What are the two types of voices?
1 Answer
In the context of language and communication, the two main types of voices refer to **active voice** and **passive voice**. These terms describe how the subject and object of a sentence are related to the action. Let’s explore these two types in detail:
### 1. **Active Voice**
In **active voice**, the **subject** of the sentence performs the action. The subject is the one doing something to the object.
**Structure:**
**Subject + Verb + Object**
#### Examples:
- **The cat chased the mouse.**
- Here, **"the cat"** (subject) is performing the action (chasing), and **"the mouse"** (object) is receiving the action.
- **John ate the sandwich.**
- In this sentence, **"John"** (subject) is performing the action of eating, and **"the sandwich"** (object) is being eaten.
### 2. **Passive Voice**
In **passive voice**, the **object** of an action becomes the **subject** of the sentence. The focus shifts from who is performing the action to who is receiving it. The original subject is either omitted or introduced later in the sentence using a prepositional phrase.
**Structure:**
**Object (of active sentence) + form of "to be" + past participle of verb + (by + Subject)**
#### Examples:
- **The mouse was chased by the cat.**
- In this case, **"the mouse"** (which was the object in the active voice) becomes the subject, and **"the cat"** (the original subject) is now mentioned at the end, preceded by the word **"by"**.
- **The sandwich was eaten by John.**
- Here, **"the sandwich"** becomes the subject, and **"John"**, who was the original subject, is now part of the sentence, following **"by"**.
### Key Differences:
1. **Focus of the Sentence**:
- In **active voice**, the emphasis is on **who is doing the action** (the subject).
- In **passive voice**, the emphasis shifts to **who or what is receiving the action** (the object).
2. **Clarity and Directness**:
- Active voice is generally **more direct** and **clearer** because it explicitly shows who is doing what.
- Passive voice is often used when the **doer of the action is unknown** or not important, or when the speaker wants to emphasize the action or the recipient rather than the performer.
3. **Verb Form**:
- In the **active voice**, the verb is typically in its basic form.
- In the **passive voice**, the verb includes a form of **"to be"** (am, is, are, was, were, etc.) followed by the past participle of the main verb.
### When to Use Each Type:
- **Active voice** is often preferred in writing because it is **more straightforward** and easier to understand.
- **Passive voice** might be used in more formal or scientific writing, where the focus is on the action or result rather than on the subject performing the action. It's also useful when the agent (the person performing the action) is unknown, unimportant, or obvious from context.
#### Examples of when to use each voice:
- **Active**: "She wrote a letter." (Emphasizing who wrote the letter)
- **Passive**: "A letter was written." (Emphasizing the letter, not who wrote it)
Understanding the difference between active and passive voice helps in choosing the appropriate tone and structure for different types of writing.
### 1. **Active Voice**
In **active voice**, the **subject** of the sentence performs the action. The subject is the one doing something to the object.
**Structure:**
**Subject + Verb + Object**
#### Examples:
- **The cat chased the mouse.**
- Here, **"the cat"** (subject) is performing the action (chasing), and **"the mouse"** (object) is receiving the action.
- **John ate the sandwich.**
- In this sentence, **"John"** (subject) is performing the action of eating, and **"the sandwich"** (object) is being eaten.
### 2. **Passive Voice**
In **passive voice**, the **object** of an action becomes the **subject** of the sentence. The focus shifts from who is performing the action to who is receiving it. The original subject is either omitted or introduced later in the sentence using a prepositional phrase.
**Structure:**
**Object (of active sentence) + form of "to be" + past participle of verb + (by + Subject)**
#### Examples:
- **The mouse was chased by the cat.**
- In this case, **"the mouse"** (which was the object in the active voice) becomes the subject, and **"the cat"** (the original subject) is now mentioned at the end, preceded by the word **"by"**.
- **The sandwich was eaten by John.**
- Here, **"the sandwich"** becomes the subject, and **"John"**, who was the original subject, is now part of the sentence, following **"by"**.
### Key Differences:
1. **Focus of the Sentence**:
- In **active voice**, the emphasis is on **who is doing the action** (the subject).
- In **passive voice**, the emphasis shifts to **who or what is receiving the action** (the object).
2. **Clarity and Directness**:
- Active voice is generally **more direct** and **clearer** because it explicitly shows who is doing what.
- Passive voice is often used when the **doer of the action is unknown** or not important, or when the speaker wants to emphasize the action or the recipient rather than the performer.
3. **Verb Form**:
- In the **active voice**, the verb is typically in its basic form.
- In the **passive voice**, the verb includes a form of **"to be"** (am, is, are, was, were, etc.) followed by the past participle of the main verb.
### When to Use Each Type:
- **Active voice** is often preferred in writing because it is **more straightforward** and easier to understand.
- **Passive voice** might be used in more formal or scientific writing, where the focus is on the action or result rather than on the subject performing the action. It's also useful when the agent (the person performing the action) is unknown, unimportant, or obvious from context.
#### Examples of when to use each voice:
- **Active**: "She wrote a letter." (Emphasizing who wrote the letter)
- **Passive**: "A letter was written." (Emphasizing the letter, not who wrote it)
Understanding the difference between active and passive voice helps in choosing the appropriate tone and structure for different types of writing.