Passive Voice

Summary

Passive voice is used to express ideas in which the focus of the sentence is not on the doer but on the object of the action. The doer of the action is possibly unknown.

The pattern of Passive Voice:

S + to be + V3(Past Participle)

Example :

Ridho kicks the ball

The  ball is kicked by Ridho

The first sentence focuses on the subject of the sentence. Ridho is the person who kicks the ball.

The second sentence is different.The focus of the sentence is on what is kicked, the ball. The information about who kicked the ball is not important,eventhough we can addinformation about the doer of the action.

Ridho kicks the ball.

The ball is kicked  by Ridho

We can see that an active voice sentence  can be changed to a passive voice sentence.

However, it will change the focus of the sentence. The object of the active sentence is placed as the subject of the  passive sentence.

Example

1.       The bicycle is repaired by the mechanic

2.       The new building is being built.

3.       The murdered has been punished

Exercises : Change the active to the passive

1.       Shakespeare wrote that play

2.       Rozy will invite Ann to the party

3.       Rudy is preparing that report

4.       The teacher is going to explain the lesson

5.       My baby gave me a flower