INTRODUCTION
Active and passive voice are two ways of expressing the same sentence differently. In active voice, the subject of the sentence acts. However, in passive voice, the sentence’s subject receives the action.
For example:
Active voice: The cat chased the mouse.
Passive voice: The mouse was chased by the cat.
NOTE: In the active voice sentence, “the cat” is the subject acting “chased.” In the passive voice sentence, “the mouse” is the issue receiving the act of “was chased by.”
How to Recognize Active and Passive Voice
To recognize whether a sentence is in active or passive voice, you will have to look at the structure of the sentence.
In active voice, the subject is usually at the beginning of the sentence, followed by the verb and then the object.
In passive voice, the object is usually at the beginning of the sentence, followed by the verb and then the subject (often preceded by “by”).
For example:
Active voice: John tasted the pizza.
Passive voice: The pizza was tasted by John.
NOTE: In the active voice sentence, “John” is the subject, and “tasted” is the verb. In the passive voice sentence, “the pizza” is the object, and “was tasted by” is the verb phrase, followed by “John” as the subject with “by” preceding it.
Alternate Methods to Recognize
Another way to recognize passive voice is to look for the use of the verb “to be” (such as “is,” “was,” “are,” etc.) followed by a past participle (such as “eaten,” “chased,” “written,” etc.).
For example:
Active voice: The teacher assigned the homework.
Passive voice: The task was given by the teacher.
In the passive voice sentence, “was assigned” is the verb phrase with “was” as the helping verb and “assigned” as the past participle.
How to Prepare Active and Passive Voice for Exams
To prepare for the use of active and passive voice in English, there are several strategies you can follow:
1. Practice to Identify
As I mentioned earlier, one of the best ways to recognize active and passive voice is by looking at the structure of the sentence. Practice identifying which sentences are in active and which are in passive voice.
2. Understand the difference
Understanding the difference between active and passive voice will help you correctly use them in your Writing. Active voice is more direct and usually more precise, while passive voice is more indirect and often used when the focus is on the receiver of the action.
3. Use Active Voice
Unless there is an excellent reason to use passive voice, such as when the focus is on the receiver of the action, it is generally better to use active voice. Active voice is more direct and engaging for the reader.
4. Subject and Verb Agreement
In passive voice, the subject and verb agreement can be tricky. Make sure you match the verb tense with the subject in passive voice sentences.
5. Read and Practice Writing
The more you read and write in English, the more familiar you will become with active and passive voice. Practice writing sentences in active and passive voice to become comfortable using them correctly.
CONCLUSION
Active and passive voice are two ways of expressing the same sentence differently. To recognize them, you need to look at the sentence structure and the use of the verb “to be” followed by a past participle.
To prepare for their use in English, practice identifying and using them correctly, understand the difference between them, and be mindful of subject and verb agreement. With practice and attention to detail, you can master active and passive voice in your Writing and get maximum marks in your exam.
