i. Introduction to Active and Passive Voice:
Active Voice: In the active voice, the subject of the sentence performs the action.
Example: The cat chased the mouse.
Passive Voice: In the passive voice, the subject receives the action, and the emphasis is on the action or the receiver.
Example: The mouse was chased by the cat.
ii. Identifying Active and Passive Voice:
Active Voice:
Subject + Verb + Object
Example: She paints a beautiful picture.
Passive Voice:
Object of the Active Sentence + "to be" verb + Past Participle of the Main Verb (+ by + Agent, if mentioned)
Example: A beautiful picture is painted by her.
iii. When to Use Active Voice:
Use active voice when:
You want to emphasize the subject.
The doer of the action is more important than the action itself.
The sentence is more straightforward and direct.
Example: The chef prepared a delicious meal.
iv. When to Use Passive Voice:
Use passive voice when:
The doer of the action is unknown or less important.
You want to emphasize the action or the receiver of the action.
The context or style of writing calls for it.
Example: A delicious meal was prepared by the chef.
v. Practice:
Convert the following active voice sentences into passive voice and vice versa:
vi. Special Considerations:
Agent in Passive Voice:
The agent (doer of the action) is optional in passive voice sentences.
Example: The cake was baked (by my sister).
Use of Passive Voice in Scientific Writing:
Passive voice is often used in scientific writing to maintain objectivity.
Understanding and using both active and passive voice provides flexibility and variety in your writing. Knowing when to employ each voice enhances your ability to convey information effectively and meet the specific needs of different contexts.