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."