Where to use Passive Voice

‘Project Smart English’

Shaping Young Minds

Where to use Passive Voice

Generally use of active voice is recommended to make our writing easier to understand. However, passive voice can also be useful in some situations.  We may also use passive voice in following situations:

1.    When the receiver is more important that the doer/agent:                         

 Example:

The minister was bitten by a rabid dog. Writing this in the active voice (A rabid dog bit the minister) would make dog more important than the minister.

2.    When we do not know/cannot know the doer/agent. 

Example     

The man was found murdered in his hotel room.                                                                                 

They came back from the holiday & found their house had been burgled.

3.    When the doer is not important but the action is. 

Example        

Gas cylinder regulators must be switched off after cooking is done.                                                       

Corroded power cable should be replaced as quickly as possible.

4.    When the doer/agent is too obvious to need naming; 

 Example       

The murderer was caught & charged with manslaughter.

The chief minister was defeated in elections.

5.    When the accepted manner of writing on science, technology or academic subjects demands that, the doer remains faceless.   Examples                                                                                                 

The tumor was excised & tissue samples were sent for biopsy.                                

A portion of the sediment was treated with hydrochloric acid & precipitates analyzed.

6.    Defuse hostility- active can sometimes be too direct & blunt.

Examples 

Your performance has been found to be below minimum acceptable level.

Disciplinary action will be taken against you.

7.    To spread or evade responsibility by omitting the doer, e.g.

Examples 

Regretfully, your file has been misplaced

Your application for grant of loan has been rejected.

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Correct use of the relative pronouns

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Correct use of the relative pronouns

 

Who, whom and whose

The pronouns who, whom and whose are generally only used for persons. Occasionally they are used for some animals and other inanimate objects too.

• A boy who does not play games will never be healthy.
• This is the woman whose husband was killed by the dacoits.
• I have an Alsatian whose name is Bruce.
• This is John Paul whom I used to know as a child.
• The ancients worshipped the moon whom they called Diana.

Which

Which is used for animals and inanimate things.

• Mangoes which are over-ripe should be thrown away.
• The horse which won the race is called Handsome.
• This is a case which calls for careful investigation.

Which is also used to refer to a previous statement.

• The man said he was a police officer, which was not true.
• He wants me to give up his claim, which is impossible.
• He happened to be there at the time, which was fortunate.

That

That is used for persons and things.

• This is the boy that won the first prize.
• Here is the man that I told you of.
• This is the monument that was built by Shah Jehan.
• Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.

Another difference between that and who, which, is that while who and which can be used in the possessive case (whose, of which) and with prepositions (of whom, to whom, by which etc.) that cannot be used so.

• This is my boy of whom I am proud.
• This is the man whose house was burgled.
• I have an axe with which I cut wood.

You cannot substitute that for of whom, whose or with which in these sentences.

What

What is used only to refer to things and not persons. When used as a relative pronoun what means that which.

• I mean what (= that which) I say.
• What (= that which) is one man’s meat is another man’s poison.
• Take down what (= that which) I dictate.
• I saw what looked like a flying saucer.
• What cannot be cured must be endured.

As

As is used as a relative pronoun after such, and sometimes after the same.

• He is such a man as I honor.
• His reaction was such as might have been expected.
• My position is the same as yours.

But

After a negative, the word but is used as a relative pronoun in the sense of who did not or which did not.

• There was not a man among them but hoped (= who did not hope) to get out alive.
• There is no rose but has (= which does not have) some thorn.
• There is none here but will (= who will not) support you.

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When To Use “That” and When to Use “Which”

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When To Use “That” and When to Use “Which”

Before starting on the use of “that”/”which” rule, remember that “who” should always be used when referring to people.

·         The boy who threw the ball.

·         This is the woman who always wears a black shawl.

When referring to objects, though, the rule for using “that” and “which” correctly is simple:

·         THAT should be used to introduce a restrictive clause.

·         WHICH should be used to introduce a non-restrictive or parenthetical clause.

What is a Restrictive & Non Restrictive Clause?

A restrictive clause is one which is essential to the meaning of a sentence – if it’s removed, the meaning of the sentence will change. For example:

·         Chairs that don’t have cushions are uncomfortable to sit on.

·         Card games that involve betting money should not be played in school.

·         To our knowledge, it is the only body in the solar system that currently sustains life…

A non-restrictive clause can be left out without changing the meaning of a sentence. Non-restrictive clauses are either in brackets or have a comma before and after them (or only before them if they come at the end of a sentence):

·         Chairs, which are found in many places of work, are often uncomfortable to sit on.

·         I sat on an uncomfortable chair, which was in my office.

 Why You Need to Use “That” or “Which” Correctly

Changing that to which or vice versa can completely change the meaning of a sentence. Consider the following examples:

·         My car that is blue goes very fast.

·         My car, which is blue, goes very fast.

The first sentence uses that – suggesting I own more than one car (and even implying my other cars might not be so fast). This is what happens if we leave out the clause and write:

·         My car that is blue goes very fast.

·         My car goes very fast.

The sentence’s meaning has changed: the reader does not know which one of my cars goes very fast.

However, the sentence using which simply informs the reader that my car is blue. We can take the clause out without losing any essential information:

·         My car, which is blue, goes very fast.

·         My car goes very fast.

“That” and “Which” in Common Usage

It is common today for which to be used with both non-restrictive and restrictive clauses, especially in informal contexts:

·         Who ate the cake that I bought this morning?

·         Who ate the cake which I bought this morning?

The clause “that I bought this morning” is essential to the meaning – I’m not asking about a cake which I bought yesterday, or this afternoon. Therefore, the first example using “that” is the correct one, but many people would not consider the second ungrammatical.

It is, however, incorrect even in informal contexts to use that for a non-restrictive clause. For example, these sentences would be considered incorrect:

·         This computer, that I have never liked, is very slow.

·         The blue desk, that my father gave me.

Even though the usage of which has been relaxed to some extent, it is still better to keep your writing as clear as possible by using which for only non-restrictive clauses, and that for restrictive ones.

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Personality Development, Summer Educamp (for Students)

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You are invited to an Open Workshop on ‘How to develop good personality and positive Attitude’ being organized on 4.4.2015 in our Maninagar Centre. You are invited to register you name for this workshop by sending your nomination at sarwansingh6644@gmail.com or smu2@ideaindia.org  or by sending an sms at 88666 80407 or 84870 606129

  

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35 Synonyms for the word ‘Look’

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35 Synonyms for the word ‘Look’

Look, it’s perfectly acceptable to use the verb look, but don’t hesitate to replace this fairly ordinary-looking word with one of its many more photogenic synonyms. Many of these substitutions come in especially handy when it comes to finding one word to take the place of look-plus-adverb or look-plus-adjective-and-noun, as the definitions demonstrate.

1.    Blink: to look at with disbelief, dismay, or surprise or in a cursory manner
2. Browse: to look at casually
3. Consider: to look at reflectively or steadily
4. Contemplate: to look at extensively and/or intensely
5. Dip (into): to examine or read superficially
6. Eye: to look at closely or steadily
7. Fixate (on): to look at intensely
8. Gape: to look at with surprise or wonder, or mindlessly, and with one’s mouth open
9. Gawk: see gape
10. Gawp: see gape (generally limited to British English)
11. Gaze: to look steadily, as with admiration, eagerness, or wonder
12. Glare: to look angrily
13. Glimpse: to look briefly
14. Gloat: to look at with triumphant and/or malicious satisfaction
15. Glower: to look at with annoyance or anger
16. Goggle: to look at with wide eyes, as if in surprise or wonder
17. Leer: to look furtively to one side, or to look at lecherously or maliciously
18. Observe: to look carefully to obtain information or come to a conclusion, or to notice or to inspect
19. Ogle: to look at with desire or greed
20. Outface: to look steadily at another to defy or dominate, or to do so figuratively
21. Outstare: see outface
22. Peek: to look briefly or furtively, or through a small or narrow opening
23. Peep: to look cautiously or secretively; see also peek (also, slang for “see” or “watch”)
24. Peer: to look at with curiosity or intensity, or to look at something difficult to see
25. Peruse: to look at cursorily, or to do so carefully
26. Pore (over): to look at intently
27. Regard: to look at attentively or to evaluate
28. Rubberneck: to look at in curiosity
29. Scan: to look at quickly, or to look through text or a set of images or objects to find a specific one
30. Skim: see scan
31. Stare: to look at intently
32. Stare (down): to look at someone else to try to dominate
33. Study: to look at attentively or with attention to detail
34. Watch: to look carefully or in expectation
35. Wink: to look at while blinking one eye to signal or tease another person

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By:

Sarwan Singh

http://singhsarwan.blogspot.com

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@sarwan_singh