Pembelajaran Bahasa Inggris Berbantuan

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“Active – Passive Voice”

By: Nola Mardiana

The Definition What is active voice?

A feature of sentences in which the subject performs the action of the verb and the direct object is the goal or the recipient: The mechanic fixed the car.

What is Passive Voice? A feature of sentences in which the object or goal

of the action functions as the sentence subject and the main verb phrase includes the verb to be and the past participle: The car was fixed by the mechanic.

The DifferentActive Voice

Subject performs the action denoted by the verb.Each tense use its own verb depend on the formula.Only some tenses need verb be.the subject (doer) and the verb moves the sentence along.

Passive VoiceSubject receives the action expressed by the verb.All tenses use past participle verb.Verb be must always be present in every tense.The agent (doer) of the action is unimportant.

No by phrase.

Whether Transitive and Intransitive verbs can be used in the active.It is used for most non-scientific writing. Using active voice for the majority of your sentences makes your meaning clear for readers, and keeps the sentences from becoming too complicated or wordy.

Use by phrase if it’s important to know the performer.Only transitive verbs can be used in the passive.It is mostly used in scientific or technical writing or lab reports, where the subject is not really important but the process or principle being described is of ultimate importance. It is also useful when describing, say, a mechanical process.

Change Active into PassiveMove the active sentence's direct object into the sentence's subject  slot.

Place the active sentence's subject into a  phrase beginning with the preposition by.

Change Passive into Active

Add a form of the auxilary verb be to the main verb and change the main verb's form.

Move the passive sentence's subject into the active sentence's direct object slot.

Remove the auxilary verb be from the main verb and change main verb's form if needed.

Place the passive sentence's object of the preposition by into the subject slot.

The Forms Tenses

Tense ActivePassive

(S + Be + Past Participle)

Simple Present Agni cooks chicken curry.

Chicken curry is cooked by Agni.

Simple Past Agni cooked chicken curry.

Chicken curry was cooked by Agni.

Present Progressive Agni is cooking chicken curry.

Chicken curry is being cooked by Agni.

Past Progressive Agni was cooking chicken curry.

Chicken curry was being cooked by Agni.

Present Perfect Agni has cooked chicken curry.

Chicken curry has been cooked by Agni.

Past Perfect Agni had cooked chicken curry.

Chicken curry had been cooked by Agni.

Simple Future Agni will cook chicken curry.

Chicken curry will be cooked by Agni.

Agni is going to cook chicken curry.

Chicken curry is going to be cooked by Agni.

Future Perfect Agni will have cook chicken curry.

Chicken curry will have been cooked by Agni.

Modal

ModalPassive

(S + Modal + Be + Past Participle)

Will Marie will be returned to the dorm.

Can Marie can’t be returned to the dorm.

Should Marie should be returned to the dorm.

May Marie may be returned to the dorm.

Ought to Marie ought to be returned to the dorm.

Must Marie must be returned to the dorm.

Might Marie might be returned to the dorm.

Has to Marie has to be returned to the dorm.

Supposed to Marie supposed to be returned to the dorm.

Had better Marie had better be returned to the dorm.

How to Recognize Active – Passive Voice

1. Find the subject (the main character of the sentence).

2. Find the main verb (the action that the sentence identifies).

3. Examine the relationship between the subject and main verb.Does the subject perform the action of the main verb? (If so, the sentence is active.)Does the subject sit there while something else — named or unnamed –performs an action on it? (If so, the sentence is passive.)Can’t tell? If the main verb is a linking verb (“is,” “was,” “are,” “seems (to be),” “becomes” etc.), then the verb functions like an equals sign; there is no action involved — it merely describes a state of being.

SummaryIn active the subject performs the action of the verbWhether transitive and intransitive can be used in the active.In passive the subject receive the action of the verb.Only transitive can be use in the passive.There’s always verb be in passive.In passive all tenses use past participle.By phrase use only if the performer important to be known.

Let’s Practice!

Quiz1. Change into passive

1. James climbed the ladder.2. Children cannot open these bottles easily.3. The boys pushed the tree over.4. Corrosion had damaged the hull of the ship.5. The government built a road right outside her front

door.

2. Change into active1. The milk had been knocked over by a cat.2. My books were stolen yesterday.3. The football was kicked by Luke.4. Coffee is raised in many parts of Hawaii by plantation

workers.5. The streets around the fire had been blocked off by

the police.

3. Decide whether it is active or passive1. Mark was eating an apple.2. The picture was painted by Bob.3. Tina opened the present.4. The phone was being used by Mr. Thomas.5. The card was made by Fred.6. James hit the tree with his stick.7. The man jumped off the step.8. Daniel was watching the birds.9. The pyramids were built thousands of years

ago.10. Several robberies were committed during the

night.