Conclusions
Both active and passive voice have their advantages and disadvantages, and the choice between one or the other depends on the context and the intended focus of the sentence. Understanding when and how to use them appropriately is key to effective and accurate communication.
4. The dog chases the cat. (El perro persigue al gato)
1. She reads a book. (Ella lee un libro)
5. We play soccer on Saturdays. (Nosotros jugamos fútbol los sábados)
3. He paints the house every summer. (Él pinta la casa cada verano)
2. They are watching a movie. (Ellos están viendo una película)
Technical or Scientific: Frequent in technical and scientific texts where the process or result is more relevant than the agent.
Formality: It is common in more formal contexts such as in academic or professional writing or in reports.
When the Agent is Unknown or Irrelevant: Useful when it is not known who performed the action or when it is not important to mention it.
Focus on the Action or Result: Used when the focus is on the action being performed or the result, not on who performs it.
In the active voice, the subject performs the action expressed by the verb.
The structure of the active voice follows the subject-verb-object order in sentences.
It is the most common form of expression and is used to emphasize who performs the action directly and clearly.
It is usually used in situations where you want to emphasize the subject performing the action.
Example: "She reads a book. (She reads a book)
Examples
5. Soccer is played by us on Saturdays. (El fútbol es jugado por nosotros los sábados)
4. The cat is chased by the dog. (El gato es perseguido por el perro)
3. The house is painted by him every summer. (La casa es pintada por él cada verano)
2. The movie was watched by them. (La película fue vista por ellos)
1. A book is read by her. (Un libro es leído por ella)
Uses
Clarity and Direct: It is clearer and more direct. It is used when the subject performing the action is important or relevant.
Everyday Conversations: Most common in everyday speech and informal writing.
Simplicity: It is usually simpler and easier to understand.
Characteristics
In the passive voice, the subject receives the action expressed by the verb.
The passive voice structure is formed using a form of the verb "to be" followed by the past participle of the main verb.
It is used to focus attention on the object of the action rather than who performs the action.
The subject of the active voice may not appear or may be placed at the end of the sentence in the passive voice.
Example: "The book was read by her." (The book was read by her.)
Comparison between Active Voice and Passive Voice in the Spanish Language
Comparación entre Voz Activa y Voz Pasiva en el idioma Español
Definition Active Voice
In the passive voice, the subject of the sentence is usually placed at the end of the sentence and the agent (the person or thing performing the action) may appear after the verb in the passive voice. The active voice is more direct and commonly used in everyday communication, while the passive voice is used to focus attention on the object or process rather than the subject performing the action.
Introduction
In English, the active voice and the passive voice are two ways of structuring a sentence according to the relationship between the subject and the verb.In the active voice, the subject performs the action expressed by the verb. For example:
Active Voice: "John [subject] writes [verb] a letter."
In the passive voice, the subject receives the action expressed by the verb. For example:
Passive Voice: "A letter [subject] is written [verb] by John."
Definition Passive Voice
In the active voice, the subject of the sentence performs the action expressed by the verb. This structure is the most common in spoken and written language, as it emphasizes who performs the action in a direct and clear way. For example, in the sentence "She sings a song", "She" is the subject who performs the action of singing.
