The active voice of the sentence "teachers are respected by their pupils" is "Their pupils respect teachers."
Understanding Active and Passive Voice
Understanding the distinction between active and passive voice is fundamental for clear and impactful writing. The voice of a verb indicates whether the subject of the sentence performs or receives the action.
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Active Voice: In active voice, the subject directly performs the action. This structure is typically Subject + Verb + Object. Active sentences are generally more direct, concise, and engaging.
- Example: The artist painted a beautiful portrait. (The artist is the subject performing the action).
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Passive Voice: In passive voice, the subject receives the action. This structure usually involves a form of "to be" (e.g., is, am, are, was, were) followed by the main verb's past participle, often with the performer of the action introduced by "by."
- Example: A beautiful portrait was painted by the artist. (The portrait is the subject, receiving the action of being painted).
For a deeper dive into these concepts, explore resources like the Purdue OWL guide on Active and Passive Voice.
Converting Passive to Active Voice
Converting a sentence from passive to active voice involves identifying the true performer of the action (the agent) and making it the new subject. Here’s a step-by-step approach:
- Identify the Passive Subject: This is the entity receiving the action in the passive sentence.
- Locate the Passive Verb: This will be a form of "to be" plus a past participle (e.g., is respected, was built).
- Find the Agent (Doer of the Action): This is usually found in a "by [agent]" phrase. If it's missing, the agent is unknown or intentionally omitted.
- Make the Agent the New Subject: Move the identified agent to the beginning of your new sentence.
- Formulate the Active Verb: Change the passive verb phrase into its active form. Ensure the tense matches the original sentence and the verb agrees with the new subject.
- Make the Original Passive Subject the New Object: Place what was originally the passive subject after the new active verb.
Applying the Conversion: "Teachers Are Respected by Their Pupils"
Let's apply these steps to the original sentence: "Teachers are respected by their pupils."
- Original Passive Sentence: Teachers are respected by their pupils.
- Passive Subject (Receiver of respect): Teachers
- Passive Verb: are respected (present simple passive)
- Agent (Performer of respect): their pupils
Following the conversion steps:
- New Subject: Their pupils (the agent)
- Active Verb: The original tense is present simple. The active verb for "respect" with "their pupils" as the subject is simply respect.
- New Object: teachers (the original passive subject)
Combining these elements, the active voice sentence is: "Their pupils respect teachers."
This transformation makes the sentence more direct, clearly stating who is performing the action of respecting.
Conversion Summary Table
| Feature | Passive Voice | Active Voice |
|---|---|---|
| Sentence | Teachers are respected by their pupils. | Their pupils respect teachers. |
| Subject | Teachers (receives action) | Their pupils (performs action) |
| Verb Form | Are respected (be + past participle) | Respect (simple present) |
| Emphasis | On the teachers (receiver of respect) | On the pupils (performer of respect) |
| Communication | Often less direct; can sound formal | Direct, concise, and typically stronger |
Benefits of Using Active Voice
Opting for active voice in your writing provides several key advantages:
- Enhanced Clarity: Active sentences leave no doubt about who is performing the action, making your message easily understandable.
- Increased Conciseness: Active constructions frequently use fewer words, leading to more efficient and impactful communication.
- Greater Engagement: Active voice generally makes writing more dynamic and engaging for readers by focusing on the actors.
- Stronger Tone: It often conveys a more authoritative and confident tone, which is preferred in many professional and academic contexts.
Further Examples of Passive to Active Conversion
Here are a few more examples to illustrate the conversion process:
- Passive: The novel was written by a famous author.
- Active: A famous author wrote the novel.
- Passive: Our house is cleaned by a professional service.
- Active: A professional service cleans our house.
- Passive: The decision will be made by the committee.
- Active: The committee will make the decision.
- Passive: Many discoveries have been made by scientists.
- Active: Scientists have made many discoveries.
By consciously choosing active voice, you can significantly improve the strength and clarity of your writing.
