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Active

Farmers grow grapes. (S. Present)

The noise annoyed Ali. (S. Past)

Ahmad has emailed the message.

(Present Perfect)

Passive

Grapes are grown. (Present Passive)

Ali was annoyed by the noise.

(Past Passive)

The message has been emailed by Ahmad.

(Present Perfect Passive)

Passive Voice VS. Active Verbby Buthaina Al Othman

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Passive Voice VS. Active Verb

There are five reasons for using the passive voice instead of the active tense.

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Reason 1:to emphasize the action not the person/doer who performs it

Example:

The computer was invented in the 1960s.

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Reason 2: formal writing, scientific and technical reports, and News stories

Example:1. Vertebrates are classified into four

groups. (Scientific writing)

2. The computer was invented in the 1960s. (Scientific writing)

3. H.H. the Amir was treated by the best British doctors, according to recent press reports. (News stories)

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Reason 3: when you don’t know who performed the action

Example: The dogs were let out! (Who let the dogs

out?)

All the cookies were eaten!

The bell was rung.

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Reason 4:when the person who performed the action is obvious

Example:

1. Wheat is cultivated in the East.2. Kuwaiti POWs were treated cruelly.3. Kuwait was invaded in 1990.

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Reason 5: when you don’t want to tell who performed the action

Example:1. A mistake was made.

2. He/She was provided with little information.

3. The students were given the wrong schedule.