0910AW SPECTACULAR 之【SU & SY SO】第十四期——Active and Passive Voice

草木也知愁UID: 2487572

0910AW SPECTACULAR 之【SU & SY SO】汇总贴 & DAY I 主谓一致
0910AW SPECTACULAR 之【SU & SY SO】第二期——情态动词
0910AW SPECTACULAR 之【SU & SY SO】第三期——冠词、数词
0910AW SPECTACULAR 之【SU & SY SO】第四期——虚拟语气
0910AW SPECTACULAR 之【SU & SY SO】第五期——倒装
0910AW SPECTACULAR 之【SU & SY SO】第六期——从句
0910AW SPECTACULAR 之【SU & SY SO】第七期——名词
0910AW SPECTACULAR 之【SU & SY SO】第八期——代词
0910AW SPECTACULAR 之【SU & SY SO】第九期——动词的时态
0910AW SPECTACULAR 之【SU & SY SO】第十期——连词
0910AW SPECTACULAR 之【SU & SY SO】第十一期——动词、动词语态
0910AW SPECTACULAR 之【SU & SY SO】第十二期——动词不定式、分词、动名词
0910AW SPECTACULAR 之【SU & SY SO】第十三期——独立主格、特殊词
0910AW SPECTACULAR 之【SU & SY SO】第十四期——Active and Passive Voice


【前言】

SU & SY SO系列的前13期已经奉送给了大家，现在进入中段25期
前13期主要是恢复大家的基础语法知识
选取的主要是经典的国内语法总结
现在中期的这十三期，主要带大家来欣赏一下国外经典语法素材——[OWL]\Grammar and Mechanics
这个是对我当初基础准备过程中 起到很大帮助的一个系列
在这里整理悉数送个大家
平均每天会贴出3-5期，都是很地道的讲解，希望大家能在练习至于，坚持每天看看，会对自己的写作大有裨益

重点预览：
Apostrophe
Capital Letters
Commas
Dangling Modifiers
Higher Order Concerns (HOCs) and Lower Order Concerns (LOCs)
Parallel Structure

Parts of Speech Overview

Punctuation

Sentence Clarity

Spelling

Two-Part (Phrasal) Verbs (idioms)

今天给大家看的是Active and Passive Voice——主动语态和被动语态
希望大家能针对自己平时写作中的问题以及不足，进行针对性弥补和提升~





Active and Passive Voice

This resource was written by Purdue OWL.
Last full revision by April Toadvine.
Last edited by Allen Brizee on March 5th 2009 at 2:24PM
Summary: This handout will explain the difference between active and passive voice in writing. It gives examples of both, and shows how to turn a passive sentence into an active one. Also, it explains how to decide when to choose passive voice instead of active.

Active and Passive Voice

Using Active Versus Passive Voice

In a sentence using active voice, the subject of the sentence performs the action expressed in the verb.
Each example above includes a sentence subject performing the action expressed by the verb.



Active Versus Passive Voice

Active voice is used for most non-scientific writing. Using active voice for the majority of your sentences makes your meaning clear for readers, and keeps the sentences from becoming too complicated or wordy. Even in scientific writing, too much use of passive voice can cloud the meaning of your sentences.
Sentences in active voice are also more concise than those in passive voice because fewer words are required to express action in active voice than in passive.



More about Passive Voice

In a sentence using passive voice, the subject is acted upon; he or she receives the action expressed by the verb. The agent performing the action may appear in a "by the..." phrase or may be omitted.
Reasons to Generally Avoid Passive Voice

Sometimes the use of passive voice can create awkward sentences, as in the last example above. Also, overuse of passive voice throughout an essay can cause your prose to seem flat and uninteresting.

In scientific writing, however, passive voice is more readily accepted since using it allows one to write without using personal pronouns or the names of particular researchers as the subjects of sentences (see the third example above).

This practice helps to create the appearance of an objective, fact-based discourse because writers can present research and conclusions without attributing them to particular agents. Instead, the writing appears to convey information that is not limited or biased by individual perspectives or personal interests.

Recognizing Passive Voice

You can recognize passive-voice expressions because the verb phrase will always include a form of be, such as am, is, was, were, are, or been. The presence of a be-verb, however, does not necessarily mean that the sentence is in passive voice. Another way to recognize passive-voice sentences is that they may include a "by the..." phrase after the verb; the agent performing the action, if named, is the object of the preposition in this phrase.

Helpful Hint

You can recognize passive voice because the verb phrase will include a form of be (was, am, are, been, is). Don't assume that just because there is a form of 'be' that the sentence is passive, however. Sometimes a prepositional phrase like "by the" in the sentences above indicates that the action is performed on the subject, and that the sentence is passive.

Choosing Passive VoiceChoosing Passive VoiceWhile active voice helps to create clear and direct sentences, sometimes writers find using an indirect expression is rhetorically effective in a given situation, so they choose passive voice.

Also, writers in the sciences conventionally use passive voice more often than writers in other discourses. Passive voice makes sense when the agent performing the action is obvious, unimportant, or unknown or when a writer wishes to postpone mentioning the agent until the last part of the sentence or to avoid mentioning the agent at all. The passive voice is effective in such circumstances because it highlights the action and what is acted upon rather than the agent performing the action.

Active	Passive
The dispatcher is notifying police that three prisoners have escaped.	Police are being notified that three prisoners have escaped.
Surgeons successfully performed a new experimental liver-transplant operation yesterday.	A new experimental liver-transplant operation was performed successfully yesterday.
"Authorities make rules to be broken," he said defiantly.	"Rules are made to be broken," he said defiantly.

In each of these examples, the passive voice makes sense because the agent is relatively unimportant compared to the action itself and what is acted upon.



Changing Passive to Active Voice

If you want to change a passive-voice sentence to active voice, find the agent in a "by the..." phrase, or consider carefully who or what is performing the action expressed in the verb. Make that agent the subject of the sentence, and change the verb accordingly. Sometimes you will need to infer the agent from the surrounding sentences which provide context.

If you want to change an active-voice sentence to passive voice, consider carefully who or what is performing the action expressed in the verb, and then make that agent the object of a "by the..." phrase. Make what is acted upon the subject of the sentence, and change the verb to a form of be + past participle. Including an explicit "by the..." phrase is optional.



Further Suggestions for Using Passive and Active Voices

1. Avoid starting a sentence in active voice and then shifting to passive.

Unnecessary shift in voice	Revised
Many customers in the restaurant found the coffee too bitter to drink, but it was still ordered frequently.	Many customers in the restaurant found the coffee too bitter to drink, but they still ordered it frequently.
He tried to act cool when he slipped in the puddle, but he was still laughed at by the other students.	He tried to act cool when he slipped in the puddle, but the other students still laughed at him.

2. Avoid dangling modifiers caused by the use of passive voice. A dangling modifier is a word or phrase that modifies a word not clearly stated in the sentence.

Dangling modifier with passive voice	Revised
To save time, the paper was written on a computer. (Who was saving time? The paper?)	To save time, Kristin wrote the paper on a computer.
Seeking to lay off workers without taking the blame, consultants were hired to break the bad news. Who was seeking to lay off workers? The consultants?)	Seeking to lay off workers without taking the blame, the CEO hired consultants to break the bad news.

3. Don't trust the grammar-checking programs in word-processing software. Many grammar checkers flag all passive constructions, but you may want to keep some that are flagged. Trust your judgment, or ask another human being for their opinion about which sentence sounds best.

Verbs- Voice and MoodActive and Passive voice:Verbs in the active voice show the subject acting. Verbs in the passive voice show something else acting on the subject. Most writers consider the active voice more forceful and tend to stay away from passives unless they really need them.

ACTIVE: Tim killed the chicken hawk.

PASSIVE: The chicken hawk was killed by Tim.

Indicative, Imperative, and Subjunctive Mood:Most verbs we use are in the indicative mood, which indicates a fact or opinion:

Examples:
·He was here.
·I am hungry.
·She will bring her books.

Some verbs are in the imperative mood, which expresses commands or requests. Though it is not stated, the understood subject of imperative sentences is you.

Examples:
·Be here at seven o'clock. (Understood: You be here at seven o'clock.)
·Cook me an omelette. (Understood: You cook me an omelette.)
·Bring your books with you. (Understood: You bring your books with you.)

When verbs show something contrary to fact, they are in the subjunctive mood.

When you express a wish or something that is not actually true, use the past tense or past perfect tense; when using the verb 'to be' in the subjunctive, always use were rather than was:



Examples:
·If he were here... (Implied: ...but he's not.)
·I wish I had something to eat. (Implied: ...but I don't.)
·It would be better if you had brought your books with you. (Implied: ...but you haven't brought them.)

INDICATIVE: I need some help.
IMPERATIVE:Help me!
SUBJUNCTIVE: If I were smart, I'd call for help.




注，以上是省略掉例子图片的精简版

本次讲解的word完整版放在这里供大家下载

家家☆yoonjaeUID: 2646910

SF！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！

占了座儿再讲话嘿嘿。。。好好啃啃。。。写I写A写到吐血的时候调剂一下很不错。。。囧。。

草草辛苦闹！

小灵易碎UID: 2733622

小灵的学习笔记

语法：Active and Passive Voice

In a sentence using active voice,the subject of the sentence performs the action expressed in the verb.主动语态就是句子中的主语是动作的发出者

Active voice is used for most non-scientific writing.Using active voice for the majority of your sentences makes your meaning clear for readers,and keeps the sentences from becoming too complicated or wordy.Even in scientific writing,too much use of passive voice can cloud the meaning of your sentences.主动语态多用在非科学写作上，的好处是清晰、少冗余

In a sentence using passive voice,the subject is acted upon;he or she receives the action expressed by the verb.The agent performing the action may appear in a"by the..."phrase or may be omitted.被动语态是句子中主语是动作承受者，句尾的by……可以省略

Choosing Passive Voice

Also,writers in the sciences conventionally use passive voice more often than writers in other discourses.Passive voice makes sense when the agent performing the action is obvious,unimportant,or unknown or when a writer wishes to postpone mentioning the agent until the last part of the sentence or to avoid mentioning the agent at all.The passive voice is effective in such circumstances because it highlights the action and what is acted upon rather than the agent performing the action.用主动，因为主动语态能把代词表示清楚，能高亮关键动作

1.Avoid starting a sentence in active voice and then shifting to passive.不要在一句中转换主被动。

Unnecessary shift in voice	Revised
Many customers in the restaurant found the coffee too bitter to drink, but it was still ordered frequently.	Many customers in the restaurant found the coffee too bitter to drink, but they still ordered it frequently.
He tried to act cool when he slipped in the puddle, but he was still laughed at by the other students.	He tried to act cool when he slipped in the puddle, but the other students still laughed at him.

2.Avoiddangling modifierscaused by the use of passive voice.A dangling modifier is a word or phrase that modifies a word not clearly stated in the sentence.

Dangling modifier with passive voice	Revised
To save time, the paper was written on a computer. (Who was saving time? The paper?)	To save time, Kristin wrote the paper on a computer.
Seeking to lay off workers without taking the blame, consultants were hired to break the bad news. Who was seeking to lay off workers? The consultants?)	Seeking to lay off workers without taking the blame, the CEO hired consultants to break the bad news

3.Don't trust the grammar-checking programs in word-processing software.Many grammar checkers flag all passive constructions,but you may want to keep some that are flagged.Trust your judgment,or ask another human being for their opinion about which sentence sounds best.相信自己的判断而不是语法软件

Indicative,Imperative,and Subjunctive Mood:

Most verbs we use are in the indicative mood,which indicates a fact or opinion指示性语态:
Examples:
He was here.
I am hungry.
She will bring her books.

Some verbs are in the imperative mood,which expresses commands or requests.Though it is not stated,the understood subject of imperative sentences is you.命令性语态
Examples:
Be here at seven o'clock.(Understood:You be here at seven o'clock.)
Cook me an omelette.(Understood:You cook me an omelette.)
Bring your books with you.(Understood:You bring your books with you.)

When verbs show something contrary to fact,they are in the subjunctive mood.虚拟语气
When you express a wish or something that is not actually true,use the past tense or past perfect tense;when using the verb'to be'in the subjunctive,always use were rather than was:
Examples:
If he were here...(Implied:...but he's not.)
I wish I had something to eat.(Implied:...but I don't.)
It would be better if you had brought your books with you.(Implied:...but you haven't brought them.)

rushtosummerUID: 2735551

Rushtosummer的学习笔记（14）active and passive voice
Reasons to Generally Avoid Passive Voice
Overuse of passive voice throughout an essay can cause your prose to seem flat and uninteresting. In scientific writing, however, passive voice is more readily accepted since using it allows one to write without using personal pronouns or the names of particular researchers as the subjects of sentences (see the third example above). This practice helps to create the appearance of an objective, fact-based discourse because writers can present research and conclusions without attributing them to particular agents. Instead, the writing appears to convey information that is not limited or biased by individual perspectives or personal interests.
Further Suggestions for Using Passive and Active Voices
1. Avoid starting a sentence in active voice and then shifting to passive.

Unnecessary shift in voice	Revised
Many customers in the restaurant found the coffee too bitter to drink, but it was still ordered frequently.	Many customers in the restaurant found the coffee too bitter to drink, but they still ordered it frequently.

2. Avoid dangling modifiers caused by the use of passive voice. A dangling modifier is a word or phrase that modifies a word not clearly stated in the sentence.

Dangling modifier with passive voice	Revised
To save time, the paper was written on a computer. (Who was saving time? The paper?)	To save time, Kristin wrote the paper on a computer.

3. Don't trust the grammar-checking programs in word-processing software. Many grammar checkers flag all passive constructions, but you may want to keep some that are flagged. Trust your judgment, or ask another human being for their opinion about which sentence sounds best.