The Path to Effective
Writing
Verbs and
Voic e
Voice is the form a verb takes
to indicate whether the
subject of the verb performs
or receives the action.
There are two types of voice:
active voice and passive
voice.
Act i ve
Voice
Active Voice – indicates that
the subject of the verb is
acting
Because the subject does or
"acts upon" the verb in such
sentences, the sentences
are said to be in the active
Act i ve
Voice
These examples show that the subject
is
doing the verb's action.
The dog jumped onto the boy.
The dog (subject) is doing the jumping (verb).
Kristy will give a book report to the class.
Kristy (subject) is doing the giving (verb).
The computer ate my paper.
The computer (subject) is doing the eating
Passiv e
Voice
In a passive voice sentence, the subject
and object flip-flop. The subject becomes
the passive recipient of the action.
Because the subject is being "acted upon"
(or is passive), such sentences are said to
be in the passive voice.
Passiv e
Voice
These examples show the subject
being acted upon by the verb.
The boy was jumped on by the dog.
Boy (subject) was being jumped on
(verb)
A book report will be given by Kristy to
the class.
Report (subject) will be given (verb).
My paper was eaten by the
computer.
Reasons to Use the Active
Voice
Most writers prefer to use active
voice because it is more direct.
Compare
Active: The waiter dropped the tray
of food.
Passive: The tray of food was
dropped by the waiter.
Reasons to Use the Active
Voice
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 request
for funding.
The active voice sentence pattern propels
the reader forward through your writing
thus avoiding weak prose.
W hen t o Use
Passive Voic e
In general, the passive voice is less direct,
less forceful, and less concise than the active
voice.
Use the passive voice in the
following situations:
Use passive voice when you do not know
or do not want to reveal the performer of
an action.
Use passive voice when you want
to emphasize the receiver of an
action.
Examp le
s
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.)
Form of Passiv e Vo ice
Verbs
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.
Example:
Active: John baked the bread.
Passive: The bread was baked by John. (Was
is a form of the verb “be”.)
Form of Passiv e Vo ice
Verbs
Writers should be familiar with the forms
of "to be" , often called linking verbs, so
that they can easily identify the passive
voice in their work.
Review the forms of "to be":
am, is, are, was, were, be, being,
been
Form of Passiv e Vo ice
Verbs
Note the forms of "to be" in the examples
of the verb "to kick" in various forms of
the passive voice:
is kicked----------------had been kicked
was kicked-------------is going to be kicked
is being kicked---------will be kicked
has been kicked-------can be kicked
was being kicked------should be
kicked
Form of Passiv e Vo ice
Verbs
Often passive voice sentences will contain a
"by" phrase indicting who or what
performed the action.
Passive sentences can be easily
transformed into active sentences when
the object of the preposition "by" is moved
to the subject position in the sentence.
Form of Passiv e Vo ice
Verbs
Examples:
Passive: The cookies were eaten by the
children.
Active: The children ate the cookies.
Passive: The tunnels are dug by the
gophers.
Active: The gophers dug the tunnels.
Thank You
