ACTIVE / PASSIVE VOICE
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 verb's 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
One can change the normal word order of many active sentences (those with a
direct object) so that the subject is no longer active, but is, instead, being acted upon
by the verb - or passive.
Note in these examples how the subject-verb relationship has changed.
Because the subject is being "acted upon" (or is passive), such sentences are said
to be in the passive voice.
NOTE: Colorful parrots live in the rainforests cannot be changed to passive voice
because the sentence does not have a direct object.
To change a sentence from active to passive voice, do the following:
1. Move the active sentence's direct object into the sentence's subject slot
2. Place the active sentence's subject into a phrase beginning with the
preposition by
3. Add a form of the auxiliary verb be to the main verb and change the main
verb's form
Because passive voice sentences necessarily add words and change the normal
doer-action-receiver of action direction, they may make the reader work harder to
understand the intended meaning.
As the examples below illustrate, a sentence in active voice flows more smoothly
and is easier to understand than the same sentence in passive voice.
It is generally preferable to use the ACTIVE voice.
To change a passive voice sentence into an active voice sentence, simply reverse
the steps shown above.
1. Move the passive sentence's subject into the active sentence's direct object
slot
2. Remove the auxiliary verb be from the main verb and change main verb's form
if needed
3. Place the passive sentence's object of the preposition by into the subject slot.
Because it is more direct, most writers prefer to use the active voice whenever
possible.
The passive voice may be a better choice, however, when
the doer of the action is unknown, unwanted, or unneeded in the sentence
Examples
the writer wishes to emphasize the action of the sentence rather than the doer
of the action
Examples
the writer wishes to use passive voice for sentence variety.
Active Voice, Passive Voice
There are two special forms for verbs called voice:
1. Active voice
2. Passive voice
The active voice is the "normal" voice. This is the voice that we use most of the
time. You are probably already familiar with the active voice. In the active voice, the
object receives the action of the verb:
subject verb object
active >
Cats eat fish.
The passive voice is less usual. In the passive voice, the subject receives the
action of the verb:
subject verb object
passive <
Fish are eaten by cats.
The object of the active verb becomes the subject of the passive verb:
subject verb object
active Everybody drinks water.
passive Water is drunk by everybody.
STATIVE VERB
Some English verbs, which we call state, non-continuous or stative verbs, aren’t
used in continuous tenses (like the present continuous, or the future continuous).
These verbs often describe states that last for some time. Here is a list of some
common ones:
Stative (or State) Verb List
like know belong
love realise fit
hate suppose contain
want mean consist
need understand seem
prefer believe depend
agree remember matter
mind recognise see
own appear look (=seem)
sound taste smell
hear astonish deny
disagree please impress
satisfy promise surprise
doubt think (=have an opinion) feel (=have an opinion)
wish imagine concern
dislike be have
deserve involve include
lack measure (=have length etc) possess
owe weigh (=have weight)
A verb which isn’t stative is called a dynamic verb, and is usually an action.
Some verbs can be both stative and dynamic:
Be
be is usually a stative verb, but when it is used in the continuous it means ‘behaving’
or ‘acting’
you are stupid = it’s part of your personality
you are being stupid = only now, not usually
Think
think (stative) = have an opinion
I think that coffee is great
think (dynamic) = consider, have in my head
what are you thinking about? I’m thinking about my next holiday
Have
have (stative) = own
I have a car
have (dynamic) = part of an expression
I’m having a party / a picnic / a bath / a good time / a break
See
see (stative) = see with your eyes / understand
I see what you mean
I see her now, she’s just coming along the road
see (dynamic) = meet / have a relationship with
I’ve been seeing my boyfriend for three years
I’m seeing Robert tomorrow
Taste
taste (stative) = has a certain taste
This soup tastes great
The coffee tastes really bitter
taste (dynamic) = the action of tasting
The chef is tasting the soup
('taste' is the same as other similar verbs such as 'smell')
DYNAMIC VERB
Definition:
A verb used primarily to indicate an action, process, or sensation as opposed to a
state. Contrast with stative verb.
Examples and Observations:
"America is a large, friendly dog in a very small room. Every time it wags its
tail, it knocks over a chair."
(Arnold Toynbee)
Verb Simple Forms Progressive Forms
feel (to have an opinion) I feel I should go on holiday. ---
How do you feel when you
feel (to feel sth.) How are you feeling today?
are on holiday?
have (to possess) I have a new computer. ---
I always have a cola for I am having dinner right
have (to eat)
lunch. now.
see (to understand) Oh, I see. ---
I often see Mandy at the
see (to meet someone) I am seeing Peter tonight.
disco.
I think you should see a
think (to believe) ---
doctor.
I am thinking about my
think (to think about) I have to think about it.
girlfriend now.
Verbs which are not used in progressive/continuous forms (state
verbs)
Not every verb can be used in progressive form. We do not use verbs which express
situations there. But we often use verbs which express actions (dynamic verbs) in
progressive forms.
The following verbs are not normally used in the progressive forms:
agree, be, like, hate, hear, imagine, know, need, prefer, promise, realize, remember,
see.
Sometimes verbs can be used in progressive forms when they have certain
meanings. In another meaning it is not possible to use them in progressive forms.
Watch the following examples:
Verb Simple Forms Progressive Forms
I feel I should go on
feel (to have an opinion) ---
holiday.
How do you feel when you
feel (to feel sth.) How are you feeling today?
are on holiday?
have (to possess) I have a new computer. ---
I always have a cola for I am having dinner right
have (to eat)
lunch. now.
see (to understand) Oh, I see. ---
I often see Mandy at the
see (to meet someone) I am seeing Peter tonight.
disco.
I think you should see a
think (to believe) ---
doctor.
I am thinking about my
think (to think about) I have to think about it.
girlfriend now.