Active / Passive Voice Form
In an active sentence, the subject is before the predicate (verb and object).
e.g. Global warming, deforestation, and pollution destroy the earth’s natural resources.
(Subject) (Verb) (Object)
In a passive sentence, the subject of the sentence is placed after the verb in the object position.
e.g. The earth’s natural resources are destroyed by global warming, deforestation, and pollution.
(Object in subject position) (Verb) (Subject in object position)
The passive voice is formed using the verb “to be” + the past participle.
Examples of the VERB “TO BE”: am, is, are, was, were, been, being
Examples of the PAST PARTICIPLE: seen, gotten, lived, worked, bought, taught, loved, caught, ect..
Passive
She was being watched by the police.
The house is being taken care of by the neighbors.
A bomb was detonated in the hotel lobby.
The project will be completed before Saturday.
Active
The police were watching her.
The neighbors are taking care of the house.
Someone detonated a bomb in the hotel lobby.
Someone will complete the project before Saturday.
Sometimes the subject disappears completely in the passive voice:
Pride and Prejudice was written in 1813. (Writer of the book is absent)
Sometimes the subject remains, after the preposition “by”
Pride and Prejudice was written by Jane Austen in 1813.
-Damon! Damon! Damon I am right here!
-oh hi Ana, I didn't notice you, sorry
-it's nothing and now what I wanted to ask you-
- sorry to interrupt but you have a stain on your shirt
-Damon we have a serious problem on our hands, Jessie accidently wounded herself
-well, it happens to everybody. Just put a band aid.
-I am not even shocked as to why you don't have friends Damon. JEssie is in deep pain and you just say that she should put a band aid.
-yes.
- Will you ever give a good piece of advice that is not just "oh it's not THAT bad"? Have you ever been in a situation like that when somebody downplays your suffering? No? Well it's pretty easy to see.
- oh shut it! I'm saying it's just not that bad!
-you know what? I will just ask Jake instead
