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When Do We Use the Passive Voice? - English Communicative

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प्रश्न

When do we use the passive voice?

Example: Look at the following sentences:

a) My grandfather established this steel factory in 1940.

b) This steel factory was established in 1940 by my grandfather.

We use the passive voice when we are more interested in the action than the
person who does it or when we do not know the active subject .
Read the following sentences and, using the given clues, find out the reason for
the use of the passive construction as in the Example above.

1. He was killed in the World War II.
Clue: Who must have killed him? Is it obvious?

______________________________
2. The Bank was looted last night.
Clue: Have the police caught the culprits?

_______________________________
3. Sachin Tendulkar is looked upon as a sport icon.
Clue: Bywhom?

_______________________________

4. This sort of road-side restaurants can be seen everywhere in this city.
Clue: How will you write it in active voice?

________________________________

5. When he arrived at the airport, he was arrested.
Clue: Rewrite the sentence in active voice. Is it a little awkward?

_________________________________

6. Employer: On account of tight financial condition, bonus will not be paid this
year.
Clue: If it is some good news, what voice will the employer use?

_________________________________

7. I got my hair cut.
Clue: Look at the construction using 1got1
_________________________________

We must remember that all active constructions cannot/ should not be transformed
into passive constructions mechanically, even if such transformation is possible.

Example: a) He is drinking water.
                b) Water is being drunk by him

Though sentence (b) is grammatically correct, we do not write or speak such a
sentence. It is unnatural.

Hence it is necessary to keep in mind that the passive voice has certain legitimate
uses as discussed in A.2

एका वाक्यात उत्तर

उत्तर

  1. The doer or subject of the action is not obvious or known.
  2. Active subject is not known. OR the action needs more emphasis.
  3. We are more interested in the action than who does it.
  4. One can see this sort of road-side restaurants anywhere in this city.
    The doer or subject is not important.
  5. The custom officers arrested him when he arrived at the airport. Yes. It is a little awkward.
  6. The subject or doer of the action is obvious.
  7. The object or agent is obvious.

We must remember that all active constructions cannot/should not be transformed into passive constructions mechanically, even if such transformation is possible.

Example: (a) He is drinking water.
(b) Water is being drunk by him

Though sentence (b) is grammatically correct, we do not write or speak such a sentence. It is unnatural. Hence it is necessary to keep in mind that the passive voice has certain legitimate uses as discussed in A.2.

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Active and Passive
  या प्रश्नात किंवा उत्तरात काही त्रुटी आहे का?
पाठ 12: Active And Passive (Integrated Grammar practice 7) - Exercise A [पृष्ठ २१९]

APPEARS IN

सीबीएसई English Communicative - Workbook Interact in English Class 10
पाठ 12 Active And Passive (Integrated Grammar practice 7)
Exercise A | Q 2 | पृष्ठ २१९

संबंधित प्रश्‍न

Complete the following sentences using the correct form or the verbs
given in brackets.

  1. It is a big college. More than a hundred teachers ________ (employ)
    there.
  2. __________ (somebody/ clean) the office yesterday?
  3. How much of our country's land area __________ (cover) by forest?
  4. The hostel gates ______ (lock} at 8.00 pm everyday.
  5. The parcel (send) a month ago and it ______ _(arrive) onlyyesterday.
  6. Where (these photographs/take}? In Mumbai? ____________ (you/ take} them, or somebody else?
    • Did you use the same type of construction in your answers?
       What are the two types of construction called?
  • ____________________________________
  • ____________________________________

Read the following excerpt from a news story and answer the questions
given below the excerpt.

74 killed in Myanmar quake.

MAESAI (THAILAND). At least 7 4 people were killed in a strong earthquake that struck Myanmar, state media said on Friday, while a series of aftershocks have caused panic but only limited damage in Thailand and Laos. The death toll from Thursday's 6.8 magnitude tremor was expected to rise slightly in Myanmar after 225 homes and nine government buildings were destroyed. Over 100 people were injured, according to state television.
The quake sparked panic, but no major damage in other countries across southeast Asia has been reported. An aftershock of an estimated magnitude of 5.5 rattled Thailand on Friday but caused limited damage, although residents living in properties close to the epicentre were advised to leave their homes.
                                                                              - Hindustan Times - March 26, 2011

1. Are all the verbs in the passage in passive voice? What do you infer from this?

____________________________

____________________________

2. Underline the passive constructions in the passage and comment on why the
passive is more appropriate than the active in these.

____________________________

____________________________

3. Rewrite the second paragraph, keeping all the verbs in active voice. Begin like
this ...... .
Authorities expect the death toll_____________

_____________________________

_____________________________

4. Does the re-written paragraph read well or is it a little awkward? Give reasons
for your answer.

_______________________________

_______________________________


Now read the following extracts from a passage about a diamond:

a. The Jacob Diamond is believed to have been mined in Africa and was
bought in London by Shimla-based trader called A.M. Jacob, after whom it is
named.

b. Weighing 184.75 carats, it was reckoned to be the world's seventh largest
diamond.

c. The Jacob Diamond was bought by the sixth Nizam of Hyderabad, Mah bub Ali
Khan.

d. It was considered to be such a lucky stone that when the Nizam was offered
Rs. 1 million by the Agha Khan, he spurned the offer.

e. The famous diamond was later purchased by the Indian Government for Rs. 40
crore.

1. Give the article a title (use not more than three words) _________________________

_____________________________

2. Underline all the verb forms in the extracts above. What is the most common
verb form in the passage called? _______________________________

3. Write the appropriate newspaper headline for extract c. above. Use the jumbled
words given in the box below:

bought - diamond - sixth - Jacob-Hyderabad - by - of - Nizam

______________________________________

4. Now write a headline for extract e. above.

_______________________________________

_______________________________________

5.  Compare your answers with your partner and then the rest of the class. Your
teacher will then discuss the possible answers.

6. Now read the extract again. You want to write a headline based on this extract. You also want to focus attention on the Nizam of Hyderabad, not the Agha Khan. Write a headline to summarise this extract in not more than five words.


 Now practise writing a few headlines based on the following cues.

a.  e.g. Police - received anonymous tip/ complaint - managed to catch culprits -
produced in court

CULPRITS CAUGHT AND PRODUCED IN COURT

Expansion : The culprits were caught and prosecuted by the police.

b. Young Sikkimese - succeeds - scales steepest face - Mt. Kanchenjunga

 

Expansion : __________________________________________

a : Government- passed legislation - ban smoking in state ofTamil Nadu - people
not received it well.

 

Expansion : ________________________________________

b ; The ruling party - excessive election spending - no proper accounts kept - no
convincing answer to opposition questioning.

 

Expansion : 

c ; SIEMENS, Germany has appointed new Managing Director - J. Shubert after
convening General Bnody meeting - last week

 

Expansion_________________________________________

d : Rice shortage - increase production, says Government

 

Expansion _________________________________________

e : Archaeological Survey of India - has excavated Buddhist Stu pa - in village in
Haryana

 

Expansion ___________________________________________

f : Cricket team - prepares - tour to England - July 2011- selectors announce
team

 

Expansion ___________________________________________


Read the set of instructions below and underline the main verb in each
sentence.

HOW TO MAGNETISE A SCREWDRIVER USING A COIL

1. Place a screwdriver inside a coil carrying a direct current.
2. It becomes magnetised.
3. Remove it from the coil.
4. Place the screwdriver in iron filings.
5. It attracts the filings.

When we write a description of this experiment, which tense do we use?

Complete the description of the experiment using the information in B 1, by writing the verbs in the correct form. One example has been done for you

A screwdriver (place) is placed inside a coil carrying a direct current. The
screwdriver (become)____________ magnetised. It (removed) _____________carefully and
(place)_______________- in iron filings. It (attract) _____________the fillings.


Think back to when you were a small child. For each year, from the ages of five to ten, write a sentence in the simple past passive.

When I was five, I was called Bug Bunny by my sister.
When I was six, I wasn't allowed to ..... .

_________________________

_________________________

_________________________

_________________________

_________________________

________________________

________________________

Show your writing to your partner. Do you share any experience?
(Correct each other's work, as necessary').


Look at the picture below. At present this room is in a terrible state. Suggest what should be done to make it fit for a student to live and work in. Use different modals in the Passive voice, as in the example.

The Walls should/ ought to/ must be painted.

__________________________

__________________________

_________________________

__________________________

__________________________

_________________________


An architect is speaking at a special meeting of the Town Council. She is presenting her proposals for improving one area of the town. Using the notes below, write down what she will say to the Town Council. You may start the report as given below.

"Firstly, the polluted slum settlements will be cleared and replaced with lowcost
housing ... "

Now                                                                                                  Future

slum settlement/ people                                                   build low cost housing

sleeping on streets                                                             

six cinemas/ no theatre                                                    turn one cinema into a theatre

open sewers                                                                      cover sewers

only one old primary                                                        setup/ establish two more

school (overcrowded)                                                      primary schools, and one

                                                                                          secondary school

 

no parks or open spaces                                                  create small parks between

                                                                                         low-cost housing blocks


Study the examples below:

Examples:

1. a) Mr. Akshay Pandey's car was damaged in an accident.

    b) A mechanic repaired the car.

Usually in such situations, type 'b' sentences are rather uncommon. Instead,
the same idea would be expressed as

Mr. Pandey got his car repaired.

This means that Mr. Pandey arranged for a mechanic to repair his car. He did
not repair it himself. It can also be written thus:

Mr.Pandey had his car repaired.

Use the words in brackets to complete the following sentences. Use the
structure: 'have/ get something done'.

1. My neighbours ____________________ (their garden/ relay) at the moment.
2. I lost my identity card. I'll have to ______________ another (another/ make)
3. __________________-{you/ milk/ deliver) to your house every day, or do your go out and buy it?
4. A: Can I see the photographs you took during our school day function?
B: I'm afraid_______________________(not/ the film/ develop) yet.
5. Your suit is a little tight. Why don't you------------(a new one/ make)?


Shahin, a newspaper reporter, visited the World Book Fair at Pragati Maidan. Suddenly he saw a stall in flames. He jotted down a few notes in his notepad. Using the cues and your own ideas, write a newspaper report in the space provided. Use Active or Passive, depending on what you wish to focus on.

-Pragati Maidan
-10 October
-10 am
-Rendezvous Publishers
-over 2000 books published
-smoke and sudden flames
-injured - women 11
               -men        6
               - children 14
-people in ICU - 4
-fire fighters -no water available

-controlled by noon
-reasons - not known

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________


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