Active and passive voice missouri baptist university. However, the passive voice, in some situations is unavoidable, or its a better choice over the active voice. Note that voice has a different definition in grammar than it does in regular english. Note the change from the active voice to the passive voice in the following sentences. Task one copy out each of these sentences and then write whether it is in active or passive voice. Remove the auxiliary verb be from the main verb and change main verbs form if needed.
If you are a speaker of english then you may experience those situations too where you have to use both the form of tenses complete english tenses chart in pdf. Active and passive voice, worksheets, rules, examples pdf. Check to see if the active sentence contains an object. To change a passive voice sentence into an active voice sentence, simply reverse the steps shown above. In these sentences look for the person who is carrying out the action. Compare active voice and passive voice in different tenses. Voice, in grammar, describes whether the subject of a sentence is acting active voice or being acted upon passive voice. The passive voice does not always show who or what did something, and sometimes the passive voice is kind of awkward. Switching the passive voice into the active voice is straightforward, but it requires a bit of practice. Active and passive voice generally speaking, the active voice is more emphatic and direct, the passive voice indirect and wordy, but both serve a purpose. Passive voice all downloads are in pdf format and consist of a worksheet and answer sheet to check your results.
The passive voice is created by writing a form of the verb to be with the past participle form of a verb. Below are examples of sentences that show active and passive voice. Intransitive verbs cannot be used in the passive voice because they do not have objects. Passive voice exercises georgia southern university. Passive voice i n t r o passive voice places emphasis on the object instead of the subject of a sentence. Write a in the blank beside the sentence in the active voice.
Exercise 6 change active voice to passive voice all tenses exercise 7 make passive sentences with two objects. In contrast, the subject of a sentence you have written in the passive voice receives action. Tenses printable pdf worksheets for english language learners intermediate level b1. Active and passive voice examples in this section we will give active and passive voice examples and explanations to help you teachlearn this important subject. You must have the knowledge of active and passive sentences what is a sentence. Voice is that form of a verb which shows wherther what is denoted by the subject does something or has something done to it. Active and passive voice voice refers to the form of a verb that indicates when a grammatical subject performs the action or is the receiver of the action. As you know that active and passive voice plays and important role for the competitive exams for jobs and admissions, it is necessary to give them maximum practice. In passive voice sentences the subject receives the action. Sentences written in the active voice are easier to understand than sentences written in the passive voice. Test your understanding of active and passive verb forms with this interactive grammar exercise. We use the passive voice when we want to talk about an action, but are not interested in saying whowhat doesdid it.
Usually, effective writing uses the active voice and shuns the passive. Active voice passive voice the caretaker locks the door. This is an active sentence and it has the subject first the person or thing that does the. Accepting or submitting without objection or resistance. This handout will discuss proper uses, functions, and form of passive voice. If you have read the rules of active and passive voice from our blog, it is time for you to do the practice of theirs. In most cases, the active voice is the preferred voice.
If this is your students first introduction to analyzing activepassive voice, you may consider doing this. Receiving or subjected to an action without responding or initiating an action in return. Writing tips for active and passive voice the majority of english sentences use active voice. Passive voice pdf worksheets english vocabulary and grammar. Voice shows whether the subject performs or receives the action named by the verb. Active and passive voice the voice you choose can determine whether your writing is vigorous or flat. Then, they are asked to underline the correct verb. This is an active sentence and it has the subject first the person or thing that does the verb, followed by the verb, and finally the object the person or thing that the action happens to. The active voice strengthens your writing, to use the passive voice to emphasize the action in a sentence or andcenter, emphasizing her accomplishment.
When a sentence is written in the active voice, the subject performs the action. In the active voice, the agent personthing doing the action is the subject of the sentence. In the example above, active voice highlights politicians, while passive voice highlights social media and its use. In passive sentences, the subject is acted upon by the verb. Writers have occasion to use both voices, but most writers generally choose active voice because it is. We often hear the terms active voice and passive voice. Complete the sentences with the correct active or passive form of the verb in brackets. Passive voice and active voice are two ways of using verbs.
May 28, 2015 the active and passive voice shannon clark. All downloads are in pdf format and consist of a worksheet and answer sheet to check your results. Passive voice n o r t h a m p t o n c o m m u n i t y c o l l e g e l e a r n i n g c e n t e r college center suite 315 6108615517 lc october 2011. For the simple past tense, use was or were with a past participle to form the passive voice. In a passive voice sentence, the subject is acted upon by the object. Active and passive voice pdf documents and notes lessons.
In the equivalency table below, notice that the tense of the verb to be in the passive voice is always the same as the tense of the main verb in the active voice. In most english sentences with an action verb, the subject performs the action denoted by the verb these examples show that the subject is doing the verbs action because the subject does or acts upon the verb in such sentences, the sentences are said to be in the active voice passive voice. And finally they are asked to write the correct form of the verb. You must learn to recognize the difference to successfully speak english. It is the unmarked voice for clauses featuring a transitive verb in nominativeaccusative languages, including english and most other indoeuropean languages. As you know that active and passive voice plays and important role for the competitive exams for jobs and admissions, it is necessary to give them maximum practice therefore we are preparing some practice sets of voice. Use the active voice whenever you can because it conveys more energy than the passive voice and results in more concise writing. The idea you intend to emphasize differs between active and passive voice. However, the voice active or passive affects your focus and tone. Test your knowledge of active and passive voice by answering the following questions. In other words, the most important thing or person becomes the subject of the sentence. In grammar, voice shows whether the subject is performing an action active voice or receiving an action passive voice. In fact, sentences constructed in the active voice add impact to your writing.
In an active voice sentence, the subject acts on the object. In the equivalency table below, notice that the tense of the verb to be in the passive voice is always the same as the tense of the. Passive definition of passive by the free dictionary. The auxiliary verb will be changed in passive voice depending upon the tense of the sentence in its active voice. Our online passive voice trivia quizzes can be adapted to suit your requirements for taking some of the top passive voice quizzes. Therefore, tenses also have active forms and passive forms. Such forms often include a by phrase after the verb phrase to indicate who performed the action. We use the passive voice when we dont want to say who performs the action.
Students need good study skills to succeed in college. Active voice these examples show that the subject is doing the verbs action. With passive voice, the subject is acted upon by the verb. Active voice is usually the most effective sentence structure because it conveys ideas more directly and concisely.
Difference between active and passive voice difference. In an active sentence, the subject is doing the action. Only transitive verbs can be used in the passive voice. Examples of active and passive voice passive voice. Apr 21, 2017 we use active voice when the subject performs the action. Nevertheless, some situations are awkward or inappropriate when expressed in the active voice. Passive and active voice active voice in active voice, the subject of the sentence performs the action expressed by the verb. Reviewing examples of active and passive voice will make it easier to understand the difference. The sequence, of subject and object as in active voice, is reversed when it is expressed in passive voice.
Passive voice uses the different forms of the verb to be or is to describe what a thing is, or a statement of being. Now check each to be verb to b ending in ed, en, or t. Pdf exercises worksheets english grammar worksheets pdf. Though writers are commonly discouraged from using passive voice for the sake of clarity, there are instances in which passive voice is the best option. Active and passive voice pdf grammar worksheet b1 pa009. The passive voice is used to show interest in the person or object that experiences an action rather than the person or object that performs the action. The subject of the sentence is now being acted upon. In addition to being less direct, the passive voice is also generally wordier than the active voice. Active and passive voice grand valley state university. The active voice clearly indicates who or what is performing an action. Dec 17, 2015 if you have read the rules of active and passive voice from our blog, it is time for you to do the practice of theirs. Active and passive voice basic rules with examples. Passive voice of imperative sentences and infinitives. When the subject receives the action, the verb is in the passive voice.
The active voice describes a sentence where the subject performs the action stated by the verb. Certainly, these situations call for the passive voice. In active sentences, the thing doing the action is the subject of the sentence and the thing receiving the action is the object. Active voice describes a sentence where the subject performs the action stated by the verb. Active voice is a grammatical voice common in many of the worlds languages.
Changing a sentence from passive to active might affect the construction of nearby sentences, depending on. A verb in such languages is usually in the active voice when the subject of the verb performs the action named active voice is used in a clause whose subject. Writers have occasion to use both voices, but most writers generally choose active voice because it is clearer and more. In sentence 2, alice is the subject of the passive verb is loved. The sentence that uses the active voice is stronger, uses fewer words, and clearly shows who performs the action. Use the passive voice when you dont know who is taking the action actor, when you dont want to name the actor, or when you want to emphasize the person or thing acted upon rather than the one taking the action. The subject of the sentence is the one doing the action. Another example is the title of the marvin gaye song i heard it through the. Passive voice exercises cited and adapted from winkler, anthony c.
Scribd is the worlds largest social reading and publishing site. A straightforward example is the sentence steve loves amy. Active to passive to change a sentence from the active voice to the passive voice. As you can see, both voices are useful, but you need to understand how the voice will. Choosing between passive and active voice is a matter of style, not grammar. Jul 22, 2010 ill start with active voice because its simpler. Passive voice pdf worksheets english vocabulary and. In general active voice expresses an idea more clearly and more concisely than passive voice. A comprehensive database of passive voice quizzes online, test your knowledge with passive voice quiz questions. In passive voice, the object is acted upon by the subject. Move the passive sentences subject into the active sentences direct object slot. The difference in order and emphasis is called voice. Jul 31, 2010 in sentence 1, john is the subject of the active verb loves.
An active sentence like i drank two cups of coffee. The researchers compared the behavior of two groups of children. Here are the main english tenses used in the passive voice. We use active voice when the subject performs the action. When the subject performs the action, the verb is in the active voice. A sentence is written in passive voice when the subject of the sentence has an action done to it by someone or something else. In the following sentences, notice how the subject performs the action of the verb, which makes the sentences direct, clear, and easy to.
Practice set of active and passive voice for competitive. First, students are asked to rewrite the sentences from active to passive. Many writers prefer active voice, because it expresses confidence in writing. A sentence is written in active voice when the subject of the. In sentence 1, john is the subject of the active verb loves. The forms of the verb to be are is, was, were, being, been, am and are. Active voice reduces your word count by eliminating the need for the various helping and to be forms verbs such as is, are, was, were, has, had, are, am, being, been, and be. There are rules for changing the auxiliary for each tense which can also be studied on this website. Existing, conducted, or experienced without active or. It is generally preferable to use the active voice. Analyzing effect this passage from lois lowrys the giver is an excellent example of how passive voice is used deliberately to create a specific mood.