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Definition of Passive Voice

The passive voice is a grammatical construction where the subject of the sentence receives the action of the verb rather than performing it. It shifts the focus from the doer (agent) of the action to the receiver of the action. For example:

Active Voice: The chef cooked the meal.
Passive Voice: The meal was cooked by the chef.

Grammatical Structure of Passive Voice

The passive voice is formed by combining the appropriate tense of the verb "to be" with the past participle of the main verb. Here is the grammar form:

Subject + be (in the correct tense) + past participle + (optional: by + agent)

Examples in different tenses:

Present Simple: The book is read by many students.
Past Simple: The letter was written by Sarah.
Future Simple: The project will be completed by tomorrow.
Present Continuous: The cake is being baked by the baker.
Past Continuous: The room was being cleaned when I arrived.
Present Perfect: The homework has been done by the students.
Past Perfect: The report had been finished before the meeting started.
Future Perfect: The house will have been built by next year.

Uses of Passive Voice

The passive voice is used in specific contexts, such as:

1.When the agent is unknown or irrelevant:

The window was broken. (We don't know who broke it.)

2.When the focus is on the action or the receiver of the action:

The Eiffel Tower was constructed in 1889. (Focus on the construction.)

3.In formal or academic writing

The experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis.

4.To emphasize the receiver of the action rather than the doer:

The award was given to the best performer.

Grammatical Forms of Passive Voice

Affirmative Statements:

The car is repaired every week.

Negative Statements:

The email was not sent on time.

Yes/No Questions:

Was the meeting postponed?

Wh- Questions:

When will the package be delivered?

Imperative Sentences:

Let the cake be decorated carefully.

Passive Voice with Modal Verbs

When using modal verbs (can, could, must, should, etc.), the passive voice is constructed as follows:

Modal verb + be + past participle

Examples:

The report must be submitted by Friday.
The problem can be solved easily.

Conclusion

Understanding and using the passive voice effectively allows speakers and writers to emphasize the most important elements of a sentence. While the passive voice is often avoided in informal writing, it is an essential tool in academic, formal, and professional contexts.

 

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