![]() These phrases introduce the agent with the word “by.” For instance, in the example above, the frog was kissed “by the princess,” who is performing the action.īe aware, however, that many passive voice sentences do not include a “by” phrase naming the agent. Note the presence of the two-part verb: “was” is a “to be” verb, and “kissed” is a past participle, so this sentence is in the passive voice.Īlso, but only sometimes, passive voice sentences use “by” phrases. The wart-covered frog was kissed by the princess. Past participles include words such as eaten, thrown, explained, and considered. Past Participles: In addition to a “to be” verb, the passive voice always uses a past participle. Forms of the verb “to be” include is, are, was, were, been. “To Be” Verbs: The passive voice always uses a “to be” verb. The main signpost of the passive voice is the presence of a two-part verb consisting of a “to be” verb and a past participle. In contrast, an active sentence takes the agent for its subject:īoth the passive voice and the active voice are grammatically correct, but you can make your writing more direct by replacing the passive voice with the active voice when possible. This sentence is in the passive voice: the doughnuts (the subject) receive the action of being eaten by the supermodel, who is the agent performing the action. The doughnuts were eaten by the supermodel. Although there are some cases where the passive voice is appropriate and even preferred, heavy reliance on the passive voice can make your writing wordy and unclear. ![]() ![]() Professors often ask their students to avoid the passive voice in their writing, but what exactly is the passive voice? In contrast to active verbs, which describe an action being done by a subject, passive verbs describe an action being done to a subject.
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