Transcript passive voice - Warren County Public Schools

Helping Verbs
• Helping verbs are words that help the verb
perform its action. These are the common
helping verbs:
• am
be
could
• is
been
have
• are
being
has
• was
will
had
• were
shall
Identify the helping verb in each
sentence
•
•
•
•
•
He is working on his test.
I am going to the store.
We are traveling to our vacation.
We have played that team before.
He has made a tackle.
Subject or Noun?
•
•
•
•
•
A noun is a person, place or thing.
A subject is a noun that performs the action!
Example: The dog jumped over the fence.
What are the nouns?
What is the subject (performing the action)?
Active Voice
• When writing sentences, you can use active voice or passive
voice. In most writing situations, active voice is preferable to
passive for the majority of your sentences. Overuse of passive
voice can cause readers to lose interest or to become
confused. Sentences in active voice are generally (though not
always) clearer and more direct than those in passive voice.
• In sentences written in active voice, the subject performs the
action expressed in the verb; the subject acts.
• Barry hit a home run.
• Tom and Jerry will attend the concert.
• Scientists have conducted experiments on the effects of aging.
• In each example above, the subject of the sentence performs
the action expressed in the verb.
Passive Voice
• In sentences written in passive voice, the subject
receives the action expressed in the verb; the subject is
acted upon. The agent performing the action may appear
in a "by the . . ." phrase or may be omitted.
• The home run was hit by Barry.
• The concert will be attended by Tom and Jerry.
• Experiments have been conducted to test the effects of
aging.
• Note: In scientific writing, passive voice is more readily
accepted since using it allows one to write without using
personal pronouns or the names of particular
researchers as the subjects of sentences (see the third
example above). This practice helps to create the
appearance of an objective, fact-based discourse because
writers can present research and conclusions without
attributing them to particular agents. Instead, the writing
appears to convey information that is not limited or
biased by individual perspectives or personal interests.
She opened the book and scanned
the table of contents. “Hmmm,”
Jade said to herself. “I expected
worse.”
Suddenly, Jade was startled by a
screech and a crash.
Remember
To use the passive voice, the verb
must:
•use a form of the verb “to be,”
•use a preposition.
Active: Jade called the police.
Passive The police were called by Jade.
Active: A police officer questioned the drivers.
Passive: The drivers were questioned by a police
officer.
Active: A tow truck towed the damaged cars.
Passive: The damaged cars were towed by a tow
truck.
Revise
Jade was disturbed by the accident.
Mr. Odeon’s car was damaged by a van.
Mr. Odeon was taken to the hospital by an
ambulance.
The van was moved away from traffic by my friend.
The neighborhood was shaken by these events.
Copyright © 2010 StudyIsland.com
All rights reserved.
1) Thomas feeds his dog. active / passive, subject, verb.
2) The dog is fed by Thomas. active / passive, subject,
verb.
3) The family went to the beach. active / passive, subject,
verb.
4) The letter was written by Marshall. active / passive,
subject, verb.
5) The game had been won by the blue team. active /
passive, subject, verb.
6) The problem was solved. active / passive, subject, verb.
7) The stunt man risked his life. active / passive, subject,
verb.
8) The fire was extinguished. active / passive, subject,
verb.
9) The car was being cleaned by its owner. active / passive,
subject, verb.
10) It gets cold here during the winter. active / passive,
subject, verb.
1) Thomas feeds his dog. active /
passive, subject, verb.
2) The dog is fed by Thomas. active /
passive, subject, verb.
3) The family went to the beach. active
/ passive, subject, verb.
4) The letter was written by Marshall.
active / passive, subject, verb.