who is not doing homework today passive voice

Active-Passive Voice Converter

Boost your SEO and communicate more clearly by switching between active and passive voices seamlessly. Enhances readability and improve quality in a matter of seconds.

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Instructions

1. Enter the existing text in the designated area.

2. Choose the desired output: active or passive voice.

3. [Optional] Select output length from the drop-down menu.

4. Click "Change Voice"

5. Paste the generated copy into a document or rewrite your copy using our paraphrasing tool.

💡Pro Tip: Break down complex sentences into simpler ones before converting voice.

What is Active and Passive Voice?

Active and passive voice are two different ways of constructing a sentence. The active voice focuses on the subject of the sentence, who is taking direct action. It provides clear, straightforward sentences where the agent of action is easily identifiable, making it a favored choice in most writing styles.

The passive voice shifts the focal point to the recipient of the action. The subject becomes secondary to the action itself, thus presenting a more impartial narrative. It is extensively used in scientific and formal writing where the primary focus is the action, not the doer.

How to Identify Active and Passive Voice?

Active Voice: In active voice, the subject performs the action. It's direct and concise.

Example: "The chef (subject) prepared (action) a delicious meal."

Passive Voice: In passive voice, the subject receives the action. It's indirect and often used when the doer of the action is less important.

Example: "A delicious meal (subject) was prepared (action) by the chef."

Advanced Tip: To identify passive voice, look for forms of "to be" (e.g., was, were) followed by the past participle (e.g., prepared). In active voice, the subject acts on the object, making it easier to spot.

How to Convert Sentences From Active Voice to Passive Voice

Step 1: Identification of Subject, Object, and Verb

A sentence usually comprises the doer (subject), the action (verb), and the receiver (object). In "John reads a book," 'John' is the subject, 'reads' is the verb, and 'a book' is the object. Recognizing these essential components of a sentence is the first step to getting your transformations right.

Step 2: Reposition the Subject-Object Placement

You need to reverse the subject's and object's roles to convert an active voice sentence to passive voice. That means the object becomes the sentence's new subject, and the subject becomes a part of the sentence after the verb.

Taking the same example, the sentence changes to "The book is read by John."

Step 3: Alter Verb Form

The verb in a passive voice sentence typically involves a form of 'be' (is, am, are, was, were) followed by a past participle. So, 'reads' in active voice changes to 'is read' in passive voice.

Step 4: Include Preposition

When the original subject is included in the passive sentence, it is usually introduced by a preposition like 'by'. For example, 'by John' in our previous illustration. However, if the focus of your sentence is the action rather than the doer, you can omit this prepositional phrase.

To recap, the original sentence "John reads a book." is coverted to "The book is read by John" in passive voice.

When to Use A Sentence Voice Changer?

Use passive to active voice sentence converter when:.

1. You want to emphasize the action itself rather than the doer.

2. The doer of the action is unknown or unimportant.

3. Keeping the focus consistent throughout a series of sentences.

4. Avoid putting responsibility on a specific person or group.

5. To sound objective, scientific, technical, or logical.

Passive to Active Voice Example

Passive Voice: "The cake was baked by John."

Active Voice: "John baked the cake."

In the passive voice sentence, the subject (the cake) is acted upon by the verb. The primary attention is on the action done to the subject. In the active voice sentence, the subject (John) is performing the action of the verb. The primary attention shifts to who is doing the action.

Use Active to Passive Voice Sentence Converter When:

1. You want to emphasize the doer of the action.

2. Writing clear and concise instructions.

3. Avoiding ambiguity.

4. Writing non-scientific content.

Active to Passive Voice Example

Active Voice: "John ate the apple."

Passive Voice: "The apple was eaten by John."

In the active voice sentence, the subject (John) is the one doing the action (eating). In the passive voice sentence, the subject (The apple) is the one being acted upon, and the actor (John) is mentioned at the end of the sentence.

Who Benefits From Converting Sentence Voice?

Converting sentences between active and passive voice benefits a wide array of individuals.

1. Writers, editors, linguists, and students studying language or literature can enhance their craft and comprehension.

2. Professionals in marketing or PR sectors can critically analyze text, heightening their ability to produce persuasive content.

3. SEO specialists can optimize content, making it more engaging and search-engine friendly.

How to Make the Most of Active Passive Sentence Voice Changer?

Start by understanding the power of structure in your sentence. Don't merely convert your text; use this tool as an opportunity to refine your content, enriching your writing with diversity in sentence formation.

Apply variety by alternating between active and passive voices, enhancing your writing style and engaging your readers more effectively. Modify the sentence length according to your document needs, whether brief sentences for a swift read or lengthy, descriptive ones for detailed insights.

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Sentence Voice Changer FAQs

Is an ai sentence voice converter reliable.

Our AI sentence voice converter is highly reliable, guaranteeing consistent and accurate results for your writing needs. The tool is trained on massive datasets of text and code, which allows them to accurately identify and convert sentences between active and passive voice.

Is the copy generated plagiarism-free?

The content produced by our sentence voice converter tool is entirely plagiarism-free, ensuring your originality and peace of mind. It uses a variety of techniques to ensure that the output is unique.

Should you use active voice or passive voice in SEO & content marketing?

You should predominantly use active voice in SEO and content marketing as it makes your writing clearer, more direct, and easier to understand. However, passive voice can be used sparingly for variation or when the focus is on the action rather than the actor.

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, active vs passive voice: understanding the difference.

General Education

Though fun, writing can also get pretty darn confusing, especially when you’re trying to figure out whether to use the active or passive voice. What is the difference between active and passive voice? When and how should you use them?

In this complete active voice vs passive voice guide, we'll go over how each voice works in English grammar, when to use the two voices, and how to change a sentence from passive to active (and vice versa). We’ll also give you an active vs passive voice quiz to test your skills. Let's get started!

What Is Active Voice?

The active voice is when the subject of a sentence performs an action on an object. In other words, the subject does the action, and the object receives the action .

The active voice is easy to identify in writing because it follows a simple form, which is the basis of English grammar:

Subject ( doer ) → Verb → Object ( recipient )

Here’s an example of a sentence using the active voice:

The dog ate my homework.

In this example, "the dog" is the subject, "ate" is the verb, and "my homework" is the object. Here’s a diagram to better show this connection:

Here, "the dog" is doing (or, in this case, has already done) the action: it is the one that "ate." Meanwhile, "homework" is the object that is receiving this action of eating.

Here’s another example of the active voice at play:

She is writing an essay.

In this example, "she" is the subject, "is writing" is the verb (in the present progressive tense), and "an essay" is the object.

Once again, the subject ("she") is the one performing the action: "she" is "writing." And what is she writing? An "essay," i.e., the noun that’s receiving the action.

Finally, here's an example of the active voice being used without an object:

In this sentence, we have a subject ("he") and a verb ("sings") but no object. Regardless, because the subject is performing the act of singing, we can identify this as the active voice .

What Is Passive Voice?

The passive voice is basically the opposite of the active voice: it’s when the subject is acted upon by the object. In other words, the subject receives the action, and the object does the action .

The passive voice is a little trickier to identify, as it uses more words than the active voice. The basic structure is as follows:

Subject ( recipient ) → Verb ( past participle of "to be" form ) → Object ( doer )

Note that the object here is always preceded by the word "by."

Additionally, the verb takes its "to be" form (meaning it’s preceded by "is/are" for the present tense and "was/were" for the past tense) and is put in the past participle (e.g., "eaten" for the verb "eat" or "given" for the verb "give").

Here’s an example of a sentence using the passive voice:

The ice cream was bought by the little girl.

In this example, "the ice cream" is the subject, "bought" is the verb, and "the little girl" is the object. Here’s a diagram to help you understand this grammar pattern better:

As you can see, "the ice cream" (as the subject) is the one receiving the action, while "the little girl" (as the object) is the one performing the action.

Here's another passive voice example:

Our tests were graded by the teacher.

Here, the subject is "our tests," the verb is "were graded," and the object is "the teacher." Again, the subject ("our tests") is receiving the action from the object ("the teacher") , which is, in turn, performing it (i.e., the one who is grading).

Sometimes you’ll see the passive voice being used without an object (i.e., without identifying the doer of the action—only the recipient). Here’s an example:

The tea was poured.

In this sentence, "the tea" is the subject and "was poured" is the verb; however, there’s no object performing the action of pouring . Simply put, we don’t know who poured the tea! Nevertheless, we can identify this sentence as passive based on its setup: a subject followed by a verb in its past participle "to be" form.

If we wanted to insert an object here, we'd simply add the word "by" followed by a noun:

The tea was poured by my grandmother.

Now, we have an object, or doer, of this act of pouring tea: "my grandmother."

Active vs Passive Voice: When Do You Use Them?

The active and passive voice express the same ideas, just in different ways. In terms of when we actually use them, though, what is the difference between active and passive voice?

In general, you should always aim to use the active voice whenever you write. This is because the active voice is clearer and more direct, while the passive voice is wordier and more confusing.

That being said, this doesn’t mean that the passive voice is inherently wrong. There are many cases in which you might opt for the passive voice over the active voice.

Here are some scenarios in which you might want (or need) to use the passive voice:

• When you want to emphasize the recipient of the action
• When you want to emphasize the action itself
• When you don’t know who or what is performing the action
• When the doer of the action is irrelevant or unimportant

For example, say you’re writing an essay about the Declaration of Independence and you come up with the following sentence:

Most people believe that the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, but this is not actually the case.

Let’s parse this out a bit. 

While part of the sentence is clearly in the active voice (the "most people believe" section), the crux of it ("the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4") is in the passive voice. Doing this lets you keep the emphasis on the document, i.e., the topic of your essay .

In addition, there were many people who signed the Declaration of Independence, but listing them all here would only make the sentence longer and more convoluted; this is why the passive voice is a better fit.

Changing From Passive to Active Voice (and Vice Versa)

There are many times you might want to change a sentence from passive to active, or even from active to passive. To do this, you’ll need to understand exactly how the two types of voices work.

First, recall that the primary difference between active and passive voice lies in the roles of the subject and object : whereas in active voice the subject is the doer and the object is the recipient of the action, in passive voice the subject is the recipient of the action and the object is the doer.

Here’s an example of a sentence in the active voice vs passive voice:

Active: She created a travel blog. Passive: A travel blog was created by her.

Below is another way of looking at the difference between active and passive voice:

As you can see here, in the active voice, "she" is the subject and doer, whereas "a travel blog" is the object and recipient of the verb "created."

But in the passive voice, these designations swap : as the original subject, "she" becomes the object (but is still the doer of the action), whereas "a travel blog," which was originally the object, becomes the subject (but is still the recipient of the action).

In addition, the verb, which began in the simple past, has been converted into its past participle "to be" form .

To sum up, to convert from active to passive voice, here’s what you must do:

• Switch the positions of the subject and object so the original object is now the subject and the original subject is now the object
• Add the word "by" before the new object
• Convert the verb into its "to be" past participle form  based on the original tense used
• Switch the positions of the subject and object so the original subject is now the object and the original object is now the subject
• Delete the word "by" used before the original object (now subject)
• Convert the "to be" past participle form of the verb into the appropriate tense as indicated by the verb and overall sentence

The verb is arguably the trickiest part of converting from passive to active. You want to make sure you’re keeping the same tense as indicated by the original verb and sentence.

As an example, here's how you'd change various tenses of the word "do" from passive to active:

• is done → do/does
• is/are being done → is/are doing
• was/were done → did
• was/were being done → was/were doing
• will be done → will do

Finally, know that you cannot convert from active to passive or passive to active if you do not have an object . You can see why this doesn’t work in these active vs passive voice examples:

Active (Without Object): I drank. Passive: ??? was drunk by me.

Without an object, we have no idea what "I" actually "drank."

Passive (Without Object): The project will be completed by tomorrow. Active: ??? will complete the project by tomorrow.

Without an object, we cannot explain who "will complete the project."

Active vs Passive Voice Quiz

It’s time to test out what you learned in an active vs passive voice quiz. 

Before you start, make sure you know what the three types of questions expect you to do:

• Questions 1-3: Identify whether the sentence is active or passive
• Questions 4-5: Fill in the blanks to create a grammatically correct sentence
• Questions 6-8: Convert the sentence from active to passive, or vice versa

Answers and explanations will be provided at the end of the quiz. Good luck!

#1: Active or Passive?

This novel was not written by Charlotte Brontë but rather her sister Emily.

#2: Active or Passive?

The mail arrived on time yesterday.

#3: Active or Passive?

A study on the gender wage gap was conducted in 2018.

#4: Fill in the Blank

This gift was given to me _____ my sister.

#5: Fill in the Blank

The toy will soon be _____ by him. (past participle of "fix")

#6: Convert to Passive

Jessica is teaching me how to speak Italian.

#7: Convert to Active

He was advised by his dentist to floss more.

#8: Convert to Active

The valuable painting is finally going to be sold this year.

Active vs Passive Voice Quiz: Answers + Explanations

In this sample sentence, the subject is "the novel," the action is "was not written," and the object is "Charlotte Brontë" — we can leave out that last part since it’s not really important to understanding the voice here.

Because the object ("Charlotte Brontë") is the doer of the action — that is, she’s the one who did not write "the novel" —you should be able to tell right away that  this sentence is in the passive voice . (You might also be able to tell it’s passive due to the use of the word "by" before the object.)

Here, "the mail" is the subject and "arrived" is the verb — there is no object. Because "the mail" is the one doing the action of "arriving," this sentence uses the active voice .

In this example, "a study" is the subject and "was conducted" is the verb; there’s no object. Since "a study" is receiving the action instead of performing it, this sentence is in the passive voice .

(Just in case you’re wondering, the reason we don’t see "by" is that the object, or doer, of the action is either unknown or irrelevant.)

Right away you should recognize this as the passive voice. "This gift" is the subject, "was given" is the verb, and "my sister" is the object who is performing the action of giving.

As you know, the word "by" must come before the object in a passive sentence , so this is the missing word. The sentence should therefore read, "This gift was given to me by my sister."

Again, you should recognize this example as a passive sentence since it calls for the past participle of the verb and has the word "by" before the object. The past participle of the verb "fix" is the same as its simple past: "fixed" ; t herefore, the sentence should read, "The toy will soon be fixed by him."

To convert this sentence from active to passive, you must switch the positions of the subject and object and then convert the verb (in present progressive) to its past participle "to be" form. Don't forget that "me" must transform into its subject form ("I") when going from an object to a subject. ("Jessica" is a name and proper noun and therefore does not change form.)

Finally, place the word "by" before the new object ("Jessica"). This should give you the following passive sentence: "I am being taught how to speak Italian by Jessica."

To convert this example from passive to active, you’ll need to switch the subject and object, change the verb form from "to be" past participle to simple past, and eliminate the "by." Note that "he" will turn into "him" when converted from a subject into an object.

Doing all this correctly should give you this: "His dentist advised him to floss more."

If you didn’t know it already, this question is actually a trick! But how? Because there is no object in this passive sentence, there’s no way to convert it into the active voice. In other words, we have no idea who is going to sell the painting.

If we tried to convert it, we’d get this nonsensical statement: "??? is finally going to sell the valuable painting this year." As such, we cannot create a sentence in the active voice without a subject .

What’s Next?

Now that you understand active voice vs passive voice examples, want to brush up on your English grammar? Then check out our detailed guides on semicolons , verbs , prepositions , proper nouns , and parts of speech .

To ace the SAT/ACT, you'll need to have an excellent grasp of the English language.  Learn the most important SAT grammar rules and ACT grammar rules so you can earn an amazing score.

Need help with using and identifying literary devices? Our expert guide explains more than 30 key literary devices and how they work to help you become a pro at reading and writing.

Hannah received her MA in Japanese Studies from the University of Michigan and holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Southern California. From 2013 to 2015, she taught English in Japan via the JET Program. She is passionate about education, writing, and travel.

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Active Voice and Passive Voice

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Active voice and passive voice are grammatical constructions that affect the clarity and focus of a sentence. In an active sentence , the subject performs the action expressed by the verbs . For example, “The teacher explains the lesson” clearly shows that the teacher (subject) is performing the action of explaining (verb) the lesson (object). In contrast, a passive sentence occurs when the object of the action becomes the subject of the sentence, often resulting in less direct and less engaging statements. For example, “The lesson is explained by the teacher” places the focus on the lesson rather than the teacher. While passive voice is useful in some contexts, especially when the doer of the action is unknown or unimportant, active voice generally provides more clarity and energy to writing.

What is Active Voice and Passive Voice?

• Active voice is a grammatical construction where the subject of a sentence performs the action expressed by the verb.
• Passive voice is a grammatical construction where the subject of the sentence receives the action of the verb. In a passive sentence, the object of the action becomes the subject, as in “The lesson is explained by the teacher.”

Examples of Active voice and Passive voice

• Active: The cat chased the mouse. Passive: The mouse was chased by the cat.
• Active: She wrote a beautiful poem. Passive: A beautiful poem was written by her.
• Active: The chef prepared a delicious meal. Passive: A delicious meal was prepared by the chef.
• Active: The students completed the assignment. Passive: The assignment was completed by the students.
• Active: The gardener planted new flowers. Passive: New flowers were planted by the gardener.
• Active: He fixed the broken window. Passive: The broken window was fixed by him.
• Active: The team won the championship. Passive: The championship was won by the team.
• Active: The artist painted a stunning mural. Passive: A stunning mural was painted by the artist.
• Active: They renovated the old house. Passive: The old house was renovated by them.
• Active: The company launched a new product. Passive: A new product was launched by the company.
• Active: The doctor treated the patient. Passive: The patient was treated by the doctor.
• Active: The police officer caught the thief. Passive: The thief was caught by the police officer.
• Active: The children built a sandcastle. Passive: A sandcastle was built by the children.
• Active: The author published a new book. Passive: A new book was published by the author.
• Active: The teacher explained the lesson. Passive: The lesson was explained by the teacher.
• Active: The dog fetched the ball. Passive: The ball was fetched by the dog.
• Active: The singer performed a new song. Passive: A new song was performed by the singer.
• Active: The programmer developed a new app. Passive: A new app was developed by the programmer.
• Active: The judge announced the verdict. Passive: The verdict was announced by the judge.
• Active: The director filmed a new movie. Passive: A new movie was filmed by the director.
• Active: The engineer designed a new bridge. Passive: A new bridge was designed by the engineer.
• Active: The baker made fresh bread. Passive: Fresh bread was made by the baker.
• Active: The athlete broke the record. Passive: The record was broken by the athlete.
• Active: The scientist discovered a new element. Passive: A new element was discovered by the scientist.
• Active: The volunteers cleaned the beach. Passive: The beach was cleaned by the volunteers.
• Active: The librarian organized the books. Passive: The books were organized by the librarian.
• Active: The manager scheduled a meeting. Passive: A meeting was scheduled by the manager.
• Active: The pilot flew the airplane. Passive: The airplane was flown by the pilot.
• Active: The photographer took stunning pictures. Passive: Stunning pictures were taken by the photographer.
• Active: The mechanic repaired the car. Passive: The car was repaired by the mechanic.

Active voice and Passive voice Rules

Converting Active to Passive Voice

• Active: The teacher explains the lesson. Passive: The lesson is explained by the teacher.
• Active: The chef cooked a delicious meal. Passive: A delicious meal was cooked by the chef.
• Active: The manager approved the request. Passive: The request was approved by the manager.
• Active: The artist painted a beautiful portrait. Passive: A beautiful portrait was painted by the artist.
• Active: The committee will review the proposal. Passive: The proposal will be reviewed by the committee.
• Active: The author wrote an engaging novel. Passive: An engaging novel was written by the author.

Converting Passive to Active Voice

• Passive: The book was read by the students. Active: The students read the book.
• Passive: The cake was baked by Sarah. Active: Sarah baked the cake.
• Passive: The homework was completed by the children. Active: The children completed the homework.
• Passive: The letter was written by John. Active: John wrote the letter.
• Passive: The song was sung by the choir. Active: The choir sang the song.
• Passive: The game was won by our team. Active: Our team won the game.
• Passive: The movie was directed by Steven Spielberg. Active: Steven Spielberg directed the movie.
• Passive: The house was painted by my uncle. Active: My uncle painted the house.
• Passive: The novel was published by the author. Active: The author published the novel.
• Passive: The speech was given by the president. Active: The president gave the speech.

Differences between Active Voice and Passive Voice

Uses of Active Voice and the Passive Voice

Uses of active voice and passive voice.

• Use passive voice to emphasize the action or its result rather than who performed it.
• Example: “The experiment was completed successfully.”
• When the doer of the action is unknown, unimportant, or obvious.
• Example: “The window was broken.”
• Often used in scientific, technical, or formal writing.
• Example: “The data were analyzed.”
• When the focus is on the object receiving the action.
• Example: “The book was read by thousands.”

When should I use active voice?

Use active voice for clarity and directness, especially in instructions, narratives, and when the subject’s action is important.

When should I use passive voice?

Use passive voice to emphasize the action or the receiver of the action, or when the subject is unknown or unimportant.

How do I identify passive voice?

Look for a form of the verb “to be” (am, is, are, was, were) followed by a past participle, e.g., “was written.”

Can passive voice be correct?

Yes, passive voice is grammatically correct and useful in certain contexts, such as scientific writing or when the actor is unknown.

Is passive voice always longer?

Passive sentences are often longer because they require additional words, such as forms of “to be” and the past participle.

Why do writers prefer active voice?

Active voice is usually clearer and more engaging, making writing more straightforward and dynamic.

How do I change passive to active voice?

Identify the agent performing the action and make it the subject of the sentence, e.g., “The cake was eaten by the child” becomes “The child ate the cake.”

Can passive voice be effective in writing?

Yes, it can be effective for varying sentence structure, focusing on the action, or when the subject is less important.

What are some common passive voice mistakes?

Common mistakes include overusing passive voice, making sentences unclear, or using it unnecessarily when active voice would be stronger.

How does passive voice affect readability?

Passive voice can make sentences more complex and harder to read, often leading to less engaging writing.

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The Passive Voice: A Comprehensive Guide with Definitions, Examples, and Practical Exercises

Marcus Froland

March 28, 2024

Getting to grips with the passive voice in English might seem like a chore. You see it everywhere – in books, on the news, and even in your favorite songs. But what exactly is it? And more importantly, why does it matter? It’s all about who’s doing what to whom. Sounds simple, right?

But here’s the kicker: mastering the passive voice can transform your English . It’s not just about sounding smarter or writing better essays (though it certainly helps with those). It’s about understanding how language shapes our world. And guess what? We’re about to make sense of it all without making you yawn.

So, where do we start on this journey? Hang tight, because by the end of this, you’ll be wielding the passive voice like a pro.

The passive voice is a way of writing or speaking where the object of an action becomes the subject of the sentence. For example, instead of saying “The cat chased the mouse,” in passive voice, you would say “The mouse was chased by the cat.” This style often makes sentences longer and can make it unclear who is performing the action. However, it’s useful in formal writing or when the doer of the action is unknown or unimportant. To form a passive sentence, you need the correct form of the verb “to be” and the past participle of the main verb.

Remember, using the passive voice can make your writing harder to understand if overused. It’s best to use it carefully and mix it with active voice sentences for clearer communication.

Understanding the Passive Voice in English Grammar

The passive voice is when the subject of a sentence is the recipient of the action, as opposed to performing the action itself, which is known as the active voice. Often perceived as formal or complex, the passive voice serves specific functions in English Grammar that prioritize the action or the object of the sentence over the actor.

To form a passive sentence, the verb “to be” is combined with the past participle of the main verb. The following table demonstrates this formation by contrasting active and passive sentences across different verb tenses :

As seen in the table, the subject and object positions are reversed in passive sentences when compared to their active counterparts. The passive sentence includes the verb “to be” and the past participle of the main verb, such as “is written” or “was painted”. Furthermore, the passive voice emphasizes the action, whereas the active voice emphasizes the subject performing the action.

“In passive sentences, the focus is on the receiver of the action, not the performer of the action. This allows for flexibility in our communication and lends itself to various writing styles and purposes.”

Passive voice can be found in a variety of writing genres, including academic papers, news reports, and official documents. Its usage differs from the active voice, as it shifts the emphasis from the doer of an action to the action being performed or the object being acted upon. In the next section of this article, we will discuss when and why to use the passive voice for effective communication.

Take note of the following key points when considering the use of passive voice in your writing:

• The passive voice presents the subject of a sentence as the recipient of the action.
• It is formed by combining the verb “to be” with the past participle of the main verb.
• Passive sentences may prioritize the action or the object of the sentence over the actor.
• The choice between active and passive voice depends on the desired emphasis and communication style.

Now that you have a better understanding of the passive voice in English grammar , continue reading to explore its various applications and functions in different writing contexts.

When and Why to Use the Passive Voice

Considering the significance of passive voice in English sentence construction , it becomes crucial to understand when and why this particular voice should be applied. The following scenarios demonstrate the utility and effectiveness of employing the passive voice in context:

The Subject is Unknown or Unimportant

The passive voice is most suitable when the subject performing the action is unknown or irrelevant. In such cases, emphasis is placed on the action itself or the recipient. This is common in situations where the perpetrator is unidentified, such as the theft of a bag or a break-in at a house.

Emphasizing the Action over the Actor

When the outcome of the action is more significant than who performed it, the passive voice serves to highlight the action. This can be seen in contexts like delay announcements or the reporting of events caused by natural disasters, where the result of such events is the focus, rather than the actor responsible for the action.

When the Subject is Obvious or Known to All

If the actor is apparent and requires no explicit mention, the passive voice can be appropriately used. Examples include routine actions carried out by recognized figures or entities, such as arrests made by police or services performed by specific personnel. In these cases, the passive sentence emphasizes the action without redundant identification of the subject.

Conveying a General Truth or Widely Accepted Idea

Passive voice effectively communicates general truths or widely accepted ideas, where the actor is the general public or the consensus, thereby eliminating the need to specify the subject. This usage underlines the action or idea itself, focusing on the main message without redundantly mentioning the commonly understood subject.

Forming the Passive Voice: A Step-by-Step Explanation

The process of forming passive voice in English sentences is inherently linked to the use of the verb “to be” and the past participle of the main verb. Understanding how to combine these elements is crucial for mastering passive voice sentence constructions. Let’s take a comprehensive look at the key steps involved in forming passive voice sentences.

• Identify the main verb : Determine the action verb in your sentence.
• Conjugate the verb “to be” : Choose the appropriate form of the verb “to be” depending on the tense required.
• Form the past participle : Create the past participle of the main verb.
• Reorder the sentence components : Organize the sentence with the subject receiving the action, followed by the conjugated “to be” and the past participle.

Now, it’s essential to explore how verb tense affects the formation of passive voice sentences. As the required tense changes, so does the form of the verb “to be” and, consequently, the passive sentence construction.

Aside from the standard verb tenses , passive voice constructions can also accommodate structures using infinitives and gerunds.

Examples : To be given (infinitive) Being told (gerund)

With these English grammar rules and the step-by-step explanation provided, you can now form passive voice sentences in various situations confidently. Practice is essential to develop fluency, so don’t hesitate to play with different verb tenses and sentence structures to hone your skills.

The Impact of Verb Tenses on the Passive Voice

The tense of the verb “to be” plays a crucial role in forming the passive voice, as it must align with the temporal context of the action. From the simple present to past perfect tenses, each verb tense modifies the structure of the passive sentence, reflecting the time-frame in which the action occurred, is occurring, or will occur.

Understanding how verb tenses influence the structure and meaning of passive voice sentences helps to improve clarity and conciseness in your writing. Here’s a breakdown of how verb conjugation impacts passive voice sentences across different English tenses:

As demonstrated in the table above, the verb tense greatly affects the construction of passive voice sentences. By mastering the use of appropriate verb conjugations, you can ensure your writing is not only grammatically accurate but also effectively conveys the intended information.

Passive Voice in Action: Real-World Examples

In this section, we will dive into the real-life application of passive voice constructions, shedding light on their widespread usage in academic writing , scientific reports , and news reporting. Engaging with these practical examples will allow you to grasp the importance of passive voice in professional writing more effectively.

Passive Voice in Academic and Scientific Writing

Academic and scientific writing adheres to a formal style that often favors the use of passive constructions . The passive voice is preferred because it establishes objectivity and emphasizes the process, results, or evidence, rather than the individual researchers. This allows the reader to focus solely on the informational content and methodology of a study or experiment. Below are some passive voice examples commonly encountered in academic and scientific writing:

• The samples were analyzed using a mass spectrometer.
• The temperature was maintained at 37°C throughout the experiment.
• Participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups.

Utilization of Passive Voice in News Reporting

News reporting frequently employs passive voice constructions to prioritize the delivery of information. Reports often need to detail events or incidents where the full facts are not yet available, or the agent is intentionally omitted. By using passive constructions , the pertinent details can be conveyed effectively without engaging in unnecessary speculation about who carried out the action. The following examples demonstrate how the passive voice is utilized in news reporting:

• Major road closures were announced due to heavy snowfall in the area.
• A rare painting was stolen from a prestigious art gallery last night.
• Several homes were evacuated after a gas leak was detected in the neighborhood.

Passive voice in professional writing lends an air of objectivity, stylistic formality, and informational emphasis, making it an essential aspect of practical grammar .

Understanding and mastering the use of passive voice constructions is a crucial element of professional writing and practical grammar . Whether it’s for academic papers, scientific reports , or news articles, the passive voice allows writers to focus on the information and outcomes, while maintaining a formal and objective tone. Through the examples provided in this section, you can better comprehend the real-world application of passive voice in various contexts.

Exercises to Master the Passive Voice in Your Writing

Improving your grasp on passive voice requires consistent practice and a variety of exercises to fine-tune your grammar skills. In this section, we’ll focus on effective activities that will help you understand when and how to use the passive voice in your writing. By regularly engaging in these exercises, you can reinforce your knowledge and adapt it to various writing contexts.

To begin, experiment with converting active sentences to passive ones and vice versa. This will help you identify the differences between the two constructions and understand the situations in which they are most appropriate. Additionally, pay special attention to verb tenses, as this will aid in the accurate formation of passive sentences based on the action’s time-frame.

Next, put your passive voice skills to the test by engaging in exercises that mimic real-world scenarios. This can involve academic writing , news reporting, or other contexts where the passive voice plays a crucial role. Lastly, take advantage of resources like quizzes and online tools that provide further practice and support your ongoing development of passive voice mastery in different writing styles.

By actively participating in these grammar exercises and applying the passive voice knowledge acquired in this guide, you’ll effectively improve your writing skills and better understand how to deliver clear, concise, and impactful messages in various contexts.

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center for writing | student writing support | style | active vs. passive voice

Active vs. passive voice

Beginning or inattentive writers tend to overuse passive voice, which can weaken their prose, lead to the omission of important information, and make them appear unsure of their ideas. When instructors draw attention to the problem, some students overcompensate, eliminating all passive voice from their writing.

Although many academic writers often favor active voice because it is direct and concise, both voices are useful and necessary. That is why the grammar check on word processing programs highlights all passive constructions—it gives writers a chance to consider whether each choice is appropriate according to the purpose of the sentence.

Understand how both active and passive sentences are structured.

            Active Voice: The subject of the sentence is the one doing the action .

The researchers compared the behavior of two groups of children. The clerk was helping the customer. Students need good study skills to succeed in college. You should tell him.

Passive Voice: The subject of the sentence is now being acted upon . The actor moves to the end of the sentence with by or drops off altogether if it is unimportant or unknown. The verb must include a form of be , followed by a past participle (normally an -ed ending).  

The behavior of two groups of children was compared (by the researchers). The customer was being helped (by the clerk). Good study skills are needed to succeed in college. He should be told .

Only verbs that are followed by an object can be used in the passive. It is not possible to use verbs such as come , exist , happen , seem , and sleep (intransitive verbs) in the passive.

incorrect Something was happened. correct Something happened.

Know when active voice is appropriate or preferred.

All of the examples below are choices based on style and rhetorical context, not strict grammar rules.

To focus readers’ attention on the actor, not what is being acted upon. Active: Captain Ahab pursues the whale relentlessly.       Passive:  The whale is pursued relentlessly. ( Or , The whale is pursued relentlessly by Captain Ahab.)             In the above example, the active voice would be preferred if the writer wanted to focus readers’ attention on Captain Ahab. The passive voice would be preferred if the writer wanted to focus readers’ attention on the whale, or on the fact that it is pursued relentlessly. When it is important that readers know exactly who did (or said) what to whom. Active: When U.S. troops invaded Iraq, they inadvertently killed many civilians. Passive: When Iraq was invaded, many civilians were killed inadvertently. In the above example, the active voice would be appropriate if the writer wanted to name or emphasize the actors ( U.S troops ), not only their actions. The passive voice would be appropriate if the writer did not think it was important for readers to know who did the actions in the sentence.

Know when passive voice is appropriate or preferred.

To focus attention on the process or materials, rather than on the actor, as in scientific or technical writing. Next, salicylic acid was added to the test tube.

To focus attention on the object, rather than the actor. Paper, the main writing material today, was invented by the Chinese. This is appropriate when the focus is on the history of paper, not on Chinese innovations. Choosing passive voice allows the writer to use “paper” as the subject of the sentence. The new highway will be completed sometime next month. This is appropriate when the focus is on the highway project, not on the workers completing it.

To connect ideas in different clauses or sentences more clearly. When interviewing for a job, avoid making grammatical errors. They are often used by employers to weed out job applicants. In the beginning of the second sentence, using passive voice (“ used by employers ”) allows the writer to refer to grammatical errors (“ They ”) right away in order to clearly connect to the end of the previous sentence.

For more grammar information: Azar, B.S. (1989). Understanding and using English grammar . (2nd ed .). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

For more usage information: Anson, C.M., Schwegler, R.A., & Muth, M.F. (2000). The Longman writer’s companion . New York: Longman.

Miles, R., Bertonasco, M., & Karns, W. (1991). Prose style: A contemporary guide . (2nd ed.). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Williams, Joseph M. (2000). Style: Ten lessons in clarity and grace . (6th ed.). New York: Longman.

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#240: How & Why to Use the Passive Voice | English Grammar Practice

May 18, 2022 | Grammar

How, when, and why should you use the passive voice in English?

You may recall studying the passive voice in English grammar lessons but still feel unsure about how to use it. 

Today we’re going to solve that frustration.

In this Confident English lesson today, you’re going to learn 6 specific uses of the passive voice in English.

Along the way, you’ll get English grammar practice with the examples I share and the practice questions I have for you. 

To get ready, I recommend grabbing a pen and paper so you’re ready to practice with me.

6 Uses of the Passive Voice in English

Use #1: when the actor is unknown or insignificant.

English speakers use the passive voice when the actor (person/thing performing the action) is unknown or insignificant. 

This is especially true when reporting crimes or incidents when the perpetrator is unknown.

• The store was robbed in broad daylight.
• My wallet was stolen last year.

Practice : Think for a moment about your experiences. Have you ever had something stolen? Or maybe a car window was broken? 

But you don’t know who did it?

Using the passive voice, write down a sentence you might use if you were reporting the crime or telling a friend about it. You can follow my examples.

Before we move on, a second way to think about an unknown actor — or when the person who completed the action is unimportant — is when talking about architecture. Such as design, construction, or renovation. 

Recently members of my Confident Women Community practiced using the passive voice to describe specific places or buildings in their city. I’d love to challenge you in the same way.

For example:

• Our home was renovated in 2019 . → We do not know or don’t care who did it.
• This building was completed in 1813 and was designed in the Federal style .

Practice : What about where you live? Is there a famous building you could describe without stating who did it?

Use #2: The Actor Is Obvious

We use the passive voice when there’s an obvious and common understanding of who or what performed an action. So we don’t need to waste time stating the obvious

For instance, it’s common knowledge that your salary is paid by your employer. 

When describing your payment cycle, you could simply say, “ I’m paid biweekly.”

Pop Quiz: How would you rephrase this sentence to use the passive voice? The police arrested the robber last night. Answer: The robber was arrested last night. Since it’s obvious that the police are making the arrest, we can easily use the passive voice. 

*Tip: When you use the passive voice and want to specify who did the action, end the sentence with by and the actor. 

I’m paid biweekly by my employer .

Use #3: To Emphasize the Recipient

Remember that the object receives the action, in the passive voice. For this reason, English speakers use the passive voice to draw attention to the recipient.

For instance, rather than say: “The local government spent millions of dollars to restore the building.” The passive voice could be used to say: “Millions of dollars were spent to restore the building.” Moving the recipient to the front of the sentence and eliminating the actor, puts emphasis on the large sum of money that was spent instead of who spent the money. 

Practice : Can you think of a time when too much money was spent on something? An item? A project budget?

Rather than focus on WHO spent the money, think about how to focus on what was spent. 

Here’s a recommended way to start, “Too much money was spent on ______.”

Use #4: To Emphasize A Result

While the passive voice allows us to highlight that something or someone receives an action, it can also be used to shift the focus on the result of an action. 

English speakers achieve this by using the passive voice in addition to the stress on the verb.

• For example, to place emphasis on the result of a budget cut, I could say, “Students were demotivated when they heard there would be no art program next year.”  

Now, you might be wondering: couldn’t use the active voice and say “The news of no art program demotivated the students” — still emphasizing the verb demotivated?

And the answer is yes, we certainly could. But doing so shifts the focus in the sentence. Now it’s the news of no art program that we pay attention to most.

Using the passive voice allows the speaker or writer to decide what is most important in the sentence — the fact that there is no art program? Or the fact that students were demotivated.

Use #5: To Protect and Avoid Blame

The passive voice is useful when the actor needs or wants to be protected. 

Imagine you’re the host of a party and someone accidentally broke a valuable object. To shield the person from further embarrassment, you might say “ It was accidentally knocked off the table .” In this case, the passive voice enables you to avoid naming the person.

In contrast, the actor can protect themself by using the passive voice to avoid responsibility. We often hear this in statements made by people of power.

For example, if a politician is making a speech to acknowledge a mistake and soften their role in the mistake, they might say “ Mistakes were made and we’re working towards a solution .”

Practice : Can you remember a situation when someone you care about at work accidentally broke something? Or missed an important deadline? Or forgot to complete an important task? 

In talking about it, you want to protect the person who did it. How would you describe what happened?

Use #6: To Describe Actions in Scientific and Academic Contexts

The passive voice is traditionally used in scientific literature or contexts. This is especially true in lab reports and research papers. 

• “ The subject’s cognitive state was assessed at the end of each trial .”
• “ Over 100 responses were collected in the survey. ”

Now you have 6 clear uses for the passive voice and your own examples to help you determine how you might use the passive voice in your own Egnlish communication. 

Feel free to share your examples with me below.

Or tell me how today’s lesson helped you. Share a quick comment in the comment section below to let me know.

~ Annemarie

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Hey there. Thanks for sharing this wonderful blog. The passive voice can be used to create a sense of detachment or remove the speaker from the action, which is sometimes desired. For example, if you are writing about a crime that was committed, you may want to use the passive voice to maintain impartiality. Additionally, the passive voice can make your writing sound more academic or formal.

Hi Annie! I was always trying to figure out the uses of Passive Voice, as I was only a fluent English speaker, learnt by listening and reading. Grammar was Greek to me! I have begun teaching English. Thanks a lot for this lesson for the students to know the objectives of the topic.

I’m so glad it was helpful to you, Imtiaz!

Ok, Let me read. I’ll let you know

Thanks Annemarie! well actually I’m preparing a scientific paper, so this lesson is definitely helpful for me.

Oh, this will be perfect for you!

Hi Anne Marie! This lesson was very interesting for me, thank you.

Let me share with you my homework:

Use #1 My PC was stolen last year from my car last night. The last house of the ghetto, was demolished in 1947

Use # 3 Too much money was spent to built the new soccer stadium in Cagliari.

Use #5 An important file was inadvertently moved to a wrong folder. The good news is that we find it.

To the next lesson!

Great job, Cinzia!

I have one question about the first example: “My PC was stolen last year from my car last night. ”

I see ‘last year’ which means 2021 and I see ‘last night’ which means yesterday. Which one of these did you want to use in the sentence?

And in example 3, we can simplify this sentence by removing “to build” and instead use a preposition: “Too much money was spent _______ the new soccer stadium in Cagliari.” — Do you know which preposition we might use?

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Passive Voice - Exercises on Form

>mixed exercise on passive voice.

Rewrite the sentences in passive voice.

• John collects money. -
• Anna opened the window. -
• We have done our homework. -
• I will ask a question. -
• He can cut out the picture. -
• The sheep ate a lot. -
• We do not clean our rooms. -
• William will not repair the car. -
• Did Sue draw this circle? -
• Could you feed the dog? -

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Passive voice of “they did not do the work”

What is the passive voice of “they did not do the work”?

• passive-voice

• I cleared the close votes on this question because even though it does not meet our quality standards, closing it would reject the migration and remove answers that would potentially be useful to other learners. You should take a look at Details, Please link on English Language Learners Meta . There are some examples of questions with good detail in an answer to that post. It helps us write better answers if we understand what you already know and what you've tried to do to answer your question before you posted. –  ColleenV Commented Dec 12, 2018 at 14:59

4 Answers 4

In such a sentence one is " Dummy Do", the meaningless one the support of which we seek in Simple Present and Simple past where there is no auxiliary or modal but the sentence is to be made negative or interrogative.

Ignore this first DO, the meaningless one, we call do support.

• They ( did) NOT DO the work.

We know 'do support' embodies the tense and person of the finite verb. Thus deduced, the sentence is in simple past.

Let's make it passive.

The work was not done by them.

We know BE Verb in a sentence is conspicuous by its presence in the sense that it precedes the subject in questions and turns negative all by itself without support of any helping verb, irrespective of the fact that BE VERB is there either as a main verb or as an auxiliary.

• 4 Please note, the system has flagged your answer for deletion as "low-quality because of its length and content ." An answer on this site is expected to be authoritative, detailed, and explain why it is correct . You can edit your answer, for example to explain why this is passive voice. For further guidance, see How to Answer and take the Tour :-) –  Chappo Hasn't Forgotten Commented Dec 6, 2018 at 20:02

It is definitely:

The work wasn't done (by them).

We form the passive using the auxiliary "to be" + past participle. "by them" is optional since we usually focus on the action when we use the passive.

• We form the passive using the auxiliary "to be" + "past pariticiple". (by them) is optional since we usually focus on the action when we use the passive. –  Mossaab Cherai Commented Dec 6, 2018 at 18:49
• This should go in the answer :) You can edit and add your explanation. –  Mari-Lou A Commented Dec 6, 2018 at 18:52
• The other critical step you did not mention in converting between active and passive voice is swapping the subject and object of the verb. –  Ross Murray Commented Dec 7, 2018 at 1:34
• @Mossaab Cherai I have serious reservation to call the " to be " we use in passive voice an auxiliary; it is to my mind is THE MAIN VERB. : Follow its use in tense formation. –  Barid Baran Acharya Commented Dec 7, 2018 at 16:38

The difference between "they did not do the work" and "the work was not done by them" is the latter does not convey that the work was not done, and implies someone else may have. The question that follows is "well who did it?"

I prefer a more specific choice of words to more clearly create the inference that the work was not done at all :

the work was overlooked (by them).

• The OP asks about passive voice This is a purely grammatical question. –  TonyK Commented Dec 6, 2018 at 19:59
• @TonyK my apologies, I erred in claiming my statement was active voice. Edited. –  Harper Commented Dec 6, 2018 at 21:11

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The sentence has been given in the Active/Passive voice. From the given options, choose the one which best expresses the given sentence in the Passive/Active voice. The teacher punished the boys who had not done their homework. [Advanced] The boys who had not done their homework had been punish by their teacher. The boys were punished by their teacher who had not done their homework. The boys who had not done their homework were punished by the teacher. The boys who had not done their homework were being punished by the teacher.

An action in a sentence can be represented in two ways, namely active and passive voice. the passive voice always uses the past participle form of the main verb irrespective of any tense. only the auxiliary verbs depend upon the sentence given in the active voice. the correct answer is c) the teacher punished the boys who had not done their homework. option c is correct as the subject of the given sentence (teacher) comes in the place of the object(the boys). here, 'who had not done their homework' gives an indication of which group of boys the teacher punished. also, the past participle form of the main verb with the helping verb 'was' is used. options a,b, and d are wrong as the given sentence is not in the past perfect tense, the phrase 'who had not done their homework' is placed wrong, and the given sentence is not in the past continuous tense respectively..

Homework: Passive Voice

So, did you steal your bike, or was your bike stolen? Will you take out your tonsils, or will your tonsils be taken out? Mastering the Passive Voice is a crucial rite of passage for any English learner, as it can change the meaning of a sentence entirely. However, as this versatile voice can be used with any grammar tense, this is often much more easily said than done, as no sooner have students established just when to use it than along comes the more daunting challenge of actually using it correctly. This homework sheet enables students to practise using the Passive Voice through a range of progressively challenging exercises.

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Grammar: Voice

Active and passive voice.

There are two main “voices” in English writing: the active voice and the passive voice. You’ve probably heard a lot about them—and you’ve probably been warned away from the passive voice. But what exactly are they?

In the simplest terms, an active voice sentence is written in the form of “A does B.” (For example, “Carmen sings the song.”) A passive voice sentence is written in the form of “B is done by A.” (For example, “The song is sung by Carmen.”) Both constructions are grammatically sound and correct. Let’s look at a couple more examples of the passive voice:

• I’ve been hit! ( or , I have been hit!)
• Jasper was thrown from the car when it was struck from behind.

You may have noticed something unique about the previous two sentences: the subject of the sentence is not the person (or thing) performing the action.  The passive voice “hides” who does the action. Despite these sentences being completely grammatically sound, we don’t know who hit “me” or what struck the car.

The passive is created using the verb  to be and the past participle. When identifying passive sentences, remember that  to be  has other uses than just creating the passive voice. “She was falling” and “His keys were lost” are not passive sentences. In the first, to be  is a continuous past verb, and in the second to be  is past tense linking verb. There are two key features that will help you identify a passive sentence:

• Something is happening (the sentence has a verb that is not a linking verb).
• The subject of the sentence is not doing that thing.

As you read at the two sentences below, think about the how the different voice may affect the meaning or implications of the sentence:

• Passive voice: The rate of evaporation is controlled by the size of an opening.
• Active voice: The size of an opening controls the rate of evaporation.

The passive choice slightly emphasizes “the rate of evaporation,” while the active choice emphasizes “the size of an opening.” Simple. So why all the fuss? Because passive constructions can produce grammatically tangled sentences such as this:

Groundwater flow is influenced by zones of fracture concentration, as can be recognized by the two model simulations (see Figures 1 and 2), by which one can see . . .

The sentence is becoming a burden for the reader, and probably for the writer too. As often happens, the passive voice here has smothered potential verbs and kicked off a runaway train of prepositions. But the reader’s task gets much easier in the revised version below:

Two model simulations (Figures 1 and 2) illustrate how zones of fracture concentration influence groundwater flow. These simulations show . . .

To revise the above, all we did was look for the two buried things (simulations and zones) in the original version that could actually do something, and we made the sentence clearly about these two nouns by placing them in front of active verbs. This is the general principle to follow as you compose in the active voice: Place concrete nouns that can perform work in front of active verbs.

Are the following sentences in the active or passive voice? How can you tell?

• The samples were prepared in a clean room before being sent out for further examination.
• Karen was dancing with Joshua when she suddenly realized she needed to leave.
• Carlos was a very serious scientist with unique interests.
• This sentence uses the passive voice. The action ( prepared ) was done to the subject of the sentence ( samples ). If this sentence were written in the active it would be something like this: “[Actor] prepared the samples in a clean room before sending them out for further examination.” Since we do not know who prepared the samples, the active sentence is incomplete.
• This sentence uses the active voice. In this case  was indicates that the sentence happened in the past; it does not indicate the passive voice.
• This sentence uses the active voice. In this case  was  is acting as a linking verb. It links  Carlos with the phrase  very serious scientist .

Revise Weak Passive-Voice Sentences

As we’ve mentioned, the passive voice can be a shifty operator—it can cover up its source, that is, who’s doing the acting, as this example shows:

• Graded by whom though?
• Active: The teacher will grade the papers according to the criteria stated in the syllabus.

It’s this ability to cover the actor or agent of the sentence that makes the passive voice a favorite of people in authority—policemen, city officials, and, yes, teachers. At any rate, you can see how the passive voice can cause wordiness, indirectness, and comprehension problems.

Convert these passive voice sentences into the active voice. Why is the active voice a better choice for each of these sentences?

• The process, which was essential for the experiment’s success, was completed by Enzo.
• The cake that I worked on all day long is being eaten by Justin.
• After the pattern has been applied to the fabric, work on the embroidery can be started.
• In the passive sentence, the  which -clause makes the subject of the sentence excessively long. By converting the sentence to the active voice, the clause is moved to the predicate, which makes the sentence easier to understand.
• The active voice works better in this sentence for the same reasons as sentence one. It is also likely that you would want to put emphasis on Justin in this sentence. After all, he’s doing something that is (most likely) inconsiderate.
• This sentence is likely found in a set of instructions, which are usually written directly to the reader. Addressing “you” and avoiding the passive voice will make the instructions feel more natural and accessible.

Don’t get the idea that the passive voice is always wrong and should never be used. It is a good writing technique when we don’t want to be bothered with an obvious or too-often-repeated subject and when we need to rearrange words in a sentence for emphasis. The next page will focus more on how and why to use the passive voice.

• Revision and Adaptation. Provided by : Lumen Learning. License : CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
• Practice Activities. Provided by : Lumen Learning. License : CC BY: Attribution
• The Passive versus Active Voice Dilemma. Authored by : Joe Schall. Provided by : The Pennsylvania State University. Located at : https://www.e-education.psu.edu/styleforstudents/c1_p11.html . License : CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
• Power-Revision Techniques: Sentence-Level Revision. Authored by : David McMurrey. Located at : https://www.prismnet.com/~hcexres/textbook/hirev2.html#passive . License : CC BY: Attribution

They were doing homework. The passive voice of this statement is …………………..

A. Homework were done.

B. Homework were being done.

C. Homework was being done

D. Homework is being done.

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How Non-Native Speakers Can Find Their Writing "Voice"

The psychology of writing from a bilingual perspective. ‎.

Posted June 27, 2024 | Reviewed by Devon Frye

• Exposure to poor grammar can produce physical stress.
• Psychology is fundamental to the art and craft of writing.
• We do not find our voice and then write; we write and then find our voice.

A recent study conducted last October at the University of Birmingham found that exposure to poor grammar can lead to physical stress. The researchers studied 41 adults and exposed them to grammatical errors. The participants not only mentally cringed but also experienced a decrease in their heart rate. Their autonomic nervous system was stressed because the cognitive effort to process the language took a toll on their physiological system.

What can explain this response?

Writing has an intimate connection with both psychology and physiology. Psychology is fundamental to the art and craft of writing, in part because most writers make an effort to write in their own voice. But what is this elusive thing we call "voice"?

Many beginning authors struggle to find their own “voice.” As George Gopen, professor emeritus of rhetoric at Duke, argued, we do not find our voice and then write; instead, we write and then find our voice.

So how do we define our writerly voice—the sound of our prose? And how do we attain and refine it? I will draw on the literature of rhetoric and composition, as well as my research on the experiences of bilingual writers, to answer these questions.

I define the writer's voice as the sum of the choices a writer makes in grammar, punctuation, and usage. I will illustrate this definition with examples from a non-native English writer who has just arrived in the United States. These examples are drawn from my Ph.D. research on zero-generation students.

During a class discussion about coronavirus , the teacher asked, “Is it morally acceptable not to practice social distancing?” In reply, one zero-generation student, who has been learning English for only three years, wrote the following response:

‎“Following the guidelines of public health officials is not ‎optional, just like how strictly not following the law is ‎punishable. It is recommended to keep the one-meter distance. ‎Unless keeping the distance is not feasible, each person should ‎make a faithful attempt to adhere to the proposed guidelines ‎firmly.”‎

What is the writerly voice of the author of this paragraph? I argue that it is decidedly foreign. In general, native English readers can easily discern the voice of a non-native writer. There are syntax errors, and the word choice is likely to sound awkward to a native English ear. This awkwardness is the result of the choices the foreign author made.

But a revised version of that same response, edited for clarity and style, could sound American with no foreign language interference. Check out the edited version below, reflecting improvements in the writer's voice and prose style:

“Following the guidelines of public health officials is ‎mandatory, akin to following traffic laws. It is recommended to ‎maintain a social distance of about three feet. If it is not possible ‎to adhere to this rule, we should make sincere efforts to ‎maintain an appropriate distance.”‎

This newly edited version sounds more American, with no foreign language interference and no infelicities. Why? Because the edited version made rhetorical choices in grammar, punctuation, and usage that align more closely with the native English reader’s sensibility and literary conscience .

When I published my recent post about learning to write well, a native American reader wrote to me: “I still haven’t quite figured out my voice. We each have our journeys, styles, and potentials. We also have our audiences and influences. There are many variables that impact why we write the way we write.” I was pleasantly surprised because I had erroneously presumed that native English writers innately have a voice. They don’t. Writers are not born; they are made—often self-made.

I responded to this American reader by encouraging them to read books on grammar, punctuation, and usage—because the sum total of our choices in these areas forms our voice and determines how our prose sounds on the page.

Nonnative English writers may at times lack knowledge of grammar, punctuation, and usage, leading to errors that sound awkward to the American ear. This may have consequences for their relationships—indeed, the University of Birmingham study confirmed the connection between grammatical blunders and induced stress.

We can all find evidence from our reading experiences. When I read obtuse and turgid academic jargon—think Michel Foucault and Judith Butler—I often feel psychologically annoyed and physiologically stressed.

As John Trimble, professor emeritus at The University of Texas at Austin, told me, native English speakers generally do not bother to read texts with language errors that sound off to their ear. I suspect he's right; in my experience, many native English readers are impatient to get to the point and begrudge any author who does not deliver. When the prose does not sound good to their ear, many readers question the credibility of the author.

We attain our writer voice by learning grammar, punctuation, and usage, and by making rhetorical choices that do not jar the ears of our readers. When our writing sounds good to the reader, they are more likely to listen to us. But when our prose does not sound "correct" to native speakers, they are likely to distrust the author and abandon the reading experience.

I learned to write well by reading dictionaries and usage books. These readings helped me refine my literary conscience and attune to American readers’ sensibilities. I have also worked with many copyeditors who have improved my prose. Although I am not American, I believe I have reached the point of producing prose that sounds American to many American readers, without awkward foreign language interference or infelicities. This is a milestone that all non-native and multilingual writers should aim for.

Abdulrahman Bindamnan is a Ph.D. student at the University of ‎Minnesota and an ICGC scholar at the Interdisciplinary Center for ‎Global Change.

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