PASSIVE VOICE
Passive voice is an
expression of the passive voice in English order. In the passive voice the
subject is subjected to the work while in active form subjeklah who did the
deed. In forming the passive voice we have to do is change to be and change the
verb into ketiga/V3 form. Here is an example of the use of passive voice by
changing an active sentence.
Examples of passive voice
- Nanik borrow my pen (aktif)
- My pen is borrowed by Nanik (pasif)
- Lilik is watching my video (aktif)
- My video is being watched by Lilik (pasif)
Passive Voice
The passive voice is less usual than the active
voice. The active voice is the "normal" voice. But sometimes we need the
passive voice. In this lesson we look at how to construct the passive voice,
when to use it and how to conjugate it.
Construction of the Passive Voice
The structure of the passive voice is very simple:
subject + auxiliary verb (be) + main verb (past participle)
The main verb is always in its past participle form.
Look at these examples:
subject auxiliary verb (to be) main verb (past
participle)
Water is drunk by everyone.
100 people are employed by this company.
I am paid in euro.
We are not paid in dollars.
Are they paid in yen?
Use of the Passive Voice
We use the passive when:
we want to
make the active object more important
we do not
know the active subject
subject verb object
give importance to active object (President Kennedy)
President Kennedy was killed by Lee Harvey Oswald.
active subject unknown My wallet has been stolen. ?
Note that we always use by to introduce the passive
object (Fish are eaten by cats).
Look at this sentence:
He was
killed with a gun.
Normally we use by to introduce the passive object.
But the gun is not the active subject. The gun did not kill him. He was killed
by somebody with a gun. In the active voice, it would be: Somebody killed him
with a gun. The gun is the instrument. Somebody is the "agent" or
"doer".
Conjugation for the Passive Voice
We can form the passive in any tense. In fact,
conjugation of verbs in the passive tense is rather easy, as the main verb is
always in past participle form and the auxiliary verb is always be. To form the
required tense, we conjugate the auxiliary verb. So, for example:
present
simple: It is made
present
continuous: It is being made
present
perfect: It has been made
Here are some examples with most of the possible
tenses:
infinitive to be washed
simple present It
is washed.
Past It was washed.
Future It will be washed.
Conditional It would be washed.
Continuous present It is being washed.
Past It was being washed.
Future It will be being washed.
Conditional It would be being washed.
perfect simple present It has been washed.
Past It had been washed.
Future It will have been washed.
Conditional It would have been washed.
perfect continuous present It has been being washed.
Past It had been being washed.
Future It will have been being washed.
Conditional It would have been being washed.
Passive Voice: Definition
In the active voice, the subject of the sentence
DOES the action:
John
painted the house last week.
Subject /
verb / object
In the passive voice, the subject of the sentence
RECEIVES the action.
The house
was painted last week.
Subject /
verb
Notice that the object of the active sentence
(house) became the subject of the passive sentence.
Passive Voice: Use
The passive voice is used when:
1.We do not know who did the action
Example: The
documents were stolen.
(we don’t
know who stole the documents)
2.The receiver of the action is more important
Example: The
pyramids were built nearly 5,000 years ago by the ancient Egyptians.
(we want to
emphasize “pyramids” more than “ancient Egyptians”)
Passive Voice: Form
To change an active voice sentence to a passive
voice sentence:
1.Make the object of the active sentence into the
subject of the passive sentence.
2.Use the verb “to be” in the same tense as the main
verb of the active sentence.
3.Use the past participle of the main verb of the
active sentence.
Here are some active and passive voice examples to
help!
-Active:
People drink champagne on New Year’s Eve.
-Passive:
Champagne is drunk on New Year’s Eve.
-Active:
Chefs use these machines to mix the ingredients.
-Passive:
These machines are used to mix the ingredients.
-Active:
They renovated the restaurant in 2004.
-Passive:
The restaurant was renovated in 2004.
-Active:
The teachers informed the students that the class had been cancelled.
-Passive:
The students were informed that the class had been cancelled.
Passive Voice: Present
In the present, the passive voice uses the verbs is
and are + past participle of the main verb.
The passive voice present is often used to describe:
1.Processes
First the apples are picked, then they are cleaned,
and finally they’re packed and shipped to the market.
2.General thoughts, opinions, and beliefs
New York is considered the most diverse city in the
U.S.
It is believed that Amelia Earhart’s plane crashed
in Pacific Ocean.
Hungarian is seen as one of the world’s most
difficult languages to learn.
Skin cancers are thought to be caused by excessive
exposure to the sun.
Passive Voice: Past
In the past, the passive voice uses the verbs was
and were + past participle of the main verb.
The passive voice past is often used to describe:
1.Events in history
George
Washington was elected president in 1788.
2.Crimes / Accidents
Two people were killed in a drive-by shooting on
Friday night.
Ten children were injured when part of the school
roof collapsed.
Daftar Fustaka
Drs. Rudy Hariyono& Andrew Mc. Carthy, 2008, ABC
Plus Grammar, Surabaya, Gitamedia Press.
Bramadi, N.S. Kursus Singkat Bahasa Inggris.
Jakarta: PT Buana Ilmu Populer, 2011.
