Sentence Structure Questions Medium
Passive voice is used when the focus of the sentence is on the action being performed rather than the subject performing the action. It is typically used in the following situations:
1. When the subject is unknown or unimportant: Passive voice can be used when the subject is not known or when it is not necessary to mention the subject. For example, "The car was stolen" (subject unknown) or "Mistakes were made" (subject unimportant).
2. When the subject is obvious or implied: Passive voice can be used when the subject is obvious or can be easily understood from the context. For example, "The cake was baked" (subject implied: someone baked the cake).
3. When the focus is on the action or the receiver of the action: Passive voice can be used to emphasize the action or the receiver of the action rather than the subject. For example, "The book was written by a famous author" (emphasizing the action of writing) or "The letter was received yesterday" (emphasizing the receiver of the letter).
4. When discussing general truths or scientific facts: Passive voice is commonly used in scientific or academic writing to present general truths or facts. For example, "Water is composed of hydrogen and oxygen" or "The Earth is surrounded by an atmosphere."
It is important to note that while passive voice has its uses, it is generally recommended to use active voice whenever possible, as it tends to make sentences more direct, concise, and engaging.