The passive voice of 'A tailor stitches clothes' is Clothes are stitched by the tailor.
Understanding Passive Voice in English Grammar
The passive voice is a grammatical construction where the subject of a sentence receives the action of the verb rather than performing it. This contrasts with the active voice, where the subject performs the action. Understanding how to transform sentences from active to passive voice is a fundamental aspect of English grammar, offering flexibility in how information is presented.
In the active sentence, "A tailor stitches clothes":
- Subject: A tailor (the one performing the action)
- Verb: stitches (the action being performed)
- Object: clothes (the one receiving the action)
When converted to the passive voice, the object of the active sentence becomes the new subject, and the original subject (the doer of the action) is often moved to a "by" phrase or omitted if unknown or irrelevant.
How to Transform Active to Passive Voice
Transforming an active sentence into its passive equivalent typically involves these steps:
- Identify the object of the active sentence. This object will become the new subject in the passive voice.
- Use a form of the verb "to be" (e.g., is, are, was, were) that agrees with the new subject and the tense of the original verb.
- Use the past participle of the main verb.
- Place the original subject in a "by" phrase (e.g., "by the tailor") if you want to mention the doer of the action. This phrase is optional and often omitted when the doer is unknown or unimportant.
Let's apply these steps to the given sentence:
| Aspect | Active Voice: A tailor stitches clothes. | Passive Voice: Clothes are stitched by the tailor. |
|---|---|---|
| Original Subject | A tailor | Becomes the agent in a "by" phrase. |
| Original Verb | stitches (present simple) | Becomes "are stitched" (form of 'to be' + past participle) |
| Original Object | clothes | Becomes the new subject. |
When to Use Passive Voice
While the active voice is generally preferred for its directness and clarity, the passive voice serves important purposes, especially in specific contexts:
- When the doer of the action is unknown or unimportant: For example, "The window was broken" (who broke it might not be known or relevant).
- When you want to emphasize the action or the receiver of the action rather than the performer. In "Clothes are stitched by the tailor," the focus shifts to the clothes and the act of stitching them.
- In scientific or technical writing: To maintain objectivity and focus on processes or results, for instance, "Experiments were conducted to verify the hypothesis."
- To avoid assigning blame or for diplomatic language: "Mistakes were made."
Common Pitfalls and Best Practices
Using the passive voice effectively requires awareness of its potential drawbacks and benefits.
- Clarity: Overuse of the passive voice can make writing less direct and harder to understand. Active voice typically leads to more concise and vigorous sentences.
- Conciseness: Passive constructions often require more words than their active counterparts. For instance, "The ball was thrown by the boy" is less concise than "The boy threw the ball."
- Emphasis: Strategically using passive voice can shift emphasis to the object or the action itself, which can be useful in certain narrative or informational contexts.
For more information on active and passive voice, you can refer to resources like the Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) or Grammarly's guide on active versus passive voice.
