Active

Active vs.
vs. Passive
Passive Verbs
Verbs
 Look !
• Active verbs • Passive verbs make
create strong weak sentences.
sentences.

The book
Misha sold a book. was sold by
Misha.
 What is the Active Voice?
• In the active voice, the subject
performs the action.

For example:
Maxim draws a picture.

 Maxim is the subject and he is doing

something (drawing).
What is the Passive Voice?
• In passive voice the
subject is acted on.
– For example: The
picture was drawn by
Maxim.
• In this case, the
drawing is the
subject and it is
being acted upon by
Maxim.
 Passive
to be + Past Participle
Past Participle:
• Regular + ed : watched,
published
• Irregular Irregular verb form:
DONE, TOLD, SEEN
etc
 Passive
to be + Past Participle
• Present Simple • Past Simple
• Am/is/are done • Was/were done
• Present Perfect
• Have been/ has been done

Subject+ to be + Past Participle

When Do We Use Passive?
• Use passive voice
when you do not wish
to emphasize the
subject of the
sentence.
 Smoking is
prohibited.
(passive)
 The management
prohibits smoking.
(active)
 The passive keeps the
management from
being the “bad guys.”
What if the agent is unimportant?
• Also use passive when • Book was written
the person or thing by Shakespeare.
acting is unknown or
unimportant. • (Shakespeare –
– Poisonous gases AGENT, important)
were found in six NOT
factories.
• Book was published
• This passive by publishers.
sentence is about
• (Publishers –
finding gases, not
AGENT, not
WHO found them!!!
important)
When do we use active voice?
 Use active voice all
the time, unless you
are required or have
very specific reasons
for doing otherwise.
 Active voice leads to
more concise writing.
 It clarifies just who it
is that is doing the
action identified.
 Example: “The thief
Who feels excited about
the open house?
plans to steal from
the open house.”
Can You Make Passive Active?
• Another way of preserving
active voice is by placing
the noun doing the action
before the verb.
• The flowers were planted
by Jesse.
 Jesse __ __ __.
• A good harvest is
expected by him.
What is Jesse  He __ __ __ __.
harvesting?
 How do passives use BE verbs?
• Passives use BE verbs
plus the past participle:
• Regular verbs form the
past participle just like
the past -ed form.
– The boy was impressed
by Ms. Jones.
• Irregular past participles
are made with –en:
– The pizzas were eaten
by bears. How passive are
the zoo bears?
 Can you create passive voice?
1. The printer __ 5. All rooms at the motel
(power) by a battery. __ (equip) with
refrigerators.
2. Many __ (convince)
that using a cell phone 6. Accommodations are
expensive but __
while driving is (reduce) by 20% or
dangerous. more after September.
3. Supplements __ 7. I doubt that such a
(consider) foods and policy __ (need) at the
not drugs. moment.
4. About 500 people __ 8. Three types of DNA __
(expect) to graduate (involve) in protein
this year. synthesis.
 Here is the passive voice:
1. The printer was 5. All rooms at the
powered by a motel are
battery. equipped with
2. Many are convinced refrigerators.
that using a cell
phone while driving 6. Accommodations
is dangerous. are expensive but
3. Supplements are are reduced by
considered foods 20% or more
and not drugs. after September.
4. About 500 people 7. I doubt that such
are expected to a policy is needed
graduate from at the moment.
Dalton State this
year. 8. Three types of
DNA are involved
in protein
synthesis.
 Can you use passive verbs?
9. Archimedes ___ the 11. "The Last Judgement"
math constant pi. ___ by Michelangelo
between 1536 and 1541.
A. was discovered
A. painted
B. discovered B. was painted
C. has discovered C. was being painted
D. is discovering D. has been painted
10. Bell _____ the 12. The first volume of the
telephone in 1876. Lord of the Rings _____
in 1954.
A. is invented
A. was published
B. has invented B. has been published
C. invented C. is published
D. was invented D. published
 Here are the passive verbs:
9. Archimedes ___ 11. "The Last
the math Judgement" ___ by
constant pi. Michelangelo
between 1536 and
A. was 1541.
discovered A. painted
B. discovered B. was painted
C. has C. was being painted
discovered D. has been painted
D. is discovering 12. The first volume of
10. Bell _____ the the Lord of the
telephone in Rings _____ in
1876. 1954.
A. was published
A. is invented
B. has been
B. has invented published
C. invented C. is published
D. was invented D. published
 Can you use passive verbs?
13. Many animals __ since 15. New technology __ due
Dolly the sheep. to market saturation.
A. delays
A. have been cloned B. is delayed
B. had been cloning C. was delayed
C. were cloned D. is delaying
D. clones 16. The Park Service __ for
years by crowding at
14. That area __ by war the Grand Canyon.
for years. A. has been
A. is being troubled embarrassed
B. has been troubled B. embarrasses
C. embarrassed
C. trouble D. is being embarrassed
D. is troubling
 Here are the passive verbs:
13. Many animals __ 15. New technology
since Dolly the __ due to market
saturation.
sheep. A. delays
A. have been cloned B. is delayed
B. had been cloning C. was delayed
C. were cloned D. is delaying
D. clones 16. The Park Service
__ for years by
14. That area __ by war crowding at the
for years. Grand Canyon.
A. is being troubled A. has been
embarrassed
B. has been B. embarrasses
troubled C. embarrassed
C. trouble D. is being
D. is troubling embarrassed
 Can you create passive voice?
17. Which planet (call) __ A.
the red planet?
B.
18. Our solar system
(compose) __ of how
many planets? C.
19. In 1957 a rocket
(launched) __ into D.
space by whom?
20. The first woman
(send) __ into space by
which nation?
Venus, Mars, Uranus, or
Mercury
One, Two, Three, Four,
Five, Six, Seven, Eight, or
Nine.
The USA, China, Japan,
France, Brazil, or Russia.
The USA, China, Japan,
France, Brazil, or Russia.
 Here is the passive voice:
17. Which planet is called A.
the red planet?
B.
18. Our solar system is
composed of how many
planets? C.
19. In 1957 a rocket was
launched into space by D.
whom?
20. The first woman sent
into space by which
nation?
Venus, Mars, Uranus, or
Mercury
One, Two, Three, Four,
Five, Six, Seven, Eight, or
Nine.
The USA, China, Japan,
France, Brazil, or Russia.
The USA, China, Japan,
France, Brazil, or Russia.
 What are five action tips?
• Make sure the
subject is acting and
not being acted
upon.
• Use the verb form
of nouns with
suffixes.
• Place subjects in
front of the action
they perform. Make sure your
sentences are full of
something by using the
active voice!