The passive voice of "The doctor treated the patient" is The patient was treated by the doctor.
Understanding how to transform sentences from active to passive voice is a fundamental aspect of English grammar. This transformation shifts the focus from the doer of the action to the receiver of the action.
Deconstructing Active vs. Passive Voice
In an active voice sentence, the subject performs the action. In contrast, in a passive voice sentence, the subject receives the action. Let's break down the given example:
Active Voice: "The doctor treated the patient."
- Subject: The doctor (the one performing the action)
- Verb: treated (the action)
- Object: the patient (the one receiving the action)
Passive Voice: "The patient was treated by the doctor."
- New Subject: The patient (the one who received the action)
- Verb Phrase: was treated (a form of "to be" + the past participle of the main verb)
- Agent (optional): by the doctor (the original subject, now in a prepositional phrase)
The core structure of the passive voice involves using a form of the verb "to be" followed by the past participle of the main verb. The original subject can be included using the preposition "by," but it is often omitted when the doer of the action is unknown, unimportant, or obvious.
Structure Comparison
This table illustrates the structural differences between the active and passive voice using the example:
| Aspect | Active Voice Example | Passive Voice Example |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | On the doer of the action | On the receiver of the action |
| Subject | The doctor (performer) | The patient (receiver) |
| Verb Form | treated (simple past) | was treated (form of 'to be' + past participle) |
| Object/Agent | the patient (receiver) | by the doctor (optional agent) |
When to Use the Passive Voice
While active voice is generally preferred for its clarity and directness, the passive voice has specific, legitimate uses:
- When the doer of the action is unknown or unimportant:
- Example: "The window was broken last night." (We don't know who broke it.)
- When the action or the receiver of the action is more important than the doer:
- Example: "The new vaccine was discovered in 2023." (The discovery is more important than who made it.)
- To maintain objectivity or formality, common in scientific or academic writing:
- Example: "The experiment was conducted under controlled conditions."
- To avoid naming the agent (sometimes for diplomatic reasons):
- Example: "Mistakes were made."
For further reading on active and passive voice, you can explore resources like the Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL).
Other Examples of Active to Passive Transformation
- Active: The chef cooked dinner.
- Passive: Dinner was cooked by the chef.
- Active: People speak English around the world.
- Passive: English is spoken around the world.
- Active: A student wrote that essay.
- Passive: That essay was written by a student.
Understanding when and how to use the passive voice correctly enhances your writing flexibility and precision.
