By : Andri Setiyawan Etik Sunarsih Fajar Hariyadi

Active and Passive Voice

Active sentence (active voice) is a sentence where the subject of his doing the work, by contrast, the passive voice (passive voice) is a sentence where the subject of his work are the object of the sentence. Active voice is more often used in everyday life compared with the passive voice. However, often we find the passive voice in newspapers, articles in magazines and scholarly writings. Passive voice is used as the object of the active voice is more important information than its subject.

Example:
Active: We fertilize the soil every 6 months

Passive: The soil is fertilized by us every 6 months

From this example we can see that: 1. Object of the active voice (the soil) became the subject of the passive voice 2. Subject of the active voice (we) became the object of the passive voice. Note also that there is a change of subject pronoun 'we' becomes the object pronoun 'us'. 3. Verb1 (fertilize) the active voice becomes verb3 (fertilized) in the passive voice. 4. He added that be 'is' in front verb3. Be used is dependent on the subject of passive voice and tenses used. (Note the passive voice patterns below). 5. He added the word 'by' behind verb3. However, if the object of the passive voice is considered not important or unknown, then the object is usually not mentioned and so is the word 'by'. 6. Especially for progressive sentences (present, past, past perfect, future, past future, and past perfect continuous future, need to add 'being' in front verb3). If not added "being", tensisnya will change, not progressive / continuous again. Consider the examples in point h - o below.

Based on the six points above the passive voice followed the pattern as follows:

Subject + be + Verb3 + by + Object + modifier

The pattern of active and passive voice in every tense

If the active voice in simple present tense, then 'be' it is the passive voice is, am or are. Example: Active : Passive : Active : Passive : He meets Them everyday. They are met by him everyday. She waters this plant every two days. This plant is watered by her every two days.

If the active voice in simple past tense, then 'be' passive voice-it is was or were the resource persons
Example: Active : He met yesterday Them Passive: They were the resource persons met by him yesterday Active : She watered this plant this morning Passive: This plant was watered by her this morning

 If the active voice in present perfect tense, then 'be' passive voice it is been placed after the auxiliary has or have, so it becomes 'has been' or 'have been' Example: Active : He has met Them Passive: They have been met by him Active : She has watered this plant for 5 minutes. Passive: This plant has been watered by her for 5 minutes. If the active voice in the past perfect tense, then 'be' passive voice it is been placed after the auxiliary had, so to be Had been Example:

Active : He had met them before I came. Passive: They had been met by him before I came. Active : She Had watered this plant for 5 minutes Pls I got here Passive: This Had plants been watered by her for 5 minutes Pls I got here

If the active voice in the simple future tense, then 'be' passive voice is to be Example: Active : He Will meet tomorrow Them. Passive: They Will be met by him tomorrow. Active : She Will this water plant this afternoon. Passive: This Will plant be watered by her this afternoon. If the active voice in the future perfect tense, then 'be' passive voice it is been placed after the auxiliary Will have, so it becomes 'Will have been' Example: Active : He Met Them Will have before I get there tomorrow. Passive: Will They have been met by him before I get there tomorrow. Active : She Will have watered this plant before I get here this afternoon. Passive: This Will plants have been watered by her before I get here this afternoon.

If the active voice in the future past perfect tense, then 'be' passive voice-it is been placed after the auxiliary would have, so it becomes 'would have been'. Example: Active : He would have met Them. Passive: They would have been met by him. Active : She would have watered this plant. Passive: This plant would have been watered by her. If the active voice in present continuous tense, then 'be' passive voice is (is, am or are) + being. Example: Active : He is meeting Them now. Passive: They are being met by him now. Active : She is watering this plant now. Passive: This plant is being watered by her now.

If the active voice in the past continuous tense, then 'be' passive voice is (was or were the resource persons) + being. Example:

Active : He was meeting Them. Passive: They were the resource persons being met by him. Active : She was watering this plant. Passive: This plant was being watered by her.
If the active voice in perfect continuous tense, then 'be' passive voice is (has / have) been + being. Example:

Active : He has been meeting Them. Passive: They have been being met by him. Active : She has been watering this plant. Passive: This plant has been watered by her being

If the active voice in the past perfect continuous tense, then 'be' passive voiceit is Had been + being.

Example:
Active: He Had been meeting Them. Passive: They Had been being met by him. Active: She Had been watering this plant. Passive: This plant being watered by Had been her. If the active voice in the future continuous tense, then 'be' passive voiceit was Will be + being.

Example:
Active : He Will be meeting Them. Passive: They Will be being met by him. Active : She Will be watering this plant. Passive: This plant will of some being watered by her.

If the active voice in the future past continuous tense, then 'be' it is the passive voice would be + being. Example: Active : He would be meeting Them. Passive: They would be being met by him. Active : She would be watering this plant. Passive: This plant would be being watered by her. If the active voice in the future perfect continuous tense, then 'be' passive voice is the will of his have been + being.

Example: Active : He will of Them have been meeting. Passive: Will They have been being met by him. Active : She Will have been watering this plant. Passive: This Will plant have been being watered by her.

If the active voice in the past future perfect continuous tense, then 'be' it is the passive voice would have been + being. Example: Active : He would be meeting Them. Passive: They would be being met by him. Active : She would be watering this plant. Passive: This plant would be being watered by her.