Passivization is the linguistic process of transforming a verb or sentence from an active structure into a passive one. This transformation shifts the focus from the performer of an action (the agent) to the recipient of the action. Essentially, the grammatical subject of the sentence becomes the entity that is acted upon, rather than the one performing the action.
Understanding the Passive Voice
In an active sentence, the subject performs the action. For example, in "The student wrote the essay," "the student" is the subject and performs the action of "writing." When a sentence undergoes passivization, the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence. The original subject (the agent) can either be omitted or included in a "by" phrase.
A key characteristic of sentences that have undergone passivization is that the original subject, or the performer of the action, can become difficult to identify, or it may not be mentioned at all.
How Passivization Works
Passivization primarily involves a few key changes to sentence structure:
- Subject-Object Swap: The object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence.
- Verb Transformation: The main verb is changed into its past participle form, and an appropriate form of the auxiliary verb "to be" is added.
- Agent Omission or "By" Phrase: The original subject (the agent) is either dropped entirely or introduced using the preposition "by."
It's important to note that only transitive verbs—verbs that take a direct object—typically allow passivization. For instance, verbs like "hit," "build," or "write" can be passivized because they involve an object receiving the action. Intransitive verbs (e.g., "sleep," "arrive") do not have a direct object and therefore cannot form a passive construction.
Examples of Passivization
Here's a comparison to illustrate the process:
| Active Voice | Passive Voice | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| The chef cooked the meal. | The meal was cooked by the chef. | "The meal" (object) becomes the subject. |
| The company will release a new product. | A new product will be released by the company. | Future tense passivization. |
| Someone hit the ball. | The ball was hit. | The agent ("someone") is omitted, making it hard to identify. |
| The researcher collected the data. | The data was collected. | Focus is on the data, not who collected it. |
When to Use Passivization
While active voice generally promotes clarity and conciseness, passivization serves specific purposes in communication:
- Focusing on the Action/Recipient: When the action itself, or the person/thing experiencing the action, is more important than the performer.
- Unknown or Unimportant Agent: When the identity of the person or thing performing the action is unknown, irrelevant, or obvious.
- Maintaining Objectivity: Common in scientific, academic, or journalistic writing to present facts objectively, as if no specific person is responsible.
- Avoiding Blame: To discuss negative events without explicitly identifying the agent, which can be useful in sensitive contexts.
- Varying Sentence Structure: To avoid repetitive sentence beginnings and add variety to writing.
When to Reconsider Passivization
Despite its uses, overuse of the passive voice can lead to less direct and sometimes wordier sentences. It can obscure who is responsible for an action, making writing less engaging. Therefore, it's often recommended to use the active voice unless there's a specific reason to choose the passive.
