Transcript The Passive Voice

The Passive Voice
Good writers are told to
prefer the active voice, so
what use is the passive
voice? When do we use it?
The Passive Voice -- Formation
Verb to be + past participle
An Invisible Man is written by Ralph
Ellison.
 An Invisible Man has been written by
Ralph Ellison.
 An Invisible Man was written by Ralph
Ellison.
 An Invisible Man will be written by Ralph
Ellison.
 An Invisible Man should have been
written by Ralph Ellison.

The Active Voice
Ralph Ellison wrote An Invisible Man.
 Ralph Ellison is writing An Invisible Man.
 Ralph Ellison has written An Invisible
Man.
 Ralph Ellison had written An Invisible
Man.
 Ralph Ellison will have written An
Invisible Man.
 Ralph Ellison should have written An
Invisible Man.

Good writers are told to prefer the
active voice.
 What’s
the subject of the sentence?
 Good writers
 What’s the verb?
 are told
 But who is really doing the action?
 We don’t know.
 Who is receiving the action?
 Good writers.
Differentiating
between subjects,
verbs, and actors (or
agents) and receivers
is the key to
understanding the
passive vs. the active
voice.
Good writers are told to prefer the
active voice.
 What
voice is used in this sentence?
 The passive
 Why?
 Good question! Take a look at the
reasons for using the passive and
you decide why the passive was used
in the sentence.
Good reasons to use the passive
1. To focus attention on the receiver of the
action rather than the performer (actor,
agent) of the action.
 Their Eyes Were Watching God was
written by Zora Neale Hurston.
 The next sentences will probably give
more details about the book rather than
the author.
 Often you’ll notice a by-phrase after the
verb to show the agent.
2. When the agent is less important
than the recipient of the action
(e.g., research)
Numerous
experiments have
been conducted to
test the serial
position effect.
3. When the agent is obvious from
the context
Small bits of
information are
often remembered
by grouping the
information into
larger units, known
as chunks.
 We know it is
people who are
remembering.

4. When the agent is unknown
 All
of the cookies
have been eaten!
 It appears that the
rats’ brain cells are
being altered.
5. When we want to avoid
mentioning the agent
Several major
errors have been
made in analyzing
the data.
 Who did it? I won’t
tell!
 Great for covering
up wrongdoings or
mistakes.
 Similar to #4.

Why the passive here?
Good writers are told to prefer
the active voice.
 Focus on the recipient
 Agent not important
BTW (by the way)
Why are good writers told to
prefer the active voice?
 It’s usually less wordy and
clearer.
 Action translates into dynamism.
Which is better?
 In
1936, a racehorse was beaten by
American track start Jesse Owens
over a 100 yard course, and a head
start was given to the horse.
 In 1936 American track star Jesse
Owens beat a racehorse over a 100yard course, and the horse had a
head start.
Which is better?
I
asked the subject of the
experiment to look at the word list
for one minute.
 The subject was asked to look at the
word list for one minute.
Which is better?
 The
researchers who did this study
have made several major errors.
 Several major errors were made in
this study.
Which is better?
 Workers
wore out about four
hundred drills a day to carve out the
granite mountain of Mount
Rushmore.
 Four hundred drills a day were worn
out carving out the granite mountain
of Mount Rushmore.
Which is better?
 People
built Ankor Thom in Cambodia
in the 12th century.
 Ankor Thom was built in Cambodia in
the 12th century.
Which is better?
 Authorization
for the use of chemical
weapons was given by the leader.
 The leader authorized use of
chemical weapons.
Which is better?
 My
new assistant is negligent in the
details of his work.
 My new assistant neglects the details
of his work.
Which is better?
 Good
writers are told to prefer the
active voice.
 Prefer the active voice.
Learn more on the Guide to
Grammar and Writing
http://grammar.ccc.
commnet.edu/grammar/
 Index:

Passive Voice (in verbs)
Quiz #51: Recognizing and
Changing Passive Constructions