Understanding Active and Passive Voice

Ever wondered why sentences sometimes sound direct and sometimes a little different? It's all about voice! Let's explore active and passive voice to make your writing clear and impactful, just like a good story from your grandma.

What is Voice in Grammar?

In grammar, 'voice' tells us whether the subject of a sentence performs the action or receives the action. It's a fundamental concept that helps us structure our thoughts effectively.

Active Voice

The Active Voice is when the subject of the sentence performs the action. It's direct, clear, and usually more concise. Think of it as the doer taking center stage.

Example: "Rohan kicked the ball." "The chef prepared a delicious biryani."

Here, Rohan is doing the kicking, and the chef is doing the preparing. The subject is active.

Passive Voice

The Passive Voice is when the subject of the sentence receives the action. The focus shifts from the doer to the action itself, or the receiver of the action. It's often used when the doer is unknown, less important, or when you want to emphasize the action.

Example: "The ball was kicked by Rohan." "A delicious biryani was prepared by the chef."

In these examples, the ball and biryani are receiving the action. The subject is passive.

When to Use Active Voice

Understanding when to use active voice can make your communication more effective. 1. For clarity and directness: When you want to clearly state who is doing what. 2. To make your writing strong and engaging: Active voice usually sounds more natural and energetic. 3. Most common in everyday conversation and general writing.

When to Use Passive Voice

Passive voice also has its specific uses, making it crucial to know when to apply it. 1. When the doer of the action is unknown or unimportant: "The temple was built centuries ago." 2. When you want to emphasize the action or the receiver of the action: "The patient was cured by the new medicine." 3. In scientific or technical writing: To maintain objectivity and focus on facts, not the researcher. 4. To avoid assigning blame: "Mistakes were made."

How to Convert from Active to Passive Voice

Converting between active and passive voice involves a few simple steps. 1. Identify the subject, verb, and object in the active sentence. 2. Make the object of the active sentence the new subject of the passive sentence. 3. Use an appropriate form of the verb 'to be' (is, am, are, was, were, been, being) + the past participle (V3) of the main verb. 4. The original subject (the doer) can be included at the end using "by + doer" (optional, especially if the doer is unimportant).

Example: Active: "My mother cleans the house daily." Passive: "The house is cleaned daily by my mother."

Active: "The students submitted their assignments." Passive: "Their assignments were submitted by the students."

Conclusion: Both active and passive voice have their place in effective communication. Knowing when and how to use each will make you a more skilled writer and speaker. Practice these concepts in your daily conversations and writing to master them!

Examples