form of the verb changes when we express a sentence in the passive voice. In other words, the passive form is used when the action is the focus, not the subject.(e.g.) The bridge is broken. (It is not known who broke the bridge, or it is not important to know who broke the bridge.) The verb is changed to a 'be' verb+past participle. The subject of the active sentence follows 'by' or is omitted.
Active Passive Th e Chief Minister wrote a letter to Th e Prime Minister for immediate release of funds. A letter was written to the Prime Minister by the Chief Minister for immediate release of funds. Th e Corporation built a new bridge. A new bridge was built by the Corporation.
In the following report, note the use of active and passive forms. Daylight Robbery Another incident of daylight robbery came to light when six robbers ransacked a house in broad daylight. The robbers acted as credit card dealers and gained entry into the house easily. The family of five was overpowered and the inmates couldn’t raise an alarm.
The robbers fled Some careers in disaster management are Emergency Management Director Emergency Management Specialist Floodplain Management Specialist Technological Hazards Program Specialist Fire Inspector and Investigator Career Corner The Gordian Knot is a legend of Phrygian Gordium associated with Alexander the Great. It is often used as a metaphor for an intractable problem (disentangling an “impossible” knot ) solved easily by “thinking outside the box” (“cutting the Gordian knot ”). Unit- - - Critical - - away with jewellery worth lakhs and sixteen thousand rupees in cash. The Police was contacted and finger prints were collected.
A passive construction is used. When the doer is obvious. e.g. The family of five was overpowered.
When the action is more important than the doer. (e.g.) Fingerprints were collected. Th e use of the passive a. Rewrite the following sentences in the passive form.
i) The Shompen sacrificed animals. ii) They shot arrows at helicopters. iii) The Shompen boy was picking