Here's how to understand it:
* Active Voice: The subject performs the action.
* Example: The dog chased the ball. (The dog is the subject, and it does the chasing)
* Passive Voice: The subject is acted upon.
* Example: The ball was chased by the dog. (The ball is the subject, but it's not doing the chasing; it's being chased)
Key Features of Passive Verbs:
* "Be" Verb: Passive verbs always use a form of the verb "to be" (is, am, are, was, were, been, being).
* Past Participle: The main verb in a passive sentence is in the past participle form (e.g., chased, eaten, written).
* "By" Phrase (Optional): You can often use a "by" phrase to indicate who or what performed the action.
Here's another example:
* Active: The artist painted the portrait.
* Passive: The portrait was painted by the artist.
Why Use Passive Voice?
* Emphasize the Action: Sometimes you want to focus on the action itself rather than the person or thing performing it. For example, "The building was destroyed by the fire" emphasizes the destruction rather than the fire itself.
* Unknown Actor: If the actor is unknown or unimportant, the passive voice can be used. For example, "The window was broken."
* Formal Writing: Passive voice is often used in formal writing, such as scientific reports or legal documents, to sound more objective.
Things to Keep in Mind:
* Overuse: Too much passive voice can make your writing sound dull and indirect.
* Clarity: In some cases, the active voice is more direct and easier to understand.
Let me know if you would like more examples or have any other questions!