same
tense as the original sentence – here it is the past
continuous
ACTIVE VOICE:
PASSIVE VOICE
The police were questioning the suspect.
Police / question / suspect
The suspect
was being questioned
by the police.
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Future Simple
To make the passive use the verb ‘to BE’ in the same
tense as the original sentence – here it is the
past continuous
ACTIVE VOICE:
PASSIVE VOICE
The police will question the suspect.
Police / question / suspect
The suspect
will be questioned
by the police.
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Future Perfect
To make the passive use the verb ‘to BE’ in the same
tense as the original sentence – here it is the
past continuous
ACTIVE VOICE:
PASSIVE VOICE
The police will have questioned the suspect.
Police / question / suspect
The suspect
will have been questioned
by the police.
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Present Perfect
To make the passive use the verb ‘to BE’ in the same
tense as the original sentence – here it is the
past continuous
ACTIVE VOICE:
PASSIVE VOICE
The police have questioned the suspect.
Police / question / suspect
The suspect
has beenquestioned
by the police.
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Past Perfect Simple
To make the passive use the verb ‘to BE’ in the same
tense as the original sentence – here it is the
past continuous
ACTIVE VOICE:
PASSIVE VOICE
The police had questioned the suspect.
Police / question / suspect
The suspect
had been questioned
by the police.
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Modals Present (e.g.must, can)
To make the passive use the verb ‘to BE’ in the same
tense as the original sentence – here it is the
past continuous
ACTIVE VOICE:
PASSIVE VOICE
The police must question the suspect.
Police / question / suspect
The suspect
must be questioned
by the police.
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Modals Past (e.g.must have)
To make the passive use the verb ‘to BE’ in the same
tense as the original sentence – here it is the
past continuous
ACTIVE VOICE:
PASSIVE VOICE
The police must have questioned the suspect.
Police / question / suspect
The suspect
must have been questioned
by the police.