(with Examples)
- Passive Sentence. A passive sentence is a sentence in which the subject does not perform the action of the verb. ...
- Some Interactive Examples. Here are some interactive examples. ...
- (Reason 1) Passive sentences are useful to avoid blame. ...
- (Reason 2) Passive sentences can show a neutral or objective tone. ...
What does passive mean definition?
The passive voice of verbs. Etymology: From passif, from passivus, from pati, past participle of passus; compare patient. A form of a verb that is in the passive voice. Etymology: From passif, from passivus, from pati, past participle of passus; compare patient. Being subjected to an action without producing a reaction.
What does passive mean in English?
Passive in English. 1. Passive – Use. We only use the passive when we are interested in the object or when we do not know who caused the action. Example: Appointments are required in such cases. 2. Passive – Form. to be + past participle. How to form a passive sentence when an active sentence is given:
What is an example of passive?
- The castle in the amusement park was built last year.
- The road is being repaired.
- A faster computer is being designed by a team of experts
What does passively mean?
pas·sive. (păs′ĭv) adj. 1. Receiving or subjected to an action without responding or initiating an action in return: the mind viewed as a passive receptacle for sensory experience. 2. Accepting or submitting without objection or resistance; submissive: a passive acceptance of one's fate. 3.
What is a passive in grammar?
A passive sentence is a sentence where the subject does not perform the action of the verb. In fact, in a passive sentence, the action of the verb is done to the subject.
What is passive form of sentence examples?
Passive Voice Structure ExamplesActive VoicePassive VoiceVerb TenseThey were painting the house when I arrived.The house was being painted when I arrived.Past ContinuousThey have produced over 20 models in the past two years.Over 20 models have been produced in the past two years.Present Perfect5 more rows•Jan 5, 2019
What is passive writing examples?
Examples. PASSIVE VOICE: My first trip abroad will always be remembered by me. PASSIVE VOICE: My first trip abroad is one I will always remember. ACTIVE VOICE: I will always remember my first trip abroad.
How do you identify a passive sentence?
If the person or thing responsible for doing the actions is either omitted or occurs in the sentence AFTER the thing that happened, AND if you see a past participle straight after the form of “to be,” it's passive voice.
What is active and passive in English?
Voice refers to the form of a verb that indicates when a grammatical subject performs the action or is the receiver of the action. When a sentence is written in the active voice, the subject performs the action; in the passive voice, the subject receives the action.
Why do we put new information at the end of sentences?
In order to put the new information at the end of the sentence to improve style: Three books are used regularly in the class. The books were written by Dr. Bell. ('Dr. Bell wrote the books' sound clumsy) When the subject is very long: I was surprised by how well the students did in the test.
Can you use passive in a subordinate clause?
You can make the passive in a subordinate clause that has a subject and a normal conjugated verb. This is really the same as a normal passive. Active: I thought that Mary had kissed John. Passive: I thought that John had been kissed by Mary. Active: He knew that people had built the church in 1915.
Can two verbs make two different active sentences?
Some verbs that have two objects can make two different active sentences, and so two different passive sentences too: Give. Active: He gave me the book / He gave the book to me. You can choose either of the two objects to be the subject of the passive sentence.
What is the passive form of a verb?
the passive. B1. the form of a verb used when the grammatical subject is the person or thing that experiences the effect of an action, rather than the person or thing that causes the effect: When changed into the passive, "The dog chased the cat " becomes "The cat was chased by the dog ". Compare.
Is "he was released from prison" a verb?
passive adjective (GRAMMAR) B1 language specialized. The passiv e form of a verb is being used when the grammatical subject is the person or thing that experiences the effect of an action, rather than the person or thing that causes the effect: 'He was released from prison ' is a passive sentence.
What does "passive" mean in a sentence?
passive. not reacting visibly to something that might be expected to produce manifestations of an emotion or feeling. not participating readily or actively; inactive: a passive member of a committee. not involving visible reaction or active participation: to play a passive role. inert or quiescent.
How to use "passive" in a sentence?
For marketers, this means an opportunity to sell to a group of prospects who aren’t just passive readers or random social media users but active listeners who are willing to end the day having learned and encountered something new.
What does "active" mean in the dictionary?
not involving visible reaction or active participation: to play a passive role. inert or quiescent. influenced, acted upon, or affected by some external force, cause, or agency; being the object of action rather than causing action (opposed to active ).
Where does passive hyperemia occur?
Passive hyperemia occurs most commonly in diseases of the heart and liver and in pregnancy. A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis | James Campbell Todd. In conversation their minds are apt to remain in a recipient passive state.
What does "received" mean?
receiving or characterized by the reception of impressions or influences from external sources. produced or caused by an external agency. receiving, enduring, or submitting without resistance: a passive hypnotic subject. Grammar.
What are some examples of passive voice?
The above examples lean toward the literary side of things, but don’t forget that there are times when the passive voice is useful and necessary in daily life. In each of the sentences below, the passive voice is natural and clear. Rewriting these sentences in the active voice renders them sterile, awkward, or syntactically contorted. Passive: Bob Dylan was injured in a motorcycle accident. Active: A motorcycle accident injured Bob Dylan. Passive: Elvis is rumored to be alive. Active: People rumor Elvis to be alive. Passive: Don’t be fooled! Active: Don’t allow anything to fool you!
What is the difference between passive and active voice?
In general, the active voice makes your writing stronger, more direct, and, you guessed it, more active. The subject is something, or it does the action of the verb in the sentence. With the passive voice, the subject is acted upon by some other performer of the verb. (In case you weren’t paying attention, the previous two sentences use the type ...
When is the passive voice your friend?
The gist is summed up here: The passive voice is your friend when the thing receiving an action is the important part of the sentence—especially in scientific and legal contexts, times when the performer of an action is unknown, or cases where the subject is distracting or irrelevant.
What is the formula for active voice?
Here’s the formula for the active voice: [subject]+ [verb (performed by the subject)]+ [optional object]
Does Grammarly catch passive voice?
Grammarly catches instances of passive voice in your writing so you know when you need to switch it up. For example, when writing this, Grammarly pointed out that the first phrase was, in fact, written in passive voice. We ignored it, of course, for style reasons.
What is passive voice?
Writing. In traditional grammar, the term passive voice refers to a type of sentence or clause in which the subject receives the action of the verb. (For example, the sentence "A good time was had by all" is constructed with a passive voice, in contrast with "Everyone had a good time," which is constructed using an ...
What is the most common form of passive?
The most common form of the passive in English is the short passive or agentless passive: a construction in which the agent (i.e, the one who performers an action) is not identified. For example, "Promises were made .". In a long passive, the object of the verb in an active sentence becomes the subject.
What is Beedham's authoritative reference text?
For the answer, Beedham refers to the authoritative reference text "A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language. ". Citing the following examples, he explains that the way to get past this problem is by using a 'passive gradient' along with the concept of the semi-passive : This violin was made by my father.
When to use passive voice in journalism?
The second compelling use for the passive voice in journalism when a writer simply doesn't know who the person or thing responsible for creating an action is. This is the example they cite: "The cargo was damaged during the trans-Atlantic flight.". Here, there's no way to know what caused the damage.
Who is the linguist who believes in the passive voice?
In Defense of the Passive Voice. Linguist Jane R. Walpole, who has authored several books on the subject of grammar believes that the passive voice can be a valuable tool if used correctly. "Indiscriminate slandering of the passive voice ought to be stopped," she writes. "The passive should be recognized as a quite decent ...
Is passive voice effective?
Though many style guides discourage the use of the passive voice, the construction can be quite effective, especially when the performer of an action is unknown or unimportant. Passive constructions can also enhance cohesion. Here are some good examples:
What does "passive" mean?
Definition of 'passive'. (pæsɪv ) 1. adjective. If you describe someone as passive, you mean that they do not take action but instead let things happen to them. [disapproval] His passive attitude made things easier for me. Even passive acceptance of the regime was a kind of collaboration.
What is a passive clause?
The subject of a passive clause does not perform the action expressed by the verb but is affected by it. For example, in 'She's been injured ', the verb is in the passive. Compare active . More Synonyms of passive. COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers.
What is passive activity?
2. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun] A passive activity involves watching, looking at, or listening to things rather than doing things. They want less passive ways of filling their time. ...the passive enjoyment one gets from looking at a painting or sculpture.
What is the definition of passive network?
(of a substance, esp a metal) apparently chemically unreactive, usually as a result of the formation of a thin protective layer that prevents further reaction. 7. electronics, telecommunications. a. containing no source of power and therefore capable only of attenuating a signal. a passive network. b.
What is a passive sentence?
A passive sentence is a sentence in which the subject does not perform the action of the verb. In fact, in a passive sentence, the action of the verb is done to the subject. For example:
Who wrote Smashing Grammar?
Buy a grammar book written by Craig Shrives. more... "Smashing Grammar". Written by the founder of Grammar Monster, "Smashing Grammar" includes a comprehensive A-Z glossary of essential grammar terms, a detailed punctuation section, and a chapter on easily confused words.
Is "B was done to A" an active sentence?
Active sentences come in the form "A did B." Passive sentences, however, come in the form "B was done to A.". As a result, active sentences are the easier to read, and they are often more succinct and direct. Consequently, lots of companies instruct their staff to avoid using passive sentences.
Is "crashed" a verb?
The verb "crashed" is an active verb. It is followed by "was tossed," which is a passive verb. This construction allows you to say two things about "Martin" in a natural and efficient way.)
What is a passive clause?
The subject of a passive clause does not perform the action expressed by the verb but is affected by it. For example, in 'She's been injured,' the verb is in the passive. Compare active . More Synonyms of passive. COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers.
What is the definition of passive network?
(of a substance, esp a metal) apparently chemically unreactive, usually as a result of the formation of a thin protective layer that prevents further reaction. 7. electronics, telecommunications. a. containing no source of power and therefore capable only of attenuating a signal. a passive network.
What is passive resistance?
Passive resistance involves showing opposition to the people in power in your country by not cooperating with them and protesting in nonviolent ways. They made it clear that they would only exercise passive resistance in the event of a military takeover. 4. singular noun.
What is passive writing voice?
The passive writing voice occurs when the action is done by what seems like it should be the subject. What is an active sentence? Active voice occurs when the subject “does” the action of the sentence.
Why is the passive voice used less frequently in writing?
This is because sentences in the active voice are usually more direct, clear, and concise. They can eliminate confusion, especially in regard to subject identification. The passive voice is used less frequently in writing. However, it should not be avoided altogether.
What is passive construction?
Passive construction: The passive writing voice is formed when what should be the object of a sentence becomes the subject of a sentence. To construct a sentence in the passive writing voice, the subject will be followed by a “to be” verb with a past participle.
Is passive writing grammatical?
In the passive writing voice, whatever is doing the action of the sentence is not the grammatical subject of the sentence.
How to Make The Passive in English
- We make the passive by putting the verb 'to be' into whatever tense we need and then adding the past participle. For regular verbs, we make the past participle by adding 'ed' to the infinitive. So play becomes played. Click here to learn about irregular verbs.
Verbs with Two Objects
- Some verbs that have two objects can make two different active sentences, and so two different passive sentences too: Give 1. Active: He gave me the book / He gave the book to me. 1. Passive: I was given the book (by him)/ The book was given to me (by him).
The Passive in Subordinate Clauses
- Active: I thought that Mary had kissed John.
- Passive: I thought that John had been kissed by Mary.
When Should We Use The Passive?
- When we want to change the focus of the sentence:
- When who or what causes the action is unknown or unimportant or obvious or 'people in general':
- In factual or scientific writing:
- In formal writing instead of using someone/ people/ they (these can be used in speaking or in…
- When we want to change the focus of the sentence:
- When who or what causes the action is unknown or unimportant or obvious or 'people in general':
- In factual or scientific writing:
- In formal writing instead of using someone/ people/ they (these can be used in speaking or informal writing):
