Sentence Construction And Errors Questions Medium
Active voice and passive voice are two different ways of constructing sentences in English. The main difference between them lies in the focus and structure of the sentence.
In active voice, the subject of the sentence performs the action. The subject is the doer of the action, and it typically comes before the verb. For example, in the sentence "John ate the apple," the subject "John" is performing the action of eating the apple.
On the other hand, in passive voice, the subject of the sentence receives the action. The subject is the receiver of the action, and it typically comes after the verb. For example, in the sentence "The apple was eaten by John," the subject "The apple" is receiving the action of being eaten by John.
The key difference between active and passive voice is the emphasis placed on the subject and the object of the sentence. Active voice emphasizes the doer of the action, while passive voice emphasizes the receiver of the action.
Additionally, the structure of the sentence changes when switching between active and passive voice. In active voice, the sentence follows a subject-verb-object pattern, whereas in passive voice, the sentence follows a subject-verb-object pattern with the object becoming the subject and the subject becoming the object.
It is important to note that active voice is generally preferred in writing as it is more direct, concise, and engaging. Passive voice is often used when the focus is on the receiver of the action or when the doer of the action is unknown or unimportant.
In summary, the difference between active and passive voice lies in the focus and structure of the sentence. Active voice emphasizes the doer of the action, while passive voice emphasizes the receiver of the action.