DEFINITION
In grammar, an active voice is a type of a clause or sentence in which a subject performs an action and expresses it through its representative verb. To simply put it, when a subject performs an action directly, it is in active voice. It then uses transitive verb to show the action.
FUNCTION
Active voice plays an important role in creative writing and business reports because these types of writings need to be to the point, clear, and direct. It adds interest and helps grab attention of the readers. Not only does it maintain audience’s interest, it also improves the quality of a written work. Active voice gives energy and life to a sentence, as it is less wordy and consequently less difficult. In addition, active voice maintains focus and attention of the readers on a single point.
PATTERN
| Tense | Active Voice | Passive Voice |
| Simple Present Tense | (+) S + Verb (-) S + be + not + Verb (?) Be + s + Verb? | (+) O + be + Verb 3 (-) O + be + not + Verb 3 (?) Be + O + Verb 3? |
| Present Continuous Tense | (+) S + be + Ving (-) S + be + not + Ving (?) Be + S + Ving? | (+) Be + being + V3 (-) Be + not + being + V3 (?) Be + O + being + V3? |
| Present Perfect Tense | (+) S + have/has + Verb 3 (-) S + have/has + not + Verb 3 (?) Have/has + s + Verb 3 | (+) have/has + been + verb3 (-) have/has + not + been + verb 3 (?) Have/has + O + been + verb 3? |
| Simple Past Tense | (+) S + v2 (-) S + was/were + not (?) Was/were + s + v2 ? | (+) O + was/were + Verb 3 (-) O + was/were + not + Verb 3 (?) Was/were + O + Verb 3? |
| Past Continuous Tense | (+) S + was/were + Ving (-) S + was/were + not + Ving (?) Was/were + s + Ving? | (+) O + was/were + being + Verb 3 (-) O + was/were + not + being + Verb 3 (?) O + Was/were + being + Verb 3? |
| Past Perfect Tense | (+) S + had + Verb 3 (-) S + had + not + Verb 3 (?) Had + s + Verb 3 | (+) O + had + been + Verb 3 (-) O + had + not + been + Verb 3 (?) Had + O + been + Verb 3? |
| Simple Future Tense | (+) S + will + V1 (-) S + will + not + V1 (?) Will + S + V1? | (+) O + will + be + Verb 3 (-) O + will + not + be + Verb 3 (?) Will + O + be + Verb 3? |
| (+) S + be + going to + V1 (-) S + be + not + going to + V1 (?) Be + s + going to + V1? | (+) O + be + going to + be + Verb 3 (+) O + be + not + going to + be + Verb 3 (-) Be + O + going to + be + Verb 3? | |
| Future Perfect Tense | (+) S + will + have + Verb 3 (-) S + will + not + have + verb 3 (?) Will + S + have + Verb 3? | (+) O + will + have + been + Verb 3 (-) O + will + not + have + been + Verb 3 (?) Will + O + have + been + Verb 3? |
EXAMPLE
- Farmers grow sugar cane. (Petani menanam tebu.)
- The news surprise Sarah. (Berita itu mengejutkan Sarah.)
- Marry will write the report. (Marry akan menulis laporan.)
- Robby mailed the package. (Robby telah mengirim paket itu.)
- Has Tom signed the letter? (Apakah Tom telah menandatangani surat itu?)
- Did a cat kill the bird? (Apakah seekor kucing telah memangsa burung itu?)
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