Active and passive voice

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What is Voice?

Voice tells us who does the action in a sentence.
There are two main voices in English: active and passive.
In active voice, the subject does the action.
In passive voice, the subject has the action done to it.
Example: 'The cat ate the mouse.' (active) vs. 'The mouse was eaten by the cat.' (passive).

Active Voice

In active voice, the subject is the doer of the action.
It is the most common and direct way to write.
Example: 'Roger Bigod saw the castles.' – Roger Bigod is doing the seeing.
Active sentences are usually clearer and stronger.

Passive Voice

In passive voice, the subject is the receiver of the action.
It is formed with 'to be' + past participle of the main verb.
Example: 'The castles were seen by Roger Bigod.' – The castles receive the seeing.
The doer (agent) can be left out: 'The castles were seen.'
Passive voice is useful when the doer is unknown or unimportant.

How to Change Active to Passive

Move the object of the active sentence to the subject position.
Change the verb to 'to be' + past participle.
Put the original subject after 'by' (optional).
Example: 'The cat ate the mouse.' → 'The mouse was eaten by the cat.'
Practice with: 'The chef cooked the meal.' → 'The meal was cooked by the chef.'

The Agent (Doer)

The agent is the person or thing that does the action.
In passive sentences, the agent often comes after 'by'.
Example: 'The mouse was eaten by the cat.' – 'the cat' is the agent.
We can leave out the agent if it is unknown or not important.
Example: 'My bike was stolen.' (We don't know who stole it.)

When to Use Passive Voice

Use passive voice in scientific writing to focus on what happened, not who did it.
Use it in news reports when the doer is unknown or less important.
Use it when you want to be formal or polite.
Example: 'The experiment was completed.' (scientific)
Example: 'The window was broken.' (news – we may not know who broke it)

Why Not Overuse Passive Voice?

Overusing passive voice can make writing vague and wordy.
It can hide who is responsible for an action.
Example: 'Mistakes were made.' (Who made them?)
Active voice is usually clearer and more direct.
Use passive voice only when it is useful, not all the time.

Identifying Voice in Sentences

Ask: Is the subject doing the action or receiving it?
If the subject does the action, it is active.
If the subject receives the action, it is passive.
Look for 'to be' + past participle – often a sign of passive.
Example: 'The dog chased the ball.' (active) vs. 'The ball was chased by the dog.' (passive)

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1.In the sentence 'The cat ate the mouse.', who or what does the action?
Easy
- Athe cat
- Bthe mouse
- Cthe food
- Dthe table
2.Which sentence is in the passive voice?
Easy
- AThe mouse was eaten by the cat.
- BThe cat ate the mouse.
- CThe cat is eating the mouse.
- DThe mouse eats the cheese.
3.In the active voice, the subject of the sentence does the action.
Easy
True or false?
4.Which sentence is in the active voice?
Easy
- AThe ball was thrown by Sam.
- BSam threw the ball.
- CThe ball is thrown.
- DThe ball was thrown.
5.Which of the following are reasons why we might use the passive voice? (Select all that apply)
Easy
- AWhen we don't know who did the action
- BWhen we want to focus on the action, not the doer
- CWhen we want to make the sentence longer
- DWhen we want to be formal or scientific
- EWhen we want to show who is doing the action
6.Match each sentence to its voice.
Medium
- The dog chased the cat.
- The cat was chased by the dog.
- The cat chased the mouse.
- Active
- Passive
- Active
7.Put the steps in order to change the active sentence 'The dog bit the man.' into passive.
Medium
- Move 'the man' to the front as the new subject.
- Change the verb to 'was bitten'.
- Add 'by the dog' at the end.
- Remove the original subject or keep it after 'by'.
8.In the sentence 'The mouse was eaten.', the doer of the action is known.
Medium
True or false?

複習筆記

## Active and Passive Voice – Quick Revision ### What is Voice? Voice tells us who does the action in a sentence. There are two main voices: **active** and **passive**. ### Active Voice - The **subject** does the action. - Example: **The cat ate the mouse.** - The cat (subject) is doing the eating. ### Passive Voice - The **subject** has the action done to it. - Example: **The mouse was eaten by the cat.** - The mouse (subject) is not doing anything; it is being eaten. ### How to Change Active to Passive 1. The **object** of the active sentence becomes the **subject** of the passive sentence. 2. Add a form of the verb **to be** (is, am, are, was, were, been, being). 3. Use the **past participle** of the main verb (e.g., eaten, seen). 4. The original subject becomes the **agent**, often after **by**. **Formula:** Active: Subject + Verb + Object Passive: Object + be + Past Participle + (by + Subject) Example: - Active: Roger Bigod saw the castles. - Passive: The castles were seen by Roger Bigod. ### The Agent (the doer) - In passive sentences, the doer is called the **agent**. - You can leave out the agent if it is **unknown**, **unimportant**, or **obvious**. - Example: The mouse was eaten. (We don't need to say by the cat.) ### When to Use Passive Voice - In **scientific** and **formal** writing. - In **news reports**. - When the doer is **unknown** or **unimportant**. - To focus on the action or the receiver, not the doer. ### When to Avoid Passive Voice - Overusing it makes writing **vague** and less direct. - Use active voice most of the time for clear, strong sentences. ### Quick Check: Identify the Voice - Ask: Is the subject doing the action? → Active - Ask: Is the subject receiving the action? → Passive **Examples:** - The chef cooked the meal. (Active) - The meal was cooked by the chef. (Passive) - The window was broken. (Passive, agent unknown) Remember: The passive voice uses **be + past participle**.

Active voice: A sentence is in the active voice when the subject does the action. Example: 'The cat ate the mouse.'
Passive voice: A sentence is in the passive voice when the subject has the action done to it. Example: 'The mouse was eaten by the cat.'
Subject: The person or thing that the sentence is about. In active voice, the subject does the action; in passive voice, the subject receives the action.
Object: The person or thing that receives the action in an active sentence. In passive voice, the object becomes the subject.
Agent: The doer of the action in a passive sentence. It is often introduced by 'by' and can be left out if unknown or unimportant.
Past participle: A verb form used with 'be' to make the passive voice. For example, 'eaten', 'seen', 'cooked'.
Auxiliary verb 'to be': A helping verb (am, is, are, was, were, been, being) used with the past participle to form the passive voice.

字卡

What is the active voice?

In the active voice, the subject of the sentence does the action. For example, 'The cat ate the mouse.' The cat is doing the eating.

What is the passive voice?

In the passive voice, the subject has the action done to it. For example, 'The mouse was eaten by the cat.' The mouse is not doing the eating; it is being eaten.

In the sentence 'The dog chased the ball,' is the verb active or passive?

Active. The subject 'the dog' is doing the chasing.

In the sentence 'The ball was chased by the dog,' is the verb active or passive?

Passive. The subject 'the ball' is not doing the chasing; it is being chased.

What is the agent in a passive sentence?

The agent is the doer of the action. In 'The mouse was eaten by the cat,' the agent is 'the cat.'

Can you leave out the agent in a passive sentence? Give an example.

Yes. You can say 'The mouse was eaten' without saying 'by the cat.' The agent is often left out when it is unknown or unimportant.

Why might you use the passive voice in a news report?

To focus on what happened rather than who did it, or when the doer is unknown. For example, 'The bank was robbed.'

Why is the passive voice common in science writing?

Because it focuses on the action or result, not the person doing it. For example, 'The mixture was heated.'

What is a problem with using the passive voice too much?

It can make writing vague and less direct. Too many passive sentences can hide who is responsible for actions.

How do you change an active sentence to passive?

Move the object to the subject position, add a form of 'to be,' and use the past participle of the main verb. The original subject becomes the agent, often after 'by.'

Change 'The chef cooked the meal' to passive.

The meal was cooked by the chef.

Change 'The meal was cooked by the chef' to active.

The chef cooked the meal.

What is the past participle of 'eat'?

Eaten. For example, 'was eaten.'

What is the past participle of 'see'?

Seen. For example, 'was seen.'

What is the past participle of 'write'?

Written. For example, 'was written.'

In the sentence 'The window was broken,' is the doer mentioned?

No. The doer is not mentioned. It might be unknown or unimportant.

Is this sentence active or passive? 'The children played in the park.'

Active. The subject 'the children' are doing the playing.

Is this sentence active or passive? 'The homework was finished by Maria.'

Passive. The subject 'the homework' is not doing the finishing; it is being finished.

What does 'voice' mean in grammar?

Voice tells us whether the subject of a sentence does the action (active) or receives the action (passive).

What is the subject in the passive sentence 'The cake was baked by Mom'?

The subject is 'the cake.' It is not doing the baking; it is being baked.

What is the agent in the passive sentence 'The cake was baked by Mom'?

The agent is 'Mom' because she is the doer of the baking.

Why might you use the passive voice when you don't know who did something?

Because you can say what happened without naming the doer. For example, 'My bike was stolen.'

What is the main verb in the passive sentence 'The letter was sent'?

The main verb is 'sent' (past participle). The auxiliary verb is 'was.'

What is the auxiliary verb in the passive sentence 'The letter was sent'?

The auxiliary verb is 'was,' a form of 'to be.'

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