FRIENDS PASSIVE VOICE Martín López Mérida AUTOR

Passive vs. Active Voice English sentences have three basic elements: a subject, a verb, and an object. For active voice sentences, the verb is the action element of the sentence, the subject is the "doer" of the action, and the object is the recipient of the action. Active sentences have their three elements in this order: subject, verb, object. This is not true for sentences constructed in the passive voice. The subject is not "doer" of the action; the object becomes the "doer" of the action.. For example: Active voice: Laura invited Nancy to a party this Saturday night at 8:00. Passive voice: Nancy was invited to a party this Saturday night at 8:00. The first sentence, above, about the party, is a good example of this. The active voice sentence focuses on Laura, the person who did the inviting. The passive voice sentence focuses on Nancy, a potential party attendee. The passive voice version actually sounds much better because we wish to focus on the book (which received the action of translation) not on the agent or person who performed the action.

As a general rule, however, the active voice is shorter, more direct, and more dynamic than the passive voice. Reasons to use the passive voice: The agent (or doer) of the action is unimportant The agent is unknown The agent is common knowledge, and it is redundant to mention it Examples: The agent is common knowledge: George Washington was elected in After serving two terms, he decided not to run again. A custom was established at that time to serve for no longer than two terms. It was not until President Roosevelt was elected to his third and fourth terms that this custom was changed.

The agent is unimportant: Mount Vernon was built not far from Washington, DC on the Potomac River. Historians do not know exactly when the house was constructed; however, we do know that it was owned by many generations of the Washington family before George lived there. Many sections were planned and added when the first president lived there. The agent is unknown: Most of our coins are minted in Philadelphia, but some are minted in Denver. Many minerals are used to make coins: copper, zinc, and silver. Pennies are made mostly of copper. Gold isn't used in coins any more, and dimes and quarters have no silver. Reasons to use the active voice: The active voice is much more direct. The active voice is less awkward and more clear. The active voice is shorter.

Examples: -An impressionist painting was painted by Claude Monet. -Abstract paintings were painted by Pablo Picasso. -Cave paintings were painted by prehistoric people. - The sunflower was painted by Vincent Van Gogh.