Current Affairs 5th Class

Category : 5th Class

Voice

Active Voice

In sentences written in active voice, the subject performs the action expressed in the verb; the subject acts.

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.

(agent performing action has been omitted.)

Choosing Active Voice

In most non-scientific writing situations, active voice is preferred over passive for the majority of your sentences. Even in scientific writing, overuse of passive voice or use of passive voice in long and complicated sentences 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.

Passive (indirect) active (direct):

Sentences in active voice are also more concise than those in passive voice because fewer words are required to express action in active voice than in passive.

PASSIVE (MORE WORDY) ACTIVE (MORE CONCISE)

Changing Active to Passive

If you want to change an active voice sentence to passive voice, consider carefully who or what is performing the action expressed in the verb, and then make that agent the object of a "by the../' phrase. Make what is acted upon the subject of the sentence, and change the verb to a form of be + past participle. Including an explicit "by the..?  phrase is optional.

In each these example, the passive voice in useful for highlighting the action and whate is acted upon instead of the agent.