ACTIVE AND PASSIVE VOICE

1.  Definition of voice

Voice, also known as diathesis, is a grammatical feature that describes the relationship between the verb and the subject (also known as the agent) in a sentence. More specifically, voice describes how the verb is expressed or written in relation to the agent. There are two main types of voice: active voice and passive voice. A third type of voice called “middle” voice also exists but is less commonly used.

2.  Definition and Characteristics Active and Passive Voice

Active voice

Is used to indicate the grammatical subject of the verb is performing the action or causing the happening denoted by the verb. With the active voice, you learn ‘who’ or ‘what’ is responsible for the action at the beginning of the sentence. In other words, the subject performs the action denoted by the verb. With help of active voice more powerful sentences can be build than passive voice.

Use of active voice:

·         Active voice is used in a clause whose subject expresses the agent of the main verb.

·         Subject can be easily identified by asking ‘who’ or ‘what’ to the verb.

·         Sentences are short and easily understandable.

Example :

We are going to watch a movie tonight.

Passive voice

In Passive voice the sentence focus on object i.e. who/what is receiving the action and not on who/what is performing the action. In passive voice, the actor of the of the verb (action) is either understood at the end of the sentence or maybe not told. The passive voice is used in writing facts, truth, lab or technical reports in which the actor is not important or unknown, but the action happening on the object is very important.

Use of passive voice:

·         It is used if it doesn‘t need to know or we don‘t know the actor performing the job.

·         In the end of the clause or sentence “by” is prefixed to know the actor performing the job.

·         It is used if we are more interested in the job than the actors who work.

Example :

A movie is going to be watched by us tonight.

3.        Active/passive voice using modals

Rules for Active to Passive conversion
Tense	Active voice	Passive voice
Simple Present Tense	Subject + infinitive + object E.g.  The grocer sells fresh vegetables.	S + to be + past participle + by object E.g.  Fresh vegetables are sold by the grocer.
Present Continuous Tense	Subject + to be (is, am, are) being + present participle + object E.g.  My boss is giving many assignments.	S + to be (is, am, are) + being + past participle + by object E.g.  Many assignments are being given by my boss.
Present Perfect Tense	Subject + has/have + past participle + object E.g.   I have taken him out.	S + have/has been + past participle + by object E.g.  He has been taken out by me.
Simple Past Tense	Subject + past participle + object E.g.  He built a large house.	S + was/were + past participle + by object E.g.  A large house was built by him.
Past Continuous Tense	S + was/were + being + past participle + object E.g  She was cooking dinner.	S + was/were + being + past participle +by object E.g.  Dinner was being cooked by her.
Past Perfect Tense	Subject + had + past participle + object E.g.  She had posted the letter.	S + had been + past participle + by object E.g.  The letter had been posted by her.
Simple Future Tense	Subject + will + infinitive + object E.g.  I will give you a present.	S + will + be + past participle + by object E.g.  A present will be given to you by me.
Future Perfect Tense	Subject + would + infinitive + object E.g.  The doctor shall have examined ten patients by 10 O’clock.	S + would + be + past participle + by object E.g.  Ten patients will have been examined by 10 O’clock by the doctor.

Rules for Pronouns in Active to Passive conversion

Active voice                Passive voice

I                                   me

You                             you

We                               as

They                            them

It                                 it

1. PRESENT TENSE

a. Simple Present Tense

Pattern :

(Verbal ) S + V1 + O
(Nominal) S + be (is/am/are) + O

b. Present Continuous Tense

Pattern :

(Verbal) S + be (is/am/are) + Ving + O         

(Nominal) S + be (is/am/are) + being + O   

c. Present Perfect Tense

Pattern :

(Verbal) S + has/have + V3 + O
(Nominal) S + has/have + been + O

d. Present Perfect Continuous Tense

Pattern :

(Verbal) S + has/have + been + Ving + O

(Nominal) S + has/have + been + being + O

2. PAST TENSE

a. Simple Past Tense

Pattern :

(Verbal) S + V2 + O

(Nominal) S + be (was/were) + O

b. Past Continuous Tense

Pattern :

(Verbal) S + be (was/were) + Ving + O

(Nominal) S + be (was/were) + being + O

c. Past Perfect Tense

Pattern :

(Verbal) S + had + V3 + O

(Nominal) S + had + been + O

d. Past Perfect Continuous Tense

Pattern :

(Verbal) S + had + been + Ving + O
(Nominal) S + had + been + being + O

3. FUTURE TENSE

a. Simple Future Tense

Pattern :

(Verbal) S + modal (will/shall) + V1 + O
(Nominal) S + modal (will/shall) + be + O

  

b. Future Continuous Tense

Pattern :

(Verbal) S + modal (will/shall) + be + Ving + O
(Nominal) S + modal (will/shall) + be + being + O

c. Future Perfect Tense

Pattern :
(Verbal) S + modal (will/shall) + have + V3 + O
(Nominal) S + modal (will/shall) + have + been + O

d. Future Perfect Continuous Tense

Pattern :
(Verbal) S + modal (will/shall) + have + been + Ving + O
(Nominal) S + modal (will/shall) + have + been + being + O

4. PAST FUTURE TENSE

a. Past Future Tense

Pattern :

(Verbal) S + would + V1 + O

(Nominal) S + would + be + O

b. Past Future Continuous Tense

Pattern :

(Verbal) S + would + be + Ving + O

(Nominal) S + would + be + being + O

c. Past Future Perfect Tense

Pattern :

(Verbal) S + would + have + V3 + O

(Nominal) S + would + have + been + O

d. Past Future Perfect Continuous Tense

Pattern :

(Verbal) S + would + have + been + Ving + O

(Nominal) S + would + have + been + being + O

Transintive and intransintive verb

Transitive verbs are action verbs that have an object to receive that action. In the first sentence above, the direct object ball received the action of the verb hit.

Here are some more examples of transitive verbs:

I baked some cookies.

I rode the bicycle.

I moved the chair.

I stitched a quilt.

All of the verbs in the above sentences are transitive because an object is receiving the action of the verb.

Soal toefl aktif dan pasif

1. ‘’The boys have been told the good news.” It means ______.
    A. The good news was told to the boys.
    B. Somebody has told the boys the good news.
    C. The good news has been told by the boys.
    D. The boys have told the good news.

Jawaban : B
Keyword : have been told
Pembahasan : Berdasarkan bentuk polanya, kalimat ini adalah bentuk pasif present perfect tense. Jadi kalimat aktifnya adalah Somebody has told the boys the good news.

2. The meeting was supposed to be held yesterday, but it has been ______ to next Thursday.
    A. taken off
    B. worn off
    C. put off
    D. called off

Jawaban : C
Keyword : supposed to be held yesterday
Pembahasan : Kalimat ini bermakna sesuatu yang ditunda. Pilihan jawaban dan maknanya adalah taken off (diambil), worn off (luntur), put off (ditunda), dan called off (dibatalkan). Jadi pilihan yang tepat adalah put off.

3. The proposal ______ discussed when I called the office this morning.
    A. was being
    B. been
    C. being
    D. have been

Jawaban : A
Keyword : when I called
Pembahasan : Tense pada anak kalimat berupa past, jadi tense pada induk kalimatnya juga harus berupa past yaitu was being.

4. _____ were first viewed through telescope by Galileo.
    A. Jupiter has four moons
    B. Jupiter’s four moons
    C. Jupiter surrounded by four moons
    D. Surrounded by four moons, Jupiter

Jawaban : B
Keyword : were first viewed
Pembahasan : Pada kalimat sudah ada kata kerja (verb) jadi kalimat ini hanya membutuhkan subjek. Selain itu kata kerja yang ada (were) adalah kata kerja untuk subjek jamak. Jadi pilihan yang tepat adalah Jupiter’s four moons.

5. In November of 1863, the city of Atlanta _____ during Sherman’s famous “March to the Sea”.
    A. Was completely burned
    B. Completely was burned
    C. It was burned completely
    D. Completely burned it

Jawaban : A
Keyword : the city of Atlanta
Pembahasan : Karena pada soal sudah ada subjek dan kalimat tersebut bermakna pasif, maka jawaban yang paling sesuai adalah was completely burned.