Passive Verbs: Making the Subject Receive the Action
Sometimes a sentence is turned around to shift the focus of the sentence. The thing that receives the action (which would normally be the direct object) is stated as the subject. The verb is changed into a passive form. And the cause of the action (which would normally be the subject) is either unstated, or expressed in some kind of prepositional phrase. The purpose of a passive sentence is either to emphasize that which receives the action or to leave the cause of the action intentionally unstated.
Passive Verbs:
Verbs that switch the doer and receiver of the action.
The Passive Verbs are highlighted in the following sentences. The passive sentences are contrasted with a typical (active) construction:
Typical (active)
Jim broke the window.
Passive
The Window was broken.
Typical (active)
Jim threw the ball.
Passive
The Ball was thrown by Jim.
Hint: Be careful not to confuse passive verbs with
to beverbs and helping verbs (which will be described in later pages). They all use forms of the verb
be.
Click on the Passive Verb in the following sentences.
If anyone obeys His word, God's love is made complete in him - 1 Jn. 2:5
If he ignores this, he himself will be ignored. - 1 Cor. 14:38
He regretted that He had made man, and His heart was grieved. - Gen. 6:6
Sorry, try again
Correct
Sorry, that is a main verb in the past tense
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