Agreement with Passive Voice: A Guide for Writers
Passive voice is a common grammatical construction in which the subject of a sentence receives the action instead of performing it themselves. For example, “The book was read by John,” instead of “John read the book.” While passive voice can be useful in certain contexts, it can also make your writing sound awkward and unclear. One area where passive voice often causes confusion is in subject-verb agreement. Here`s a guide on how to ensure your writing is grammatically correct while also using passive voice.
Understanding Subject-Verb Agreement in Passive Voice
In passive voice, the subject of the sentence is often the object of the action. For example, “The book was read by John” has “book” as the subject, but it is being acted upon rather than performing an action. In this case, the verb “was read” agrees with the subject “book” in number (singular), but not in person. This is because the sentence is structured to emphasize that “the book” is the thing being acted upon, rather than “John” performing the action.
Here`s another example: “The report was written by the team.” In this sentence, “report” is the subject and the verb “was written” is in agreement with it. However, the team is the agent performing the action, and it`s important to ensure that the verb agrees with the team in number, as well as clarity.
Tips for Maintaining Agreement with Passive Voice
1. Identify the subject and verb of the sentence: It`s important to identify which noun is acting as the subject and which verb is in agreement with it.
2. Consider the agent performing the action: In passive voice, the agent is often left unstated or placed in a prepositional phrase. Make sure the verb agrees with the agent`s number and clarity.
3. Avoid unclear pronoun references: Sometimes in passive voice constructions, it`s unclear which noun a pronoun is referring to. Ensure that your pronoun references are clear and precise.
4. Use active voice when possible: While there are certainly times when passive voice is preferable, try to use active voice whenever possible. Active voice is more direct and engaging, and can be easier to understand.
Example:
Passive voice: The decision was made by the committee.
Active voice: The committee made the decision.
In summary, when using passive voice in your writing, it`s important to maintain agreement between the subject and verb, as well as clarity in the sentence structure. By following these tips, you can ensure that your writing is grammatically correct and easy to read.
