Lecture 4: Passive voice

4.1 What is Voice

There are two types

• Active voice
• The grammatical subject performs or controls the action;
• I eat apples
• Passive voice
• The grammatical subject receives or undergoes the action;
• Apples are eaten.
• Choose the passive when the affected participant or result is the focus, or when the agent is unknown or unimportant;

4.1.1 Formation of the passive voice

Form: $\text{be}+\text{past participle}$

• The past participle carries the lexical meaning of the passive action;
• be：
• 1. The form of be carries tense and aspect;
• The lexical past participle normally remains unchanged while the auxiliary phrase changes;
• 2. The finite form of be agrees with the subject where agreement is required;
• To name the agent: be + past participle + by + agent

Method: Three-step method for analyzing passive voice

• 1. Identify the passive lexical action;
• 2. Determine the required tense/aspect;
• 3. Make the finite auxiliary agree with the subject;

Examples: Unfortunately, these critics have now been forgotten.

• 1. Passive lexical action: forgotten;
• 2. Tense/aspect: present perfect, marked by have;
• 3. Plural subject: critics, so the auxiliary is have;
• Complete form: Unfortunately, these critics have now been forgotten.

Note: When an English passive construction is translated into Chinese, the natural translation may use either an active or a passive structure; an explicit passive marker is not always required;

• For example, Chinese may naturally express “The classroom has been cleaned” without an explicit passive marker;

4.1.2 Passive Voice and Tense Combination

Each of the eight common tenses has a corresponding passive voice

• Simple tenses
• Past:
• These critics were forgotten.
• Present:
• These critics are forgotten.
• Future:
• These critics will be forgotten.
• Future in the past:
• These critics would be forgotten.
• Progressive tense
• Past progressive passive:
• These critics were being forgotten.
• Present progressive passive:
• These critics are being forgotten.
• Perfect tense
• Past perfect passive:
• These critics had been forgotten.
• Present perfect passive:
• These critics have been forgotten.
• Summary: The auxiliary phrase carries tense and aspect
• In an active finite verb phrase, tense/aspect appears on the lexical verb or its auxiliaries;
• In a passive phrase, use the appropriate form of be followed by the past participle;

4.1.3 Combining Passive Voice and Modality

Composition

• Modal verb + be done = passive voice combined with modal;

Examples

• In the internet age, at least in theory, this fraction can be much reduced.
• Those first few days should be spent looking for work
• The first few days should be spent searching for work;

4.2 Why Learn the Passive Voice

Passive Voice Needs to Be Mastered

Why it matters: The passive lets English foreground an affected entity, process, or result and is therefore common in formal and impersonal writing.

Writing Question Type: Passive voice is often used in writing;

Translation Question Type: Passive voice is also frequently used during translation;

4.2.1 Postgraduate Exam Reading: Synonym Rewriting

Classic Question Formula: Rewrite the original content according to the same meaning;

• Word exchange;
• Change synonyms;
• Active-passive interchangeability;

Examples

• Question: According to Paragraph 2, the proposal might be regarded by some as __.
• In the corresponding part of the original text read: Some might see the proposal as a booby prize for the fact that.

• Option: can be taught to exchange things
• Original: teaching their monkeys to exchange tokens for food.

4.3 Past-Paper Practice

Question: "Benefits" have been weighed against "harmful' outcomes.

• Been done: passive voice;
• have been weighed: Passive voice in the present perfect tense;
• The weighing occurred earlier and remains relevant at the present reference point;
• Passive voice translation questions:
• 1. Identify the affected participant and the agent, if one is expressed;
• 2. In Chinese translation, use either an active or passive structure according to natural word order;
• 3. Do not force an explicit passive marker when the meaning is already clear;

Question: This theory was known as diffusionism.

Question:People in earlier eras were surrounded by reminders of misery.

• were surrounded: being surrounded... around;

Question:Paid and owned media are controlled by marketers promoting their own products.

• are controlled: currently under control;