Lecture 7 Passive Voice

Introduction In grammar, the voice of a verb describes the relationship between the action (or state) and the participants (subject, object, etc.), a form of the verb which shows whether the subject of a sentence acts or is acted on.the active voice: The subject is the agent or doer of an actionthe passive voice: the subject is the recipient of the action.

He published his second novel in 1998.This book was published in 1998.

How to form a passive sentence - object subject in the passive sentence

- subject by + the agent in the passive sentence (or is left out)

Three steps: a. move the direct object to the subject b. move the subject to the end of the sentence;

add the preposition "by" before it c. change the verbShakespeare wrote the play.The play was written by Shakespeare.

Basic formation: be + past participle

tense passive voice

The police are investigating the murder.

The murder is being investigated. (passive)

A thief stole my bag.

My bag was stolen.

He who respects himself is respected by others.

Those who never respect other people will never be respected by others. P240,14A,B

Passive voice of phrasal verbs

The college dean will preside over the meeting. The meeting will be presided over by the

college dean. We put up with these interruptions. These interruptions were put up with.

They finally arrived at the station. They finally arrived at the conclusion.

We must pay special attention to this important issue. This important issue must be paid special attention

to. Special attention must be paid to this important

issue. ?Special attention to this important issue must be

paid. 14,C&D

Passive voice of non-finite verbs To do ---- to be done Doing ---- being done She expects to be praised. She enjoys being praised. she likes to be praised. She likes being praised. some verbs can only collocate with the infinitive, some

only with the –ing participle, and some either with the infinitive or with the –ing participle without change of meaning.

14,E&F

Nobody can answer this question.

Who wrote the story?

They haven't done anything to make the river clean.

Voice Constraints Not all the active sentences can be made passive. Thr

ee kinds of voice constraint: verb, object, meaning. 1. Verb constraints a. linking and intransitive verbs do not occur in som

e senses in passive. b. I have a lot of friends. He lacks sense of humor. Few people survived in the genocide.

(some stative verbs denoting have)

2. Object Constraints a. Transitive verbs with reflexive, reciprocal and posses

sive objects ＊ himself could be seen. ＊ Each other could be seen. ＊ My hand was shaken by the man. b. Transitive verbs followed by clausal objects. John thought that she was attractive. *That she was attractive was thought by John. c. When the object is an infinitive or –ing participle John hoped to meet her. *To meet her was hoped by John.

3. Meaning constraints The meaning may differ in active and passive: Every schoolboy knows one joke at least. (Every

schoolboy knows at least some joke or other) One joke at least is known by every schoolboy. (there

is one particular joke that is known to every schoolboy.)

Few students have read many books in this school. Many books have been read by few students in this school.

Every man loves his wife. His wife is loved by everyman.

Stylistic constraints

In scientific and technological English In news reports In government documents

Use of Passive Voice

1. When the doer of the action is unknown 2. when we are more interested in the event itself than

in the agent A mistake was made. Hundreds of passengers were killed in the crash ． Great works are performed not by strength but by pers

everance. Ambition in a man is praised; ambition in a woman is denounced (谴责 ) as unfeminine.

3. When the speaker/writer wants to emphasize the receiver of the action instead of the performer.

Mr. HU was elected President of China. This song was composed by a teacher.

4. To connect ideas in different clauses more clearly:

The old professor wheeled himself to the platform and the students warmly applauded him.

… and was warmly applauded by the students.p119

5. When making statements, announcements, and explanations:

Something should be done about the traffic jams in this town.

Students are asked not to smoke.

6. When the subject of the sentence is too long or complex.

The notion is especially opposed to by those who have invested much in the area.

It is generally considered impolite to ask one’s age, salary, marriage, etc.

7. when the speaker/writer wants to avoid responsibility for actions taken.

Cigarette ads were designed to appeal especially to children.

We designed the cigarette ads to appeal especially to children.

Exercises:

普遍认为，没有一所大学能够在学生毕业时教给他们所有知识。

It’s generally accepted /acknowledged that no university can educate its students by the time they graduate.

应鼓励大学生进行自主创业。 University students should be encouraged to start their

own careers. 正如许多专家所指出的，很多孩子对家庭作业没什么好

感。 As has been pointed by many experts, /as many exper

ts point out, quite a few children have unpleasant associations with homework.

Typical types of passive voice It is said, expected, reported, believed, point

ed out, acknowledged, thought, known, shown, estimated…

It is universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.

That a single man must be in want of a wife if he is in possession of a good fortune is universally acknowledged.

15,A&B

The Get-passive The word get is sometimes used instead of

be to form the passive. The children were punished. The children got punished.

Be-passive vs. get-pasive

A. Get indicates a change in status or condition. It refers to an event rather than a state.

They will get married tomorrow. (They changed from “single” to “married”)

B. "Get" passives often mean the action occurred suddenly or unexpectedly and lay emphasis on what happens to the subject rather than who actually causes the event.

He got killed in the accident. (Something caused him to die.)

C. The get-passive is fairly informal ,usually used in spoken English.

The corrupt officials got punished. Optimist: a man who gets treed by a lion, but

enjoys the scenery.

Active constructions expressing passive meanings

active in form but passive in meaning A. remnants of Old English The house is building ．

The book is printing ．The dinner is cooking

B. verbs denoting a sense perception The flower smells sweet. The dish tastes delicious.

C. when the subject is represented as having certain inherent qualities which promote ， hamper ， or prevent the realization of the idea expressed by the predicate verb.

Tomatoes bruise easily.My voice doesn‘t carry well ． Nylon dries quickly.The door won’t lock ．

Compare: The box doesn’t lock. The box wasn’t locked.

His novels don't sell ．His novels are not sold ．

D. want, deserve, need, require, stand etc.+doing

The point deserves mentioning.

The coat requires mending.

The children need looking after.

The book is worth reading.

Passive constructions or “linking verb＋ complement" constructions

-ed participles either as part of a passive construction or as adjectives functioning as complement of a linking verb

-ed as adjective I am(very) annoyed with him ．

I am (very) interested in chess. -ed as part of a passive construction I was annoyed by mosquitoes all night ．

I was interested in what you told me. Differences:1. whether can be transformed into active voice.

2. whether can be replaced by other linking-verbs.

3. action or state

Exercises:

I am pleased to see her again. He was fascinated with the sweet tune of the

melody. She was shocked by the news. The country was occupied by the aggressors. She is addicted to gambling. The car is equipped with air-conditioning. She was born in a small village. The girl was lost in the novel. 15,C&D