Transcript Active_Passive - WSU 2012-2013

War of the Voices
Active vs. Passive
“The active voice is preferred.”
“The active voice is preferred.”
What’s up with this sentence? Do you notice anything
funky? Think about it.
That’s right.
It’s written in PASSIVE voice (just like this sentence).
Let me repeat: It’s a sentence advocating for active
voice – written in passive voice.
Here’s another one …
Many a tame sentence of description or
exposition can be made lively and
emphatic by substituting a transitive in
the active voice for some such perfunctory
expression as there is or could be heard.
Elements of Style (4th edition, 2000, p. 18) by Strunk & White
How ‘bout this?
Mistakes were made.
-Attributed to numerous political figures
What is the benefit of passive voice in this
example?
Maybe a little Jane Austen
The rest of the evening was spent in
conjecturing how soon he would return Mr
Bennet’s visit …
-Pride and Prejudice
Maybe a little Jane Austen
The rest of the evening was spent in
conjecturing how soon he would return Mr
Bennet’s visit …
-Pride and Prejudice
Examples abound in P&P
An invitation to dinner was soon afterwards
dispatched …
Mr. Bingley was to bring twelve ladies and seven
gentlemen with him to the assembly. The girls
grieved over such a number of ladies; but were
comforted the day before the ball by hearing that
instead of twelve, he had brought only six with him
from London, his five sisters and a cousin.
Examples abound in P&P
An invitation to dinner was soon afterwards
dispatched …
Mr. Bingley was to bring twelve ladies and seven
gentlemen with him to the assembly. The girls
grieved over such a number of ladies; but were
comforted the day before the ball by hearing that
instead of twelve, he had brought only six with him
from London, his five sisters and a cousin.
Let’s consult Grammar Girl.
http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/host-article.aspx?PageName=active-voice-versus-passivevoice.aspx&PodCastTypeId=1&PageType=ARTICLE
Quick examples
Active: subject performs the action
 John wrote the paper.
 Someone stole the cookies.
Passive: subject receives the action
 The paper was written (by John).
 The cookies were stolen (by someone).
Forming Passive Voice
What do you notice about the form of these passive
voice sentences?



The paper was written (by John).
The cookies were stolen (by someone).
Active voice is preferred (by grammarians).
Any form of “to be” + past participle of a transitive verb
Sometimes, sentences written in passive voice contain
the preposition “by” which assigns an agent to the
action.
Okay, but can you tell the difference between
(active) helping verbs and passive voice?
1.
She is submitting her work for review.
2.
My paper was critiqued yesterday.
3.
My diet was ruined by buttery popcorn and Reece’s Pieces.
4.
Steam was coming out of the pipes.
5.
He was embarrassed by the recognition.
6.
Your file has been misplaced.
Okay, but can you tell the difference between
(active) helping verbs and passive voice?
1.
She is submitting her work for
review.
1.
She is submitting her work for
review.
2.
My paper was critiqued
yesterday.
2.
My paper was critiqued
yesterday.
3.
My diet was ruined by buttery
popcorn and Reece’s Pieces.
3.
My diet was ruined by buttery
popcorn and Reece’s Pieces.
4.
Steam was coming out of the
pipes.
4.
Steam was coming out of the
pipes.
5.
He was embarrassed by the
recognition.
5.
He was embarrassed by the
recognition.
6.
Your file has been misplaced.
6.
Your file has been misplaced.
Please, I beg of you …
Don’t be the teacher is who circles all forms of
“to be” in students’ writing and calls it passive
voice.
He is handsome. (NOT passive)
We are walking home. (NOT passive)
Remember …
In passive voice, the subject receives the action.
My paper was graded yesterday.
The agent (doer of the action) may be unknown or may be included
in a prepositional phrase after “by.”
My paper was graded yesterday by my teacher.
Any form of “to be” + past participle of a transitive verb
Determine whether the verb is active or passive. Then,
reword the sentence so the verb is in the alternate voice.
Note: the “doer” of the action may not always be mentioned
in the passive sentences.
1.
The announcement is expected any moment.
2.
The jury acquitted Bugsy.
3.
The movie was based on a play.
4.
The yacht is manned by a novice crew.
5.
The search was suspended at nightfall.
6.
We decorated the Christmas tree in record time.
Determine whether the verb is active or passive. Then,
reword the sentence so the verb is in the alternate voice.
Note: the “doer” of the action may not always be mentioned
in the passive sentences.
1.
The announcement is expected The announcement is expected any
any moment.
moment.
We expect the announcement at any
moment.
2.
The jury acquitted Bugsy.
The jury acquitted Bugsy.
Bugsy was acquitted by the jury.
3.
The movie was based on a
play.
The movie was based on a play.
The director based the movie on a
play.
Determine whether the verb is active or passive. Then,
reword the sentence so the verb is in the alternate voice.
Note: the “doer” of the action may not always be mentioned
in the passive sentences.
1.
The yacht is manned by a
novice crew.
The yacht is manned by a novice
crew.
A novice crew mans the yacht.
2.
The search was suspended
at nightfall.
The search was suspended at
nightfall.
We suspended the search at
nightfall.
3.
We decorated the
Christmas tree in record
time.
We decorated the Christmas tree
in record time.
The Christmas tree was
decorated by us in record
time.
Works Consulted
“Active Voice Versus Passive Voice.” Grammar Girl. 25 Mar. 2007.
Web. 9 July 2010. http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/hostarticle.aspx?PageName=active-voice-versus-passivevoice.aspx&PodCastTypeId=1&PageType=ARTICLE
Good, C. Edward. A Grammar Book for You and Me. Herndon, VA:
Capital Books, 2002. Print.
Liberman, Mark. “When Men were Men, and Verbs Were Passive.”
Language Log. 4 Aug. 2006. Web. Nov. 8, 2012.
http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/003414.html
Pullman, Geoffrey K. “50 Years of Stupid Grammar Advice.” The
Chronicle of Higher Education. 17 April 2009. Web. Nov. 8, 2012.
http://chronicle.com/article/50-Years-of-Stupid-Grammar/25497