To change a complex sentence into passive voice, you need to identify the subject, verb, and object of the main clause and the dependent clause. Then, you can follow these steps:
Step 1: Identify the subject, verb, and object of the main clause.
The main clause is the independent clause that can stand alone as a sentence.
-
Example: The dog chased the ball.
- Subject: The dog
- Verb: chased
- Object: the ball
Step 2: Identify the subject, verb, and object of the dependent clause.
The dependent clause is the clause that cannot stand alone as a sentence.
-
Example: The dog chased the ball because he was hungry.*
- Subject: he
- Verb: was
- Object: hungry
Step 3: Change the main clause into passive voice.
To do this, you need to:
-
Make the object of the main clause the subject.
-
Change the verb to the past participle form.
-
Add the auxiliary verb "be" in the appropriate tense.
-
Example: The ball was chased by the dog.
Step 4: Change the dependent clause into passive voice (if applicable).
You can also change the dependent clause into passive voice, but this is not always necessary.
- Example: The ball was chased by the dog because he was hungry.* (The dependent clause is not in passive voice.)
Step 5: Combine the main and dependent clauses (if applicable).
You can combine the main and dependent clauses into a single sentence, using a conjunction like "because" or "since."
- Example: The ball was chased by the dog because he was hungry.
Practical Insights:
- Changing a sentence to passive voice can make it more formal or impersonal.
- Passive voice can be useful when you want to emphasize the action rather than the actor.
- It's important to use passive voice sparingly, as it can make your writing sound awkward or unclear.
Examples:
-
Active: The teacher gave the students a test.
-
Passive: The students were given a test by the teacher.
-
Active: The company announced the new product.
-
Passive: The new product was announced by the company.
