Learning English

Active and Passive Verbs

Active verbs form more efficient and more powerful sentences than passive verbs. This document will teach you why and how to prefer active verbs.  * The subject of an active sentence performs the action of the verb:  "I throw the ball." * The subject of a passive sentence is still the main character of the sentence, but something else performs the action: "The ball is thrown by me." | Troy Sterling and the Active & Passive Verbs |

Contents

1. How to Recognize Active and Passive Sentences

2. Basic Examples

3. Difference between Passive Voice and Past Tense

4. Imperatives: Active Commands

5. Sloppy Passive Construction

6. Linking Verbs: Neither Active nor Passive

7. Passive Voice is not Wrong

8. Tricky Examples

9. Links to Active & Passive Verb Resources

10. Works Cited

1. How to Recognize Active and Passive Sentences ^

1. Find the subject (the main character of the sentence).

2. Find the main verb (the action that the sentence identifies).

3. Examine the relationship between the subject and main verb.

* Does the subject perform the action of the main verb? (If so, the sentence is active.)

* Does the subject sit there while something else -- named or unnamed -- performs an action on it? (If so, the sentence is passive.)

* Can't tell? If the main verb is a linking verb ("is," "was," "are," "seems (to be)," "becomes" etc.), then the verb functions like an equals sign; there is no action involved -- it merely describes a state of being.

2. Basic Examples ^

I love you. 1. subject: "I" 2. action: "loving" 3. relationship: The subject ("I") is the one performing the action ("loving").The sentence is active. |

You are loved by me. 1. subject: "you" 2. action: "loving" 3. relationship: The subject ("You") sits passively while the action ("loving") is performed by somebody else ("me").This sentence is passive. |

3. Difference between Passive...