Passive Voice

UNIT 2

What are you going to learn?

1. When to Use Passive Voice

2. Structure of Passive Verbs

A. When the RECEIVER of an action is the EMPHASIS .

B. When it is NOT NECESSARY to mention the DOER of an action.

C. When the DOER of an action is NOT KNOWN.

1.A. When the RECEIVER of the action is the EMPHASIS.

Example:

Look! A mermaid is found by the fishermen!

What is the main message of the sentence?

As the emphasis is on the mermaid, we start the sentence with ‘A mermaid’ to attract readers’ attention to the receiver of the action.

Example:

This table is reserved for Hong Kong people.

As the emphasis is on the table, we start the sentence with ‘This table’ to attract readers’ attention to the receiver of the action.

1.B. When it is NOT NECESSARY to mention the DOER of the action.

Example:I was born in August.

Is it necessary to mention WHO gave birth to you?

(Who else would it be if not your mom??!!)

1.C. When the DOER is NOT KNOWN

Example:

Miss Leung’s diamond ring was stolen!!

Who stole the ring?

We do not know who stole the diamond ring.

So, the doer is not known. Instead of starting the sentence with ‘somebody’, i.e., ‘Somebody stole Miss Leung’s diamond ring’, we can omit the doer of the action and start the sentence with the receiver of the action, i.e., ‘Miss Leung’s diamond ring’.

2. Structure of Passive Verbs

Syntactic Structure

ACTIVE ---------------PASSIVE e.g. eats ------------- is eaten i.e. verb ------------- be + p.p.

THANKS!!!

YOU HAVE BEEN TAUGHT:

°WHEN TO USE PASSIVE VOICE