Voice in English

In English grammar, the concept of "voice" refers to the relationship between the subject and the action (or verb) in a sentence. There are two primary voices in English: active voice and passive voice.

1. Active Voice:

   • In active voice, the subject of the sentence performs the action expressed by the verb.
   • Example: "The dog (subject) chased (action) the cat." Here, the subject "the dog" is performing the action of chasing.

2. Passive Voice:

   • In passive voice, the subject of the sentence is acted upon by the verb. The focus is on the action rather than the doer.
   • Example: "The cat (subject) was chased (action) by the dog." In this sentence, the subject "the cat" is receiving the action of being chased by "the dog," which is emphasized in the sentence.

Key differences between active and passive voice:

• Active Voice: Direct and straightforward. The subject is the doer of the action.
• Passive Voice: Indirect and often used when the focus is on the action or when the doer is unknown, less important, or to emphasize the action itself.

Here are some examples to further illustrate the contrast:

• Active Voice: "She wrote the report." (Subject = She, Action = wrote)
• Passive Voice: "The report was written by her." (Subject = The report, Action = was written)

In general, active voice is typically preferred for clarity, directness, and emphasis on the subject performing the action. Passive voice can be used when the focus is shifted to the action itself or when the doer of the action is not the primary focus or is unknown. Understanding and appropriately using both voices is important for effective and varied communication in English.

Impersonal Passive Voice:

The impersonal passive voice is a specific form of passive voice used in English grammar where the focus is on the action rather than the doer (the subject). It's called "impersonal" because the sentence does not specify who is performing the action. This type of construction is particularly useful when the identity of the doer is unknown, irrelevant, or when the speaker wants to generalize the statement.

The impersonal passive voice is formed using the pronoun "it" as the subject, followed by the verb "to be" (in an appropriate tense), and then the past participle form of the main verb. Here's the basic structure:

$\text{It}+\text{be}+\text{past participle verb}$

Examples:

1. Present Simple Impersonal Passive:

   • "It is said that he will arrive tomorrow." (The action of saying is emphasized, but the speaker does not specify who said it.)
   • "It is believed that the world is round." (Focus on the belief rather than who believes it.)

2. Past Simple Impersonal Passive:

   • "It was reported that the team won the championship." (Emphasizing the report rather than the reporter.)
   • "It was rumored that they were dating." (Focus on the rumor without specifying who spread it.)