When constructing prayers, you can emphasize different elements of it. At active voice, for example, the English speaker highlights the presence of the agent of the action (hurt) as subject. Here, therefore, we have the direct and best known form of the structure of a clause, which contains the subject-agent plus the main verb, followed by the object-container|1|.
In English, the use of two voices is recognized: a passive and active. In this sense, grammars refer to the point of view used by the speaker, that is, who occupies the position of subject or object of the prayer, in relation to the agent and recipient of the action|1|.
See too: Regular verbs - verbs that have the same inflection rule
When we use the activevoice?
It is understood that the active voice and the direct structuring we know of the English language prayers. Usually, the prayer consists of subject + verb + object-complement. The subject is also responsible for carrying out the action. In this case, it is a subject-agent (
hurt), which does something for something or someone, that is, at the other end, there is the container (receiver) of this action or the grammatical object|1||2|.Note that the positions occupied syntactically by the elements do not just concern a grammatical issue, but of meaning and how the speaker of a language organizes the information so that it is conveyed to his interlocutor. Thus, use to active voice when the main focus is on who did what in prayer. Note the following example:
→ Subject + verb + object
Sarah studied math.
(Sarah studied math.)
Who is Sarah?
Sarah is the agent-subject of prayer because she performs an action.
What action is taken?
The action performed by Sarah is to study something.
What does she study?
Sarah studies math. Mathematics is the object that receives the action. There is, therefore, a direct object.
This decomposition helps to visualize the syntactic elements of the sentence and the role they play in the construction of meaning.
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Rules for the use of activevoice
For the English language student, it is necessary that he understand the structure of sentences in the language in order to have a more adequate performance. Keeping in mind that the active voice is the most recurrent structure, two main rules are explained:
First rule: At active voice, the subject will always be the agent of the action (hurt). The focus will always be on him.
Second rule:The student needs to master the verb tenses in English and its peculiarities, with regard, mainly, to affirmative, negative and interrogative sentences.
See some examples arising from different verb tenses:
→ In the present
They clean the house.
(They clean the house.)
Subject-agent: they
Action: clean
Container-object: the house
→ In the past
You invited the neighbors to the party.
(You invited the neighbors to the party.)
Subject-agent: you
Action: invited
Container-object: the neighbors
→ In the future
They will play a game.
(They will play a game.)
Subject-agent: they
Action: will play
Container object: a game
Thus, it can be observed that, regardless of the tense in the active voice, the subject is the agent of the action.
See more: Modal verbs – verbs used for expression, possibility, prohibition, permission, etc.
Difference between activevoice and passivevoice
Throughout the text, we highlight that, at active voice, the subject is the hurt (agent) of the action. On the other hand, the passive voice brings focus to the action recipient (receiver), that is, the grammatical object. By changing the focus, the recipient starts to occupy the syntactic position of subject, transforming itself into a subject-patient. You can use the passive voice when the agent is unknown or when the speaker decides to do so and make it unknown to the interlocutor.
Furthermore, it is possible for the agent to appear in the sentence, and so we would have the question of which information is more important to be highlighted|2|. Adds to this that the passive voice appears in more formal contexts of writing or speaking|3|.
THEpassive voiceis formed by the verb to be + main verb in past participle. It is customary to form the passive voice with transitive verbs, that is, those accompanied by an object.
Take a look at some examples:
→ In the present
active voice
They clean the house.
(They clean the house.)
passive voice
The house is cleaned.
(The house is clean.)
Subject-patient: the house
Action: is clean/has been cleaned
We do not have a clear identification of the subject-agent in the passive voice.
→ In the past
active voice
You invited the neighbors to the party.
(You invited the neighbors to the party.)
passive voice
The neighbors were invited to the party.
(Neighbors were invited to the party.)
Subject-patient: the neighbors
Action: were invited
→ In the future
active voice
They will play a game.
(They will play a game.)
passive voice
A game will be played.
(A game will be played.)
Subject-patient: a game
Action: will be played
To identify the agent in the passive voice, just put the preposition by (per):
Paul baked a cake.
(Paul baked a cake.)The cake was baked.
(A cake was baked.)A cake was baked by Paul.
(A cake was baked by Paul.)
In this way, everything depends on the information the speaker wants to convey to the speaker, and each voice focuses on an element of the prayer.
solved exercises
Question 1 - (EEAR 2018) All the sentences below are in the passive voice, EXCEPT:
a) The pilot's license was suspended.
b) The pilot was removed from the cockpit.
c) All the passengers were put at the hotels.
d) An airport employee noticed the drunk pilot.
Resolution
AlternativaD, because the phrase is in the active voice. remember that the passive voice is formed by the verb I'm fine + past participle.
Question 2 - (AFA 2018) Mark the option in which the sentence is an example of passive voice.
a) Sigmund Freud viewed human nature as inherently antisocial, biologically driven by the undisciplined id's pleasure principle.
b) People who haven't met their most basic needs will have difficulty maturing.
c) Humans have been captivated by stories of heroes facing off against superhuman foes.
d) We have needed heroes who rise to the occasion, overcome great odds and take down giants.
Resolution
AlternativaC, because it is the only one that contains the verb I'm fine + past participle (have been + captivated).
Grades
|1|DECAPUA, A.. grammar for Teachers: A Guide to American English for Native and Non-Native Speakers. Springer: New York, 2008.
|2|EASTWOOD, J. Oxford guide to English grammar. Oxford University Press: Oxford, 2002.
|3|CLANDFIELD, L.; BENNE, R. A. Global: Intermediate coursebook. Macmillan, 2015.
By Patricia Veronica Moreira
English teacher
