Today we will learn how to construct phrases in such a way as to emphasize the impact exerted on any animate or inanimate object.
This article explains the rules and exercises.
Active, Passive Voice in English: Definition
What is active and passive voice? Active and Passive Voice - grammatical forms that determine how the object relates to the action, or how the effect is related to the object in the phrase. Present in any language. In English they are known as:
- Active Voice
- Passive Voice.
The active, or so-called valid, pledge is used most often: the author of the act performed is subject, and the action itself is predicate. The noun is active, since it itself makes an impact on someone or something.
Example:
Mike is doing his homework at the moment. - Mike is doing homework at the moment.
Passive Voice - passive, or the so-called passive voice. The noun is used as a complement, and the action is used as a predicate, the effect is carried out on someone or something.
Example:
The homework is being done by Mike at the moment. - Homework is being done by Mike at the moment.
Use cases
Passive voice too complicates the perception of the statement, so excessive use of such a grammatical form is not too welcome. However, there are certain options when it is impossible to do without using the passive voice:
- The author of the act carried out is unknown (the act was carried out anonymously, it is not clear who or what caused the impact):
This book was ripped yesterday. - This book was torn yesterday.
- The author of the impact is not significant (the person who committed the impact is not important):
The project will be finished by tomorrow. - The project will be completed tomorrow.
- The author of the action is already clear (obvious from the context):
The burglar was arrested last month. - The cracker was arrested last month.
- We are concerned about the action itself, but not the author (in the news headlines and announcements, when we are interested in what happened, and not who arranged it):
The jazz concert will be held on Tuesday. - A jazz concert will be held on Tuesday.
- The action can be carried out by anyone (in recipes, briefings):
The milk is heated and added to the dough. - Milk is heated and added to the dough.
- In documents (in official announcements, abstracts):
This article is meant as an example of a research paper. - This article is presented as an example of research work.
Active and Passive Voice: Exercises
Task 1. Determine which terms of use are found in the following phrases, combine the offer number with the rule letter. There may be several options, as can be seen from the picture.
Passive voice forms
Let us further examine the forms of the Passive Voice. The predicative form of the predicate uses the part of speech denoting the action “to be” in the third person singular or plural of a certain time (for example, “is”, “are”) and the main (semantic) part of speech denoting the impact, in the third form.
The part of speech, denoting the action “to be”, goes into the appropriate form when the time in which the act of action takes place changes. The semantic part of speech, indicating the impact, remains unchanged: it is always used as a participle in the past tense. In English, this form of the part of the speech representing the action is called Past Participle or Participle II.
The parts of speech denoting the action performed are divided into two types: right and wrong. The latter are exceptions to the grammatical rule of the formation of certain temporary forms.
The third form of the correct parts of speech, denoting action, looks like the elapsed time: at the end is added - ed:
- to love - loved;
- to play - played.
The irregular parts of speech, denoting an action, have a special third form, which must be remembered in each particular case. At the initial stage, you can use the special exception table. But wrong are the most common parts of speech that indicate the action performed, which are quickly remembered:
- to drink - drunk;
- to eat - eaten.
The part of speech denoting the action “to be” in the passive voice goes through the same changes as the predicate in the real voice. A good clue to determine the time of the impact are adverbs of time (including adverbs of frequency).
When constructing questions, the part of speech indicating the action performed is placed in front of the subject. When asking a question, think first about the effect that is being carried out, and then about the object or subject over which it is carried out.
In negations, the particle “not” follows the auxiliary part of speech, denoting the action “to be”. In no case do not make the most common mistake and do not put the main part of the speech, indicating the impact, to "not"! In this case, “not” comes before the main verb, it separates the auxiliary and main verbs.
Passive voice and times
As we can observe, only the part of speech that denotes the “to be” action changes. The main part of speech, denoting action, does not change.
Another important observation is that not all temporary groups are present in the passive voice. In the following cases, they must be replaced:
- Present Perfect Continuous is replaced by Present Perfect :
He has been cooking this meal since 5 pm - This meal has been cooked since 5 pm
Translation: He cooked this food from 17:00. - The food was prepared from 17:00.
- Past Perfect Continuous is replaced by Past Perfect:
Peter had been doing the research for 3 months. - The research had been done for 3 months.
Translation: Peter conducted the study for 3 months. - The study was conducted for 3 months.
- Future Continuous is replaced by Future Simple:
Tomorrow at 2 o'clock Helen will be cleaning this apartment. - This apartment will be cleaned tomorrow at 2 o'clock.
Translation: Helen will clean this apartment at two o’clock tomorrow. - This apartment will be cleaned tomorrow at two o’clock.
- Future Perfect Continuous is replaced by Future Perfect:
Mike will have been driving the truck for 2 years by next week. - The truck will have been driven for 2 years by next week.
Translation: Mike will drive the truck for two years by next week. - The truck will be used for two years by next week.
Task 2. Put the verb "do" in the desired form.
Collateral replacement
If you want to replace Active Voice - Passive Voice, that is, convert the phrase in the active voice to a passive form, you need to remember the peculiarities of the grammatical design of the pledges.
In the phrase in the active voice, first comes the subject, in the second place - the predicate, and at the end there is an addition. In the passive voice, the addition takes the place of the subject.
Active Voice replacement - Passive Voice is carried out in several stages:
- Determine which noun is subject and which complement:
Someone broke into their apartment yesterday.
- Determine at what time the impact is:
In our version - Past Simple.
- At the beginning of the phrase, add an addition (instead of the subject), use the semantic part of the speech, denoting the impact, in the third form and place the part of the speech, denoting the action “to be”, in the necessary time form:
Their apartment was broken into yesterday.
The presence of two additions increases the number of options for constructing a phrase in the passive voice:
Nick brought Kate a book. - Nick brought Kate a book.
- Kate was brought a book. - Kate brought the book.
- A book was brought to Kate. - The book was brought by Kate.
Both are permissible, but it is better to use a form where the subject is an animated pronoun.
Task 3. What security is preferable to use in the following cases: Active Voice, Passive Voice?
The prepositions "by" and "with"
Additions are used in combination with these prepositions when it is necessary to mention who the author of the action is and in what ways the effect is carried out.
The preposition "by" indicates the author (animate or inanimate person), which affects the object:
Sherlock Holmes was created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. - Sherlock Holmes was created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
The preposition “with” indicates by what methods (auxiliary materials or tools) the effect is performed:
The soup is stirred with a spoon. - Soup interfere with a spoon.
The use of these prepositions is optional, except for questions beginning with the words “who” (by whom?) And “what” (by what?).
Who was Hercule Poirot created by? - Who created Hercule Poirot?
What was the fire caused by? - What caused the fire?
In the official style of speech, prepositions are often put at the beginning of a phrase:
By what was the fire caused? - What caused the fire?
By whom was Hercule Poirot created? - Who created Hercule Poirot?
With what is the soup stirred? - What interferes with the soup?
Task 4. Put the verbs in the desired form Active and Passive Voice.
Modal verbs
How the Passive Voice and modal verbs work - we will analyze further. Modal verbs are never used independently, but only in combination with a part of speech denoting the effect produced, in an indefinite mood. If they are present in the description of the impact, in the passive voice the part of speech indicating the effect is converted:
modal verb + "be" + Participle II
She might start research in July. (She can start research in July.) - Her research might be started in July.
We should fill in that form by hand. (We must fill out this form by hand.) - That form should be filled in by hand.
If the phrase contains the following parts of speech indicating the effect:
- to hear;
- to help;
- to make (meaning "force");
- to see
after the main and auxiliary verbs there is another one in an indefinite mood (with the particle “to”):
I was made to clean the house. “They made me clean the house.”
Mary will be helped to bake this cake. “Mary will help bake this cake.”