WHY TO USE A PASSIVE VOICE

WHY TO USE A PASSIVE VOICE

1.When we wish to focus the attention of the listener on a particular thing /person

  • These documents were

      signed by Mr. Sinha.

           (Focus on documents)

In this sentence we can notice someone was more interested to know which documents were signed rather than who signed the documents.

Now read the following sentence-

  • Mr Sinha signed these documents.

          ( Focus on the Person)

Here who signed the documents ,was more important for seomonw to know than what was signed. So the sentence had been framed in an Active Voice. 

2. In order to put the new information at the end of the sentence –

      ( to surprise / to grab  the attention of the listener/reader)

In normal cases , Passsive Voice is used to highlight the importance of the subject but in some cases just to give a surprise or jolt to the readers, we may use Passive Voice.

  1.  The new manager of our comapny has been elected none but my daughter, Shruti. 
  2. Most of the poems in your syllabus have been culled  from American Poetry.

3. In order to put the new information at the end of the sentence to turn the style of writing from boresome  to interesting on.

 

  • Most of the poems in your

      course have been taken from

      American Poetry.

  • Two poems have been taken especially from Robert Frost’s Poetry,

         one of the most famous poets of America.

4. When ‘who’ or ‘what’ causes the

 action is –

 

  • Unknown or unimportant
  1. My purse has been snatched.

    (Agent- Thief- unknown)

    2. This dam was built last year.

    (Agent- labourers- unimportant)

  • Obvious or ‘people in general known’
  1. The thief was arrested.

               ( Agent – Police)

   2. The form was registered online.

     (Agent- Staff- people in general)

  • Natural phenomenon
  1. All the trees were found fallen down on the roads.
  2. My coffee has been cold.
  3. She was drowned in the river.

4. In factual writing when sentences are very long:-

1.Lal Bahadur Shastri was born on

       2nd October in 1904.

2. The Taj mahal was built in

       between 1631 to 1648. 

Published by Buds of Wisdom

I am Meena Kumari, PGT(English)+ B.ed. Teaching is my passion. Love to guide students in Grammar Learning and build up their writing skills.

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