PASSIVE VOICE IN ACADEMIC WRITING

PASSIVE VOICE IN ACADEMIC WRITING

The passive voice is especially helpful (and even regarded as mandatory) in scientific or technical writing or lab reports, where the actor is not really important but the process or principle being described is of ultimate importance. Instead of writing:

"I poured 20 cc of acid into the beaker," we would write:

"20 cc of acid was poured into the beaker."

A) IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS:

Agent

The agent is the person, animal or thing that makes an action.

Object

The object is the person, animal or thing that receives an action from the subject. (It’s always part of the complement.)

Verb

A verb is an action made by a subject.

B) DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ACTIVE AND PASSIVE VOICE:

*ACTIVE VOICE:

1) USE: It is used to give more importance to the subject that makes the action.

2) FORMATION:

Examples:

Chen performed the experiment in 2006.

Agent: Chen Verb: performed Object: the experiment

ACTIVITY 1: Identify agent, verb and object in these sentences.

1. Southern analysis indicated a single site of insertion.

Agent: Verb: Object:

2. We normally produce a preliminary analysis.

Agent: Verb: Object:

3. Christopher Columbus discovered America in 1942.

Agent: Verb: Object:

4. John Pemberton invented Coca Cola.

Agent: Verb: Object:

5. Bill Gates founded Microsoft Corporation.

Agent: Verb: Object:

6. Alchemists promised incredible feast in return for payment.

Agent: Verb: Object:

7. Manufacturers choose plastic containers for many different reasons.

Agent: Verb: Object:

8.. Researches collected data on the behavior of children.

Agent: Verb: Object:

*PASSIVE VOICE:

- USE:

The passive voice is used when the agent is unimportant or unknown, and the sentence emphasizes the action, process, or result instead. The agent is frequently omitted from passive sentences, especially in factual writing found in scientific articles and in journalism:

* Scientific articles:

Supercomputers were developed in order to solve complex problems.

(The agent is unimportant. The sentence emphasizes the result.)

* News report:

Five people were killed by a tornado last night.

(The result is emphasized more than the agent)

* Headline:

Two houses were robbed.

(The agent is unknown. The result is important)

- FORMATION:

+ +

* If you want to add the agent in the sentence, you have to add the word BY + the agent at the end of the passive sentence.

Examples:

* Genetic information is encoded by DNA.

Subject: Genetic information Verb: is encoded agent: DNA

* The liquid is heated to a temperature of 60ºC.

Subject: Verb: Agent:

* The sodium hydroxide was dissolved in water by the chemist.

Subject: Verb: Agent:

- PASSIVE STRUCTURES:

A) Present simple:

+ +

* People speak English in many countries. (Active voice)

English is spoken (by people) in many countries. (Passive voice)

ACTIVITY 2: The following sentences are in active voice. Identify the agent, verb and object. Then change each into the passive voice.

1. Mr. Jones watches the film.

Agent: Verb: Object:

Passive sentence:

2. They don’t wear blue shoes.

Agent: Verb: Object:

Passive sentence:

3. She doesn’t do the housework on Wednesday and Sunday.

Agent: Verb: Object:

Passive sentence:

4. She pays a lot of money.

Agent: Verb: Object:

Passive sentence:

5. The policemen always help the children.

Agent: Verb: Object:

Passive sentence:

6. My mother waters the flowers every day.

Agent: Verb: Object:

Passive sentence:

B) Present progressive:

+ + +

* My grandpa is drinking a cup of tea. (Active voice)

A cup of tea is being drunk (by my grandpa) (Passive voice)

ACTIVITY 3: The following sentences are in active voice. Identify the agent, verb and object. Then change each into the passive voice.

1. My father isn’t washing the car.

Agent: Verb: Object:

Passive sentence:

2. Farmer Joe is milking the cows.

Agent: Verb: Object:

Passive sentence:

3. My parents are preparing the Christmas dinner now.

Agent: Verb: Object:

Passive sentence:

4. I am taking beautiful pictures.

Agent: Verb: Object:

Passive sentence:

5. They aren’t playing chess tonight.

Agent: Verb: Object:

Passive sentence:

C) SIMPLE PAST:

+ +

* She sang a song two days ago. (Active voice)

A song was sung (by her) two days ago. (Passive voice)

ACTIVITY 4: The following sentences are in active voice. Identify the agent, verb and object. Then

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