[Grammar] When we use PASSIVE VOICE
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Barb_D
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Please take a look at the links below showing related threads. It's a broad topic. Another source is google this sequence: owl purdue passive -- it will bring you to the online writing lab (the OWL) at Purdue University.
Please ask specific questions, because this is very broad.
TheParser
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NOT A TEACHER
(1) One reason is to be less confrontational (angry):
(a) You go to a party; you put your cellphone on a table; you go get some
refreshments; you return to the table; and the cellphone is not there.
Which sentence do you think is "softer":
Hey, dudes, one of you has stolen my cellphone!!! Which one of you took it?
Hey, dudes, my cellphone has been stolen!!! I need your help.
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Kalyan Brata Das
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We use passive voice on a sentence when we thing that the object (the thing we speak about) must be stressed than the subject (who speaks)
e.g. John bought a laptop yesterday.(active voice)
here we are emphasizing John and not his laptop or at least we are not giving much value to it.
however, if we need to stress his laptop we would say,
An excellent laptop was bought by John yesterday.
here we are giving value to his laptop not the person who bought it.
So, the thing which we think must be given importance can be told in a passive voice. The subject or the speaker remains less important here.
The bridge was damaged last night. (no matter who damaged it). The important factor is that the bridge was destroyed and it must be given full attention.
Kalyan
e.g. John bought a laptop yesterday.(active voice)
here we are emphasizing John and not his laptop or at least we are not giving much value to it.
however, if we need to stress his laptop we would say,
An excellent laptop was bought by John yesterday.
here we are giving value to his laptop not the person who bought it.
So, the thing which we think must be given importance can be told in a passive voice. The subject or the speaker remains less important here.
The bridge was damaged last night. (no matter who damaged it). The important factor is that the bridge was destroyed and it must be given full attention.
Kalyan
Barb_D
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Please be careful in the terms you use to explain the passive. In the passive, the grammatical subject of the sentence is not the same as the "doer of the action." You have used the term "subject" to refer to the latter. Many learners will see the word "subject" and think it refers to the former.
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