ACTIVE and PASSIVE

Kalimat aktif (active voice) adalah kalimat dimana subject-nya melakukan pekerjaan, sebaliknya, kalimat pasif (passive voice) adalah kalimat dimana subject-nya dikenai pekerjaan oleh object kalimat. Active voice lebih sering digunakan dalam kehidupan sehari-hari dibandingkan dengan passive voice. Namun demikian, sering kita temukan passive voice di surat-surat kabar, artikel-artikel di majalah-majalah dan tulisan-tulisan ilmiah. Passive voice digunakan karena object dari active voice merupakan informasi yang lebih penting dibandingkan dengan subject-nya.

Contoh :

Active : We fertilize the soil every 6 months

Passive: The soil is fertilized by us every 6 months

Dari contoh ini dapat kita lihat bahwa:

Object dari active voice (the soil) menjadi subject dari passive voice

Subject dari active voice (we) menjadi object dari passive voice. Perhatikan pula bahwa terjadi perubahan dari subject pronoun ‘we’ menjadi object pronoun ‘us’.

Verb1 (fertilize) pada active voice menjadi verb3 (fertilized) pada passive voice.

Ditambahkannya be ‘is’ di depan verb3. Be yang digunakan adalah tergantung pada subject passive voice dan tenses yang digunakan. (Perhatikan pola-pola passive voice di bawah).

Ditambahkannya kata ‘by’ di belakang verb3. Namun, jika object dari passive voice dianggap tidak penting atau tidak diketahui, maka object biasanya tidak dikemukakan dan begitu pula kata ‘by’.

Khusus untuk kalimat-kalimat progressive (present, past, past perfect, future, past future, dan past future perfect continuous, perlu menambahkan ‘being’ di depan verb3). Kalau tidak ditambahkan “being”, tensisnya akan berubah, bukan progressive/continuous lagi. Perhatikan contoh-contoh pada poin h – o di bawah.

Berdasarkan keenam poin di atas maka passive voice mengikuti pola sebagai berikut:

Subject + be + Verb3 + by + Object + modifier

Pola active dan passive voice pada tiap tensis

1. Jika active voice dalam simple present tense, maka ‘be’ passive voice-nya adalah is, am atau are.

Contoh:

Active : He meets them everyday.

Passive : They are met by him everyday.

Active : She waters this plant every two days.

Passive : This plant is watered by her every two days.

2. Jika active voice dalam simple past tense, maka ‘be’ passive voice-nya adalah was atau were

Contoh:

Active : He met them yesterday

Passive : They were met by him yesterday

Active : She watered this plant this morning

Passive : This plant was watered by her this morning

3.  Jika active voice dalam present perfect tense, maka ‘be’ passive voice-nya adalah been yang diletakkan setelah auxiliary has atau have, sehingga menjadi ‘has been’ atau ‘have been’

Contoh:

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.

4.  Jika active voice dalam past perfect tense, maka ‘be’ passive voice-nya adalah been yang diletakkan setelah auxiliary had, sehingga menjadi had been

Contoh:

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 when I got here

Passive : This plant had been watered by her for 5 minutes when I got here

5.  Jika active voice dalam simple future tense, maka ‘be’ passive voice-nya adalah be

Contoh:

Active : He will meet them tomorrow.

Passive : They will be met by him tomorrow.

Active : She will water this plant this afternoon.

Passive : This plant will be watered by her this afternoon.

Active : The farmers are going to harvest the crops next week

Passive : The crops are going to be harvested by the farmers next week.

6. Jika active voice dalam future perfect tense, maka ‘be’ passive voice-nya adalah been yang diletakkan setelah auxiliary will have, sehingga menjadi ‘will have been’

Contoh:

Active : He will have met them before I get there tomorrow.

Passive : They will 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 plant will have been watered by her before I get here this afternoon.

7.  Jika active voice dalam past future perfect tense, maka ‘be’ passive voice-nya adalah been yang diletakkan setelah auxiliary would have, sehingga menjadi ‘would have been’.

Contoh:

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.

8.  Jika active voice dalam present continuous tense, maka ‘be’ passive voice-nya adalah (is, am atau are) + being.

Contoh:

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.

9.  Jika active voice dalam past continuous tense, maka ‘be’ passive voice-nya adalah (was atau were) + being.

Contoh:

Active : He was meeting them.

Passive : They were being met by him.

Active : She was watering this plant.

Passive : This plant was being watered by her.

10.  Jika active voice dalam perfect continuous tense, maka ‘be’ passive voice-nya adalah (has/have) been + being.

Contoh:

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 being watered by her.

11.  Jika active voice dalam past perfect continuous tense, maka ‘be’ passive voice-nya adalah had been + being.

Contoh:

Active : He had been meeting them.

Passive : They had been being met by him.

Active : She had been watering this plant.

Passive : This plant had been being watered by her.

12.  Jika active voice dalam future continuous tense, maka ‘be’ passive voice-nya adalah will be + being.

Contoh:

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 be being watered by her.

13.  Jika active voice dalam past future continuous tense, maka ‘be’ passive voice-nya adalah would be + being.

Contoh:

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.

14.  Jika active voice dalam future perfect continuous tense, maka ‘be’ passive voice-nya adalah will have been + being.

Contoh:

Active : He will have been meeting them.

Passive : They will have been being met by him.

Active : She will have been watering this plant.

Passive : This plant will have been being watered by her.

15.  Jika active voice dalam past future perfect continuous tense, maka ‘be’ passive voice-nya adalah would have been + being.

Contoh:

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.

PASSIVE VERB FORMS

Change the verb to the active voice and rewrite the sentence. Be sure to keep the same tense. In some cases, it will be necessary to supply a subject (see the second example).

1.       The books were taken by John.

John took the books.

2.       The boxes were mailed today.

He mailed the boxes today.

3.       The two packages were opened by my secretary.

My secretary opened the two packages.

4.       Our homework is corrected by our teacher.

Our teacher corrects our homework.

5.       Two buildings have been constructed by that company.

That company had constructed two buildings.

6.       That room wasn’t cleaned carefully yesterday.

He didn’t clean that room carefully yesterday.

7.       The truck is being loaded by the men now.

The men are loading the truck now.

8.       Was that machine checked by the inspector?

Did the inspector check that machine?

9.       Will that report be written by the same committee?

Will the same committee write that report?

10.   Has the news been announced by the president yet?

Has the president announced the news yet?

11.   The mail is delivered to this office twice a day.

This office receives the mail twice a day.

12.   All of us were surprised by his frank attitude.

His frank attitude surprised all of us.

13.   Was the repair work done by the mechanic?

Did the mechanic do the repair work?

14.   He wasn’t very much respected by the employees.

The employees didn’t respect him very much.

15.   Are many courses in English given during the summer?

Are they giving many courses in English during the summer?

USING PASSIVE VERBS

Change the verb to the passive voice and rewrite the sentence. Be sure to keep the same tense.

1.       He signed the letter.

The letter was signed by him.

2.       The secretary opens the mail every morning.

The mails is opened by the secretary every morning.

3.       The committee is considering that proposal right now.

That proposal is being considered by the committee right now.

4.       The army will complete that project next year.

That project will be completed by the army next year.

5.       His boss has transferred him to another department.

He has been transferred to another department by his boss.

6.       Will the company distribute the announcements?

Will the announcements be distributed by the company?

7.        An artist wrote that interesting article about Paris.

That interesting article about Paris was written by an artist.

8.       Today a large number of people speak English.

English is spoken by a large number of people today.

9.       Didn’t they return those books to the library?

Were those books not return by them to the library?

10.   The government has not changed that regulation yet.

That regulation has not been changed by the government yet.

11.   Someone stole all her valuable jewelry last night.

All her valuable jewelry were stolen by someone last night.

12.   Miss Peters wrote all of the reports for Mr. Johnson.

All of the reports were written my Miss Peters for Mr. Johnson.

13.   Bad weather has delayed Flight 202 from Miami.

Flight 202 from Miami has been delayed due to bad weather.

14.   Did the court divide the money among the children?

Were the money divided by the court among the children?

15.   Many scholars have translated that famous Greek epic.

That famous Greek epic has been translated by many scholars.

ACTIVE vs PASSIVE

Use the correct voice (active or passive) and the correct tense of verb in each sentence.

1.       Everyone (shock) by the terrible news yesterday.

 Active  : The terrible news was shocked everyone yesterday.

2.       Almost everyone (enjoy) the lecture last night.

Passive : The lecture was enjoyed by almost everyone last night.

3.       English (teach) in the schools of almost every nation.

Active   : English taught in the schools of almost every nation.

4.       That proposal (consider) by the members right now.

Passive : That proposal is considering by the members right now.

5.       The accident (happen) right here at 6:30 last night.

Active   : The accident happened right here at 6:30 last night.

6.       Smith (teach) at the University of Washington since 1948.

Active   : Smith has taught at the University of Washington since 1948.

7.       Mr. Harris (divide) the class into two sections tomorrow.

Passive : The class will be divided into two sections by Mr. Harris tomorrow.

8.       Wilson (borrow) the money from Brown two weeks ago.

Active   : Wilson borrowed the money from Brown two weeks ago.

9.       Not much (say) about the matter since that time.

Active   : Not much said about the matter since that time.

10.   My friend (write) to me about it several times now.

Active   : My friend is writing to me about it several times now.

11.   Davis (promote) to the rank of sergeant last week.

Active   : Davis was promoted to the rank of sergeant last week.

12.   That event (occur) shortly after the meeting last week.

Active   : That event occurred shortly after the meeting last week.

13.   All the students (bring) guests to the party tomorrow night.

Passive : Guests will be brought by all the students to the party tomorrow night.

14.   Less than half of the cans of paint (use) up to now.

Passive : The cans of paint is being used less than half up to now.

15.   More classes in English (list) in the catalog next fall.

Passive : The catalog will be listed more classes in English next fall.

16.   Everything (go) well so far. There (be) no trouble yet.

Active   : Everything is going well so far. There is no trouble yet.

17.   That movie about Napoleon’s life (disappoint) me greatly.

Active   : That movie about Napoleon’s life disappointed me greatly.

18.   The mail (deliver, always) to this office before 10 a.m.

Active   : The mail is always deliver to this office before 10 a.m.

19.   Who (furnish) the food for the picnic next weekend?

Active   : Who will furnish the food for the picnic next weekend?

20.   At this time, much attention (devote) to that problem.

Active   : At this time, much attention is devoting to that problem.

21.   Think carefully. I’m sure you (remember) his name.

Active   : Think carefully. I’m sure you remember his name.

22.   We (treat) very kindly by our hosts last Saturday.

Active   : Our hosts were treated us very kindly last Saturday.

23.   Mr. Wilson (make) something interesting statements yesterday.

Passive : Something interesting statements were made by Mr. Wilson yesterday.

24.   A new textbook (publish) by that company next year.

Active   : That company will publish a new textbook next year.

25.   The noise from the trains (annoy) me terribly last night.

Active   : The noise from the trains annoyed me terribly last night.

26.   That old red house (build) in the year 1822.

Active   : That old red house was built in the year 1822.

27.   The report (examine, not) by a committee of experts yet.

Active   : A committee of expert has not examine the report yet.

28.   Cocktails (serve) to the guests about 10 minutes from now.

Passive : Cocktails will be served to the guests about 10 minutes from now.

29.   His sharp remarks (embarrass) everyone last night.

Active   : His sharp remarks embarrassed everyone last night.

30.    Fred (introduce) to the fellow by Mr. Brown yesterday.

Active   : Mr. Brown introduced Fred to the fellow yesterday.

31.   Listen to this! I think this news (surprise) you!

Active   : Listen to this! I think this news will surprise you!

32.   The Ajax Shoe Company (employ) 25 new men next month.

Active   : The Ajax Shoe Company will employ 25 new men next month.

33.   Only 25 new students (admit) into the department in 1955.

Active   : Only 25 new students were admitted into the department in 1955.

34.   A second coat of paint (spread) over that surface tomorrow.

Active   : A second coat of paint will spread over that surface tomorrow.