Passive sentences or Passive voice verbs are used
in writing much more often than in speech, and they are used in some types of
writing much more often than in others. Passives are used more in journalism
(newspapers, magazines) than in fiction (novels, stories), but most journalists
and fiction writers use far more active than passive sentences.
However,
passives are very common in all types of scientific and technical writing.
Scientific articles often contain more passive than active sentences. You
should not use passive voice verbs unless you have a good
reason.
A. Relationship between active and passive:
1. The object of the active verb is the subject of the passive verb (“English” in the example sentences below). Therefore, verbs which cannot be followed by objects (intransitive verbs) cannot be used in passive voice.
These are some common intransitive verbs: appear, arrive, come, cry, die, go, happen, occur, rain, sleep, stay, walk. These verbs cannot be used in passive voice.
2. The passive verb always contains a form of the auxiliary verb be. The form of be in the passive verb phrase corresponds to the form of the main verb in the active verb phrase (see the underlined words
in the example sentences below). That is, if the active main verb is
simple present tense, then a simple present tense form of be is used in the passive verb phrase; if the active main verb is -ING, then the -ING form of be is used in the passive verb phrase; and so on.
3. The main verb in a passive predicate verb phrase is always the participle form of the verb.
Active : They speak English.
Passive : English is spoken.
Passive : English is spoken.
Active : They spoke English.
Passive : English was spoken.
Passive : English was spoken.