استراتژی و تکنیکهای سوالات
4 – Writing Strategies
Active and Passive Voice
A sentence can be in either active or passive voice. Most sentences use active voice, but passive voice is used in certain situations
ACTIVE
In an active voice sentence, the subject performs the action expressed by the main verb
People visit zoos all the time
subject
verb
.The sentence above is in active voice
.The subject, people, performs the action, visit
PASSIVE
.In a passive voice sentence, the subject receives the action
.Zoo animals are studied by scientists
subject
verb
.The sentence above is in passive voice
The subject, zoo animals, does not perform the action, study. The zoo animals don’t study. Scientists study the animals
We use passive voice when the agent (the one that performs the action) is unknown or unimportant. We don’t have to mention the agent in a passive voice sentence, but we can. If we mention the agent, we use the preposition by, as in the example above
Passive voice is formed with the verb be and the past participle form of the main verb. Passive voice can be used in any verb tense. The verb be carries the tense and the negative
Simple Present
.The animals are fed every day at 5:00
.The animals aren’t fed in the morning
Present Continuous
.The animals are being fed right now
.The animals aren’t being fed extra food
Present Perfect
.The animals have already been fed
.The animals haven’t been fed yet
Simple Past
.The animals were fed an hour ago
.The animals weren’t fed this morning
Future
.The animals will be fed in an hour
.The animals are going to be fed in an hour
.The animals won’t be fed tonight
Modals
.The animals must be fed right away
.The animals shouldn’t be fed more than twice a day
: Practice
Read this paragraph from a student essay. Complete each blank with the passive form of the verb in parentheses. Be sure to use the correct verb tense
I believe that zoos aren’t cruel places. In most zoos, the animals N1……………(look) after carefully. Their cages N2……………(keep) clean. They N3……………(feed) healthful diets. When they are sick, they N4……………(treat) by veterinarians who specialize in zoo animals. In many cases, zoo animals live longer than their wild cousins because they are safer and healthier in zoos. It is true that in the past, zoo animals N5……………(treat) poorly very often. They N6……………(give, negative) the care they needed. Their needs N7……………(neglect). However, this is no longer the case. Now we understand a lot more about the kind of care that animals need, and every day we continue to learn even more. In the zoos of the future, the animals N8……………(give) even better care than they are now
:Answers
N1. Are looked
N2. Are kept
N3. Are fed
N4. Are treated
N5. Were treated
N6. Weren’t given
N7. Were neglected
N8. Will be given