1.13 Voice: Active and Passive
What is Voice?
In grammatical contexts, voice is a term used to denote if a verb is in an active or passive form.
The active voice is most commonly used in business communications. In the active voice, emphasis is placed on the subject (the actor of the verb). In the active voice, who is doing what is clearly expressed. Only transitive verbs can be used in the active voice.
In the sample sentences, which employ various verb tenses, notice that the subject (actor) is at the beginning of the sentence. Notice, also, that the sentences all use transitive verbs, verbs which require an object.
- The bank manager oversees all our accounts. (present simple)
- Nayala and Peter are working on the merger. (present continuous)
- Our competitors have launched an interesting advertising campaign. (present perfect)
- Lucy remitted the payment by e-transfer. (past simple)
- Klara was conducting market research interviews when you dropped in yesterday. (past continuous)
- Our finance department had filed the tax returns one day late, so we incurred a penalty.(past perfect)
- Manuel will submit the patent application on Monday. (future)
- l submit the patent application on Monday. (future)
In passive voice constructions, the subject (actor) is de-emphasised. The passive voice is used when the actor is not known or is not important. It can also be used to understate who is responsible for something or to discuss universal truths.
- The reception desk has been left unattended. (who left the desk unattended?)
- The company was founded in 1962. (who founded the company?)
- All of the flyers have been distributed. (who distributed them?)
- Rules are meant to be broken. (who can break the rules?)
When to Use the Passive Voice
To determine which voice to use, think about your audience and your purpose. The following scenarios depict situations when using the passive is appropriate.
When we don’t know who performed the action.
| Passive | Vijay’s car computer was hacked three times. | Rome was not built in a day. |
|---|---|---|
| Not Passive | Someone hacked Vijay’s computer three times. | The people of Rome did not build it in a day. |
When it doesn’t matter who performs the action.
| Passive | The glass was scored for easy cutting. | The webpage was designed for easy access. | Bluetooth features are included in most vehicles produced after 2012. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Not Passive | A worker in the hardware store scored the cake. | A web designer designed the webpage for easy access. | Manufacturers included Bluetooth features in most vehicles produced after 2012. |
When we want to avoid blaming someone.
| Passive | The financial statements were lost. | Two significant transposition errors were made in the quarterly report. |
|---|---|---|
| Not Passive | Sylvia lost the financial statements. | Benedict made two significant transposition errors in the quarterly report. |
When we want to soften a directive.
| Passive | This memo could be restructured to improve readability. | Headings should be included to enhance the readability of the report. |
|---|---|---|
| Not Passive | Restructure this memo to improve readability. | Include headings to enhance the readability of the report. |
How to convert from active to passive voice
- Determine if the sentence can be converted. Remember only sentences using transitive verbs can be converted.
- These sentences use transitive verbs, so they can be converted.
- The bank manager oversees all our accounts.
- Nayala and Peter are working on the merger.
- Locate the object of the sentence and make it the subject.
- Our accounts
- The merger
- Locate the verb and adjust it to its passive form.
- Our accounts are overseen
- The merger is being worked on
- End the sentence with the prepositional “by” only if you think the information is necessary, along with the actor.
- Our accounts are overseen (by the bank manager).
- The merger is being worked on (by Nayala and Peter).
Table of Tenses from Active to Passive Voice
Some grammarians argue that the passive voice simply does not exist for the verb tenses highlighted in the table below. Other grammarians contend that such constructions are, indeed, possible and provide examples similar to the Present Perfect Continuous and Future Perfect examples below. Note how awkward it is.
Since clarity and concision are two primary business communications goals, do not use passive voice sentences in the present perfect continuous, past perfect continuous, future continuous, future perfect, or future perfect continuous tenses.
| Verb Tense | Active Voice | Passive Voice |
| Present Simple |
I buy the printer paper. She writes the reports. |
is/am/are + past participle form of the verb
The printer paper is bought (by me). Reports are written (by her). |
|---|---|---|
| Present Continuous |
I am buying the printer paper. She is writing the reports. |
is/am/are + being + past participle The printer paper is being bought. Reports are being written. |
| Present Perfect |
I have bought the printer paper. She has written the reports. |
have/has + been + past participle The printer paper has been bought. The reports have been written. |
| Present Perfect Continuous* |
I have been buying the printer paper. She has been writing the reports. |
have/has + been + being + past participle The printer paper has been being bought. The reports have been being written. |
| Past Simple |
I bought the printer paper. She wrote the reports. |
was/were + past participle
The printer paper was bought. The reports were written. |
| Past Continuous |
I have been buying the printer paper. She has been writing the reports. |
was/were + being + past participle The printer paper was being bought. The reports were being written. |
| Past Perfect |
I had bought the printer paper. She had written the reports. |
had + been + past participle The printer paper had been bought. The reports had been written. |
| Past Perfect Continuous* |
I had been buying the printer paper. She had been writing the reports. |
|
| Future Simple |
I will buy the printer paper. She is going to write the reports on Monday. |
will + be + past participle going to be + past participle The printer paper will be bought. The reports are going to be written on Monday. |
| Future Continuous* |
I will be buying the printer paper. She is going to be writing the reports. |
|
| Future Perfect* |
I will have bought the printer paper by the end of the week. She is going to have written the reports at 2 o’clock. |
will + have + been + past participle
The printer paper will have been bought by the end of the week. The reports are going to have been written at 2 o’clock. |
| Future Perfect Continuous* |
I will have been buying the printer paper from that supplier for five years when it closes. She is going to have been writing the reports for three days when it’s time to present. |
How to Convert from the Passive to Active Voice
- a) If the passive voice sentence includes a “by” phrase that denotes the person(s), use that person(s) as the subject of your sentence.
- The office is vacuumed twice a week by the janitorial crew.
- The janitorial crew
- Our website prices are updated by our product team everyday.
- Our product team
- b) If the passive voice sentence does not include “by” phrase that denotes the person(s), create your own subject.
- The zoning by-law adjustment request was submitted to town council.
- We
- Several wines will be sampled at the product launch.
- Our buyers
- Locate and convert the verb.
- was submitted → submitted
- will be sampled → will sample
- Put the subject and verb together.
- We submitted
- Our buyers will sample
- Re-read the original passive sentence to find the word(s) that can complete the transitive verb in your sentence.
- We submitted (what did you submit?)
- We submitted the zoning by-law adjustment request.
- Our buyers will sample (what will they sample?)
- Our buyers will sample several different wines.
Exercises
Activity 1
For self-test practice quizzes, go to the following links.
- Identifying active and passive voice (https://www.noslangues-ourlanguages.gc.ca/en/quiz/jeu-quiz-voix-active-passive-identify-eng)
- Active and passive voice (https://www.noslangues-ourlanguages.gc.ca/en/quiz/jeu-quiz-active-and-passive-voice-1-eng)
Activity 2
Rewrite the active voice sentences as passive voice sentences.
Rewrite the passive voice sentences as active voice sentences.
- The issue was resolved yesterday.
- The incorrect charge was removed from our account by the credit card company.
- Many entrepreneurs view Elon Musk as an idol.
- The Xerox machine was invented by a humble man, named Chester Carlson.
- Ground-floor security nabbed the intruder before he could do any damage to the building.
- The factory fire was caused by an electrical fault.
- That company is making a remarkable financial recovery.
- Once they are submitted to printing, changes cannot be made to the promotional flyers.
- Taxes and duties were calculated as part of the total purchase price.
- The development plan for our European venture will be delivered on schedule.
- Your account has been credited with your recent payment.
- A total of 500 customer loyalty points was earned on your last purchase.
- Specific information about store closures will be released at the end of August.
- Our website generates many hits each day as it has an attractive layout.
- Canadian Confections offers free shipping on purchases over $75.