Active and Passive Voice

In English, as in any other form of language, the use of active and passive voice plays a crucial role in shaping the structure and tone of a sentence. 

These two forms convey information differently and can have varying impacts on the clarity and emphasis of a statement. 

1. Active Voice

In active voice sentences, the subject performs the action directly upon the object. The structure typically follows the pattern of subject-verb-object (SVO). Active voice is straightforward and usually more concise, making it a preferred choice for clear and direct communication. Let’s examine some examples in English:

• She wrote a beautiful poem.
• The company launched a new product.

In both examples, the subjects (“She” and “The company”) are performing the actions directly (i.e., “wrote” and “launched”) on the objects (“a beautiful poem” and “a new product”).

2. Passive Voice

In passive voice sentences, the object of the action becomes the grammatical subject, and the doer of the action (the subject) may not be explicitly stated or may appear as a prepositional phrase. The structure typically follows the pattern of object-verb-subject (OVS). 

Passive voice is used to shift the focus from the doer of the action to the receiver of the action. However, it can sometimes lead to ambiguity and wordiness. Let’s see some examples in English:

• A beautiful poem was written by her.
• A new product has been launched by the company.

In these examples, the focus is on the objects (“a beautiful poem” and “a new product”) that are receiving the action, while the subjects (“her” and “the company”) appear after the verbs (“was written” and “has been launched”).

3. Choosing Between Active and Passive Voice

The choice between active and passive voice depends on the context and the emphasis you want to convey. Active voice is generally preferred for straightforward, clear, and direct communication. It establishes a strong connection between the subject and the action, making the sentence more engaging and concise.

On the other hand, passive voice is appropriate in certain situations, such as when:

a. The Doer is Unknown or Unimportant:

If the doer of the action is unknown or irrelevant, passive voice can be used:

The vase was broken last night. (The doer of the action is unknown.)

b. Emphasising the Receiver of the Action:

When you want to draw attention to the receiver of the action rather than the doer, passive voice can be effective:

The new museum has been inaugurated by the mayor. (Emphasising the receiver, i.e., the museum.)

c. Politeness or Formality:

In formal or professional writing, passive voice may be used to maintain a more detached and impersonal tone:

Your request has been approved by the committee.

d. Avoiding Blame or Responsibility:

In some situations, passive voice can be used to avoid directly attributing responsibility:

Mistakes were made during the experiment. (Not specifying who made the mistakes.)

4. Active and Passive in Narrative and Scientific Writing

In narrative writing, such as storytelling or creative fiction, active voice is often preferred as it creates a sense of immediacy and engagement for the reader. It allows the characters and events to come to life, making the storytelling more vivid and compelling.

In scientific or technical writing, passive voice is commonly used to maintain objectivity and focus on the results rather than the individuals conducting the research. However, some scientific journals and institutions may have guidelines encouraging the use of active voice to enhance clarity and accountability.

5. Rule to Change Voices

Changing the voice of a sentence from active to passive, or vice versa, involves specific rules and adjustments. In British English, the following guidelines can help you make this transformation effectively:

Changing from Active to Passive Voice

• Identify the subject, verb, and object in the active sentence.
• Move the object of the active sentence to the front of the passive sentence. It becomes the new subject.
• Use the appropriate form of the verb “to be” (conjugated according to the subject’s number and tense) followed by the past participle of the main verb.
• Include the original subject (or the doer of the action) after the past participle, introduced by the preposition “by” (optional if the doer is unknown or unimportant).

Example:

Active Voice: She wrote a letter.

Passive Voice: A letter was written (by her).

Changing from Passive to Active Voice

• Identify the subject (doer of the action), verb, and object in the passive sentence.
• Move the subject (doer of the action) to the front of the active sentence.
• Choose an appropriate verb that matches the tense and number of the new subject.
• Use the original object of the passive sentence as the new object of the active sentence.

Example:

Passive Voice: The book was written by the author.

Active Voice: The author wrote the book.

Additional Considerations

• Not all sentences can be transformed from active to passive, especially if the subject is missing or the verb does not have a direct object.
• Be aware that changing from active to passive can alter the emphasis and focus of the sentence, so choose the voice that best suits your intended meaning and tone.
• When transforming a sentence from active to passive, it is essential to include the doer of the action (if known) using the preposition “by.” However, the doer can be omitted if it is not relevant or unknown.

Example:

Active Voice: They built this house.

Passive Voice (With Doer): This house was built by them.

Passive Voice (Without Doer): This house was built.