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Disha Publication English Supplement
Disha Publication English Supplement
ISBN : 978-9386146625
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ENGLISH SUPPLEMENT
ACTIVE & PASSIVE VOICE
Passive voice is used when the focus is on the action; not on who or what
is performing the action. In passive voice, the object of a verb appears to
perform an action so that the effect of that action appears to fall on the
subject. In active voice, the subject of a verb performs an action. The
effect of the action may or may not fall on an object, that is, the verb may
or may not have an object.
Examples : The maid opened the door. The girl laughs, in the first sentence,
'opened' is the verb or the action; the 'maid' is the subject or the 'doer' who
performs that action; and the 'door' is the object on whom the effect of that
action is directed. In the second sentence, 'laughs' is the verb or the
action; and the 'girl' is the subject or the doer of that action. There is no
object because the effect of the girl's laughing cannot be directed at another
object.
Example : His car was stolen. Here, the focus is on the fact that his car
was stolen. It is not known, however, who did it. Example: A mistake has
been made. In this case, the focus is on the fact that a mistake has been
made, but nobody is blamed.
When interchanging active sentences in passive voice, note the following:
the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive
sentence
the finite form of the verb is changed (to be + past participle)
the subject of the active sentence becomes the object of the passive
sentence (or is dropped)
RULES OF CHANGING ACTIVE VOICE
USES OF PASSIVE
1. When the agent (=the person who does the action) is unknown,
unimportant or obvious from the context.
Tom was shot. (Who shot Tom is not known)
This museum was built in 1774. (Unimportant agent)
She was arrested. (Obviously by the police)
2. To make more polite or formal statements
The room hasn't been cleaned. (more polite) You haven't cleaned the
room. (less polite)
3. When the action is more important than the agent
Around 12 people have been killed in the flood.
4. To put emphasis on the agent.
The new mall will be inaugurated by the mayor.
AGENT
Agent is the doer of the action that we are talking about, i.e. to refer
to the agent, we use the preposition by and the name (by Sam) , noun (by
the gardener) or pronoun (by her) at the end of the sentence. The agent is
referred to when there is some important information about it which
otherwise would be missing from the sentence.
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Example: Sam's car has been repaired by a famous mechanic.
However, the agent is not mentioned:
1. if we don't know who has done what we are talking about.
Shiela's locket was stolen yesterday. (We don't know who stole
it)
2. If we are not interested in who has done what we are talking
about or it is not important to mention it.
He has been operated upon. (What we are interested in is the
fact that he has been operated upon and not who has operated
upon him.)
3. If it is easy to understand who did something without it being
mentioned.
The dacoit has been arrested last week. (It is not necessary to
mention that he has been arrested by the police because it is
self-evident.)
4. If the subject of the active voice sentence is something like
somebody, people, they, you, etc. Someone stole my purse. ?
My purse was stolen.
EXERCI SES
Changes in Pronouns
The pronouns of the Direct Speech are changed where necessary, according
to their relations with the reporter and his hearer, rather than with the
original speaker.
The third person of She says, "She is in She says that she
the reported speech ninth class." is in ninth class.
doesn't change.
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Changes in Modals
MAY changes He said, "I may buy a He said that he might buy
into MIGHT house" a house.
Would She said, "she would She said that she would
apply for a visa" apply for a visa.
Should She said, "I should go She said that she should
to the pub." go to the pub.
Ought to She said to me, "you She said to me that I
ought to wait for her." ought to wait for her.
Order ordered
Request requested / entreated
Advice advised / urged
told, advised or forbade (No need of "not"
Never
after "forbade")
Direction directed
Suggestion suggested to
Warning warn
(If a person is addressed
called
directly)
Asked, enquired or
Reporting Verb said/ said to
demanded.
If sentence begins joining clause should be if or
with auxiliary verb whether.
Joining Clause If sentence begins no conjunction is used as
with "wh-" "question-word" itself act as
questions joining clause.
EXERCISES