15. Voice

Voice in English describes the relationship between the subject and the action of the verb. There are two primary voices:

1. Active Voice: The subject performs the action.
2. Passive Voice: The subject receives the action.

Understanding Active Voice

In active voice, the sentence follows the typical structure where:

• The subject performs the action.
• The verb is in a straightforward form.
• Any object follows the verb, receiving the action.

Example of Active Voice:

• The operative collected the information from Russian intelligence sources.
  • Here, the operative is the subject performing the action on the information, which is the direct object.

Transforming from Active Voice to Passive Voice

In passive voice, the action is emphasized rather than the subject performing it. Follow these steps to transform an active sentence into passive voice:

1. Move the Direct Object to the Subject Position:
   • In passive voice, the direct object of the active sentence becomes the grammatical subject.
2. Add an Auxiliary Verb:
   • Insert a form of BE (e.g., is, was, were) before the main verb. Match the tense of the auxiliary verb to the original main verb.
   • Caveat: Sometimes BE can be replaced by GET.
3. Change the Main Verb to its Past Participle:
   • Use the -ed or past participle form of the main verb (e.g., collected → is collected).
4. Add a “By” Phrase for the Original Subject (optional):
   • Place the original subject in a by-phrase in the predicate if you wish to keep it. This is called a long passive. Omitting it is called a short passive.

Example Transformation:

• Active: The operative collects the information.
• Long Passive: The information is collected by the operative.
• Short Passive: The information is collected.

Valency and Passive Voice

Only transitive verbs (verbs that require an object) can be in passive voice. To analyze valency, first convert the passive back to active form:

• Example:
  • The information is collected by the operative.
  • Active Form: The operative collects the information. This is monotransitive (one direct object required).

Diagram:

When diagramming passive voice, note both the grammatical function (position in the sentence) and the logical function (role in the action).

1. Grammatical Subject: The information serves as the grammatical subject but is logically the direct object.
2. Verb Phrase: Contains is (auxiliary) and collected (past participle).
3. By-Phrase: By the operative is an adverbial prepositional phrases showing the logical subject. The operative is the logical subject.

To confirm a clause is in passive voice:

• Check if the verb phrase includes BE/GET (auxiliary) + past participle (main verb).
• Determine if an active version exists, where the logical subject performs the action.

Passive Voice Patterns with Different Verbs

1. Monotransitive Passive:
   • The priceless Ming vase was dropped. (Active: Someone dropped the priceless Ming vase.)

1. Ditransitive Passive:
   • Ditransitive verbs allow for both the direct and indirect objects to become the subject.
   • Example with direct object as grammatical subject:
     • No other power had been given to the delegates.
     • (Active: Someone had given no other power to the delegates.)
   • Example with indirect object as grammatical subject:
     • The subjects were handed a copy of the test.
     • (Active: (someone) handed the subjects a copy of the test.)
2. Complex Transitive Passive:
   • Complex transitive verbs in passive voice can have an object complement or obligatory adverbial.
   • Example:
     • The third style of meditation has been called unfocused.
     • (Active: Someone has called the third style of meditation unfocused.)

1. Transitive Multi-Word Verbs in Passive:
   • Transitive multi-word verbs can also be in passive voice.
   • Example:
     • The errors should be pointed out immediately.
     • (Active: Someone should point out the errors immediately.)