The Passive Voice in Business
Understanding the Passive Voice in Business English
Enhancing Professional Communication Skills
Objectives
- Learn what the passive voice is
- Understand when and why to use it
- Know how to form passive constructions
- Explore different tenses in passive voice
- Discover impersonal passive forms
- Apply knowledge using business examples
What Is the Passive Voice?
Definition: A grammatical construction where the subject receives the action of the verb.
Structure: Subject + form of “to be” + past participle (+ by agent)
Example:
- Active: “The manager approved the proposal.”
- Passive: “The proposal was approved by the manager.”
Active vs. Passive Voice
Active Voice: The subject performs the action.
- “The team completed the project.”
Passive Voice: The subject receives the action.
- “The project was completed by the team.”
When Do We Use the Passive Voice?
- Focus on the Action or Object: When the action is more important than who performed it.
- Unknown or Unimportant Agent: When the doer is unknown, obvious, or irrelevant.
- Formal Tone: To create an objective and formal tone in writing.
Why Do We Use the Passive Voice?
- Emphasize the Action: “Policies were updated to improve compliance.”
- Maintain Objectivity: Useful in reports and formal documents.
- Diplomatic Language: Avoid assigning blame or credit directly. “Mistakes were made during the process.”
How Is the Passive Voice Formed?
- Identify the Active Sentence: Subject, Verb, Object
- “The team launched the product.”
- Swap the Object and Subject: The object becomes the new subject.
- “The product…”
- Use the Appropriate Form of “To Be”: Match the tense of the original verb.
- “The product was…”
- Add the Past Participle of the Main Verb: “The product was launched…”
- Include the Agent (Optional): Use “by” if necessary.
Passive Voice in Different Tenses
Here are some examples of how the passive voice appears in different tenses:
- Present Simple Passive: “The report is reviewed every month.”
- Past Simple Passive: “The contract was signed yesterday.”
- Future Simple Passive: “The new policy will be implemented next quarter.”
- Present Continuous Passive: “The data is being analyzed by experts.”
- Present Perfect Passive: “The project has been completed ahead of schedule.”
Forming the Passive Voice in Different Tenses
Here’s how to form the passive voice in different tenses:
- Present Simple: “They approve the request.” → “The request is approved.”
- Past Simple: “They approved the request.” → “The request was approved.”
- Future Simple: “They will approve the request.” → “The request will be approved.”
- Present Continuous: “They are approving the request.” → “The request is being approved.”
- Present Perfect: “They have approved the request.” → “The request has been approved.”
Impersonal Passive Forms
In business contexts, impersonal passive forms are often used to express general beliefs or expectations:
- “It is said that…”
- “He/She is expected to…”
- “They are believed to…”
Examples from Articles
Here are some examples of passive voice from the business articles:
- Passive: “Meridia Tech has been acquired by Nimbus Innovations.”
- Active: “Nimbus Innovations has acquired Meridia Tech.”
- Passive: “Corrective measures have been mandated.”
- Active: “The agency has mandated corrective measures.”
Passive Voice in Business Context
In business contexts, passive voice can be used to emphasize actions and outcomes:
- “A new policy has been implemented to enhance security.”
- “Quarterly earnings were released today.”
- “An error was discovered in the report.”
Practice Exercise
Convert the following active sentences into passive voice:
- “The marketing team launched a new campaign.”
- “Regulators will investigate the incident.”
Common Passive Voice Mistakes
Here are some common mistakes made when using passive voice:
- Omitting the form of “To Be”: Incorrect: “The report submitted yesterday.” Correct: “The report was submitted yesterday.”
- Incorrect verb agreement: Ensure the verb “to be” agrees with the subject.
Summary
To summarize:
- Passive Voice focuses on the Action or Object.
- Formed with “To Be” + Past Participle.
- Common in Business English for Reports and News.
Conclusion
Mastering Passive Voice Enhances Professional Communication.