Passive Voice in English Grammar

Definition

• The passive voice is a grammatical construction in which the subject of a sentence receives the action described by the verb.
• In a passive sentence, the focus is on the recipient of the action rather than the performer.

Formation

• To form a passive sentence, the verb "to be" (in the correct tense) is used in combination with the past participle of the main verb.
• The subject of the sentence becomes the receiver of the action, and the doer of the action (the agent) is often introduced by the preposition "by".

Examples

• Active: "The dog bites the man."
• Passive: "The man is bitten by the dog."
• Active: "The teacher is writing the lesson."
• Passive: "The lesson is being written by the teacher."

Uses

• To emphasize the receiver of the action rather than the doer.
• To avoid mentioning the doer of the action.
• To create a more formal or objective tone.
• To vary sentence structure and avoid repetition.

Common mistakes

• Confusing the passive voice with the active voice.
• Incorrectly using the passive voice to avoid responsibility.
• Overusing the passive voice, leading to unclear or wordy sentences.

Tips

• Use the passive voice sparingly and only when it serves a clear purpose.
• Make sure to use the correct verb form and sentence structure.
• Read your sentences carefully to ensure clarity and effectiveness.

Definition of Passive Voice

• A grammatical construction where the subject receives the action described by the verb.
• Focus is on the recipient of the action rather than the performer.

Formation of Passive Sentences

• Use the verb "to be" (in correct tense) with the past participle of the main verb.
• Subject becomes the receiver of the action, and the doer (agent) is often introduced by "by".

Active vs Passive Sentences

• Active: "The dog bites the man." (focus on doer)
• Passive: "The man is bitten by the dog." (focus on receiver)
• Active: "The teacher is writing the lesson." (focus on doer)
• Passive: "The lesson is being written by the teacher." (focus on receiver)

Uses of Passive Voice

• Emphasize the receiver of the action rather than the doer.
• Avoid mentioning the doer of the action.
• Create a more formal or objective tone.
• Vary sentence structure and avoid repetition.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Confusing passive voice with active voice.
• Using passive voice to avoid responsibility.
• Overusing passive voice, leading to unclear or wordy sentences.

Writing Tips for Passive Voice

• Use passive voice sparingly and only when necessary.
• Ensure correct verb form and sentence structure.
• Read sentences carefully to ensure clarity and effectiveness.

Infinitive

• The infinitive form is either "to + verb" or "bare infinitive" (without to)
• Example sentences: "I helped him to do the work." and "I saw him do the work."

Gerund

• Certain phrases take the gerund form, such as:
  • With a view to...
  • Looking forward to...
  • Used to...
  • Accustomed to...
  • Addicted to...
  • Habituated to...
  • Prove to...
• Example sentences: "I am looking forward to hearing from you." and "He is habituated to working hard."

Passive Voice to Active Voice

• The verb "let" can be changed from passive to active voice using bid/bade/bidden (order) or make/made/made (खाना)
• Example sentences: "I made him do the work." (active) and "I was made to do all the work." (passive)

Split Infinitive

• A split infinitive occurs when an adverb is placed between "to" and the verb
• Corrected example: "I advised him to work carefully." (instead of "I advised him to go carefully work.")

Verbs that don't take an infinitive directly

• Certain verbs don't take an infinitive directly, such as:
  • Order
  • Command
  • Permit
  • Request
  • Advise

Infinitive vs Gerund

• The infinitive is used for intention or purpose, while the gerund is used for cause, habit, or activity
• Example sentences: "I remember to meet him." (infinitive) and "I stopped doing the work." (gerund)

Gerund and Infinitive

• Gerund and infinitive verbs are always singular
• When a gerund or infinitive verb is the subject, the verb is singular
• Example sentences: "Swimming is my hobby." and "Learning new languages is difficult."

Present Participle

• The present participle is used to describe an action that is ongoing
• Example sentences: "He is swimming." and "I saw him swimming the whole day."

Preposition + Gerund

• The correct form is "preposition + gerund", such as:
  • "He was surprised at my refusing late hours."
  • "His father appreciated him working hard."

Stopped from, Prevented from, Prohibited from

• These phrases are used to indicate that someone was restricted from doing something
• Example sentences: "His father prevented him from going abroad for higher studies." and "He stopped me from trying for a new job."

Subject-Object

• The sentence "He said to me to go there." can be rewritten as "He ordered me to go there."

Learn about the passive voice, its formation, and how it differs from the active voice. Understand the grammatical construction and its usage in sentences.