(Last Updated On: March 24, 2023)

The Active Voice and Passive Voice are two grammatical constructions that describe the relationship between the subject and the verb in a sentence.

In the Active Voice, the subject of the sentence performs the action expressed by the verb. For example, “The cat chased the mouse.” In this sentence, the subject “cat” performs the action “chased.”

In the Passive Voice, the subject of the sentence is acted upon by the verb. For example, “The mouse was chased by the cat.” In this sentence, the subject “mouse” is being acted upon by the verb “was chased.”

Active Passive

The Passive Voice is formed by using a form of the auxiliary verb “to be” followed by the past participle of the main verb. The subject of the sentence appears after the verb and is typically introduced with the preposition “by.”

In general, the Active Voice is preferred in most forms of writing because it is more direct and concise. The Passive Voice is often used in scientific or technical writing to emphasize the object of the action, rather than the subject. It can also be used to avoid assigning blame or to make a sentence more formal.

Active voice in English grammar describe in brief

The Active Voice is a grammatical construction in which the subject of a sentence performs the action expressed by the verb. In an active sentence, the subject is the “doer” of the action.

For example, “The dog chased the ball.” In this sentence, the subject “dog” is performing the action “chased.”

The Active Voice is considered more direct, clear, and concise compared to the Passive Voice, and it is preferred in most forms of writing. By using the Active Voice, the writer can make the sentence more engaging and less confusing for the reader, as the focus remains on the subject and its action.

Passive voice in English grammar describe

The Passive Voice is a grammatical construction in which the subject of a sentence is acted upon by the verb. In a passive sentence, the subject is not the “doer” of the action, but rather the recipient or object of the action.

For example, “The ball was chased by the dog.” In this sentence, the subject “ball” is not performing the action, but is being acted upon by the verb “was chased.”

The Passive Voice is formed by using a form of the auxiliary verb “to be” followed by the past participle of the main verb. The subject of the sentence appears after the verb and is typically introduced with the preposition “by.”

The Passive Voice is often used in scientific or technical writing to emphasize the object of the action, rather than the subject. It can also be used to avoid assigning blame or to make a sentence more formal. However, it can make sentences longer, less direct, and less engaging. Therefore, it is generally recommended to use the Active Voice in most forms of writing.

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Type of Active voice

There are two main types of Active Voice in English grammar: simple and continuous.

Simple Active Voice: This type of active voice is used to describe a single, completed action. It is formed with a simple present or past tense verb. For example, “The cat chases the mouse.”

Continuous Active Voice: This type of active voice is used to describe an action that is ongoing or in progress at a specific time. It is formed with a present or past continuous tense verb. For example, “The cat is chasing the mouse.”

Both Simple and Continuous Active Voices are used to express action and make the sentence more direct and engaging, while highlighting the subject and its role in the action.

Type of Passive voice

There are two main types of Passive Voice in English grammar: the Simple Passive Voice and the Continuous/Progressive Passive Voice.

  1. Simple Passive Voice: This is the basic form of the Passive Voice and is used to express a completed action. The Simple Passive Voice is formed by using the auxiliary verb “to be” followed by the past participle of the main verb. For example, “The cake was eaten.”
  2. Continuous/Progressive Passive Voice: This type of Passive Voice is used to express an action that is in progress at the time of speaking or writing. It is formed by using the auxiliary verb “to be” followed by the present participle of the main verb. For example, “The cake is being eaten.”

It’s worth noting that the Passive Voice can be used with all tenses in English grammar, including present, past, and future tenses, and it can also be used with modal verbs to express necessity, possibility, and other concepts.

Difference between Passive and active voice

The difference between Passive Voice and Active Voice lies in the relationship between the subject of the sentence and the verb.

In Active Voice, the subject performs the action expressed by the verb. For example, “The dog chased the ball.” In this sentence, the subject “dog” performs the action “chased.”

In Passive Voice, the subject of the sentence is acted upon by the verb. For example, “The ball was chased by the dog.” In this sentence, the subject “ball” is being acted upon by the verb “was chased.”

The Active Voice is generally considered more direct, clear, and concise compared to the Passive Voice. It is also more engaging for the reader as it places the focus on the subject and its action. The Passive Voice, on the other hand, is often used in scientific or technical writing to emphasize the object of the action, or to make a sentence more formal. However, it can make sentences longer and less engaging.

It’s important to note that both the Active Voice and Passive Voice have their uses, and the choice between the two depends on the context and the writer’s purpose.

5 Example of Passive voice

Here are five examples of Passive Voice sentences:

  1. The car was driven to the store by John.
  2. The cake will be baked by the chef tomorrow.
  3. The letter was written by Jane.
  4. The house was painted last week.
  5. The game was won by the home team.

5 Example of Active voice

Here are five examples of Active Voice sentences:

  1. John drove the car to the store.
  2. The chef will bake the cake tomorrow.
  3. Jane wrote the letter.
  4. They painted the house last week.
  5. The home team won the game.

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