Passive and Active Voice Active Voice Shows the

Passive and Active Voice

Active Voice • Shows the subject of the sentence is performing the action (to a receiver of action—the direct object) • The boy ate the potato. • Then he ran around the block for twenty minutes. • After that his mother scolded him. • S + V + DO

Passive voice • Shows the subject of the sentence is the recipient of the action • Switches the Subject and DO • The potato was eaten by the boy. • The boy ate the potato • The boy was scolded by his mother. • The mother scolded the boy. • S (DO) + V + DO (S)

Passive voice formula • Be verb (am, is, are, was, were, been, being, be) • Past participle of verb (-ed unless irregular) • SOMETIMES prep phrase starting with “by”

How to detect passive voice If you can add “by zombies” after the verb, and it still makes sense, it’s passive voice • The money was spent • The car was hit • The boy was running. • The car was hit by the oncoming truck • The tree was knocked over by the storm

Practice: Passive or Active? • The librarian read the book to the students. • The employees are paid every Friday. • I washed my car three weeks ago. • His hair was cut by a professional stylist. • The national anthem is always sung at football games.

Uses of Passive Voice • When the real subject or causer of action is not as important and not the emphasis (and not even mentioned) • Everyday children are harmed by bus drivers • When intentionally hiding the real subject or causer of action in a sentence • Politician= Mistakes were made • When intentionally trying to minimize the guilt of the subject • The theft was committed by the young man.

Writing a passive voice sentence • All my time ______ in doing homework. • The game ________ by only two students. • The universe _________ by God. • The homework must ________ in on time.