Active and Passive voice UNIT Grammar By Mr

Active and Passive voice UNIT : Grammar By: Mr. PRAKASH SAWANT. -Supervisor Hutatma Rajguru Vidyalaya (Girls) Pandavnagar, Pune-16

Defining “Voice” v. VOICE- in English Grammar is the form a transitive verb takes to indicate whether the subject of the verb performs or receives the action. v. Ex: v. Minu waters the plants. (The subject Minu performs an action) v. The lolly is eaten by Vinu. (The subject lolly receives the action).

There are Two Types of Voice q. Active q. Passive

Active voice • indicates that the subject of the verb is acting or performing an action Ex: • The nurse is giving the medicine. The nurse (subject) is performing the action of giving (verb) the medicine. • Krishna will read the report to the class Krishna (subject) will carry out the action of reading (verb)

Passive voice • In a passive voice sentence, the subject and object flip-flop or get interchanged. • The subject becomes the passive recipient of the action. Ex: The medicine is being given by the nurse. The medicine (subject) is being given (verb) A book report will be given by Krishna to the class. A book report (subject) will be given (verb).

How to rewrite Active Voice sentences in Passive Voice? v The passive voice requires a "double verb" and will always consist of a form of the verb "to be" and the past participle (usually the "en/ed/t" form) of another verb. v to be + past participle v Ex: v Active: The children ate (simple past tense) the cookies v Passive: The cookies were eaten (past participle)by the children.

Examples Tense Simple Present Subject Active Brian An article Simple Past Brian An article Verb writes is written by Object an article. Brian wrote was written by an article Brian Simple Future Brian An article will write will be written by Present Perfect Brian An article has written an article. has been written by Brian

Examples Tense Subject Verb Object Present Brian is writing an article. Progressive An article is being written by Brian Past Brian Progressive An article was writing an article. was being written by Brian Past Perfect Brian has written an article An article had been written by Brian. Future Perfect Brian will have written the article. An article will have been written by Brian.

REASONS TO USE ACTIVE VOICE • Most writers prefer to use active voice because it is more direct • Compare: Active: The waiter dropped the tray of food (concise statement of fact, with the focus on the waitress) Passive: The tray of food was dropped by the waiter. (lengthy; focus on the tray of food, less direct)

• The active voice is less awkward and clearly states relationship between subject and action. Compare: • Passive: Your request for funding has been denied by the review committee • . Active: The review committee denied your requestfor funding. • The active voice sentence pattern propels the reader forward through your writing thus avoiding weak prose.

When to Use Passive Voice q. In general, the passive voice is less direct, less forceful, and less concise than the active voice. q. Use passive voice when you do not know or do not want to reveal the performer of an action. q. Use passive voice when you want to emphasize the receiver of an action.

Examples • Awkward Passive: My bicycle was repainted by John. • • Deliberate Passive: My bicycle was repainted. • (The performer is not mentioned and the emphasis is on the bicycle. )

Thank you. . . Any questions. . . ?