ACTIVE & PASSIVE VOICE

Active Voice

In an active voice, he Subject is doing the action. A straightforward example is the sentence "Steve loves Amy." Steve is the subject, and he is doing the action: he loves Amy, the Object of the sentence.

Another example of active voice: "A cat ate the fish." (Subject: cat / Verb: ate / Object: fish)

Here, the do-er of the action is a cat and the verb "ate" is in the active voice. The object comes after the verb.

Use of Active Voice

The active voice is the "default" voice in English. All intransitive verbs can only be in the active voice, and all transitive verbs usually are active voice - unless we deliberately make them passive.

In spoken English, we almost always use active voice. It is the natural choice, more precise and generally shorter.

In written English, active voice is usually easier and more interesting for the reader. Passive voice can sound dull and bureaucratic, and is typical of official writing. In the interests of "plain English" that the average person can understand, many governments now encourage civil servants to write in the active voice.

Patterns

Simple Present Tense (Subject + infinitive + object)
Example : The grocer sells fresh vegetables.


Present Continuous Tense (Subject + to be (is, am, are) being + present participle + object)
Example : My boss is giving many assignments.


Present Perfect Tense (Subject + has/have + past participle + object)
Example : I have taken him out.


Simple Past Tense (Subject + past participle + object)
Example : He built a large house.


Past Continuous Tense (S + was/were + being + past participle + object)
Example: She was cooking dinner.


Past Perfect Tense (Subject + had + past participle + object)
Example: She had posted the letter


Simple Future Tense (Subject + will + infinitive + object)
Example : I will give you a present.


Future Perfect Tense (Subject + would + infinitive + object)
Example : The doctor shall have examined ten patients by 10 O’clock.

Passive Voice

In passive voice, the target of the action gets promoted to the subject position. Instead of saying, "Steve loves Amy," I would say, "Amy is loved by Steve." The subject of the sentence becomes Amy, but she isn't doing anything. Rather, she is just the recipient of Steve's love. The focus of the sentence has changed from Steve to Amy.

Use of Passive Voice

1. We want to emphasize the receiver of the action:
Example : President Kennedy was killed by Lee Harvey Oswald.
(Lee Harvey Oswald killed President Kennedy.)

2. We don't know who did the action (the agent):
Example : My wallet has been stolen.
(Somebody has stolen my wallet.)

3. We think the agent is not important or interesting:
Example : Our house is being painted.
(XYZ Company is painting our house.)

4. The agent is obvious:
Example : I am paid weekly.
(My company pays me weekly.)

5. We are making general statements or announcements:
Example : Passengers are reminded to fasten their seatbelts.
(The Captain reminds passengers to fasten their seatbelts.)

6. The agent is everyone:
Example : The emergency services can be called by dialling 911.
(The public can call the emergency services by dialling 911.)

Patterns

Simple Present Tense (S + to be + past participle + by object)
Example : Fresh vegetables are sold by the grocer.


Present Continuous Tense (S + to be (is, am, are) + being + past participle + by object)
Example : Many assignments are being given by my boss.


Present Perfect Tense (S + have/has been + past participle + by object)
Example : He has been taken out by me.


Simple Past Tense (S + was/were + past participle + by object)
Example : A large house was built by him.


Past Continuous Tense (S + was/were + being + past participle +by object)
Example: Dinner was being cooked by her.


Past Perfect Tense (S + had been + past participle + by object)
Example: The letter had been posted by her.


Simple Future Tense (S + will + be + past participle + by object)
Example : A present will be given to you by me.


Future Perfect Tense (S + would + be + past participle + by object)
Example : Ten patients will have been examined by 10 O’clock by the doctor.

Transitive and Intransitive verbs.

Transitive verbs are action verbs that have an object to receive that action.

Example: The batter hit the ball.

The direct object ball received the action of the verb hit.

Here are some more examples of transitive verbs:

1. I baked some cookies.
2. I rode the bicycle.
3. I moved the chair.
4. I stitched a quilt.

All of the verbs in the above sentences are transitive because an object is receiving the action of the verb.

Intransitive verbs are action verbs but unlike transitive verbs, they do not have an object receiving the action.

Example: The bird sang.

Notice there are no words after the verb sang.

More examples of intransitive verbs:

1. I laughed.
2. I cried.
3. The book fell.
4. The horse galloped.

In all of the above cases the subject is performing the action of the verb and nothing is receiving the action.

Quiz 1

Rewrite the following sentence in passive voice.

John gave me a bunch of flowers on my birthday.

Quiz 2

Choose the sentences written incorrectly in the passive voice.

1) I was eaten an ice cream.
2) He was written a novel.
3) I have been managed a company since 2004.

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Answer.

Quiz 1

I was given a bunch of flowers on my birthday by John.

OR

A bunch of flowers was given to me on my birthday by John.

Quiz 2

1) I ate an ice cream.

2) He wrote a novel.

3) I have managed a company since 2004.

Sources.

http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/active-voice-versus-passive-voice

http://englishwithiftikhar.blogspot.co.id/p/adverb.html

https://www.englishclub.com/grammar/verbs-voice.htm

http://www.talkenglish.com/grammar/active-passive-voice.aspx

http://cdac.olabs.co.in/?sub=84&brch=23&sim=186&cnt=1

http://free-english-study.com/grammar/passive-voice.html

http://www.k12reader.com/term/transitive-and-intransitive-verbs/